Advance Guardian Heroes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Advance Guardian Heroes is the sequel to the game Guardian Heroes, released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance by Treasure Co. Ltd. The game chronologically falls between Guardian Heroes and Gunstar Heroes.

It is a side-scrolling 'beat-em-up' similar to Double Dragon, with the exception of having magic, counter, and shielding techniques.

[edit] Story

The story starts during the battles in Guardian Heroes, showing that after the Undead Hero was returned to his rest, the group (which included Valgar) was given the option of becoming the Sky Spirit's perfect warriors. The group was divided, with Nicole, Serena, and Valgar joining the Sky Spirit, and Han and Genjiro refusing. Randy escaped back to earth on his own, leaving Han and Genjuro to fight a losing battle against their former comrades...

...Many years later, Zur returns, resurrecting Kanon, and using the power of the Guardian Heroes to take over the world. The few remaining resistance forces again call upon the power of the Undead Hero, one young soldier giving up his body to serve as its vessel.

At this point, the player takes command of the character. The game is separated in various stages and sub-stages with their own boss-fights, enemies, and puzzles. Throughout the game, you encounter the previous heroes Ginjirou, Han, Randy (known as Edo in the game), Valgar, Cerena, and Nicole (in that order), and fight them. As you defeat them, they power up some of your stats, however, in every progressive fight against them, you will have to fight the previous heroes you defeated again (with the exception of Edo). At the end of the game, it is proven that this was yet another attempt by the heavens to create an ultimate warrior, yet again. At this point, you fight Demon, the 'ruler of the heavens'. When he is defeated, he attempts to destroy the world with a fireball, which the main character, along with the previous Guardian Heroes, counter, and send back at Demon, thus destroying him. After the battle, the games Heroes (the Main Character, Han, Ginjirou, Edo, Valgar, Cerena, Nicole, Admila, and Dylan) leave Earth and go off to the Other World. (No more spoilers)

[edit] Gameplay

Advanced Guardian Heroes plays like an average side-scrolling beat-'em-up, with a few twist. Each character as a variaty of different attacks that can be used by pressing the directional pad and the B-button in different combinations. Some attacks are capable of knocking enemies away, setting them on fire, temporarily paralyzing them, or draining their MP. Some attacks can only be used in the air, and others require MP, technically making them spells. The characters can also block attacks and magic spells with a Barrier, which is activated with the R button; this, however, consumes MP. If a Barrier is activated just before an attack (physical or magic) strikes the character, a Counter is performed, which has different effects, depending on the attack countered (the former will result in the enemy being stunned for a moment, while the latter will reflect the attack and send it back at the enemy who casted the spell).

[edit] Trivia

• The game borrows heavily from Treasure's much lesser known fighting game Rakugaki Showtime, particularly in the game mechanics department. The point-to-point jump mechanic as well as the counter move were both introduced in Rakugaki Showtime.

• The Smiley is a recurring element in Treasure games, first appearing on the last boss in Dynamite Headdy and later on in Guardian Heroes, Silhouette Mirage, and Rakugaki Showtime at least. It is used specifically by Nicole in this case, the same as in Guardian Heroes.

• Many name spellings were changed from Guardian Heroes to Advance Guardian Heroes, most likely due to a new translation team. Examples include Serena -> Cerena and Valgar Reinhart -> Reinhalt Valgar.