Panorama Cotton

File:MD Panorama Cotton.png

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Panorama Cotton is a pseudo-3D scrolling shooter reminiscent of Space Harrier, set in an anime-style fantasy world.{{cite magazine|last=Des Barres|first=Nicholas|url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_2_Issue_12#page/n223/mode/2up|title=E. Storm Import MD: Panorama Cotton|magazine=GameFan|volume=2|issue=12|publisher=DieHard Gamers Club|date=December 1994|pages=208–210}}{{cite web|last=Kalata|first=Kurt|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/|title=Panorama Cotton|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101|date=12 December 2016|access-date=2020-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503084944/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/panorama-cotton/|archive-date=2020-05-03|url-status=live}} Various levels scroll "into the screen", vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. The player can move Cotton over the screen, shooting at oncoming enemies and avoiding obstacles in her way. Cotton can upgrade her weapon to higher levels as the player progresses, and can also cast magical spells by collecting special items.

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The most important plot elements in all of the Cotton games are magical candies called Willows. In the previous and first installment of the series, Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams, the world had fallen into an endless night after a Demoness called Wool stole the 7 Willows that brought light to it. In desperation, the Fairy Queen Velvet dispatched a beautiful fairy named Silk to get the Willows back. Before long, Silk met up with Cotton, a witch who loved to eat Willows, and together, they defeated Wool and brought back the willows. Light returned to the world, and Cotton left on her own.

Panorama Cotton{{'}}s story begins when Silk's sister Knit comes to tell her that Queen Velvet has started saying things which do not make any sense. Later, the Queen reveals that she believes the world is falling into chaos, and she is the only one who can save it. She rides off on an animal called "Pinky" to save the day, and disappears before anyone can stop her. Perplexed, Silk and Knit deduce that a burnt Willow which recently turned up in the castle garden is responsible for the Queen's odd behavior. Apparently, monsters north of the kingdom have been burning any Willow they see. Before doing anything else, Silk immediately decides that she needs to get rid of the burnt Willow in the castle first.

Silk carries the burnt Willow far away, but before she can dispose of it, Cotton appears suddenly and snatches it from her. Not pausing for a moment to hear Silk's story, Cotton begins to eat the burnt Willow. However, she quickly spits it out, angry and disgusted. When Cotton discovers someone is burning Willows, she vows that she will not let it continue. From there, Silk and Cotton set off on their new adventure.

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GameFan reported Sunsoft only produced 4,000 copies in total. An unofficial English translation patch was released in 2019.{{cite web|last=Wong|first=Alistair|url=https://www.siliconera.com/space-harrier-esque-cute-em-up-panorama-cotton-gets-english-fan-translation/|title=Space Harrier-Esque Cute 'Em Up Panorama Cotton Gets English Fan Translation|work=Siliconera|publisher=Curse LLC|date=March 4, 2019|access-date=2020-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105021847/https://www.siliconera.com/space-harrier-esque-cute-em-up-panorama-cotton-gets-english-fan-translation/|archive-date=2020-11-05|url-status=live}} In 2021, ININ Games and Strictly Limited Games announced Panorama Cotton would be launched for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 across western regions in digital and limited formats on October 29, marking the game's first official international appearance.{{cite news|last=Romano|first=Sal|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/09/cotton-guardian-force-saturn-tribute-cotton-100-and-panorama-cotton-coming-west-in-2021|title=Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute, Cotton 100%, and Panorama Cotton coming west in 2021|work=Gematsu|date=September 21, 2021|access-date=2021-09-21}}{{cite web|last=Whitehead|first=Thomas|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/09/more_cotton_games_are_coming_including_the_extremely_rare_panorama_cotton|title=More Cotton Games Are Coming, Including The Extremely Rare Panorama Cotton - Along with Cotton 100% and Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=September 21, 2021|access-date=2021-09-21|archive-date=2021-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921195245/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/09/more_cotton_games_are_coming_including_the_extremely_rare_panorama_cotton|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Moyse|first=Chris|url=https://www.destructoid.com/panorama-cotton-release-date-october-29-ps4-switch-strictly-limited-games/|title=Panorama Cotton returns October 29, with a full Sega Mega Drive release|work=Destructoid|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=October 21, 2021|access-date=2021-10-22|archive-date=2021-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022041439/https://www.destructoid.com/panorama-cotton-release-date-october-29-ps4-switch-strictly-limited-games/|url-status=live}} In addition, the original Mega Drive version will also be released in western regions under a limited run of copies. It also released for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on December 7, 2023.{{Citation |title=Panorama Cotton Comes to XBOX! |date=4 December 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahKDiDwAhIg |access-date=2023-12-04 |language=en}}

{{Video game reviews

|MC = (NS) 58/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/panorama-cotton/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch|title=Panorama Cotton for Switch Reviews|work=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=October 29, 2021|access-date=2021-12-07}}

|BMD = (SMD) 6.75/10{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:BeepMD_JP_1994-09.pdf&page=16|title=BEメガドッグレース – パノラマコットン (MD)|magazine=Beep! MegaDrive|issue=59|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=September 1994|page=14|lang=ja|access-date=2020-11-05|archive-date=2020-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105033740/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ABeepMD_JP_1994-09.pdf&page=16|url-status=live}}

|Fam = (SMD) 21/40{{cite magazine|title=NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: パノラマコットン (メガドライブ)|magazine=Famitsu|issue=296–297|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=19–26 August 1994|page=39|lang=ja}}

|rev1 = Última Generación

|rev1Score = (SMD) 58/100{{cite magazine|last=Sanz|first=José Luis|url=https://archive.org/details/Ultima_Generacion_04/page/n83/mode/2up|title=Versión Final – Mega Drive – Panorama Cotton|magazine=Última Generación|issue=4|publisher=MV Editores|date=June 1995|pages=84–85|language=es}}

}}

Panorama Cotton received positive reception from critics and players.{{cite web |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2004/06/panorama-cotton/ |title=Sega-16 – Panorama Cotton |website=www.sega-16.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027204138/https://www.sega-16.com/2004/06/panorama-cotton/ |archive-date=27 October 2020 |url-status=dead}} Mean Machines Sega{{'}}s Marlon compared the game with both After Burner and Space Harrier, commending its fast pseudo-3D sprite-scaling visuals.{{cite magazine|author=Marlon|url=https://archive.org/stream/mean-machines-sega-magazine-27#page/n33/mode/2up|title=Megadrive Preview – Panorama Cotton|magazine=Mean Machines Sega|issue=27|publisher=EMAP|date=January 1995|pages=34–35}} Readers of the Japanese Sega Saturn Magazine voted to give the title a 8.0367 out of 10 score, ranking at the number 113 spot in a poll, indicating a large popular following.{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf&page=85|title=メガドラ読者レース|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=9|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=September 1995|page=83|lang=ja|access-date=2020-11-05|archive-date=2020-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105033819/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ASSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf&page=85|url-status=live}} Gamers' Republic{{'}}s Dave Halverson regarded it to be the "pinnacle of 3D shooting" on the Sega Mega Drive.{{cite magazine|last=Halverson|first=Dave|author-link=Dave Halverson|url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamers_Republic_Issue_16#page/n94/mode/1up|title=GRkives - <> -- Panorama Cotton|magazine=Gamers' Republic|issue=16|publisher=Millennium Publishing|date=September 1999|page=93}}

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{{reflist|30em}}

{{Portal|1990s|Japan|Video games}}

• [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/genesis/565488-panorama-cotton Panorama Cotton] at GameFAQs
• [https://www.giantbomb.com/panorama-cotton/3030-14193/ Panorama Cotton] at Giant Bomb
• [https://www.mobygames.com/game/panorama-cotton Panorama Cotton] at MobyGames

{{Cotton}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Panorama Cotton}}

Category:1994 video games

Category:Cotton (series)

Category:ININ Games games

Category:Nintendo Switch games

Category:PlayStation 4 games

Category:Rail shooters

Category:Sega Genesis games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Success (company) games

Category:Video games about witchcraft

Category:Video games developed in Japan

Category:Video games featuring female protagonists