Difference between revisions of "Astal"

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Revision as of 10:46, 17 February 2014

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Astal Title.png

Astal
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Release Date RRP Code

Astal, known as Kisuishou Densetsu Astal (輝水晶伝説アスタル) in Japan, is a 2D platformer created by Sega exclusively for the Sega Saturn. It was originally released in April 1995 in Japan before subsequently seeing a release in North America and Brazil. Curiously the game was never released in Europe, despite initial plans.

Astal was not a launch title in western regions, though was brought to the Saturn in its "software drought" period, created when Sega of America unexpectedly brought the console's launch several months forward. Though reviews of the game were not stellar, it became a common and relatively well-known Saturn title in the regions it was sold in due to a lack of alternative software. Astal has yet to be bought to any other platforms or see any sequels since release.

Story

~Astal's Tale~

My story begins on a world that's different from your Earth. This is the legend of the beginning of the world of Quartalia.

Quartalia was created by our goddess, Antowas. Out of precious gems she made the land and sea, the mountains and the trees. And finally, from her last two jewels she created us. From a green jewel, Antowas created Leda, who has the power to make things live on Quartalia. From a red jewel, she created me, and made me really strong and powerful so I could keep Leda safe. Leda and I are as different as night and day. Leda is gentle and sweet and could never hurt anybody. I have a short temper, and sometimes I overdo things. That's what happened this time.

Unknown to us, the demon Jerado had been watching Antowas work. He wanted to rule a world all his own, but his powers weren't as strong as Antowas', and he didn't have the strength to make his own world. Instead he plotted to take over Quartalia, and change it the way he liked.

Exhausted from her work, Antowas fell asleep. That's when Jerado made his move. The first part of his plan was to get rid of Leda and me, and he created a powerful warrior named Geist to do the dirty work. One day, while I was taking a nap, Geist stole Leda away. I searched and searched, and I tore Quartalia apart looking for her. I finally found her, trapped in a crystal on the bottom of the sea.

Once I rescued Leda, I thought things could get back to normal, but the ruckus I caused woke Antowas up. When she saw the mess I'd made, boy, was she angry! When Leda found out about my punishment, she was heartbroken, and gave her green jewel to me to keep. Then Antowas sent me to Quartalia's moon, where I would stay out of trouble. Finally, Antowas used up the rest of her power to deal with Jerado, then fell into another deep sleep....

Now Jerado was out of the action, but Geist was still free. One day, from my prison on the moon, I saw him capture Leda again! This was too much! I destroyed my prison, broke my chains and headed back to Quartalia.

Nothing in the world means more to me than Leda—nothing! I will find her. I will find the one who took her, and I will deal with him! It's only a matter of time.

Quartalia has changed. The demon Jerado has transformed it somehow, and none of the creatures who now live here are friendly. Except for this bird I rescued, who for some reason, just won't leave me alone....

Gameplay

Astal is a 2D platform game which supports one or two players. Player 1 plays as "Astal", alongside a cooperative buddy, a bird, which can assist Astal in several ways. In single player mode, Astal gives commands to this bird to attack enemies, retrieve health or even perform context sensitive actions that are specific to certain levels, however in two player mode, the bird can be controlled by a second player instead. Two player mode also allows both players to team up and perform attacks together, with the downside being that the bird now has a health bar, and both players share the same lives counter.

Hints on how to defeat bosses are hidden within the opening cinematic.

In the overseas (i.e. non-Japanese) version, the player's hit points are reduced to three and the opening cinematic music is changed.

Production Credits

Planning/Original Concept: Tsuyoshi Sugai, Motomu Hayashi
Game Design: Tsuyoshi Sugai, Masahito Shimizu
Character Design: Motomu Hayashi
Original Story: Motomu Hayashi, Toshiyasu Kamiko
Art Director: Mika Okada
Music Director: Yukifumi Makino
Programmers:
Main Programmer: Kazuyuki Mukaida
Player Programmer: Kazuyuki Mukaida, Atsutoshi Takahashi
System Programmer: Yoshiyuki Kumazaki (Hitachi TS)
Enemy Programmer: Atsutoshi Takahashi, Shin Futakawame, Hiroaki Sakamoto, Yoshiyuki Kumazaki (Hitachi TS), Yasumaro Hotta
Tools Production: Takashi Ando
Special Effects Production: Takashi Ando
Programming Coordinator: Atsutoshi Takahashi
Planning:
Map Design/Enemy Settings: Tsuyoshi Sugai, Toshiyasu Kamiko, Masaru Ohnuma
Artists:
Background: Mika Okada, Naoko Hamada, Hiroyuki Kawaguchi, Masahiro Sanpei, Saori Wada
Character Production: Motomu Hayashi, Hiroyuki Kawaguchi, Naoko Hamada, Yukinobu Asai, Yuji Uekawa
3D Graphics Operator: Shiroh Kinemura
Title Design: Mika Okada, Hiroyuki Kawaguchi
Sound Staff:
Music/Sound Effects: Tatsuyuki Maeda, Tatsuya Kousaki
Recording Staff: Tatsutoshi Narita, Naoyuki Machida, Shinji Kawahira, Fumitaka Shibata, Invision Interactive (SEGA SOUND LIBRARY BY Invision Interactive Inc.)
Animation Staff:
Introduction Production/Editing: Hiroyuki Kawaguchi, Toshiyasu Kamiko, Yoshio Inoue, Mika Okada, Ryuta Ueda
Director: Toshihiko Masuda (Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., LTD.)
Art Director: Toshihiko Masuda (Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., LTD.)
Color: Tomoko Sakai (Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., LTD.)
Producer: Koji Takeuchi (Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., LTD.)
Opening/Ending Theme Music: "Let me try again!", "Shining World"
Music By: Tatsuyuki Maeda
Arranged By: Tatsuyuki Maeda
Ending/Event Animation Production: Masahiro Sanpei, Saori Wada, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Yukinobu Asai, Motomu Hayashi, Mika Okada, Hiroyuki Kawaguchi, Takashi Ando
End Credits Background: Mika Okada, Hiroyuki Kawaguchi, Masaru Ohnuma, Takashi Ando, Miho Takayanagi, Hiroshi Nishiyama
Special Thanks: Kumi Hasegawa, Kenji Satoh, Jun-ichi Tsuchiya, Hiroshi Asoh, Noriyoshi Ohba, Syu-ichi Katagi, Toshinori Asai, Koh Tanaka, Atsushi Seimiya, Kiyotaka Ogawa, Shin-ichi Higashi, Kentaroh Yoshida, Takashi Iwade, Michikazu Tamamura, Hirotsugu Kobayashi, James M. Spahn
Director: Masahito Shimizu
Producer: Makoto Oshitani
Executive Producer: Mamoru Shigeta

SEGA of America

Producer: Erik Wahlberg
Assistant Producer: Bill Person
Product Manager: Lori Von Rueden
Voice Actor: Lani Minella
Voice Producer: Mark Steven Miller
Translators: Osamu Shibamiya
Lead Tester: Gregg Vogt
Assistant Leads: Stan Weaver, Stephen Wong
Teasters: Crisi Albertson, Blair Bullock, Tim Turner, Nicole Tatum, Lorne Asuncion, Chris Colon, Steve Rapp, Kim Rogers, Arnold Feener, Eric Molina, Tim Spengler, Jeff Hedges, Ed Riel, Niel Musser
Manual: Wendy Dinsmore
Copyright SEGA Enterprises., LTD.

Physical Scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
72 №8, p114/115/116/117
90 №44, p110/111/112
62 №164, p26/27
50 №22, p65
70
53 №33, p82/83
63 №69, p56/57
92 №46, p34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41
Sega Saturn
 69
Based on
8 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Alaab Alcomputtar (SA)
92
[1]
CD Consoles (FR)
72
[2]
Consoles + (FR)
90
[3]
Computer & Video Games (UK) NTSC
62
[4]
Edge (UK) NTSC-J
50
[5]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
60
[6]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
66
[7]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
80
[8]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
75
[9]
HiTech (ES) NTSC-J
60
[10]
MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J
70
[11]
Mega (UK) NTSC
72
[12]
Magazina Igrushek (RU)
80
[13]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-J
53
[14]
Players (BR)
94
[15]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
67
[16]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC
63
[17]
Sega Megazone (AU)
80
[18]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
73
[19]
Ultimate Future Games (UK)
50
[20]
Última Generación (ES)
80
[21]
Videogame Advisor (US) NTSC-U
75
[22]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-J
64
[23]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
90
[24]
Sega Saturn
 72
Based on
24 reviews

Astal

Saturn, US
AstalBack us.jpgAstalBox us.jpg
Cover
Astal Saturn US Disc.jpg
Disc
Astal sat us manual.pdf
Manual
Saturn, JP
Astal sat jp backcover.jpgAstal sat jp frontcover.jpg
Cover
Astal sat jp disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, BR
Astal BR cover.jpg
Cover
  1. ↑ Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-xx-xx), page 22
  2. ↑ CD Consoles, "Juin 1995" (FR; 1995-xx-xx), page 114
  3. ↑ Consoles +, "Juin 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 110
  4. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1995" (UK; 1995-06-09), page 26
  5. ↑ Edge, "July 1995" (UK; 1995-05-25), page 65
  6. ↑ Famitsu, "1995-05-05" (JP; 1995-04-21), page 1
  7. ↑ Game Players, "Vol. 8 No. 8 August 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 37
  8. ↑ GamePro, "November 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 62
  9. ↑ Game Informer, "September 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 38
  10. ↑ HiTech, "Junio 1995" (ES; 1995-0x-xx), page 62
  11. ↑ MAN!AC, "07/95" (DE; 1995-06-14), page 46
  12. ↑ Mega, "August 1995" (UK; 1995-07-30), page 4
  13. ↑ Magazina Igrushek, "3/1995" (RU; 1995-xx-xx), page 52
  14. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "July 1995" (UK; 1995-05-27), page 82
  15. ↑ Players, "Dez 95" (BR; 1995-1x-xx), page 16
  16. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1995 July" (JP; 1995-06-08), page 50
  17. ↑ Sega Power, "August 1995" (UK; 1995-06-15), page 56
  18. ↑ Sega Megazone, "September 1995" (AU; 1995-0x-xx), page 20
  19. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 14
  20. ↑ Ultimate Future Games, "July 1995" (UK; 1995-06-01), page 76
  21. ↑ Última Generación, "Julio/Agosto 1995" (ES; 1995-0x-xx), page 80
  22. ↑ Videogame Advisor, "Volume 1, Number 4: August 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 32
  23. ↑ Video Games, "8/95" (DE; 1995-07-26), page 70
  24. ↑ VideoGames, "September 1995" (US; 1995-08-22), page 73
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