Zzyorxx II
{{short description|Scrolling shooter video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Zzyorxx II
|image = Zzyorxx II title screen.jpg
|caption = Title screen
|developer = Virtual Xperience
|publisher = Virtual Xperience
|producer = Rodolphe Czuba
|programmer = Thierry Schembri
|platforms = Atari Jaguar
|released = Unreleased
|genre = Scrolling shooter
|modes = Single-player, co-op
}}
Zzyorxx II is an unreleased scrolling shooter video game that was in development and planned to be published by Virtual Xperience on a scheduled 1994 release date exclusively for the Atari Jaguar. It was one of the three projects Virtual Xperience had under development for the system that would never be finished and released to the public. In the game, players would have taken control of two distinct fighter crafts across five stages taking place on different time periods while fighting against an armada of enemies. Despite never receiving an official release to the public, a ROM image of an early build of Zzyorxx II was released online in 2018 at the AtariAge forum.
Gameplay
Zzyorxx II is an arcade-style scrolling shooter game similar to Axelay and Life Force where players take control of two distinct spacecraft through five stages set across different time periods, each one featuring their own thematic and alternating between horizontal and vertical scrolling, while fighting against enemies and bosses.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=84&num=1800&album=oui|title=Dossier - Jaguar - V.X. Un Français Dompte La Jaguar!|magazine=Joypad|issue=34|publisher=Yellow Media|date=September 1994|pages=116–117|lang=fr|access-date=2019-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202155340/http://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=84&num=1800&album=oui|archive-date=2018-12-02|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=http://retrosprite.proboards.com/post/30/thread|title=Other Jag titles...|magazine=Ultimate Future Games|issue=5|publisher=Future Publishing|date=April 1995|page=17|access-date=2019-03-28}}{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:MegaFun_DE_1995-05.pdf&page=12|title=News - Jaguar - Zzyorx II|magazine=Mega Fun|issue=32|publisher=CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG|date=May 1995|page=14|access-date=2019-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916060139/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegaFun_DE_1995-05.pdf&page=14|archive-date=2018-09-16|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last=Ballester|first=Carlos|url=https://archive.org/details/Ultima_Generacion_06/page/n25|title=Versión Beta - Jaguar - Zzyorxx 2|magazine=Última Generación|issue=6|publisher=MV Editores|date=September 1995|page=27|lang=es}}{{cite web|author=Celine|url=https://www.unseen64.net/2012/02/02/zzyorxx-ii-jaguar-cancelled/|title=Zzyorxx II [Jaguar – Cancelled]|website=unseen64.net|date=February 2, 2012|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329100947/https://www.unseen64.net/2012/02/02/zzyorxx-ii-jaguar-cancelled/|archive-date=March 29, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}
Pressing A activates a weak laser shot, while pressing B unleashes a special weapon unique for each craft. In addition, players could also collect power-ups in order to increase the ship's firepower, energy to restore their respective lifebars, and shields for protection against enemy contact.
History
Virtual Xperience was a French video game development studio founded by Rodolphe Czuba in December 1993 after his previous company, Retour 2048, was closed due to management issues from two of their employees and would later be involved during the development of Shen Technologies' Super Burnout.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.myatari.net/issues/jan2001/jaguar.htm|title=Features: Jaguar Story - Rodolphe Czuba recalls a blast from the past|magazine=MyAtari|issue=4|publisher=myatari.net|date=January 2001|access-date=2020-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030115181427/http://www.myatari.net/issues/jan2001/jaguar.htm|archive-date=2003-01-15|url-status=live}} The company had three projects under development for the Jaguar platform, two of which were Zzyorxx II and a platform game titled Indiana Jags.{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:CVG_UK_154.pdf&page=9|title=CVG News - Jag attack... eyes down|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=154|publisher=Future Publishing|date=September 1994|page=9}} The game was first announced in early 1994 under the name Zozziorx and was touted for a Q2 1994 release,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.atarihq.com/jeo/archive.htm|title=Jaguar Tackboard - Developer / Game List 1.2|magazine=Atari Explorer Online|volume=3|issue=1|publisher=Subspace Publishers|date=January 22, 1994|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202933/http://www.atarihq.com/jeo/archive.htm|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Edge_UK_005#page/n9|title=News - Jaguar bares its claws - Complete Atari Jaguar thirdparty release schedule|magazine=Edge|issue=5|publisher=Future plc|date=February 1994|pages=10–11|access-date=2019-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105005513/https://archive.org/stream/Edge_UK_005#page/n9|archive-date=2019-01-05|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.stformat.com/stf56/pages_nx1500/stf56_048.jpg|title=News - Update - Around the corner... - Expected Release Dates|magazine=ST Format|issue=56|publisher=Future plc|date=March 1994|page=48|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719133302/http://stformat.com/stf56/pages_nx1500/stf56_048.jpg|archive-date=2016-07-19|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.stformat.com/stf57/pages_nx1500/stf57_050.jpg|title=News - Update - New Jaguar Development System Released - Expected Release Dates|magazine=ST Format|issue=57|publisher=Future plc|date=April 1994|page=50|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719072603/http://stformat.com/stf57/pages_nx1500/stf57_050.jpg|archive-date=2016-07-19|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.atarimania.com/mags/hi_res/atari-st-format-issue-059_57.jpg|title=Update - Games News - Atari ooze confidence at ECTS - Jaguar Developers|magazine=ST Format|issue=59|publisher=Future plc|date=June 1994|pages=56–57|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927010613/http://www.atarimania.com/mags/hi_res/atari-st-format-issue-059_57.jpg|archive-date=2018-09-27|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1994-07.pdf&page=32|title=Warpzone - Jaguar - Angekündigte Jaguar-Spiele|magazine=Video Games|issue=32|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=July 1994|page=32|lang=de|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804201143/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1994-07.pdf&page=32|archive-date=2018-08-04|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-jaguar-zzyorxx-ii_33691.html|title=Atari Jaguar - ZZYORXX II|website=atarimania.com|access-date=2019-05-03}} but GameFan and French magazine Joypad previewed some of the first screenshots for the game in the third quarter of 1994, now under the title Zzyorxx and planned for a Q3 1994 release instead.{{cite magazine|last=Halverson|first=Dave|url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_2_Issue_09#page/n85/mode/1up|title=Inside Atari: Someone Let The Cat Out!|magazine=GameFan|volume=2|issue=9|publisher=Shinno Media|date=August 1994|page=86|access-date=2019-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104232025/https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_2_Issue_09#page/n85/mode/1up|archive-date=2019-01-04|url-status=live}}
It remained to be previewed across multiple magazines through 1995 under its final name but had no concrete release date set.{{cite magazine|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/CD%20Consoles/cdconsoles_numero05/Page%20077.jpg|title=Dossier - Ils Arrivent Sur Jaguar - Zzyorxx II / Jaguar|magazine=CD Consoles|issue=5|publisher=Pressimage|date=March 1995|page=77|lang=fr|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926090315/http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/CD%20Consoles/cdconsoles_numero05/Page%20077.jpg|archive-date=2018-09-26|url-status=live}} However, Rodolphe and programmer Thierry Schembri stated that development of the project was halted two months before nearing completion by their then-managing associate at Virtual Xperience, with no reason given to this decision and the game was left unreleased as a result.{{cite web|last=Moreau|first=Frédéric|url=http://jaguar-64bit.pagesperso-orange.fr/FrenchTouch/frtouch/AMWAinterviewhtml.htm|title=Voici l'interview exclusif de Thierry Schembri ancien de Virtual Xperience Et programmeur de Zzyorxx II|website=jaguar-64bit.pagesperso-orange.fr|access-date=2019-03-29|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202024516/http://jaguar-64bit.pagesperso-orange.fr/FrenchTouch/frtouch/AMWAinterviewhtml.htm|archive-date=2018-12-02|url-status=live}} It was listed by online magazine Atari Explorer Online in the last issue under their original name in January 1996,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.atarihq.com/jeo/archive.htm|title=Jaguar Tackboard - AEO Development List 2.10 - Titles in Development|magazine=Atari Explorer Online|volume=4|issue=9|publisher=Subspace Publishers|date=January 1, 1996|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202933/http://www.atarihq.com/jeo/archive.htm|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=live}} and was also last previewed by CD Consoles the same month.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=101&num=2939&album=oui|title=Actualités - La Jaguar sort ses pingouins!|magazine=CD Consoles|issue=13|publisher=Pressimage|date=January 1996|pages=24–25|lang=fr|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403080400/https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=101&num=2939&album=oui|archive-date=2019-04-03|url-status=live}}
Zzyorxx II made use of the console's DSP chip and runs at 60 frames per second. The hand-drawn graphics are rendered using the 256 color format and displayed up to 70 sprites on-screen, while sound effects were created using Atari Falcon. Thierry has stated in an online interview that he still owns some of the game's assets but not the development tools, which were made on the Amiga, making it difficult to retrieve. He also said that the rights to Zzyorxx II are now under Colt Technology Services, who purchased Virtual Xperience.
Release
In April 2018, a ROM image of an early playable build of Zzyorxx II was released online by video game collector Clint Thompson at AtariAge which was stored on a diskette preserved by the National Videogame Museum, making it the only build of the game that has surfaced to date.{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Clint|url=http://atariage.com/forums/topic/278134-zzyorxx-ii-and-burnout-preview-released/|title=Zzyorxx II and Burnout Preview Released|website=AtariAge|date=April 25, 2018|access-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201160046/http://atariage.com/forums/topic/278134-zzyorxx-ii-and-burnout-preview-released/|archive-date=2018-12-01|url-status=live}} The build supports two players simultaneously, but it only features one stage background and the gameplay is prone to glitches.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Portal bar|1990s|France|Video games}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zzyorxx II}}
Category:Cancelled Atari Jaguar games
Category:Cooperative video games
Category:Horizontally scrolling shooters
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Vertically scrolling shooters
Category:Video games about time travel