Skyblazer

File:SNES Skyblazer (Karuraō).png

There are a total of 17 levels with a few more stops on the map where the elder (Brahma in the Japanese version) gives passwords to the player and ten bosses including the final boss, Raglan (Ravana in the Japanese version). Four of those must be fought twice, since they reappear immediately before Ashura, who appears before Raglan. An overhead map allows for movement between levels, including back to ones already completed, and its slight non-linearity allows the player to skip some levels (at the cost of the magic spells and other powerups obtainable in them).

Most of the levels are side-scrolling, but there are some levels involving flight, either automatically scrolling or in Mode 7, where the player can grab crystals towards extra lives but will exit the level upon touching a spike and falling. Also, some levels expand on the usual platform structure by including waterways whose paths can be varied with switches, and there are areas with rotating towers. Two of the bosses also use extensive Mode 7, expanding and rotating around the screen or coming in the form of rotating walls.

There are eight secondary attacks available beyond the basic punch and kick, but unlike those they require magic power. Magic powerups, signified by flasks of red liquid in either small or large sizes, can replenish the power needed to use these while flasks of green fluid restore health. There are gems of both small and large sizes; a large gem counts the same as 10 small ones, and obtaining 100 gems will give a player an extra life. There are also outright 1-ups.

{{Expand section|date=August 2020}}

Blood from the Japanese release was re-colored green for the Western releases.{{cite web |url=http://www.superfamicom.co.uk/index.php/karuraou-review |title=Karuraou Review |access-date=2014-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202150322/http://www.superfamicom.co.uk/index.php/karuraou-review |archive-date=2014-02-02 }}

{{Video game reviews

|ASM = 9/12{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1994.08/Aktueller%20Software%20Markt%20-%20Ausgabe%201994.08#page/n50/mode/1up|title=Review: Skyblazer - Magischen Klettermaxe|magazine=Aktueller Software Markt|issue=90|publisher=Tronic Verlag|date=August 1994|page=51|lang=de}}

|CP = 92%{{cite magazine|last1=Homsy|first1=Richard Homsy|last2=Huyghues-Lacour|first2=Alain|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=51&num=7658&album=oui|title=Super Nintendo Review - Skyblazer|magazine=Consoles +|issue=31|publisher=M.E.R.7|date=April 1994|pages=102–104|lang=fr|access-date=2020-08-05|archive-date=2017-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908164335/http://abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=51&num=7658&album=oui|url-status=live}}

|EGM = 7.8/10{{cite magazine|last1=Semrad|first1=Ed|last2=Carpenter|first2=Danyon|last3=Manuel|first3=Al|last4=Williams|first4=Ken|last5=Weigand|first5=Mike|url=https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_54#page/n45/mode/1up|title=Review Crew - Major Mike's Game Roundup - Sky Blazer|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=54|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=January 1994|page=44|access-date=2020-08-05|archive-date=2019-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105124553/https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_54#page/n45/mode/1up|url-status=live}}

|GP = 80%{{cite magazine|last=Lundrigan|first=Jeff|url=https://archive.org/stream/Game_Players_Issue_37_February_1994#page/n47/mode/2up|title=Review - Skyblazer|magazine=Game Players|issue=56|publisher=Signal Research|date=February 1994|pages=46–47}}

|HC = 91/100{{cite magazine|last=Herranz|first=Sonia|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AHobbyConsolas_ES_031.pdf&page=112|title=Lo Más Nuevo: Senderos De Magia - Skyblazer|magazine=Hobby Consolas|issue=31|publisher=Hobby Press|date=April 1994|pages=72–75|lang=es}}

|Hyper = 82%{{cite magazine|last=Humphreys|first=Andrew|date=February 1994|url=https://archive.org/details/hyper-003/page/40/mode/2up?q=%22james+pond+3%22|title=Skyblazer|magazine=Hyper|issue=3|pages=40–41|accessdate=June 30, 2021}}

|JXV = 18/20{{cite web|author=Masao|url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00012654-skyblazer-test.htm|title=Test de Skyblazer sur SNES par jeuxvideo.com|work=Jeuxvideo.com|publisher=Webedia|date=29 September 2014|access-date=2020-08-05|language=fr}}

|JP = 93%{{cite magazine|last=Morisse|first=Jean-François|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=84&num=1796&album=oui|title=Lutte À Mort Entre Ciel Et Terre! (Version Française) - Skyblazer|magazine=Joypad|issue=30|publisher=Yellow Media|date=April 1994|pages=86–89|lang=fr|access-date=2020-08-05|archive-date=2015-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404165610/http://abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=84&num=1796&album=oui|url-status=live}}

|MF = 83%{{cite magazine|author1=Stefan|last2=Noak|first2=Philipp|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegaFun_DE_1994-01.pdf&page=36|title=Test Super Nintendo: Skyblazer|magazine=Mega Fun|issue=16|publisher=CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG|date=January 1994|pages=36–37|lang=de}}

|MG = 82%{{cite magazine|last=Gaksch|first=Martin|url=https://archive.org/stream/MANIAC.N003.1994.01-DURiAN#page/n45/mode/2up|title=Spiele-Tests: Skyblazer|magazine=MAN!AC|issue=3|publisher=Cybermedia|date=January 1994|pages=46–47|lang=de}}

|NP = 3.675/10{{cite magazine|title=Now Playing - Skyblazer|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=55|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=December 1993|page=103}}

|PO = 89%{{cite magazine|last=Giordano|first=Patrick|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=32&num=1904&album=oui|title=Tests: Skyblazer|magazine=Player One|issue=41|publisher=Média Système Édition|date=April 1994|pages=56–59|lang=fr|access-date=2020-08-05|archive-date=2017-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019071142/http://abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=32&num=1904&album=oui|url-status=live}}

|SJ = 90/100{{cite magazine|last=del Carpio|first=José Luis|url=https://archive.org/stream/Superjuegos_024#page/n79/mode/2up|title=Rayos y Truenos - Skyblazer|magazine=Superjuegos|issue=24|publisher=Grupo Zeta|date=April 1994|pages=80–85|lang=es}}

|VGS = 81%{{cite magazine|last=Karels|first=Ralph|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=18532|title=Rom Check: Und der Himmel steht still - Skyblazer|magazine=Video Games|issue=26|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=January 1994|page=100|lang=de}}

|rev1 = Computer+Videogiochi

|rev1Score = 86/100{{cite magazine|last1=Rand|first1=Paul|last2=Ahmet|first2=Deniz|url=https://archive.org/stream/computer-videogiochi-35#page/n89/mode/2up|title=Review: Sky Blazer|magazine=Computer+Videogiochi|issue=35|publisher=Gruppo Editoriale Jackson|date=March 1994|pages=90–91|lang=it}}

|rev2 = Megablast

|rev2Score = 86%{{cite magazine|last=Schnelle|first=Michael|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegablast_DE_1994-02.pdf&page=18|title=Nintendo - Super Nintendo: Skyblazer|magazine=Megablast|issue=4|publisher=Joker-Verlag|date=February 1994|page=18|lang=de|access-date=2020-08-05|archive-date=2020-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719050217/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:Megablast_DE_1994-02.pdf&page=18|url-status=live}}

|rev3 = Nintendo Magazine System

|rev3Score = 76/100{{cite magazine|last=Wong|first=Amos|url=https://archive.org/stream/Nintendo_Magazine_System_11_1994-02_Trielle_AU#page/n39/mode/2up|title=Review: Skyblazer|magazine=Nintendo Magazine System|issue=11|publisher=Trielle Corporation|date=February 1994|pages=40–41}}

|rev4 = Nintendo Player

|rev4Score = {{Rating|5|6}}{{cite magazine|author=Caliméro|title=Selection - Skyblazer|magazine=Nintendo Player|issue=19|publisher=Média Système Édition|date=April 1994|pages=24–26|lang=fr}}

|rev5 = Play Time

|rev5Score = 85/100{{cite magazine|last=Schneider|first=Ulf|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:PlayTime_DE_1994-02.pdf&page=80|title=Jump & Run - Skyblazer|magazine=Play Time|issue=32|publisher=CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG|date=February 1994|page=120|lang=de}}

|rev6 = Power Unlimited

|rev6Score = 85/100{{cite magazine|title=Review - Skyblazer|magazine=Power Unlimited|issue=9|publisher=VNU Media|date=May 1994|lang=nl}}

|rev7 = Super Console

|rev7Score = 82/100{{cite magazine|last1=Del Bianco|first1=Marco|last2=Cardillo|first2=Paolo|url=https://archive.org/stream/SuperConsole003#page/n33/mode/2up|title=Review: Skyblazer|magazine=Super Console|issue=3|publisher=Editoriale Futura|date=April 1994|pages=34–36|lang=it}}

|rev8 = Super Gamer

|rev8Score = 85/100{{cite magazine|last1=Butt|first1=Ryan|last2=Butt|first2=Damian|last3=Pullin|first3=Keith|title=Review - Skyblazer|magazine=Super Gamer|issue=1|publisher=Paragon Publishing|date=April 1994|pages=42–44}}

|rev9 = Total!

|rev9Score = 2- (B-){{cite magazine|last=Arend|first=Gerald|url=https://www.ninretro.de/img/scans/snes/Skyblazer_TO_3-94.jpg|title=Test: Skyblazer|magazine=Total!|issue=10|publisher=X-Plain-Verlag|date=March 1994|pages=22–23|lang=de}}

}}

GamePro lauded Skyblazer as "a great mix of side-scrolling action, puzzle solving, special powers, and tactics." They praised the high challenge, mythological setting, simple controls, and "inventive uses of Mode 7."{{cite magazine|author=Manny LaMancha |title=Super NES ProReview: Skyblazer|magazine=GamePro|issue=63|publisher=IDG|date=December 1993|page=138}} Electronic Gaming Monthly scored the game a 7.8 out of 10, with reviewer Mike Weigand praising the challenge, graphics, and control. French magazine Joypad gave it 93%.

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{{notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/snes/588665-skyblazer Skyblazer] at GameFAQs
• [https://www.giantbomb.com/skyblazer/3030-6763/ Skyblazer] at Giant Bomb
• [https://www.mobygames.com/game/snes/skyblazer Skyblazer] at MobyGames

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

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Category:1994 video games

Category:Epic/Sony Records games

Category:Side-scrolling platformers

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System games

Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System-only games

Category:Ukiyotei games

Category:Video games based on Hindu mythology

Category:Video games developed in Japan

Category:Video games scored by Harumi Fujita