Despite some noble efforts the Sega Genesis absolutely destroyed the Super Nintendo when it came to shooters. This may be because of the system’s ability to run games faster without as much slowdown, or it could be attributed to the developers that supported the system but this fact remained true throughout the lifespan of both systems. Developer Technosoft and their Thunder Force franchise was one of the primary reasons for this. This is what got the majority of the attention in this era, but this company wasn’t a one trick pony. Nestled among their franchise installments came an originally title called Elemental Master. This release isn’t often mentioned, nor has it been released on any other console since. It’s a shame because Elemental Master is a quality title and deserves better treatment than what is had received.
What’s refreshing is the fact that we’re treated to a slightly animated introductory sequence. It’s not something I expect from a shoot ’em up, but it’s a nice touch. This tells the story of a wizard named Laden whose brother betrays him in a conquest to take over the world. Obviously our protagonist must stop him using his magic through a series of five differently themed stages. What’s cool is that we’re occasionally treated to cut scenes at particular points in the adventure. Like I said it’s not something I expect in this genre, but it goes a long way to show that this game was a labor of love. Elemental Master is an overhead shooter. Instead of riding in a ship you control Laden on foot. Instead of firing bullets or lasers you’re armed only with his magic which is a cool concept and nice new (at the time) idea for the genre. The screen scrolls forward as you automatically move, but you have full reign to run anywhere on the battlefield. By default you’re facing forward and with the A button you shoot the currently equipped magical blast forward. Pressing B however causes it to be fired backwards, and C switches between all available magic.
Being a ground based shooter affects the level design in numerous ways. For example, some stages feature trees which block the path and so you have to walk around them. Additionally you’ll find water which slows Laden down, and lava that hurts him to slog through. You have a life bar that allows for only three hits in the beginning but can be expanded as you find items. These are discovered by destroying treasure chests and offer a myriad of additional effects. One renders a shield around Laden for a brief period of time that destroys all nearby enemies, another makes two copies of him that move in tandem and can also shoot magical blasts, and finally you have health restorative items. The power-ups are pretty typical fare, but I’m sad that you lose the mirage one after taking just one hit from an enemy. That’s annoying because I prefer mechanics that let me build up massive amounts of firepower, but it’s forgivable. As I mentioned earlier you’re given the choice of order to complete the four primary levels. They differ only in scenery and enemies that appear; and there are no specific paths which make the game easier. You do gain a weapon after beating the boss at the end of the stage which is similar to the mechanics of Mega Man and I liked this feature. What’s also cool is that after completing the first level you’re given a fairy companion that acts on her own and attacks nearby enemies by flying into them. This disappears when you reach the final stage.
The weaponry is really cool. You can shoot the standard linear twin shot that’s common in the genre, a crescent shaped burst, a lightning based shot in forward and to the sides, an angled three way blast, and a bomb one that’s super strong but is the most difficult with which to hit the enemies. These attacks can all be charged for a more powerful blast, and though you’ll be defenseless while saving up energy it’s one of the most helpful tools at your disposal. The stage designs here are pretty standard fare, and aren’t really anything special. As I mentioned earlier they do add some new dynamics because of your ground based character, but all in all there wasn’t anything particularly new or spectacular on this front. They generally all feel too similar to one another, but often have some different ground based obstacles to keep you on your toes. The boss characters at the end of each level are huge and memorable. Unfortunately I found most of them to be too easy, with easy to avoid patterns. It isn’t a huge deal but definitely a little disappointing.
Unfortunately the graphics are a little underwhelming here. The developers took the fantasy route when it comes to style, and because of this I expected something bright and colorful. Instead we’re left with drab looking scenery that almost looks more at home in an early title for the platform. The main character looks downright comical as he walks through each area, and the enemies are all very generic. The developers should have put significantly more work into their designs because I barely remember any of them. The bosses are a little better on this front but that probably has to do more with their large size rather than interesting designs. On the plus side the still screens used for the cinematics are actually pretty good. They feature minimal animation (this is the Sega Genesis, after all) but they’re charming and pretty well done. I really like the anime infused style for the characters here. The soundtrack is pretty forgettable. The music is decent and well composed, but there’s nothing here that really stands out. I imagine the developers just didn’t care very much for this category. The sound effects are a little better and I the weapons all sound crisp, clean, and feature their own distinct samples. The audio here is okay at best overall.
While I wouldn’t quite call Elemental Master a hidden gem for the platform it’s still a competent and worthwhile shooter. There are better choices for sure, but chances are if you’re interested in the Sega Genesis then you’ve already played them, and this is definitely something that’s a little different from the norm. Elemental Master is fun and it’s interesting, but I wish the developers had put more effort into its presentation. The fantasy theme offers so much visual potential, but it’s wasted here.
