Vortex
North American cover art by Roger Loveless
Developer(s)Argonaut Software
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Neil Jackson
Designer(s)Nic Cusworth
Michael Powell
Programmer(s)Michael Powell
Artist(s)Alistair McNally
Composer(s)Justin Scharvona
Platform(s)Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Release
  • NA: September 1994
  • JP: December 9, 1994
  • PAL: 1995
Genre(s)3D shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Vortex is a 3D shooter game developed by Argonaut Software and released by Electro Brain for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in September 1994.[1] Titled Citadel during development, it is one of a few games designed to use the enhanced graphics of the Super FX powered GSU-1.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot.

The player pilots an experimental mech called the Morphing Battle System against the five worlds of the Aki-Do Forces.[2] The player enters the Vortex, to save the Deoberon system, retrieving the core from the fierce forces, the Aki-Do. The MBS can transform between four different modes: The Walker, Sonic Jet, Land Burner, and Hard Shell.

Development and release

The overall concept of Vortex fueled unconfirmed speculation that the project may have been derived from an unreleased game based on Transformers.[3] However, in a 2015 interview with Retro Gamer, programmer Michael Wong-Powell confirmed that Vortex and Transformers were entirely separate projects, with the latter being cancelled during development.[4]

In March 1994, Argonaut Software was signed as a third-party developer by Atari Corporation to develop games for the Atari Jaguar platform.[5] A port of Vortex for the Jaguar was announced at Spring ECTS '94, but it ultimately was never released.[6][7][8]

Reception

Vortex was criticized for its difficulty and its lag, which was common for Super FX games of its type. Electronic Gaming Monthly's five reviewers remarked that the pace is slow, but complimented the unique concept and high challenge.[11] GameFan's three reviewers scored it 79%, 72%, and 70%.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Super NES Games" (PDF). Nintendo of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-06-19. Retrieved 2004-06-19.
  2. ↑ "Vortex". SNES Central. Archived from the original on 2012-02-13. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
  3. ↑ Oxford, Nadia (July 3, 2007). "Transformers: Robots in Disgust". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Making of: Vortex". Retro Gamer. No. 147. October 2015. pp. 38–41.
  5. ↑ "ATARI ANNOUNCES TOTAL OF 86 DEVELOPERS, PUBLISHERS AND LICENSEES FOR JAGUAR". Nine Lives. March 7, 1994. Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2018-09-23.
  6. ↑ "ProNews: Jaguar Licensee Count Grows". GamePro. No. 59. IDG. June 1994. p. 184. Archived from the original on 2018-07-31. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  7. ↑ "Special - Release Schedule ECTS-Messe". Mega Fun (in German). No. 21. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. June 1994. p. 18. Archived from the original on 2018-09-23. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  8. ↑ "Scene - Erste CD-ROM-Titel für Jaguar". Mega Fun (in German). No. 21. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. June 1994. p. 24. Archived from the original on 2018-07-22. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  9. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan (1998). "Vortex (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 2014-11-17. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  10. ↑ Ahmet, Deniz; Patterson, Mark (October 1994). "CVG Review - It's A Whole New World Out There: Vortex - The Real Virtua Fighter". Computer and Video Games. No. 155. EMAP. pp. 76–79.
  11. 1 2 Semrad, Ed; Carpenter, Danyon; Manuel, Al; Williams, Ken; Weigand, Mike (October 1994). "Review Crew - Major Mike's Game Roundup: Vortex (Electro Brain/Super NES)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 63. Sendai Publishing. p. 32.
  12. 1 2 Halverson, Dave; Cockburn, Andrew (October 1994). "Viewpoint - Vortex (SNES)". GameFan. Vol. 2, no. 10. DieHard Gamers Club. p. 31.
  13. ↑ Squideo, Captain (October 1994). "ProReview - SNES: Vortex". GamePro. No. 63. IDG. p. 60.
  14. ↑ Frear, Dave (July 26, 2010). "Vortex Review (SNES) - Transform and tear your hair out". Nintendo Life. Nlife Media. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  15. ↑ "Now Playing - Vortex (Super NES". Nintendo Power. No. 64. Nintendo of America. September 1994. pp. 106–107.
  16. ↑ Atko (November 1994). "Total! SNES Review: Vortex". Total!. No. 35. Future plc. pp. 52–53.
  17. ↑ McDermott, Andy; Pullin, Keith; Butt, Ryan (December 1994). "Super NES Review: Vortex - Polygon perfection!". Super Gamer. No. 9. Paragon Publishing. pp. 56–57.
  18. ↑ Meston, Zach (November 1994). "Reviews - SNES: Vortex". VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine. No. 70. Larry Flynt Publications. p. 99.
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