My Played Video Games Review: Axelay for the Super Nintendo

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Axelay is a scrolling shooter game released in 1992, created and published by Konami for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom.

Axelay is one of Konami's efforts to step away from their Gradius line of shooters' formula, and while it had some good ideas, it didn't fully realize their potential.

Japan only box cover art (Image source)

The Story

Strange aliens have taken over the Earth-like planet Corliss, gradually depleting its resources. You pilot the advanced Axelay ship, armed with a variety of powerful weapons, to fight off the enemy forces. Battle through different stages, from planets to space stations, as you make your way to defeat the alien base.

Box, manual and cartridge of the game. (Image source)

The Graphics and Sound

The backgrounds in Axelay might not have been the most realistic at the time, but the game made a strong effort to immerse you in the feeling of flying through air and space. In the air levels (1, 3, and 5), this was achieved with some layering effects and Mode 7 vertical scrolling, creating the illusion that objects moving towards the top of the screen were receding into the distance. This added a sense of depth that was unusual for a space shooter.

In the horizontal levels (2, 4, and 6), the game focused less on creating depth and more on emphasizing what was directly in front of you. For instance, in level 2, you might notice the buildings on the ground, but your attention is mostly on avoiding enemy attacks. Similarly, in level 4, the cave's details might catch your eye, but the real challenge lies in navigating the hazardous environment.

Axelay also features some impressive background music. In level 1, the music sets the tone for the start of an epic mission, while level 4's track perfectly matches the tension of exploring a dangerous cave. The sound effects, however, are less remarkable, mainly consisting of 16-bit versions of explosions likely used in Konami's earlier games.

Gameplay video sample of Axelay on the SNES. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.

The Gameplay

"Not enough damn thing to do." That’s the perfect way to describe Axelay. The game just doesn’t have enough content to keep you fully engaged. The developers seemed to want to appeal to both types of shooter fans: those who love fast-paced, action-packed vertical-scrolling shooters, and those who prefer the more strategic, thought-out horizontal-scrolling shooters. The game attempts to cater to both audiences by alternating between vertical-scrolling levels (1, 3, and 5) and horizontal-scrolling levels (2, 4, and 6).

On paper, this blend of styles, combined with cool boss fights and an interesting weapon selection system (where you pick three weapons before each mission), should have been a hit. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work out as intended. The vertical-scrolling levels don’t have enough enemies or bullets to offer the challenge you’d expect, and the horizontal-scrolling levels just are not fun.

The weapon system also falls short because, despite the variety, only about three of the weapons are actually useful. Even when some weapons seem designed for a particular level, they often end up being more of a hindrance than a help, so you’re likely to stick with the same three weapons throughout the entire game. It’s a good idea on paper, but in practice, the game just doesn’t deliver.

The replay value of is high. The different weapon system and the game's balanced difficulty make it accessible and enjoyable for both newcomers and experienced players. Unlike many other shoot 'em ups of its time, Axelay avoids the frustration of losing significant power or agility upon death, which means the game feels fair and not overly punishing.

My Verdict

Axelay had the potential to be something special, but because the game developers tried to tackle two different types of gameplay at once, they lost focus and missed the mark. The concept was strong in theory, but attempting to cater to both types of shooter fans was too ambitious. While the game is good, it ultimately doesn't live up to its full potential.

Play it on the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on an emulator.

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