Valis (video game)
Encyclopedia
was the first video game in the Valis series. Telenet Japan
originally developed and published Valis in 1986 for the MSX
and PC-88 home computers. Tokuma Shoten
would later release a version for the Famicom
in 1987. In 1991, additional publishers Riot (Japan) and Renovation (US) released versions for the Sega Mega Drive
(also called Sega Genesis in North America). An enhanced remake of the Mega Drive version was also released for the PC-Engine CD. In 2005, Telnet released another remake of the game, this time for mobile phone platforms in Japan. The game spawned several sequels including Valis II
, Valis III
, Valis IV
. The Valis series stars a Japanese schoolgirl named , who uses a mystical sword called Valis to defend Earth, the spirit world and the dream world.
style levels with multiple paths. Because of this, the game's overall difficulty is much higher.
buttons move the character, and the three fire buttons perform three actions for the main character: sliding, jumping, and swinging her sword
. The player can view a list of usable magic by pressing the Start button.
Telenet Japan
was a Japanese video game and software developer founded in October 1983 by Kazuyuki Fukushima. The company was also known as Nippon Telenet . The company was best known for the Valis series as well as its Wolfteam & RiOT divisions...
originally developed and published Valis in 1986 for the 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...
and PC-88 home computers. Tokuma Shoten
Tokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
would later release a version for the Famicom
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in 1987. In 1991, additional publishers Riot (Japan) and Renovation (US) released versions for the Sega Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
(also called Sega Genesis in North America). An enhanced remake of the Mega Drive version was also released for the PC-Engine CD. In 2005, Telnet released another remake of the game, this time for mobile phone platforms in Japan. The game spawned several sequels including Valis II
Valis II
, which had a remake done with super deformed characters and released as on the Japanese Sega Mega Drive and Syd of Valis -a translation mistake as SD means super deformed- on the North American Sega Genesis, is the second title in the Mugen Senshi Valis video game series...
, Valis III
Valis III
is an action-platformer video game developed by Telenet Japan and originally released for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² on September 7, 1990 in Japan. It was later released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1991 both in Japan and North America, and for the TurboGrafx-CD in 1992 in North America...
, Valis IV
Valis IV
, or , on the Super Nintendo is a video game platformer and the final release of the Mugen Senshi Valis series in North America...
. The Valis series stars a Japanese schoolgirl named , who uses a mystical sword called Valis to defend Earth, the spirit world and the dream world.
Game design
Valis: The Fantasm Soldier is a side-scrolling platformer. Wielding the game's titular sword, the main character fights through each level's enemies while jumping across ledges, then confronts a boss at the end of each level. At certain points in the game, gameplay pauses, and cinema scenes regarding the game's storyline play.Famicom version
Released only in Japan, the Famicom version of Valis differs considerably from the Mega Drive or PC-Engine CD versions of the game. While the basic plot remains the same, gameplay has moved from linear stage design to larger mazeMaze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
style levels with multiple paths. Because of this, the game's overall difficulty is much higher.
Mega Drive/Genesis version
Like other side-scrolling games of the era, the four D-padD-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
buttons move the character, and the three fire buttons perform three actions for the main character: sliding, jumping, and swinging her sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
. The player can view a list of usable magic by pressing the Start button.