Rastan Saga
Encyclopedia
, known in North America
simply as Rastan, is a hack and slash
platform
arcade game
developed and published by Taito
.
The player controls the barbarian named Rastan, who has to cross a number of levels and defeat enemies inspired by Greek mythology while avoiding obstacles and traps. The game consists of six rounds with three scenes per round. To clear each round, players must reach the third scene and defeat the castle boss. The player can pick up new weapons by stabbing them with the sword and items by walking over them. Some weapons and items include axes, hammers, fire swords, jewels, shields and mantles. The game's background graphics featured broad landscapes with changing sunlight effects with detail and clarity not previously seen in video games.
of the game were developed by Taito themselves for the Sega Master System
(1988), MSX
(1988) and Sega Game Gear
(1991), and by Ocean Software
under their Imagine label for the PC
(1990), Commodore 64
(1987), ZX Spectrum
(1987), Amstrad CPC
(1988) and Apple IIGS
(1990). The Commodore 64
version of the game, called simply Rastan, was impossible to finish because of a bug early in the game. This bug prevented a player from making a critical jump from one platform to the other - Rastan would always fall short of the intended point and could never make it across. The ZX Spectrum version was awarded 9/10 in the July 1988 issue of Your Sinclair
and was placed at number 54 in the Your Sinclair official top 100. The Apple IIGS
version, one of the last ports to be written, was well regarded as it was the closest in matching the arcade original graphically, in terms of fluid animation, music and sound. In addition, the arcade version of the game was included in Taito Legends
, a compilation of games for the PlayStation 2
, Xbox
, PC (2006).
(also known by two other names, Nastar in Europe and Nastar Warrior in North America) and Warrior Blade Rastan Saga Episode III
.
In 2002, Saffire
created a 3-D fighting game published by Titus Software
for the PlayStation 2
, and Nintendo Gamecube
in the U.S. entitled "Barbarian". In 2003 the game was licensed by Taito and was retitled "Warrior Blade: Rastan vs. Barbarian" for its Japanese release. The game was released in Europe later that year. Since this game was not originally created by Taito, and since it originally didn't have Rastan or any other related characters, it actually has no connection to the Rastan universe.
Rastan also made an appearance in another Taito game titled Champion Wrestler as "Miracle Rastan".
port's manual featured a bestiary of opponents faced in the game that contained explicit female nudity. The Gorgon and Harpy characters are drawn showing explicit detail in bare breast and pubic hair. The Medusa (spelled Meduza) character is bare-breasted but does not contain pubic nudity due to her lower half being that of a snake. By today's far more strict standards, the manual would never have been published with such explicit content without an M or possibly even an AO rating, which is a rarity. A direct link to the manual can be found here
Gameplay Video of Rastan
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
simply as Rastan, is a hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
platform
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed and published by Taito
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
.
Gameplay
Regional differences
Unlike the Japanese version, the North American and European versions were never released as a full size dedicated cabinet in the arcades. Instead, the game was released as a "kit" conversion; a kit conversion allowed the arcade operator to convert an existing game cabinet into the "kit" game by providing new buttons, joysticks, decal stickers, marquees, monitor bezels, wiring harnesses, manuals, and the game PCB. The original opening to the story was not included in the North American nor the European version of the game. In it, the game explains that he would be given all the treasures of an empire for exchange of a terrible dragon's head. Also in the Japanese version when you complete a stage ("Round") the "victory" screen has text pertaining to the storyline. In the American/World version there is a "generic" victory screen with generic text("You are a brave warrior for having cleared such a stage", mostly in part to a lack of a plot).Ports
PortsPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
of the game were developed by Taito themselves for the Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
(1988), MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
(1988) and Sega Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
(1991), and by Ocean Software
Ocean Software
The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
under their Imagine label for the PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
(1990), Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
(1987), ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
(1987), Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
(1988) and Apple IIGS
Apple IIGS
The Apple , the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The "GS" in the name stands for Graphics and Sound, referring to its enhanced graphics and sound capabilities, both of which greatly surpassed previous models of the line...
(1990). The Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
version of the game, called simply Rastan, was impossible to finish because of a bug early in the game. This bug prevented a player from making a critical jump from one platform to the other - Rastan would always fall short of the intended point and could never make it across. The ZX Spectrum version was awarded 9/10 in the July 1988 issue of Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
and was placed at number 54 in the Your Sinclair official top 100. The Apple IIGS
Apple IIGS
The Apple , the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The "GS" in the name stands for Graphics and Sound, referring to its enhanced graphics and sound capabilities, both of which greatly surpassed previous models of the line...
version, one of the last ports to be written, was well regarded as it was the closest in matching the arcade original graphically, in terms of fluid animation, music and sound. In addition, the arcade version of the game was included in Taito Legends
Taito Legends
Taito Legends is a compilation of 29 arcade games released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC in October 2005. The games were originally developed by Taito Corporation. The European release was published by Empire Interactive, who had licensed the games from Taito and developed the compilation...
, a compilation of games for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, PC (2006).
Sequels and related releases
The game was followed by two sequels, Rastan Saga IIRastan Saga II
, known in Europe as Nastar and in North America as Nastar Warrior is a hack and slash platform arcade game developed and released by Taito in 1988...
(also known by two other names, Nastar in Europe and Nastar Warrior in North America) and Warrior Blade Rastan Saga Episode III
Warrior Blade Rastan Saga Episode III
Warrior Blade: Rastan Saga Episode III is an arcade game released by Taito Corporation in 1991. It is a weapons brawler similar to Golden Axe, and its main feature is the use of dual screens to depict the action. There are two other selectable characters besides Rastan this time around, a hireling...
.
In 2002, Saffire
Saffire (video game developer)
Saffire was a contract video game developer located in American Fork, Utah. It is noted both for porting games and making some original titles. It was founded by Sculptured Software co-founder, Hal Rushton. They released their last title, Thunderbirds, in 2004 and went out of business sometime...
created a 3-D fighting game published by Titus Software
Titus Software
Titus Software, later known as Titus Interactive S.A., was a long-running French software publisher that produced and published video games for various formats over its lifetime....
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and Nintendo Gamecube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
in the U.S. entitled "Barbarian". In 2003 the game was licensed by Taito and was retitled "Warrior Blade: Rastan vs. Barbarian" for its Japanese release. The game was released in Europe later that year. Since this game was not originally created by Taito, and since it originally didn't have Rastan or any other related characters, it actually has no connection to the Rastan universe.
Rastan also made an appearance in another Taito game titled Champion Wrestler as "Miracle Rastan".
Adult content
Though not particularly violent, Rastan was one of the earliest platform games to feature a blood spatter effect when certain enemies were defeated. It also is a prime example of leniency shown to video games before the formation of the ESRB. The Sega Master SystemSega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
port's manual featured a bestiary of opponents faced in the game that contained explicit female nudity. The Gorgon and Harpy characters are drawn showing explicit detail in bare breast and pubic hair. The Medusa (spelled Meduza) character is bare-breasted but does not contain pubic nudity due to her lower half being that of a snake. By today's far more strict standards, the manual would never have been published with such explicit content without an M or possibly even an AO rating, which is a rarity. A direct link to the manual can be found here