Mazin Saga: Mutant Fighter

Mazin Saga: Mutant Fighter
File:Mazin Saga Mutant Fighter 1990 Japanese Cover Art.jpg Japanese Cover Art
Developer(s)	Almanic Corp.
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)	Kazuo Sawa
Platforms	Sega Genesis
Release date(s)
Genre(s)	Beat 'em up
Mode(s)	Single-player

Mazin Saga: Mutant Fighter (マジンサーガ, known as Mazin Wars in PAL region) is a video game for the Sega Mega Drive. It is a beat em'up/versus fighting game based on the MazinSaga manga by Go Nagai, which was in turn a spin-off of Nagai's original Mazinger Z.

Story

The video game is based on a manga created by Go Nagai. Set in a different universe from the original Mazinger story, the story begins in the year 1999 AD, when God Kaiser Hell began an all-out invasion to control Earth using powerful giants known as 'Bio Beasts'. Mazinger Z in Mazin Saga is actually a suit of armor rather than a robot. This armor has the ability to transform into a giant version of itself, allowing Mazinger Z to battle the Bio Beasts.

Mazinger Z's design in Mazin Saga is a departure from the rest of the Mazingers. Here, Mazinger Z is given an all-blue color rather than black in white like the others. Colored orbs are mounted on Mazinger Z's crown and torso. In many instances, Mazinger Z dons a red cape and its only weapon in combat is a sword, similar to God Mazinger.

The characters from the original Mazinger Z series reprise their roles in Mazin Saga, albeit slightly different from their anime/manga counterparts. Dr. Hell appears in Mazin Saga as God Kaiser Hell. Koji Kabuto still plays the protagonist, but has as darker, more serious persona than featured in the anime and manga versions of Mazinger Z (which is understandably so, given the setting and mood of Mazin Saga being close to another of Go Nagai's works, Devilman). Even Garada K7, one of the earliest enemies Mazinger Z fought in the original series, reappears as a Bio Beast.

Gameplay

As Mazinger Z, the player must fight mutants and robots. Levels are split into four sections the first three see a human sized Mazinger-Z in a side scrolling beat em up and the fourth sees Mazinger Z as a giant robot to battle the boss of that level in a one on one fighting game style battle. The game was known for its insane difficulty and over powered bosses. Even if the player manages to finish the game the Earth is left in ruins and the human race must flee to Mars where the Bio Beast army attacks again.

Bosses

• Garada K7: Appears in Tokyo. It is armed with a scythe and fire balls from the skull on its chest.
• Slug Head: Appears in Asia. It is armed with a morning star and electric balls from the mouth.
• Dino-Beast: Appears in Europe. It is armed with sharp claws and a dash attack.
• Buster Claws: Appears in New York City. It is armed with extendable claws and a powerful scorpion-like tail.
• Negative Mazinger: Appears in Egypt. It is armed with a sword and energy cutters. Arms also launch at Mazinger Z while human sized.
• Hell Mazinger: Appears in The Final Stage. It is armed with a sword and energy shots.

Reception

MegaTech gave the game 90% and a Hyper Game Award, saying that "you're presented with challenge after challenge, including some completely massive bosses. It could be better looking, but it plays well". Mega disagreed, and gave the game 65%, saying that it was not as good as Streets of Rage 2.