Axelay arrived on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992, and it remains one of the strangest, smartest shooters Konami ever shipped. An alien empire called the Armada of Annihilation has taken the planets of the Illis system, including the Earth-like Corliss, and one prototype fighter is all that stands in the way. That fighter is the D117B, and you fly it through six stages, each capped by a boss you must beat before the next opens.
Six stages, one prototype
Konami developed and published Axelay, with Kazumi Kitaue producing. Kitaue had produced Super Castlevania IV, and most of the Axelay team later formed Treasure, the studio behind Gunstar Heroes. The D117B is a last resort, sent out to recover lost weaponry and stop the invasion. Only one of these ships exists.
Vertical and horizontal scrolling
The gameplay splits between vertical-scrolling and horizontal-scrolling stages, the same structure Konami used in Life Force. That switch forces a real decision every time you pick a loadout. Levels run from the cloud-covered Cumuluses to the space colony Tralieb, the populated Urbanite, the watery Cavern, and Sector 3 Lava Planet, before the fortress of the Armada of Annihilation.
Weapons that double as shields
Axelay drops the usual power-up hunt. You earn new weapons as you advance, not by collecting drops from dead enemies. Each fighter carries three types at the start of a stage — a standard weapon, a special weapon, and a bomb or missile — and you can switch between them freely mid-level. At the end of each stage, a new choice is added to the armory, and you refit the ship for what comes next. Options include multiple-way shot, vulkan cannon, and spread bombs.
A different kind of death
Each selectable weapon also works as a shield. Take a hit and the game does not kill you outright; it disables your current weapon and drops you to a weak default version of that type. A second hit while you are running weak lands you dead. Colliding directly with an enemy still destroys the ship instantly. It is a generous system on paper and a tense one in practice, because your defense is tied to your offense.
The route through Illis
| Stop | Setting |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cumuluses |
| 2 | Tralieb |
| 3 | Urbanite |
| 4 | Cavern |
| 5 | Sector 3 Lava Planet |
| 6 | Armada fortress |
What holds up
The visuals and music drew praise at release, and the weapon system was unusually deep for its time. The game has since been re-released through download services for Nintendo consoles, which is how most people will meet it now. A sequel, Axelay 2, was planned and never materialized.
Where the campaign runs short
Axelay is a classic of the shoot ’em up genre, and the reputation is earned. The alternating scroll directions and the shield-weapon hybrid give it a texture most 1992 shooters lack. Six stages is a short campaign, though. The craft is there, and the Treasure lineage behind it explains why.
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