[SNES] Axelay

[Staubhold]

Axelay is a scrolling shooter video game developed by Konami for the SNES.

Axelay's gameplay varies quite a bit from that of traditional 2D scrolling shooters. Instead of the player collecting weapon power-ups from defeated enemies in order to acquire more advanced weapons, the player earns weapons as he or she advances in the game. There are three weapon types with which the fighter is outfitted at the start of the level: a standard weapon, a special weapon, and a bomb or missile. The player may freely switch between each of these weapon types during a level. At the end of each level, a new choice of one of these types of weapons is added to the player's armory, and the player is given the ability to modify his or her fighter to suit the needs of the next level. Similar to Konami's own Life Force, levels transition between vertical and horizontal scrolling layouts, forcing the player to select weapons that will be most effective for each level.

Finally, the game eschews the standard one-hit-kill model prevalent in space shooters, instead simply disabling the currently selected weapon and reducing the player to a weak default version of that weapon type. Sustaining a second hit while using a weakened weapon will destroy the player's ship. However, directly colliding into an enemy will still destroy the ship instantly.

The game's graphics utilize the SNES mode 7 and parallax scrolling effects. Such visual effects combined with what was then seen as an advanced selection of weapons available, as well as the music score, made Axelay into a popular shooter for the SNES console.

IMO one of the best shooters for the SNES. Sountrack for this games is superb, I still hear it today!

Oh... btw...

You can get that game on your Wii, provided through Nintendo's Virtual Console service. 8)

Axelay Intro

[Bigsally]

badass game, never heard of it. konami was makin sum really good games back then good review

[Ultiɱℯciɑ]

By one of the Treasure's founders no less (Gunstar Heroes, Alien Soldier, Mischief Makers, Sin and Punishment among others). Then I think I might try this one

[Ryon]

Man this game is extremely hard.. the first level alone is unfair with the bombs circling you and closing in. But i had to use some form of cheats on this game or else i wouldnt have been able to make those 2 blaz stages. gotta thank staubhold for those 2 stages.

[Noside]

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