Sword of Sodan

From Sega Retro


This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.


n/a

SwordofSodan title.png

Sword of Sodan
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Electronic Arts (US/EU), Sega (JP)
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code

Sword of Sodan (ソード・オブ・ソダン) is a 1988 beat-'em-up for the Commodore Amiga by Discovery Software International. Innerprise ported it to the Sega Mega Drive for Electronic Arts in 1990.

The Sega Mega Drive port uses the same theme and story, but both gameplay and graphics have been strongly altered.

The player has to choose between a male and female sword fighter at the start of the game. The option menu allows to modify the difficulty level (Normal or Easy) and the number of lives.

Gameplay

The game is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up, with gore elements, long before Mortal Kombat further popularized them. B jumps, holding down the button results in higher jumps. It's also used to turn around by pushing together with Left or Right. Down ducks. C swings the character's sword. Combined with Up, Right and Down other attacks are available. Attack strength depends on the current "HIT" value displayed on top of the screen. It decreases when losing a life. A is used to drink potions, but these have to be selected in the pause menu first. Potions can be combined for various effects.

Enemy health is shown underneath the corresponding enemy. Enemies randomly drop potions.

Areas are usually cleared by defeating all enemies and exiting by going to the right.

Attacks have very specific hit zones, e.g. the first enemies you encounter, spear wielding guards, can not attack at point blank range, but their spear strikes outclass the player character. As a consequence, for safe combating on has to jump in and attack at point blank, or stay out of their range and counterattack. As another example, giants can only be hurt by using high attacks.

On normal difficulty, it's vital to stock the correct potions, e.g. giants have very random hit detection and their attacks can't be evaded up close, so it's useful to have invincibility in stock, or at least boost weapon strength

Potions

  • red = increases attack strength
  • orange = defeats the closest enemy
  • blue = restores health
  • transparent = no effect
  • red + transparent = extra life
  • orange + transparent = flaming brand (stronger sword with fire effect)
  • blue + transparent = temporal invincibility
  • red + orange = flaming brand (stronger sword with fire effect)
  • transparent x 4 = skip stage

Other combinations either have no effect or are poisenous to the player.

Version differences

(Compared to the Amiga version)

  • Most graphics were redrawn and/or scaled down
  • Swordplay is different
  • Stage layouts were modified
  • The wood area is missing
  • The ostrich-like creature in the dungeon stage is missing

Trivia

The game features an undocumented level skip in stage 5 (stage with invisible pits). Don't fall down the first and second pit, but deliberately fall down the third pit. This will skip directly to stage 6.

Magazine articles

Main article: Sword of Sodan/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
57 №112, p72[1]
57 №4, p88[2]
88 №20, p60[3]
45 №13, p113
40 №3, p79[4]
55 №1, p81[5]
59 №5, p78/79[6]
73 №6, p48/49[7]
45 №16, p18/19
40 №23, p54
33 №18, p68
Sega Mega Drive
54
Based on
11 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[8]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
52
[9]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
43
[10]
Console XS (UK) PAL
73
[11]
Cool Gamer (RU)
20
[12]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
57
[13]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
38
[14]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
48
[15]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
88
[3]
Génération 4 (FR)
22
[16]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
40
[17]
Joystick (FR)
45
[18]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
40
[4]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
40
[19]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
54
[20]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
40
[21]
MegaTech (UK)
55
[5]
Mean Machines (UK)
59
[6]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
55
[22]
Power Play (DE)
25
[23]
Raze (UK) PAL
73
[7]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
25
[24]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
45
[25]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
33
[26]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
28
[27]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
78
[28]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US)
80
[29]
Sega Mega Drive
48
Based on
27 reviews

Sword of Sodan

Mega Drive, US
SoS MD US Box Back.jpgSoS MD US Box.jpg
Cover
SoS MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
SoS MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
SoS MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
SoS MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
SwordofSodan MD JP CartTop.jpg
SwordofSodan MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, BR
SoS MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
SwordofSodan MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Swordofsodan md br manual.pdf
Manual

References

  1. File:CVG UK 112.pdf, page 72
  2. File:CVG IT 04.pdf, page 88
  3. 3.0 3.1 File:GamePro US 020.pdf, page 76 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 020.pdf_p76" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 File:MDAG UK 03.pdf, page 79 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MDAG UK 03.pdf_p79" defined multiple times with different content
  5. 5.0 5.1 File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf, page 81 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf_p81" defined multiple times with different content
  6. 6.0 6.1 File:MeanMachines UK 05.pdf, page 78 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 05.pdf_p78" defined multiple times with different content
  7. 7.0 7.1 File:Raze UK 06.pdf, page 48 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Raze UK 06.pdf_p48" defined multiple times with different content
  8. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 233
  9. Aktueller Software Markt, "März 1991" (DE; 1991-02-22), page 116
  10. Beep! MegaDrive, "October 1991" (JP; 1991-09-07), page 36
  11. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 135
  12. Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 215
  13. Computer & Video Games, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-16), page 88
  14. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 103
  15. Famitsu, "1991-10-18" (JP; 1991-10-04), page 1
  16. Génération 4, "Février 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 101
  17. Hippon Super, "November 1991" (JP; 1991-10-04), page 91
  18. Joystick, "Février 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 113
  19. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 94
  20. Mega Drive Fan, "January 1992" (JP; 1991-12-07), page 101
  21. Mega Play, "February 1991" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 45
  22. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142
  23. Power Play, "4/91" (DE; 1991-03-15), page 135
  24. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 54
  25. Sega Power, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-07), page 18
  26. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  27. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  28. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 192
  29. VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "March 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 44