Power Blade
Encyclopedia
Power Blade, known in Japan as , is an action
platform
video game developed by Natsume and published by Taito
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
. It was released in North America in March and in Europe on . The game spawned a sequel, Power Blade 2
, released in .
Power Blade takes place in the colony of New Earth in the year 2191 and follows NOVA, the Chief Security Officer of a supercomputer
called the Master Computer. He must restore the Master Computer — which has been taken offline by aliens
— by retrieving data tapes located in six sectors. The game features gameplay similar to the Mega Man
series, in which players can select any of the six levels to play. Armed with a boomerang
, players must complete all six levels, overcoming obstacles and defeating any enemies in the way.
Power Blade is a reworked and localized version of the Japanese Family Computer game Power Blazer, which was released also by Taito on . The original title for North America was Power Mission, after reworking the game they went with the name Power Blade. The reworking included a complete overhaul of the levels, a change of the look of the main character from a cartoon–like robot to an Arnold Schwarzenegger
look–alike, and a significant improvement in gameplay controls. The game's name comes from an item found in several levels; The Power Suit is an item that looks like a helmet. When collected Nova automatically equips the metal suit. This allows the player to shoot energy blasts known as "Power Blades" in any of the 8 directions and through most surfaces.
The player controls NOVA in a two-dimensional platforming environment. The object is to restore the Master Computer by going into each of six sectors of the Master Computer, accessing their databases, and recovering their data tapes. The player is armed with a boomerang
in which the player can fire in all eight directions, destroying enemies. Throughout each sector, players can upgrade the power, range, and number of boomerangs by collecting various power-up
s. The player has a life meter
which decreases every time the player is hit by an enemy; players lose a life if their life meter runs out, if they fall into a pit, or if time runs out. The game ends when the player has lost all lives, but the game has a continue
feature in which players can restart their game at the beginning of the level in which their game ended. Power Blade also has a password
feature which allows players to restart the game at a specific checkpoint at any time.
In Power Blade, players can go through the six sectors in any order via a stage select screen. The objective in each sector is to find the agent who can give players access into that sector's database and then enter the database's security room, where players must defeat a security guard (boss
) in order to gain access to the database itself and retrieve the tape. Once all six tapes have been gathered, the player gains access to the Master Computer's control center, where the player must destroy the alien overlord and restore the Master Computer back to its original state. One aspect of Power Blade that sets it apart from Power Blazer and Power Blade 2 is that if the player falls off the screen they will die. In the other two games the player simply falls back to the previous area.
In order to access the Master Computer's Control Center, Nova first has to obtain tape units from the six sectors surrounding the Master Computer. Each sector is heavily guarded by aliens, and Nova has to locate and contact an agent first to receive an ID card used to access the security room located at the same sector. After defeating the security room guards, Nova can obtain the sector's tape unit and use it to disarm the sector. After the six sectors have been disarmed, Nova must fight his way through the Control Center, destroy the Master Computer and restore order to the society.
in Chicago
. There, the game was called Power Mission and featured different character sprites than the finished version; Nintendo Power
magazine called the game "mega action in the tradition of Mega Man II
. It was the featured article and was on the cover in the April 1991 issue of Nintendo Power. It was also covered in the NES section of the November 1991 issue of the UK gaming magazine Mean Machines
, where it received an 88% rating.
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
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...
video game developed by Natsume and published by Taito
Taito
Taito may mean:*Taito Corporation, a Japanese developer of video game software and arcade hardware*Taito, Tokyo, a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan*Taito, also known as matai, paramount chiefs according to Fa'a Samoa...
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
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...
. It was released in North America in March and in Europe on . The game spawned a sequel, Power Blade 2
Power Blade 2
Power Blade 2, known in Japan as , is an action platform video game developed by Natsume and published by Taito for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in North America in September and in Europe on...
, released in .
Power Blade takes place in the colony of New Earth in the year 2191 and follows NOVA, the Chief Security Officer of a supercomputer
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
called the Master Computer. He must restore the Master Computer — which has been taken offline by aliens
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
— by retrieving data tapes located in six sectors. The game features gameplay similar to the Mega Man
Mega Man
Mega Man is a video game franchise from Capcom, starring the eponymous character Mega Man, or one of his many counterparts. The series is well-known and comprises well over fifty releases, easily making it Capcom's most prolific franchise. As of December 31, 2010, the series has sold approximately...
series, in which players can select any of the six levels to play. Armed with a boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
, players must complete all six levels, overcoming obstacles and defeating any enemies in the way.
Power Blade is a reworked and localized version of the Japanese Family Computer game Power Blazer, which was released also by Taito on . The original title for North America was Power Mission, after reworking the game they went with the name Power Blade. The reworking included a complete overhaul of the levels, a change of the look of the main character from a cartoon–like robot to an Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
look–alike, and a significant improvement in gameplay controls. The game's name comes from an item found in several levels; The Power Suit is an item that looks like a helmet. When collected Nova automatically equips the metal suit. This allows the player to shoot energy blasts known as "Power Blades" in any of the 8 directions and through most surfaces.
Gameplay
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
in which the player can fire in all eight directions, destroying enemies. Throughout each sector, players can upgrade the power, range, and number of boomerangs by collecting various power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s. The player has a life meter
Health (game mechanic)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
which decreases every time the player is hit by an enemy; players lose a life if their life meter runs out, if they fall into a pit, or if time runs out. The game ends when the player has lost all lives, but the game has a continue
Continue
Continue may refer to:*Continue , an option to continue a video game after all the player's lives have been lost*Continue , a 2008 Cantopop album by Pakho Chau*Continue , a programming language keyword-See also:...
feature in which players can restart their game at the beginning of the level in which their game ended. Power Blade also has a password
Password (video games)
In many video games of the 8-bit and, to a lesser extent, 16-bit eras , after a level was beaten and/or when all continues were used, the game would display a password, that when entered in the game would allow the player to return to this part in the game...
feature which allows players to restart the game at a specific checkpoint at any time.
In Power Blade, players can go through the six sectors in any order via a stage select screen. The objective in each sector is to find the agent who can give players access into that sector's database and then enter the database's security room, where players must defeat a security guard (boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
) in order to gain access to the database itself and retrieve the tape. Once all six tapes have been gathered, the player gains access to the Master Computer's control center, where the player must destroy the alien overlord and restore the Master Computer back to its original state. One aspect of Power Blade that sets it apart from Power Blazer and Power Blade 2 is that if the player falls off the screen they will die. In the other two games the player simply falls back to the previous area.
Plot
After years of fighting that took millions of casualties, Earth was recovering from revolts in the 22nd century. In 2191, New Earth has a Master Computer that holds a secret database of the colony-planet's functioning. In wrong hands, the database could prove fatal to the whole planet. One day, aliens attack the Master Computer, making the Master control program malfunction. Nova, a lord of the ancient Power Blade is summoned to take care of the situation. The Power Blade is a glowing energy boomerang that Nova uses to defend himself.In order to access the Master Computer's Control Center, Nova first has to obtain tape units from the six sectors surrounding the Master Computer. Each sector is heavily guarded by aliens, and Nova has to locate and contact an agent first to receive an ID card used to access the security room located at the same sector. After defeating the security room guards, Nova can obtain the sector's tape unit and use it to disarm the sector. After the six sectors have been disarmed, Nova must fight his way through the Control Center, destroy the Master Computer and restore order to the society.
Reception
Power Blade first received coverage in the Western markets when it was first displayed at the Summer 1990 Consumer Electronics ShowConsumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. There, the game was called Power Mission and featured different character sprites than the finished version; Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
magazine called the game "mega action in the tradition of Mega Man II
Mega Man 2
Mega Man 2, known in Japan as , is a platform game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the second installment in the original Mega Man series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, and in North America and PAL regions the following years. Mega Man 2...
. It was the featured article and was on the cover in the April 1991 issue of Nintendo Power. It was also covered in the NES section of the November 1991 issue of the UK gaming magazine Mean Machines
Mean Machines
Mean Machines was a market-leading multi-format gaming magazine released between 1990 and 1992 in the United Kingdom. Its style was popular with gamers of the time for its irreverent humor, anarchic editorial tone and style, and its sometimes outrageously outspoken reviews.- Origins :In the late...
, where it received an 88% rating.