I was introduced to Ranger-X via emulation on either DOS or Windows 95 at a friend's house. Been one of my favourite Megadrive games ever since. Never played it on original hardware, but have emulated it on everything from a GP32 and Dreamcast to an Xbox 360 and Steam Deck. Amazing game 👌🏽
Played it on the original system WAY back in the day. Still have no idea where my folks got it from, I never saw it in stores. Easily my favorite Genesis game hands down.
Yes! I love this game! I was surprised you didn't mention how it takes advantage of the 6 button gamepad to allow you to independently control the mech and the bike at the same time. This game really does squeeze every drop of capability out of the Genesis.
I didn't knew Wolfteam worked on this...but in hindsight, it ABSOLUTELY makes sense, it has that "Earnest Evans" type design to it (like, how EE supposedely takes place in our world but you fight like, giant mutated spiders, demons and mythological monsters in the jungle and thats before they go full on magical realism). The last boss certain fits in that mold.
Yeah, Wolf Team's ex-employees (the rest went on to become the Namco Tales Studio)! I like most of their work, I just started with a dud for some reason. I really need to play Final Zone 2, that sounds awesome. I now want to play Earnest Evans, I've never heard of it and Wolf Team did so many great things across the PC-98, Turbo Graphix, and Genesis! I didn't show the last boss here, just so people didn't complain about spoilers - but I know what you mean!
Honestly, I wish there were more games that played like this at all! The designs are really good, I agree. I'd kill for a model platforming Mech game that wasn't just a re-port or remake of an Assault Suit title (or Hardcore Mecha, because I haven't got that yet).
@@KeiNova I had fun with Hardcore Mecha, but then just kind of stopped playing it. I guess it does feel faster and less cumbersome than the Assault Suit games, but not nearly as much as Ranger X...
Same. In fact as a kid I use to pause the game between changing Ranger X's facing to see the mech from the front. It's all these little details that the game has that make it shine and feel good to play
Wow, I seen it a long long time ago. A guy who sell Sega Genesis and Bootleg Nintendo Console have displayed and play this game in the wet market using the generator, I suspect all the cartilage he sold was Bootleg, but it was also so expensive that the kid me who have 50 cent as daily school meal couldn't afford it. I thought it was a Gundam/Macross game since I watched Gundam Wing and any mecha games that is cool = Gundam Wing. It was so hard back when I was young kid with a impatient brain. I played a few games you reviewed and recommended, definitely give this a try.
If you enjoyed Gunam or Macross, you'll like it. It isn't a copy by any means, but it plays very well. We had a similar market where I'm from (I'm not originally from America), and we used to see bootlegs as well like this. Interesting times, I miss it honestly. Used to go see games like this at a Market a few towns over on Sundays.
@@KeiNova thank you so much for your recommendations. I missed out a lot of good things. Is good that Internet and people like you show me classic games are what they are, classic XD
One of my favourite games ever. If you play it on HEAVY mode the whole game changes its color palette. Well, in most stages tho. For example, in the first stage in normal it's a blue sky but in HEAVY it's a sunset.
For me, there was only Easy, Normal, Hard. And I completed it on Normal and Hard for this video. I know the Ex-Ranza version has a code-locked Easy mode and unlockable HEAVY mode. Thanks for the tip on the changes! That is pretty interesting and makes this so much more impressive!
Easy top ten genesis game for me. The dream would be this getting a remake/remaster in the same vein as what Tengo Project is doing with the old Natsume titles.
Thank you for sharing your time and passion with us. Are you at all familiar with the game "Shattered Steel" (an early mech game with terain deformation) or the various modern arcade games of Astro Port. (Steel Strider, Armed Seven, Gigantic Army, etc?)
I am certainly familiar, I actually recently bought it along with a few others. It's a little broken on the GOG version, but I'm trying to piece together how to get it more functional. I haven't heard of Astro Port or any of it's versions though, thank you for the lead!
Hey Kei Nova, will you ever checkout games that are not mech games but have mechs in them? I've been playing through Earth Defense Force and the mechs in this game can be wild at times specially Barga/Balam.
I certainly wish to. I'm not sure Mech stuff is forever viable, so I'm up for anything Sci-Fi! I REALLY want to tackle EDF games. I love those game and the chaos!
I am sure I was subacribed to you before, but for some reason youtube has forgotten. So I didn't get a notifacation of you posting this. Lol. I have re-subscribed. Lol.
Is the Japanese version pronounced as X-ranza is it pronounced E X - Ranza like with each letter being pronounced? I realize that Ex-Ranza was an easy leap to Ranger X
Hmm, in my experience - X is usually just say 'X' in Japanese media. I think back to Kamen Rider RX. That, and I don't think it would have been called Ex-Ranza - but instead 'EX Ranza' or 'Ranza EX'. No, I think the lack of dialogue and Japanese text made it really easy to change a few lines and make it 'Ranger-X'. Very clever.
This one has been on my list to play for quite a long time. Also, it's hard to say how developers would feel about the state of games today. We tend to forget the bad stuff as time goes on.
That really is true, I think it would be interesting. Back in the day, a lot of games were passion projects - nowadays, that is really rare. This was one, they took some interesting risks with the design - I wonder if many could do that these days.
Hands down one of my favorite games as a kid. I just downloaded the Ex-Ranza rom just so I could experience the secret level, and I think with the Ex-Ranza secret level code it's just a matter of putting your index, middle, and ring finger on the A, B, and C buttons and doing that in sequence 3 times in the options screen as fast as your fingers will type (while selecting the difficulty mode to easy after of course) as it seemed to have worked for me on the first try.
Well, I don't. I capture a bunch of the older games through actual sources. I mean, I'll admit occasionally it's a Retron model - but I use consoles when I can. I like the authentic controllers, but I do need a wireless Sega Gen one. When I capture PSX though, I have a portable CD drive I hook up and read off disk through the emulator. For the OG Xbox, it's Xemu with the dumps from my physical Xbox and CDs. So, I mean - I do this, until I have more room and a better way of capturing. Sadly, it takes money - and I hate that with a passion (haha).
@@KeiNova That's fair. Unfortunately, I'm a little too poor to buy a Genesis currently. I also prefer to buy physical games, but especially with these cult classic games, they're cost prohibitive at the moment
@@discipleofsound4565 Yeah, most of what I have is just stuff I've had for years, honestly. I've had to sell ungodly amounts of games over time, all of PS3 stuff once. So, now I just get what I actually play.
Have you played Ranger X?
Once, shortly, on an emulator. Not very far, so by gamer standards, no, I haven't.
Yeah, it's great! Rented it on Genesis back in the day, and I still play it regularly on emulator
It's one of the foundational parts of my childhood. I would spend countless hours at my friend's house playing this game
I was introduced to Ranger-X via emulation on either DOS or Windows 95 at a friend's house. Been one of my favourite Megadrive games ever since. Never played it on original hardware, but have emulated it on everything from a GP32 and Dreamcast to an Xbox 360 and Steam Deck. Amazing game 👌🏽
Played it on the original system WAY back in the day. Still have no idea where my folks got it from, I never saw it in stores. Easily my favorite Genesis game hands down.
Yes! I love this game! I was surprised you didn't mention how it takes advantage of the 6 button gamepad to allow you to independently control the mech and the bike at the same time. This game really does squeeze every drop of capability out of the Genesis.
I suppose I didn't go enough into that, probably because I've been using my six-button for ages now and forgot that there was a 3. Oye. My bad!
I didn't knew Wolfteam worked on this...but in hindsight, it ABSOLUTELY makes sense, it has that "Earnest Evans" type design to it (like, how EE supposedely takes place in our world but you fight like, giant mutated spiders, demons and mythological monsters in the jungle and thats before they go full on magical realism). The last boss certain fits in that mold.
Yeah, Wolf Team's ex-employees (the rest went on to become the Namco Tales Studio)! I like most of their work, I just started with a dud for some reason. I really need to play Final Zone 2, that sounds awesome. I now want to play Earnest Evans, I've never heard of it and Wolf Team did so many great things across the PC-98, Turbo Graphix, and Genesis! I didn't show the last boss here, just so people didn't complain about spoilers - but I know what you mean!
Have always loved this game. I wish there were modern 3D games that would just flat out copy the art style.
Honestly, I wish there were more games that played like this at all! The designs are really good, I agree. I'd kill for a model platforming Mech game that wasn't just a re-port or remake of an Assault Suit title (or Hardcore Mecha, because I haven't got that yet).
@@KeiNova I had fun with Hardcore Mecha, but then just kind of stopped playing it. I guess it does feel faster and less cumbersome than the Assault Suit games, but not nearly as much as Ranger X...
Love the mech designs.
Me too, I wish there was more documentation on the Ranger X/Ex-Ranza unit.
Same. In fact as a kid I use to pause the game between changing Ranger X's facing to see the mech from the front. It's all these little details that the game has that make it shine and feel good to play
One of my fave Genesis games and I never shut up about it. Even made the mech in Gundam Breaker 3 lol. For some reason in my head it's 16-bit ZOE.
That's a pretty good comparison, honestly!
Wow, I seen it a long long time ago. A guy who sell Sega Genesis and Bootleg Nintendo Console have displayed and play this game in the wet market using the generator, I suspect all the cartilage he sold was Bootleg, but it was also so expensive that the kid me who have 50 cent as daily school meal couldn't afford it. I thought it was a Gundam/Macross game since I watched Gundam Wing and any mecha games that is cool = Gundam Wing. It was so hard back when I was young kid with a impatient brain. I played a few games you reviewed and recommended, definitely give this a try.
If you enjoyed Gunam or Macross, you'll like it. It isn't a copy by any means, but it plays very well. We had a similar market where I'm from (I'm not originally from America), and we used to see bootlegs as well like this. Interesting times, I miss it honestly. Used to go see games like this at a Market a few towns over on Sundays.
@@KeiNova thank you so much for your recommendations. I missed out a lot of good things. Is good that Internet and people like you show me classic games are what they are, classic XD
One of my favourite games ever. If you play it on HEAVY mode the whole game changes its color palette. Well, in most stages tho. For example, in the first stage in normal it's a blue sky but in HEAVY it's a sunset.
For me, there was only Easy, Normal, Hard. And I completed it on Normal and Hard for this video. I know the Ex-Ranza version has a code-locked Easy mode and unlockable HEAVY mode. Thanks for the tip on the changes! That is pretty interesting and makes this so much more impressive!
This is like SEGA's own Target earth/ battle suit leynos. Love this game.
That is a really good comparison. And you've reminded me that I need to tackle those games again.
@@KeiNova assault I meant. Anyway assault suit leynos 2 for Sega Saturn FINALLY got an official release. You can get it on current gen!🤯
Fantastic game. The first time firing off that giant green laser blew me and my brother's minds
I miss that childhood wonder, I really do
One of my favorite sega genesis games. Short and quite easy but tons of fun
Certainly one of my new favorites. This was the first time I'd ever played it.
Easy top ten genesis game for me. The dream would be this getting a remake/remaster in the same vein as what Tengo Project is doing with the old Natsume titles.
That would be amazing. I really need to play that Pocky and Rocky Redo, now that you mention it.
I really enjoyed this game, pretty hard sometimes though
It can be. I played through it on Hard, and that Factory Level is brutal.
Thank you for sharing your time and passion with us. Are you at all familiar with the game "Shattered Steel" (an early mech game with terain deformation) or the various modern arcade games of Astro Port. (Steel Strider, Armed Seven, Gigantic Army, etc?)
I am certainly familiar, I actually recently bought it along with a few others. It's a little broken on the GOG version, but I'm trying to piece together how to get it more functional. I haven't heard of Astro Port or any of it's versions though, thank you for the lead!
Hey Kei Nova, will you ever checkout games that are not mech games but have mechs in them?
I've been playing through Earth Defense Force and the mechs in this game can be wild at times specially Barga/Balam.
I certainly wish to. I'm not sure Mech stuff is forever viable, so I'm up for anything Sci-Fi!
I REALLY want to tackle EDF games. I love those game and the chaos!
I am sure I was subacribed to you before, but for some reason youtube has forgotten. So I didn't get a notifacation of you posting this. Lol. I have re-subscribed. Lol.
Well, welcome back then! That is so weird, as you are a Patreon as well. I think it's happened to others as well. TH-cam is really glitchy these days!
Is the Japanese version pronounced as X-ranza is it pronounced E X - Ranza like with each letter being pronounced? I realize that Ex-Ranza was an easy leap to Ranger X
Hmm, in my experience - X is usually just say 'X' in Japanese media. I think back to Kamen Rider RX. That, and I don't think it would have been called Ex-Ranza - but instead 'EX Ranza' or 'Ranza EX'. No, I think the lack of dialogue and Japanese text made it really easy to change a few lines and make it 'Ranger-X'. Very clever.
This one has been on my list to play for quite a long time.
Also, it's hard to say how developers would feel about the state of games today. We tend to forget the bad stuff as time goes on.
That really is true, I think it would be interesting. Back in the day, a lot of games were passion projects - nowadays, that is really rare. This was one, they took some interesting risks with the design - I wonder if many could do that these days.
I’ve never heard of this one. Definitely going to check it out.
It is certainly worth the time!
Hands down one of my favorite games as a kid. I just downloaded the Ex-Ranza rom just so I could experience the secret level, and I think with the Ex-Ranza secret level code it's just a matter of putting your index, middle, and ring finger on the A, B, and C buttons and doing that in sequence 3 times in the options screen as fast as your fingers will type (while selecting the difficulty mode to easy after of course) as it seemed to have worked for me on the first try.
A breath of fresh air. Been wanting to read about this game more since first discovering it. What Genesis emulator do you use?
Well, I don't. I capture a bunch of the older games through actual sources. I mean, I'll admit occasionally it's a Retron model - but I use consoles when I can. I like the authentic controllers, but I do need a wireless Sega Gen one. When I capture PSX though, I have a portable CD drive I hook up and read off disk through the emulator. For the OG Xbox, it's Xemu with the dumps from my physical Xbox and CDs. So, I mean - I do this, until I have more room and a better way of capturing. Sadly, it takes money - and I hate that with a passion (haha).
@@KeiNova That's fair. Unfortunately, I'm a little too poor to buy a Genesis currently. I also prefer to buy physical games, but especially with these cult classic games, they're cost prohibitive at the moment
@@discipleofsound4565 Yeah, most of what I have is just stuff I've had for years, honestly. I've had to sell ungodly amounts of games over time, all of PS3 stuff once. So, now I just get what I actually play.
Got my youtube name based on this game 😊
Awesome, great choice.
My friend justin had this game. I was eternally jealous.
I had this too. I wish I'd kept it as a kid, but I sold it when I was like 11.
Derp, I thought you meant Ex-Ranza for some reason! I have the cart, loose.
Ranger x is basically gundam
Basically, but with 100 percent mech action instead of massive human based plots and all. Though, I wouldn't complain if this has one.
One ill have to keep an eye out for when browsing through retro game shops
It would be amazing if you found it (or Ex-Ranza version)!
@@KeiNova I found it randomly. with box. $45. Immediately bought it. Always played it on emulator, now I actually have it.
@UpcycleShoesKai very lucky!
mechwarrior got my sub and im still here
I like MechWarrior, but I made a big mistake playing them back-to-back like I did! Glad to have you here, though!
@@KeiNova that clockwork orange clip was pricless
I thought that was Gundam ZZ for a second
You know, I sort of see why that is.
It's the shoulders
Neat game
It is! Awesome one, honestly! I just wish there were more like it.