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A rare classic, Ranger X for the Sega Genesis is known for its fantastic graphics, smooth audio, and immersive arcade-style game play. It was released in 1993 as a kind of final showcase of the Sega Genesis’ technical power. Ranger X for Genesis was among the most eagerly anticipated games in classic console history. Assuming the role of the eponymous Ranger X, a character encased within a mech-style combat suit, players are tasked with battling enemy squads of the Rahuna – a coalition of worlds from the Edge zone of the galaxy and sworn enemies of the Free Galactic System Council. The enemies seek to overthrow the System Council, the Rahuna come up against the player’s Ranger X, who is prepared to stop them. Ranger X is a side scroller, drawing comparisons with other Sega Genesis games like Streets of Rage and Rolling Thunder, and has a focus on gun-style weapons. Players start the game with a pulse rifle, which they can fire both right (ahead of them) and left (back the way they have come), maneuvering into position with the push of a button on the controller. As players advance through the game levels, they start to gain access to more powerful, more exacting weaponry. Other weapons in the game include the flamethrower, the first special weapon to replace the pulse rifle, along with seeker mines, seeker charges, and the seeker falcon weapon. When players push a button on the Genesis controller to switch to special weapons, as opposed to the pulse rifle, their power bar will gradually drain until depleted entirely. This adds an extra dimension of challenging, strategic gameplay. Not only does this leave Ranger X unable to use special weapons, it also means the player will be unable to recover health at the health chargers for which they sometimes search. The player must also be careful to reserve power for their thrust pack, which Ranger X needs to fly. Flying is useful to escape tricky battles, as well as to pass over water, but is another skill that must be tactically deployed to avoid draining power. The thrust pack also has its own limitations, and can only be used until it overheats – at which point the player will fall to the ground, unable to take off again until the thrust pack fully cools. Also at the player’s disposal are shields, including the hard shield, again with its own power bar. As Ranger X takes damage, the shields are gradually depleted until the character is left completely defenseless. Ranger X is followed through the game by a small selection of vehicular companions, or ex-ups. These vehicles can be mounted by Ranger X, to which they respond in varying ways. Most of the time, Ranger X is accompanied by the Ex-Up Indra, a speedy motorcycle-type vehicle that can fire auto-targeted pulses and access small tunnels. The Ex-Up Eos is a far larger airship, capable of annihilating enemies with lasers. Visually detailed, virtually every element in Ranger X has been carefully designed by the GAU Entertainment game development team – with particular attention devoted to the player character, ex-ups, enemies, and bosses. Backgrounds to the levels have the illusion of being three-dimensional, pushing the envelope of early gaming, and explosions are a special highlight for many fans.