Friday, November 25, 2016

Ys Wanderers from Ys III for Super NES (1992)

Original ad published in the April 1992 edition of Electronic Gaming Monthly (no. 31)
Press to view or download image in higher resolution.

An average game from the printed page to the CRT screen


The third installment of Ys series arrived on the SNES with lots of bang, displaying full-page backcover ads on various magazines during 1992. Sadly, the game is possibly the weakest in the beloved series.

American gamers will remember that Ys was first released on the TurboGrafx-CD and offered an astounding orchestral CD-quality soundtrack (a first for any game). Ys III also delivered a very good soundtrack, but was marred with repetitive gameplay and a very unenven difficulty setting. This is an action side-scrolling RPG, a la The Adventure of Link, The Legend of Zelda's original sequel.

Colorful, but little detail in graphics.




But Ys III delivered only average graphics, even for the time. The critically acclaimed first two chapters of the series were nothing to write home about, graphicaly speaking, but became well-liked thanks to their weird "collision detection" attack method. That concept was scratched for Wanderers and the player was forced to slashed away at every enemy.

The game was developed by Nihon Falcom and was distributed in America by Sammy. It was also offered for the NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801 (both in 1989), versions for the MSX2 and Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-CD, Famicom, Super NES, and Sega Genesis and even the PS2 (2005).

Impressive bosses with even harder difficulty level.
Besides the SNES version, the game was oficially translated for the TurboGrafx-CD, Super NES, Genesis, as well as the PSP and PC remakes.

The printed advertisement is very timid. Wisely, the publisher opted to display the artbox of the game instead on the bland graphics. Othe rtham that, there is little contrast between the box and the background of the ad. A lost opportunity, considering this was printed on the backcover of gaming's most coveted magazine. 


Ys Wanderers from Ys III for Super NES print ad copy

Dragons and Wizards...oh my!

Features:
  • Brilliant, Breath-Taking 16-bit graphics and animation
  • Battery back -up stores up to 15 individual games
  • Booming, orchestral stereo sound hightens game-play
  • 25 unique weapons, armors, and magical instruments
  • A dramatic storyline of epic proportions

    American Sammy Corporation 

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