Difference between revisions of "Dragon Blaze"
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− | '''''Dragon Blaze''''' (ドラゴンブレイズ) is a vertical [[shooting game]] developed and published in 2000 by [[Psikyo]]. The game | + | [[File:Dragonblaze_logo.png|center]] |
+ | {{GameInfobox | ||
+ | |bordercolor = #422162 | ||
+ | |innerbordercolor = #eeeeac | ||
+ | |title = Dragon Blaze | ||
+ | |background = #fefafb | ||
+ | |image = Dragonblaze_titlescreen.png | ||
+ | |width = 324px; | ||
+ | |imagecaption = Start screen | ||
+ | |imagescalepx = 180px | ||
+ | |developer = [[Psikyo]]<ref name="psikyomoby">"[https://www.mobygames.com/company/x-nautpsikyo X-Naut.Psikyo]" at Mobygames. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref> | ||
+ | |art = Kouji Ogata<ref name="poster">Psikyo Visualworks Poster Book, June 2003. Hosted on [https://archive.org/details/psikyovisualworksposterbook2003 Internet Archive]. Retrieved 2020.09.16</ref> | ||
+ | |releasedate = '''Arcade''': 2000<ref name="dragonmoby">"[https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7638 Dragon Blaze]" at Arcade Museum. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref><br>'''PS2''': Mar 21st, 2005 (Taito)<ref name="taitomoby">"[https://www.mobygames.com/game/ps2/psikyo-shooting-collection-vol-3-sol-divide-dragon-blaze Psikyo Shooting Collection Vol. 3: Sol Divide & Dragon Blaze]" at Mobygames. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref><br>Jun 23rd, 2006 (505 Games)<ref name="gamesdb">"[https://thegamesdb.net/game.php?id=33485 Dragon Blaze]" at thegamesdb. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref><ref name="505moby">[https://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/505-games-srl/offset,250/so,1d/list-games/ Index of games by 505 Games, S.R.L.] at Mobygames. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref><br>'''Switch''': Apr 5th, 2018 (Zerodiv)<ref name="zerodiv">"[https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/dragon-blaze-for-nintendo-switch/ Dragon Blaze for Nintendo Switch]" at Nintendo.com. Retrieved 2020.09.16</ref><br>Jan 21st, 2020 (City Connection, NIS America)<ref name="nis">"[https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/psikyo-shooting-stars-alpha-switch/ Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha]" at Nintendo.com. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref><ref name="city">Screenshots page for "[https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/psikyo_shooting_stars_alpha/screenshots Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha]" at Nintendo.com. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref><br>'''PC''': Aug 3rd, 2020 (City Connection)<ref name="steam">"[https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/dragon-blaze Dragon Blaze]" at Metacritic. Retrieved 2020.09.16.</ref> | ||
+ | |previousgame = [[Strikers 1999]] | ||
+ | |nextgame = [[Zero Gunner 2]] | ||
+ | |officialsite = [https://web.archive.org/web/20060210163816/http://www.x-nauts.com/psikyo/product/dra_bl/index.html X-Nauts] | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''''Dragon Blaze''''' (ドラゴンブレイズ) is a vertical [[shooting game]] developed and published in 2000 by [[Psikyo]]. The game was ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2005 and to the Switch in 2018 as part of the ''Psikyo Shooting Collection vol. 3'' and ''Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha'', respectively. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The game features a fantasy setting, and focuses on four dragonriders and their efforts the slay the Demon King Nebiros<ref name="story">"[http://psikyobabble.com/psikyo03/product/dra_bl/story.html Story]" at psikyobabble.com. Retrieved 2022.12.11</ref>. Gameplay is built around the unique '''Dragon Shot''' mechanic, which is a powerful short range attack that not only deals tremendous damage, but is also integral to the game's scoring system. Dragon Blaze was one of the last games to be developed by Psikyo, and is notable for its unique fantasy aesthetic, and for having a much higher bullet density than the company's earlier titles. | ||
== Gameplay Overview == | == Gameplay Overview == | ||
− | Dragon Blaze is a 3 | + | Dragon Blaze is a 3 button game and consists of 7 stages. As with previous Psikyo titles, the order of the first 4 stages is randomised with each credit. The difficulty of these stages varies depending on how late they appear in the stage order. After clearing all 7 stages, the player automatically enters a second loop, which features significantly denser bullet patterns. |
+ | |||
+ | === Controls === | ||
+ | ---- | ||
* '''A Button (Press):''' Shot | * '''A Button (Press):''' Shot | ||
* '''A Button (Hold):''' Magic Attack (depletes Magic Gauge) | * '''A Button (Hold):''' Magic Attack (depletes Magic Gauge) | ||
* '''B Button:''' Bomb (depletes bomb stock) | * '''B Button:''' Bomb (depletes bomb stock) | ||
− | * '''C Button:''' Dragon Shot | + | * '''C Button:''' Activate Dragon Shot. Tap C again to retract Dragon. |
+ | |||
+ | === Weapons === | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[File:Dragonblaze_screenshot.png|175px|thumb|right|Quaid attacks the stage 6 boss with the Dragon Shot]] | ||
+ | '''Main Shot''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Basic attack performed by pressing the shot button. This attack is upgraded by collecting Power-Up items, and reaches max power after 3 items have been collected. After collecting two Power-Up items the shot is supplemented by a secondary attack, or sub-shot, which offers some additional screen coverage. Colliding with an enemy will reduce the shot power by one level, and losing a life will reduce the shot to its base level. | ||
'''Dragon Shot''' | '''Dragon Shot''' | ||
− | Activating the Dragon Shot causes your dragon to dash forward a short distance, dealing heavy damage to nearby enemies. Following activation, the dragon will remain in place, and will attack separately to the player character. Tapping the C button again will retract the dragon, and reunite it with the rider. Enemies destroyed by the Dragon Shot will drop valuable gold coins, which are integral to achieving high scores. | + | This is the primary mechanic of Dragon Blaze. Activating the Dragon Shot causes your dragon to dash forward a short distance, dealing heavy damage to nearby enemies. Following activation, the dragon will remain in place, and will attack separately to the player character. Tapping the C button again will retract the dragon, and reunite it with the rider. Enemies destroyed by the Dragon Shot will drop valuable gold coins, which are integral to achieving high scores. The Dragon Shot deals damage on a per-frame basis, so using it point-blank on large enemies will yield the best results. |
+ | |||
+ | The total duration of the dragon shot attack is 15 frames. The time required to retract the dragon depends on the chosen character. Assuming the player character remains stationary, the recall time will vary between 45 frames for Ian & Skull Dragon, and 71 frames for Sonia & Aqua Dragon. | ||
'''Magic''' | '''Magic''' | ||
Line 18: | Line 51: | ||
The magic gauge is located at the bottom left of the screen, and is filled by killing enemies. Holding the A button releases a powerful magic attack which depletes the magic gauge. Magic attacks are character-specific, and will change depending on whether the player is mounted or dismounted. | The magic gauge is located at the bottom left of the screen, and is filled by killing enemies. Holding the A button releases a powerful magic attack which depletes the magic gauge. Magic attacks are character-specific, and will change depending on whether the player is mounted or dismounted. | ||
− | ''' | + | '''Bomb''' |
− | + | Bombs do not grant invincibility, but instantly clear enemy bullets and deal damage within specific areas of the screen. The precise effects of bombs are character-specific. | |
== Characters == | == Characters == | ||
− | Dragon Blaze offers 4 playable characters, each with their own playstyle and unique | + | Dragon Blaze offers 4 playable characters, each with their own playstyle and unique attacks<ref name="attacks">"Attack Names from [https://store.steampowered.com/app/1279420/Dragon_Blaze/ About this game]" at steampowered.com. Retrieved 2022.12.11</ref> |
+ | |||
+ | <h3> <span style="display:none;"> Quaid & Fire Dragon </span></h3> | ||
+ | {| class="wikitable" style="border:1px solid #222222; width: 75%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! colspan=6 style="background-color:#59000f; color:#ffffff;" | <big>Quaid & Fire Dragon</big> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | {{!}} colspan="6" rowspan="1" | [[File:Dragonblaze_quaid.png|150px|frameless|left]]<br> | ||
+ | • '''Shot:''' Red bullets aimed directly forward.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Sub shot:''' ''Holy Lance''. Lances that fire straight forward. Projectiles are slightly delayed, and can offer some horizontal coverage when moving left and right.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Mounted Magic Attack:''' ''Burst Lance''. Slow-moving fire lances that pierce through enemies. Best used pre-emptively to damage enemies that are about to spawn.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dismounted Magic Attack:''' ''Fire Breath''. Quaid's dragon breathes fire in a cone AOE. Deals impressive damage.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Bomb:''' ''Chaos Flare''. A shower of fireballs that fully clears the screen of bullets for 2 seconds.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dragon Retraction Time:''' Fast (53 frames)<br> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | The 'soaring dragon knight' Quaid is considered a strong all-rounder. While he may lack any form of wide shot, he offers good movement speed, fast dragon retraction speed, and a very useful screen-clearing bomb. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | '''Story:''' Quaid (age 23) from Haradh lost his girlfriend to the Demon King and is out for justice. He takes his mission very seriously and is eager to take revenge. | ||
+ | {{!}}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h3> <span style="display:none;"> Sonia & Aqua Dragon </span></h3> | ||
+ | {| class="wikitable" style="border:1px solid #222222; width: 75%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! colspan=6 style="background-color:#1b0c8c; color:#ffffff;" | <big>Sonia & Aqua Dragon</big> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | {{!}} colspan="6" rowspan="1" | [[File:Dragonblaze_sonia.png|150px|frameless|left]]<br> | ||
+ | • '''Shot:''' Circular bullets aimed forward. Sonia's dragon has two options which also fire forward, giving this attack some horizontal coverage.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Sub shot:''' ''Freeze Arrow''. A laser that pierces enemies. Useful for killing [[popcorn]] hiding behind more durable enemies.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Mounted Magic Attack:''' ''Diamond Dust''. A 7-way wide shot with very good screen coverage.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dismounted Magic Attack:''' ''Aqua Blast''. Green projectiles aimed directly forward.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Bomb:''' ''Trident Rush''. Clears bullets and deals damage in a wide column. Does not cover the entire screen.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dragon Retraction Time:''' Slowest (71 frames)<br> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | The ocean princess Sonia has a strong basic shot, and her magic attack has wide horizontal coverage, giving her an advantage in stages. However, she has the slowest dragon retraction time, so speed-killing large enemies and bosses can be problematic. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | '''Story:''' Sonia (age 17) is a princess wizard from Alger looking to find her mother, who has mysteriously disappeared. | ||
+ | {{!}}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | <h3> <span style="display:none;"> Rob & Thunder Dragon </span></h3> | ||
+ | {| class="wikitable" style="border:1px solid #222222; width: 75%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! colspan=6 style="background-color:#004c54; color:#ffffff;" | <big>Rob & Thunder Dragon</big> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | {{!}} colspan="6" rowspan="1" | [[File:Dragonblaze_rob.png|150px|frameless|left]]<br> | ||
+ | • '''Shot:''' A 7-way spread shot.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Sub shot:''' ''Plasma Hammer''. Bombs that slowly float forward and explode on contact with enemies.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Mounted Magic Attack:''' ''Lightning Hammer''. Large balls of lighting that are fired forward in a cone AOE<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dismounted Magic Attack:''' ''Giga Wave''. Rob's dragon fires a horizontal bolt of lightning across the length of the screen. Exceptional damage when positioned correctly<br> | ||
+ | • '''Bomb:''' ''Thunder Break''. Creates a lightning storm directly in front of Rob that clears bullets and deals damage in a circular aoe<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dragon Retraction Time:''' Slow (65 frames)<br> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | The powerful dwarf Rob offers great utility and damage, with a good spread shot and an extremely damaging dismounted magic attack. However, he has the slowest movement speed of any character, so he has the lowest scoring potential overall. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | '''Story:''' Rob (age 300) is a dwarf berserker who is not very smart and easily confused. He is looking for his brothers and embarks on this adventure largely by accident. He hates the sun & moon gods and prefers to ignore them whenever they start talking. | ||
+ | {{!}}} | ||
− | [[File: | + | <h3> <span style="display:none;"> Ian & Skull Dragon </span></h3> |
+ | {| class="wikitable" style="border:1px solid #222222; width: 75%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! colspan=6 style="background-color:#541488; color:#ffffff;" | <big>Ian & Skull Dragon</big> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | {{!}} colspan="6" rowspan="1" | [[File:Dragonblaze_ian.png|150px|frameless|left]]<br> | ||
+ | • '''Shot:''' Green projectiles aimed directly forward.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Sub shot:''' ''Magic Sword''. Projectiles that automatically home-in on enemies.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Mounted Magic Attack:''' ''Death Crash''. A purple laser aimed directly forward.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dismounted Magic Attack:''' ''Hell Spin''. Creates a circular AOE of death in a small radius around the dragon. Low screen coverage but high damage.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Bomb:''' ''Dark Stinger''. A laser-like projectile that offers miniscule horizontal coverage, but lingers on screen for several seconds, dealing extremely high damage.<br> | ||
+ | • '''Dragon Retraction Time:''' Fastest (45 frames)<br> | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | Ian the Necromancer offers the fastest movement speed and fastest dragon retraction time of any character, giving him high scoring potential. However, like Quaid his attacks are quite linear, and his bomb, while powerful, has extremely low screen coverage, making survival more challenging. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |colspan="13"| | ||
+ | '''Story:''' Ian (age 30) is a depressed knight looking for his lost master. | ||
+ | {{!}}} | ||
− | + | == Items == | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | {| class="wikitable" | |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | [[File:Psikyo_powerup.png|center]] || '''Power Up''' <br>Increases your shot power (max power after the 3rd item) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | [[File:Dragonblaze_bomb.png|center]] || '''Bomb''' <br>Increases your bomb stock by 1 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | [[File:Dragonblaze_silvercoin.png|center]] || '''Silver Coin''' <br>100 point reward | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | [[File:Dragonblaze_goldcoin.png|center]] || '''Gold Coin''' <br>200 point reward | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | [[File:Dragonblaze_coinhead.png]] || '''Coinhead''' <br>Secret item that grants gold coins when attacked | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | == Stages == | ||
− | + | The first four randomized stages are listed here in alphabetical order, the last three are in the order they appear. | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | {| border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" | |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | [[File:db_alger.png|130px]] | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | ⠀⠀ | ||
+ | | style="font-size:120%" | '''Alger (Sea Stage)''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | <span style="color:#000000">'''Boss:'''<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''First Form'''</span>: Zolba (sea dragon)<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''Second Form'''</span>: Gelzolba (sea dragon)<br> | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | [[File: | + | {| border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | [[File:db_ghaba.png|130px]] | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | ⠀⠀ | ||
+ | | style="font-size:120%" | '''Ghaba (Jungle Stage)''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | <span style="color:#000000">'''Boss:'''<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''First Form'''</span>: Abdilon (magic plant)<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''Second Form'''</span>: Mandragora (curse bulb)<br> | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | {| border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" | |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | [[File:db_haradh.png|130px]] | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | ⠀⠀ | ||
+ | | style="font-size:120%" | '''Haradh (Desert Stage)''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | <span style="color:#000000">'''Boss:'''<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''First Form'''</span>: Godoland (brigade command ship)<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''Second Form'''</span>: Ordovis (ancient organism)<br> | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | [[File: | + | {| border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | [[File:db_maimana.png|130px]] | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | ⠀⠀ | ||
+ | | style="font-size:120%" | '''Maimana (Air Stage)''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | <span style="color:#000000">'''Boss:'''<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''First Form'''</span>: Kiora (wyvern)<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''Second Form'''</span>: Megalowasp (parasitic organism)<br> | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | {| border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" | |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | [[File:db_st5.png|130px]] | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | ⠀⠀ | ||
+ | | style="font-size:120%" | '''Stage 5''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | <span style="color:#000000">'''Boss:'''<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''First Form'''</span>: Golgagonga (temple king)<br><br><span style="color:#422162">'''Second Form'''</span>: Wakiwaki (darkness idol)<br> | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | {| border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | [[File:db_st6.png|130px]] | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | ⠀⠀ | ||
+ | | style="font-size:120%" | '''Stage 6''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | <span style="color:#000000">'''Boss:'''<br><br>Darios (underworld king)<ref name="bosses">"Boss names from [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY2wNhFFqBQ&lc=UgxxwdjU2eqh20cTrPd4AaABAg Comment]" at youtube.com. Retrieved 2022.12.11</ref><br><br> | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | |||
− | ''' | + | {| border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" |
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | [[File:db_st7.png|130px]] | ||
+ | | rowspan="3" | ⠀⠀ | ||
+ | | style="font-size:120%" | '''Stage 7''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | <span style="color:#000000">'''Boss:'''<br><br>Demon Lord Nebiros<br><br> | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Loops == | ||
+ | |||
+ | After clearing all 7 regular stages, the player automatically enters a second loop. The second loop features significantly denser bullet patterns, and enemies will now release small diamond-shaped revenge bullets on death. Bosses have all-new patterns, and now have attacks that specifically target the dragon only, requiring the player to separate from the dragon at specific times. | ||
− | + | == Scoring == | |
− | + | Scoring in Dragon Blaze is relatively straightforward. Most enemies will drop silver coins on death, which give a modest 100 points when collected. Destroying enemies with the dragon shot will spawn gold coins which are worth 200 points each. When dismounted, the dragon can be used to collect coins independently of the rider, so correct positioning of the dragon is crucial to optimising score. | |
− | Destroying specific enemies in each stage will spawn a Coinhead - a golden totem which will linger on the screen for several seconds | + | Destroying specific enemies in each stage with a Dragon Shot will spawn a Coinhead - a golden totem which will linger on the screen for several seconds. Attacking the totem will release a torrent of gold coins to collect. There is one coinhead per stage, with the exception of stage 7 which has two. Coinhead locations can be found on the ''[[Dragon Blaze/Strategy]]'' page. |
− | [[File:Dragonblaze_technicalbonus.png| | + | === Technical Bonus === |
+ | ---- | ||
+ | [[File:Dragonblaze_technicalbonus.png|150px|thumb|right|1-1 Boss exposing its weak point]] | ||
− | This mechanic was first seen in [[Strikers | + | This mechanic was first seen in [[Strikers 1999]], and makes a return in Dragon Blaze. At specific points during the second phase of each boss fight, bosses will temporarily expose a flashing red weak point for you to destroy. Hitting this weak point with a Dragon Shot will instantly kill the boss, and award you a '''Technical Bonus''' of 30,000 points. |
− | Bosses will only expose their | + | Bosses will only expose their weak point once per fight, and will usually release a barrage of bullets at the same time, so careful positioning is needed to take advantage of this opportunity. Note that the stage 7 boss does not have a weak point, so a Technical Bonus is not possible on this stage. |
− | + | For strategic tips see [[Dragon_Blaze/Strategy#Technical_bonus]] | |
+ | === Endgame Bonus === | ||
+ | ---- | ||
Clearing both loops rewards the player with an endgame bonus as follows: | Clearing both loops rewards the player with an endgame bonus as follows: | ||
− | |||
*Lives Remaining x 100,000 | *Lives Remaining x 100,000 | ||
*Bomb Stock x 50,000 | *Bomb Stock x 50,000 | ||
*Power Level x 10,000 | *Power Level x 10,000 | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Strategy == | ||
+ | <div style='text-align: center;'> | ||
+ | ''See [[Dragon_Blaze/Strategy]] for '''secrets''' and '''advanced play strategies'''.'' | ||
+ | </div> | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Ports == | ||
+ | Following its original arcade release in 2000,<ref name="dragonmoby"/> Dragon Blaze was ported to the Playstation 2 in 2005, as part of Taito's Psikyo Shooting Collection Vol. 3 compilation.<ref name="taitomoby"/> The game received an individual release on the Playstation 2 in Europe in 2006, courtesy of publisher 505 Games.<ref name="gamesdb"/> | ||
+ | |||
+ | The game was ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2018 by Zerodiv.<ref name="zerodiv"/> After initially only being available on the Nintendo eShop, the game was later released physically as part of the Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha compilation.<ref name="nis"/> | ||
+ | |||
+ | On August 3rd 2020, the game was released on Steam by Zerodiv and City Connection.<ref name="steam"/> | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Video References == | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[Dragon Blaze/Video Index|Video index for Dragon Blaze]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | == References == | ||
+ | <small> | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[Category:Psikyo]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Vertical orientation]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Detachable_module mechanic]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Traditional_shooter sub-genre]] |
Revision as of 23:21, 19 December 2022
Start screen
Developer: | Psikyo[1] |
---|---|
Official site: | X-Nauts |
Art: | Kouji Ogata[2] |
Release date: | Arcade: 2000[3] PS2: Mar 21st, 2005 (Taito)[4] Jun 23rd, 2006 (505 Games)[5][6] Switch: Apr 5th, 2018 (Zerodiv)[7] Jan 21st, 2020 (City Connection, NIS America)[8][9] PC: Aug 3rd, 2020 (City Connection)[10] |
Previous game: | Strikers 1999 |
Next game: | Zero Gunner 2 |
Dragon Blaze (ドラゴンブレイズ) is a vertical shooting game developed and published in 2000 by Psikyo. The game was ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2005 and to the Switch in 2018 as part of the Psikyo Shooting Collection vol. 3 and Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha, respectively.
The game features a fantasy setting, and focuses on four dragonriders and their efforts the slay the Demon King Nebiros[11]. Gameplay is built around the unique Dragon Shot mechanic, which is a powerful short range attack that not only deals tremendous damage, but is also integral to the game's scoring system. Dragon Blaze was one of the last games to be developed by Psikyo, and is notable for its unique fantasy aesthetic, and for having a much higher bullet density than the company's earlier titles.
Contents
Gameplay Overview
Dragon Blaze is a 3 button game and consists of 7 stages. As with previous Psikyo titles, the order of the first 4 stages is randomised with each credit. The difficulty of these stages varies depending on how late they appear in the stage order. After clearing all 7 stages, the player automatically enters a second loop, which features significantly denser bullet patterns.
Controls
- A Button (Press): Shot
- A Button (Hold): Magic Attack (depletes Magic Gauge)
- B Button: Bomb (depletes bomb stock)
- C Button: Activate Dragon Shot. Tap C again to retract Dragon.
Weapons
Main Shot
Basic attack performed by pressing the shot button. This attack is upgraded by collecting Power-Up items, and reaches max power after 3 items have been collected. After collecting two Power-Up items the shot is supplemented by a secondary attack, or sub-shot, which offers some additional screen coverage. Colliding with an enemy will reduce the shot power by one level, and losing a life will reduce the shot to its base level.
Dragon Shot
This is the primary mechanic of Dragon Blaze. Activating the Dragon Shot causes your dragon to dash forward a short distance, dealing heavy damage to nearby enemies. Following activation, the dragon will remain in place, and will attack separately to the player character. Tapping the C button again will retract the dragon, and reunite it with the rider. Enemies destroyed by the Dragon Shot will drop valuable gold coins, which are integral to achieving high scores. The Dragon Shot deals damage on a per-frame basis, so using it point-blank on large enemies will yield the best results.
The total duration of the dragon shot attack is 15 frames. The time required to retract the dragon depends on the chosen character. Assuming the player character remains stationary, the recall time will vary between 45 frames for Ian & Skull Dragon, and 71 frames for Sonia & Aqua Dragon.
Magic
The magic gauge is located at the bottom left of the screen, and is filled by killing enemies. Holding the A button releases a powerful magic attack which depletes the magic gauge. Magic attacks are character-specific, and will change depending on whether the player is mounted or dismounted.
Bomb
Bombs do not grant invincibility, but instantly clear enemy bullets and deal damage within specific areas of the screen. The precise effects of bombs are character-specific.
Characters
Dragon Blaze offers 4 playable characters, each with their own playstyle and unique attacks[12]
Quaid & Fire Dragon | ||||||||||||
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• Shot: Red bullets aimed directly forward. | ||||||||||||
The 'soaring dragon knight' Quaid is considered a strong all-rounder. While he may lack any form of wide shot, he offers good movement speed, fast dragon retraction speed, and a very useful screen-clearing bomb. | ||||||||||||
Story: Quaid (age 23) from Haradh lost his girlfriend to the Demon King and is out for justice. He takes his mission very seriously and is eager to take revenge. |
Sonia & Aqua Dragon | ||||||||||||
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• Shot: Circular bullets aimed forward. Sonia's dragon has two options which also fire forward, giving this attack some horizontal coverage. | ||||||||||||
The ocean princess Sonia has a strong basic shot, and her magic attack has wide horizontal coverage, giving her an advantage in stages. However, she has the slowest dragon retraction time, so speed-killing large enemies and bosses can be problematic. | ||||||||||||
Story: Sonia (age 17) is a princess wizard from Alger looking to find her mother, who has mysteriously disappeared. |
Rob & Thunder Dragon | ||||||||||||
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• Shot: A 7-way spread shot. | ||||||||||||
The powerful dwarf Rob offers great utility and damage, with a good spread shot and an extremely damaging dismounted magic attack. However, he has the slowest movement speed of any character, so he has the lowest scoring potential overall. | ||||||||||||
Story: Rob (age 300) is a dwarf berserker who is not very smart and easily confused. He is looking for his brothers and embarks on this adventure largely by accident. He hates the sun & moon gods and prefers to ignore them whenever they start talking. |
Ian & Skull Dragon | ||||||||||||
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• Shot: Green projectiles aimed directly forward. | ||||||||||||
Ian the Necromancer offers the fastest movement speed and fastest dragon retraction time of any character, giving him high scoring potential. However, like Quaid his attacks are quite linear, and his bomb, while powerful, has extremely low screen coverage, making survival more challenging. | ||||||||||||
Story: Ian (age 30) is a depressed knight looking for his lost master. |
Items
Stages
The first four randomized stages are listed here in alphabetical order, the last three are in the order they appear.
⠀⠀ | Alger (Sea Stage) | |
Boss: First Form: Zolba (sea dragon) Second Form: Gelzolba (sea dragon) |
⠀⠀ | Ghaba (Jungle Stage) | |
Boss: First Form: Abdilon (magic plant) Second Form: Mandragora (curse bulb) |
⠀⠀ | Haradh (Desert Stage) | |
Boss: First Form: Godoland (brigade command ship) Second Form: Ordovis (ancient organism) |
⠀⠀ | Maimana (Air Stage) | |
Boss: First Form: Kiora (wyvern) Second Form: Megalowasp (parasitic organism) |
⠀⠀ | Stage 5 | |
Boss: First Form: Golgagonga (temple king) Second Form: Wakiwaki (darkness idol) |
⠀⠀ | Stage 6 | |
Boss: Darios (underworld king)[13] |
⠀⠀ | Stage 7 | |
Boss: Demon Lord Nebiros |
Loops
After clearing all 7 regular stages, the player automatically enters a second loop. The second loop features significantly denser bullet patterns, and enemies will now release small diamond-shaped revenge bullets on death. Bosses have all-new patterns, and now have attacks that specifically target the dragon only, requiring the player to separate from the dragon at specific times.
Scoring
Scoring in Dragon Blaze is relatively straightforward. Most enemies will drop silver coins on death, which give a modest 100 points when collected. Destroying enemies with the dragon shot will spawn gold coins which are worth 200 points each. When dismounted, the dragon can be used to collect coins independently of the rider, so correct positioning of the dragon is crucial to optimising score.
Destroying specific enemies in each stage with a Dragon Shot will spawn a Coinhead - a golden totem which will linger on the screen for several seconds. Attacking the totem will release a torrent of gold coins to collect. There is one coinhead per stage, with the exception of stage 7 which has two. Coinhead locations can be found on the Dragon Blaze/Strategy page.
Technical Bonus
This mechanic was first seen in Strikers 1999, and makes a return in Dragon Blaze. At specific points during the second phase of each boss fight, bosses will temporarily expose a flashing red weak point for you to destroy. Hitting this weak point with a Dragon Shot will instantly kill the boss, and award you a Technical Bonus of 30,000 points.
Bosses will only expose their weak point once per fight, and will usually release a barrage of bullets at the same time, so careful positioning is needed to take advantage of this opportunity. Note that the stage 7 boss does not have a weak point, so a Technical Bonus is not possible on this stage.
For strategic tips see Dragon_Blaze/Strategy#Technical_bonus
Endgame Bonus
Clearing both loops rewards the player with an endgame bonus as follows:
- Lives Remaining x 100,000
- Bomb Stock x 50,000
- Power Level x 10,000
Strategy
See Dragon_Blaze/Strategy for secrets and advanced play strategies.
Ports
Following its original arcade release in 2000,[3] Dragon Blaze was ported to the Playstation 2 in 2005, as part of Taito's Psikyo Shooting Collection Vol. 3 compilation.[4] The game received an individual release on the Playstation 2 in Europe in 2006, courtesy of publisher 505 Games.[5]
The game was ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2018 by Zerodiv.[7] After initially only being available on the Nintendo eShop, the game was later released physically as part of the Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha compilation.[8]
On August 3rd 2020, the game was released on Steam by Zerodiv and City Connection.[10]
Video References
References
- ↑ "X-Naut.Psikyo" at Mobygames. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ Psikyo Visualworks Poster Book, June 2003. Hosted on Internet Archive. Retrieved 2020.09.16
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Dragon Blaze" at Arcade Museum. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Psikyo Shooting Collection Vol. 3: Sol Divide & Dragon Blaze" at Mobygames. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Dragon Blaze" at thegamesdb. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ Index of games by 505 Games, S.R.L. at Mobygames. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Dragon Blaze for Nintendo Switch" at Nintendo.com. Retrieved 2020.09.16
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha" at Nintendo.com. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ Screenshots page for "Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha" at Nintendo.com. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Dragon Blaze" at Metacritic. Retrieved 2020.09.16.
- ↑ "Story" at psikyobabble.com. Retrieved 2022.12.11
- ↑ "Attack Names from About this game" at steampowered.com. Retrieved 2022.12.11
- ↑ "Boss names from Comment" at youtube.com. Retrieved 2022.12.11