Xexyz (NES) Playthrough

Xexyz is one of the more unusual and ambitious action games in the NES library. Developed by Atlus and published by Hudson Soft in North America in 1990, it combines platforming, exploration, light adventure elements and horizontal shoot ’em up stages into one surprisingly cohesive experience. The Japanese version, Kame no Ongaeshi: Urashima Densetsu, draws more directly from the Urashima Tarō folktale, while the Western release presents the game as a futuristic adventure set in the year 2777. Rating: 8/10 You play as Apollo, a warrior trying to liberate the world of Xexyz from the invading forces of Goruza. Each major area begins as a side-scrolling action stage where you run, jump, shoot enemies and explore doors scattered throughout the environment. These doors can lead to shops, NPCs, bonus rooms, healing characters or clues needed to progress. Rather than simply reaching the end of a level, you often need to locate a particular doorway, defeat a guardian and obtain access to the local mechanical castle. Enemies drop energy that also functions as currency, allowing you to buy health, weapons and useful items. This gives Xexyz a light sense of progression and makes exploration worthwhile. The game also has a wonderfully strange atmosphere, mixing science fiction, fantasy, mechanical creatures and oddball humor. Once inside the castles, Xexyz gradually shifts toward shoot ’em up gameplay. Apollo boards different machines and the game becomes a horizontally scrolling shooter with enemy formations, hazards and branching routes. These sections eventually lead to large boss encounters, many featuring enormous robotic sea creatures. The constant transition between platforming, exploration and shooting is easily the game’s strongest feature, preventing any single gameplay style from becoming too repetitive. The weapon system is more varied than expected. Apollo can obtain lasers, bouncing shots and the unusual Moon Ball, while the Mirror power-up creates a duplicate character that effectively doubles your firepower. The different vehicles used during the shooting stages also help keep the action fresh. Visually, Xexyz is colorful and imaginative. The stages move through forests, icy regions, deserts and mechanical interiors, while the bosses are large and memorable. Character sprites are relatively small, but the game makes good use of color and varied scenery. The music is catchy and atmospheric, giving each area a distinct feel. The controls are generally dependable, although Apollo’s jumping can initially feel somewhat stiff or imprecise. The lack of built-in autofire is also noticeable during longer shooting sections, where repeatedly tapping the fire button becomes tiring. Difficulty is mostly fair, but the final portion of the game is considerably rougher. Enemy swarms become more aggressive, slowdown and flicker can obscure projectiles, and some late encounters feel less carefully balanced than the rest of the adventure. Despite these flaws, Xexyz remains memorable because it constantly tries something different. It is not quite a top-tier platformer or shooter individually, but the combination works remarkably well. The closest comparisons are games such as The Guardian Legend, Section-Z and Air Fortress, although Xexyz has enough personality to stand on its own. Its strange name and forgettable Western box art may have helped it disappear among more famous NES releases, but the game itself deserves more attention. Creative, varied and packed with charm, Xexyz is one of the system’s more interesting hidden gems and an easy recommendation for fans of experimental 8-bit action games.