Kendo Rage

{{Infobox video game

| title = Kendo Rage

| image = Kendo rage.jpg

| caption = North American cover art

| developer = Affect

| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP|Datam Polystar|NA|SETA}}

| producer = Tom Shizuma

| composer = Takahiro Wakuta

| released = {{vgrelease|JP|January 22, 1993|NA|October 1993}}

| genre = Action game, platformer

| modes = Single-player

| platforms = Super NES/Famicom

}}

Kendo Rage, known in Japan as {{nihongo|Makeruna! Makendō|負けるな!魔剣道||"Do Not Lose! Kendo Magic"}}, is an action video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom by Datam Polystar. SETA published the English version.

Gameplay

Kendo Rage is a 2D action side scrolling game. The player controls a fighter that is equipped with a kendo stick capable of melee attacks, and several ranged attacks. Certain combos and attacks can be used when the player's energy bar (known as 'Psy' in the game) is appropriately charged. There is a boss at the end of each stage, with seven stages total. The player begins the game at 04:00, and progress is shown by how fast each stage is completed rather than through a point system.{{Citation |title=SNES Longplay [412] Kendo Rage | date=7 June 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiVidESN15A |access-date=2024-03-13 |language=en}}

Plot

The original Japanese version of the game stars a girl named {{nihongo|Mai Tsurugino|剣野舞|Tsurugino Mai}}. A spirit detective named Doro (ドロ) finds Mai and asks her to help him attack monsters.{{Citation |title=SNES Longplay [316] Makeruna! Makendou (Japanese Edition) | date=30 September 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGOOdUn03MM |access-date=2024-03-13 |language=en}}

In the English version of the game, an American girl named Josephine "Jo" goes to Japan to attend a summer kendo school. Her personal trainer, Osaki "Bob" Yoritomo, asks her to fight monsters on the way to school.

Release

Makeruna! Makendō was released for the Super Famicom on January 22, 1993.{{Cite web|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?a=page_h_title&title_id=000000002508|title=負けるな！魔剣道 [スーパーファミコン] / ファミ通.com|website=www.famitsu.com|access-date=2018-08-19}} An OVA series, Makeruna! Makendo, closely follows the original Japanese version of the game, featuring both Mai and her younger sister Hikari (the main character from the second game).{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}

It was released in North America as Kendo Rage in October 1993 and published by SETA.{{Cite web|title=Super NES Games|url=http://www.nintendo.com:80/consumer/gameslist/manuals/snes_games.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920223937/http://www.nintendo.com:80/consumer/gameslist/manuals/snes_games.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-09-20|date=2008-09-20|access-date=2018-08-19}}

A fighting game follow-up titled Makeruna! Makendō 2: Kimero Youkai Souri was released for the Super Famicom and PlayStation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=17792|title=負けるな！魔剣道2 決めろ！妖怪総理大臣 [スーパーファミコン] / ファミ通.com|website=www.famitsu.com|access-date=2018-08-19}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=2505|title=負けるな！魔剣道2 [PS] / ファミ通.com|website=www.famitsu.com|access-date=2018-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024192454/http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=2505|archive-date=2015-10-24|url-status=live}} A role-playing video game titled Makeruna! Makendō Z was released for the PC-FX.{{Cite web|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=28422|title=負けるな！魔剣道Z [PC-FX] / ファミ通.com|website=www.famitsu.com|access-date=2018-08-19}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| GR = 58.75% (2 reviews){{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588418-kendo-rage/index.html|title=Kando Rage Review Score|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513151149/https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588418-kendo-rage/index.html|archive-date=2019-05-13}}

}}

Famitsu gave the game a score of 24 out of 40. Nintendo Power gave the game 3.1/5 stars, while Super Play scored the game 55/100.