Zanac
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Zanac | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Compile |
| Publisher(s) | Pony Canyon |
| Designer(s) | "Janus" Teramoto, Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, "Jemini" Hirono |
| Release date(s) | 1986, 1987 |
| Genre(s) | Shoot 'em up |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | N/A |
| Platform(s) | MSX, NES, Famicom Disk System, MSX2 |
| Input | Joystick |
Zanac is an arcade-style video game; a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up. It was designed by Compile - who went on to develop a number of classic shooters, including Blazing Lazers for the TurboGrafx-16 - and published by Pony Canyon.
Zanac was initially released for the MSX computer in Japan. It was then ported and heavily reworked for releas on the Nintendo Famicom Disk System in Japan on November 28, 1986, and in the United States as an NES cartridge in October, 1987. This version was then reworked further, recollored, and released for the MSX2 system as Zanac Ex.
A compilation entitled 'Zanac X Zanac' was released for PlayStation in Japan on November 29, 2001, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the original. The compilation included several versions of the original as well as an original sequel titled Zanac Neo developed specifically for the PlayStation. There was no North American/European release of this, nor was there a stand-alone version of Zanac Neo.
Zanac is notable for its unique AI programming. Player actions (including, but not limited to: firing weapons, gaining power-ups, and destroying enemy fortresses) would increase or decrease the number and difficulty of the enemies on-screen. The AI was reset at the beginning of each of the 12 levels, or when a particular enemy (the "Sart") was destroyed.
Zanac, like many video games of the era, is also notable as an example of Engrish, owing to its numerous translation, grammatical and spelling errors in both the manual and the game itself. For instance, on the title screen, the word "designed" is spelled "desinded."
