Rastan

The king's daughter has just been kidnapped, and Rastan, the barbarian bounty hunter, is called upon to rescue her. Because the princess is being held in Semia, a region infamous for its horrible evil, Rastan knows that his quest will not be an easy one. Nevertheless, he sharpens his blade of steel and begins his journey.

If the above scenario sounds familiar, don't let it bother you. It seems that these days, virtually every video game is based on the kidnapping of someone's daughter, sister or girlfriend (why is it always the females that get kidnapped? I'd think a king would command the highest ransom). Not to mention that just about every video game is a slicing, jumping and ducking contest in which the hero must travel through many dark lands, vanquishing the enemy as he goes.

For some reason we never seem to get bored. I suspect it's because we can't wait to see what beautiful lands and nasty creatures await us around the next bend.

At any rate, Rastan, from Sega, is not the best game in this genre nor is it the worst. Those who yearn for new lands to discover and strange castles to explore will probably find Rastan to be a suitable adventure. However, if you're looking for something original, you won't find it here.

Rastan is made up of seven rounds, each containing three scenes. In the first scene of each round, you control Rastan as he fights his way past many creatures outside the entrance to a castle. In these scenes, Rastan will find tunnels that lead to underground passages; ropes on which to climb and swing; and rafts, bridges, floating rocks and other items that will allow him to cross treacherous waterways.

As Rastan fights, he will sometimes be awarded bonus items that include medicine (restores life), poison (takes away life), the golden sheep (completely restores Rastan's life), rings (double points until the effect wears off), rods (increase the length of time defensive objects are effective), necklaces (increases the length of time offensive objects are effective) and cloth (which for some reason destroys every enemy on the screen). Jewels, worth varying amounts of points, are also sometimes awarded.

In addition to these bonus items, Rastan may find different types of weapons, shields and armor, some more effective than others. The most powerful weapon, for example, is the fire sword, which shoots fireballs at the enemy.

Once Rastan makes it to the castle entrance, he will be able to enter and find his way through the corridors to the exit. The castles are not only swarming with enemies, but are also filled with booby traps: spears suddenly protrude from walls and floors; icicles and spiked blocks drop from ceilings; boulders roll down inclines.

When Rastan reaches the exit, he will enter the final scene in the round and must defeat the boss creature for that level. The bosses are tough, of course, but usually you can discover a pattern or trick that will help Rastan win the battle.

Rastan's graphics and sound are about average, pleasing enough to make for a decent game, but not extraordinary. The creatures and scenes are fairly well-rendered, but lack detail.

As with many Sega games, your on-screen character (Rastan, in this case) seems sluggish at times, especially when you need to turn him quickly in order to face an enemy. In addition, it is difficult to get used to this game's jumping mechanism. Only two types of jumps are available: a short jump and a long jump. Neither allow the player to control the figure in the air. All you can do is leap and hope you land where you want to. Interestingly enough, you can perform multiple jumps, such as leaping from the ground to a wall and then off the wall to a higher platform.

To summarize, Rastan is an average game that will keep most players interested long enough to make it worth the price. If you're a fan of the rescue-the-princess-arcade/adventure-type game, you'll probably enjoy it. Didn't you always want to know what it was like to be a barbarian?

Secret hint: in order to get unlimited men, try this trick. When the Sega logo appears on the screen, hold down the lower-left arrow on the arrow pad simultaneously with Button 1 and Button 2. Hold the buttons down until the title screen appears. The word "Rastan" will be blue if you did it correctly.

Grab your trusty battle axe and head into battle!

Rastan, based on the arcade favorite, pits you against a vile collection of monsters out to stop you from reaching the lovely Princess who is being held captive in some of the darkest regions of the kingdom. It's your job to stop the Dark Lords of Semia and return the King's daughter back to her royal chambers!

Slice and Dice Medieval Monsters...

Conan the Barbarian lives again! Only this time his name is Rastan and his mission is more difficult than the big C. could ever have imagined. If you've played the arcade game or seen any of the Schwarzenegger movies, then you'll know what this game is all about. In a primitive time where magic rules and cold steel is the ultimate weapon, you must guide the mighty warrior Rastan through a variety of monster-ridden lands.

At the request of the King, you must now set out to rescue his daughter who has been kidnapped from the royal palace and taken to the darkest regions of the land where few men have traveled and none have survived.

Rastan is built around seven rounds of play that take you through twenty-one battle screens. At the end of each round you must also do battle with one of the Dark Lords of Semia. Only after defeating these "Boss" creatures are you allowed to progress to subsequent rounds of play.

The game begins with three lives and three continues. You start with your trusty sword and have a power meter that will enable you to take several hits before going down. During your journey you may collect other types of weapons and power-ups that fall into offensive, defensive and special item groups. If you can find the fire axe, the ultimate weapon of destruction, then victory is yours!

Three types of armor can also be found on your way to the Princess. Each of these will lessen the damage that is usually sustained from direct enemy hits.

Also, make sure you pay close attention to your life meter. When it gets dangerously low, then it's time to start looking for special potions and medicines that will replenish your strength and reduce the amount of damage done to Rastan. Be careful though, because some of the potions may turn out to be harmful poisons.

Rastan is a good translation of a less than popular arcade title. While the game failed to generate tremendous interest in the arcades, it did help perpetuate a genre that has become tired and over-populated. Even though it may not have gotten the notice it deserved, Rastan still stands as one of the best hack and slash games released to the arcades.

Dear ASK THE PROS, I would like to know how to beat the Read Dragon in the 6th round of Rastan. Jason Karle, Cincinnati, OH Dear Jason, To defeat the Read Dragon try the following: duck into the screen corners while the Dragon is shooting. Then, run out and stand underneath him. Jump and stab straight up, wounding him in the mouth and face. By using this technique you'll make short work of this troublesome fiend.

After you face the Read Dragon, you'll have to work your way to the final Dragon Boss. There are two techniques that work best with this beast. One is to jump down on him from above, pointing your sword straight down and stabbing him in the head. The other technique to try is getting underneath the Dragon and using your sword to stab straight up into his chin!