Sega preps downloadable remake of Treasure's original Saturn brawler with HD visuals and online cooperative play this fall.
The back catalog of Japanese developer Treasure is finding new life on Xbox Live Arcade. The Xbox 360's downloadable storefront already plays host to the studio's Dreamcast hit Ikaruga and will soon give North American gamers their first taste of the Sega Saturn shoot-'em-up Radiant Silvergun. That selection will expand a little further, as Sega today announced that it will release Guardian Heroes for XBLA this fall.
Originally released on the Saturn in 1996, Guardian Heroes is a side-scrolling brawler with light role-playing game elements, such as characters that level up. However, the XBLA version of the game won't be a straight port; Sega is adding "all-new" widescreen HD graphics and online multiplayer with up to 12 players in the Versus mode (or two players in the Story mode).
This is the first time Guardian Heroes has been remade, but Treasure did produce a sequel in 2004. The Ubisoft-published Advance Guardian Heroes received fair reviews upon its release for the Game Boy Advance.
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
I think its funny that all of these classic games are still around like guardian heros and radiant silvergun; I still have all of the originals in mint condition wish treasure would put them all on one disk. That would be a great compilation; gunstar hero and ikaruga all on one disk with all of the other ones. I'd much rather have that arcade down loads.
I was looking forward to getting this for my Saturn, and I probably still will, but the visual overhaul does look very nice, although I prefer playing those classic games in their true classic form, with all their loving sprites!
for some reason it seems like only treasure's games originally developed for sega systems are coming to xbla. if only some of their games from other platforms would make the jump like gradius 5. konami was able to release castlevania: symphony of the night on xbla even though it was a psone original, maybe they can pull some strings for gradius 5?
i love it when games from the 80's and 90's come out for xbla/psn, because then i can actually talk about the games and know what im talking about without a shadow of a doubt. :D
@ Col_Kilgore you know that the xbla guardian heroes is a remake of the sega saturn game not the gba game right? still both good games but the saturn version blows it out of the water. plus the gba game is actually a sequel to the saturn original.
@ Sigil-otaku i wouldnt call guardian heroes an rpg at all. calling guardian heroes an rpg is like calling radiant silvergun an rpg because you also level up your strength in that game by leveling up your weapons.
oh my god, not one but two sega saturn classics for xbla this year? i think i wet myself. could you imagine six player online co-op guardian heroes? *drool* this coupled with a remake of the sega dreamcast version of resident evil: code veronica coming will send me on a trip down memory lane. now only if they would bring other sega saturn shmups to xbla. thunder force 5 anyone? with any luck maybe even the never released in america thunder force 6 will finally come stateside. time to start petitioning! seems like treasure loves bringing games to xbla, i wonder what game theyll do next? silhouette mirage perhaps?
This is great news! I still have the Saturn game. A graphics update would make this a great buy. The game is very underrated.
Never played it, wouldn't mind an old school RPG since I buy practically ever RPG on 360 and PS3. Seems like it's more of a brawler actually but I'll give it a go.
Thank you SEGA, this news just made my day, week, month... you get my point :P, I still have my working copy for my Saturn but playing on live sounds fun, awesome game; now how about a remake of the Shining Force 3 Trilogy?
God bless Treasure games. :) "If only the game would release for the PS3. Anyway I still have the GBA version".
You know when an industry is going downhill when they start pumping out more old titles, or doing "remakes", rather than release new IP. Just look at Hollywood!
One of the defining games for the Sega Saturn. I may actually become a 360 owner by the time this game becomes available.
I'm more excited about this than any other game this year... well, besides Elder Scrolls 5. And this game came out 15 years. SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!
I can't believe this is actually coming on XBLA! This was one of my favorite games, but unfortunately I neglected game discs back in those days and this game would never boot up on my Saturn anymore.
Oh man!! I can't believe this game is coming to XBLA, with new HD graphics and online at that! I cannot freakin wait for this. I love this game.
I own the Saturn versions of Guardian Heroes and Radiant Silvergun. Doubt I'll buy the XBLA versions.
No idea what this is, but I am excited to find out, based on the reactions of so many here.
I've considered picking up a Saturn and a few of its gems on eBay, but considering the prices they go for it'd probably be about as cheap to get an XBox 360 and download them. Hey, how about Panzar Dragoon Saga on XBLA?
Great! Looking forward to see more Saturn games remade on the XBLA, not just from Treasure, but from all the other developers too.
Man, this is a day ONE purchase for me. I love Treasure games, and this is said to be one of the best games they're ever made. I cannot WAIT to play this!
@Pat_Dude I don't know which system Mischief Makers will be on if they remake it. Enix published it in Japan but in North America Nintendo published it.
All I ask is that you FIX THE FRAMERATE! Guardian Heroes is an amazing game but it was riddled with horrible framerate issues
I very much look forward to a remake of Guardian Heroes. I loved the game on the Saturn and hope they bring it to PS3 as well.(I have 360 but prefer PS3... when it's working.)
Well, you won't believe this but Guardian Heroes is the Highest Rated Game by the GameFaqs users with a reader review average of 9.8!
This is great news! I loved this game, I used to play it at my friends house all the time!
A resonant story, compelling exploration, and tense oceanic battles make Assassin's Creed III a rousing success.
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