ActRaiser

About ActRaiser (SNES)

ActRaiser is an action and simulation hybrid developed by Quintet and published by Enix for the SNES in 1990 in Japan and 1991 in North America. You are the Master - a god awakening after a long sleep to find the world overrun by the demon Tanzra and his lieutenants. Humanity has dwindled to scattered villages, and your power grows only as their faith and population return.

The game alternates two genres that had never met like this: side-scrolling action stages where the Master descends in a warrior statue to slay monsters, and god-game simulation sections where an angel servant helps you guide towns, direct growth, and defend your people. Yuzo Koshiro’s orchestral score made it an early SNES showcase.

Detailed Gameplay

Each of six regions follows the same satisfying loop: clear the first action stage to make land safe, build a town in simulation mode to grow your power and level, then descend again for a harder action stage and the region’s boss.

Action Stages

• Fight as the Master’s warrior form with sword strikes, jumps, and powerful magic spells
• Battle through Fillmore’s forests, Bloodpool’s lake, the deserts of Kasandora, and more
• Defeat bosses like the Minotaurus, the giant centipede, and the ice dragon
• Collect magic scrolls and extra lives hidden along each stage’s hazards

Simulation and City Building

• Direct your angel to guide villagers toward monster lairs so they can seal them
• Control miracles: sun to dry swamps, rain for crops, lightning to clear land, earthquakes to reveal secrets
• Population growth raises your level, health, and magic between action stages
• Villagers bring offerings and requests - building bridges, curing plagues, and inventing new goods

Faith, Levels, and Power

• Your level rises as total population grows across all six regions
• Higher levels mean more health and magic for the punishing late action stages
• Answering requests and sealing every lair maximizes each town’s population
• Offerings can restore magic, grant lives, or unlock new spells like Magical Stardust

The Final Battle

• After freeing all six regions, descend into Death Heim for a boss rush of every lieutenant
• Tanzra himself waits at the end, one of the SNES’s toughest final bosses
• Your built-up level from careful town management decides how fair the fight feels
• Clear the game to unlock Professional mode, a harder action-only remix

Game Highlights

• Two Games in One: God-game city building fused with side-scrolling action.
• Power From People: Your strength literally grows with humanity’s population and faith.
• Yuzo Koshiro’s Score: A sweeping orchestral soundtrack that stunned early SNES owners.
• Miracles System: Rain, lightning, and earthquakes shape the land and its people.

Controls

Rule and fight with the SNES controller. - D-Pad: Move in action stages; move your angel’s cursor in simulation mode - B Button: Jump in action stages - Y Button: Swing the sword; in simulation, command the angel to shoot monsters - X Button: Cast the equipped magic spell in action stages - A Button: Confirm choices and use miracles in simulation mode - Start: Pause and open status menus

Tips and Strategies to Win

Strong towns make a strong god - never rush the building phase. - Seal every monster lair in a region before finishing; unsealed lairs cap population growth. - Use rain on farmland and sun on swamps to expand buildable land in every town. - Level up as much as possible before the second action stage in each region. - Save powerful magic like Magical Stardust for bosses, and learn their patterns with normal attacks first. - In Death Heim, play conservatively - the boss rush offers few chances to recover health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How does ActRaiser mix action and simulation? A: Each region has two side-scrolling action stages with a city-building simulation between them. Growing the town raises your level, making the second, harder action stage survivable.

Q: Who composed the music for ActRaiser? A: Yuzo Koshiro composed the famous orchestral score, one of the most celebrated soundtracks of the early SNES era.

Q: Can I play ActRaiser online for free? A: Yes, you can play it online for free in your browser on RiveGame with no downloads or installation required.