Panzer Dragoon (パンツァードラグーン) is a 3D "on-the-rails" shoot-'em up developed by Team Andromeda and released for the Sega Saturn in 1995. It was one of the flagship titles of the console, being one of the few games available at launch in North America and Europe. It was later brought to the PC and reprogrrammed for the Playstation 2 under the Sega Ages 2500 series.
One of Panzer Dragoon's major artistic influences was Arzach, a comic book series created by French artist Moebius (Jean Giraud). Moebius would contribute in the creative process of the game with original artwork.
Story
Panzer Dragoon follows the story of Keil Fluge, a member of a hunter party who encounters a fight between two dragons, the Solo Wing (in blue) and the Dark Dragon (in black). The rider of the Solo Wing is mortally wounded in the battle and entrusts his mission, as well as his dragon, to Keil. Keil must stop the Dark Dragon from reactivating an ancient ruin and wreaking havoc on the world.
Gameplay
The game offers the player a full 360-degree view of the playfield, though he/she has little control over the direction the Solo Wing travels in. There is a choice of two main offenses: a lock-on laser weapon, and a rapid fire gun weapon. There are six levels, each with a boss battle at the end.
Sequels and Re-releases
Following its release on the Sega Saturn, Panzer Dragoon was ported to Windows PCs in 1997. This version would find itself included as a bonus in the later game, Panzer Dragoon Orta for the Xbox.
In 2006 Panzer Dragoon was re-released as part of the Sega Ages 2500 series for the PlayStation 2.
Panzer Dragoon was followed by Panzer Dragoon Zwei, which despite its name is actually a prequel to this game, chronologically.
Production Credits
Saturn Version
Producers: Yoji Ishii, Tomohiro Kondo
Director: Yukio Futatsugi
Main Programmer: Junichi Suto
Sound Director/Sound Effects: Tomonori Sawada
Original Character Designer: Manabu Kusunoki
System Programmer: Hidetoshi "Wiz" Takeshita
Tool Producer: Kengo Naka
Map Structures/Enemy Setting: Akira Tereaswa, Katsuhiko Yamada
Programmers: Hitoshi Nakanishi, Kengo Naka, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Asaya Yamazaki
Dragon Model Designer: Manabu Kusunoki
Character Model Production/Effects: Kentaro Yoshida, Masaya Kishimoto, Takashi Iwade
Background Model Production: Misaka Kitamura
Background Graphics: Yumiko Kayashima
Main Title Designer: Takashi Iwade
Sega Logo Man Designer: Kentaro Yoshida
Opening CG Production: Manabu Kusunoki, Misaka Kitamura, Takashi Iwade
Ending Illustrartions: Ryuichiro Kutsuzawa
Music Composer: Yoshitaka Azuma
Orchestration: Tomoyuki Hayashi
In Collaboration With: K.K Peace Flag, Polygram K.K.
Image Illustrartions: Moebius
Voice: Yoshiaki Kashima, Tatsuyuki Maeda, Koji Iwashita, Shiro Maekawa, Katsuhiko Yamada
Publicity: Hitoto Kikuchi, Tadashi Takezaki, Yasushi Nagumo, Yosuke Okunari
Sega Of America Inc.
Producer: Dante Anderson
Project Manager: Sarah Richmond
English Text: Kerry Kirkham
Lead Tester: Cristine M. Watson
Special Thanks: Noriyoshi Oba, Yutaka Sugano, Yukifumi Makino, Takashi Narita, Naoyuki Machida, Kazuya Fujishima, James Spahn, CS Hardware, Saturn Project Team
Created By: Team Andromeda
Produced & Copyright & Published by: Sega Enterprises. Ltd.
PC Version
Executive Producer: Shoichiro Irimajiri
Producer: Toshinori Asai, Takehiko Kobayashi
Director: Shinji Fujiwara, Tadashi Kuroi (Windows 95 Native Staff)
Sound Director/Sound Effects: Tomonori Sawada
Main Programmer: Tatsuya Satoh
Project Leader And Programmer: Koue Tsukuda
Programmers: Kazuhisa Hasuoka, Akihiko Kakinuma, Tetsuji Mukai, Takahiro Nagata, Noritaka Yakita, Kenichi Yoko
Installer Programmer: Kei Takashima (Windows 95 Native Staff)
Designer: Nobuhisa Tajiri
Planners: Tadashi Kuroi, Hiroto Saiki
Music Composer: Yoshitaka Azuma
Testers: Tomohisa Nakayasu (Windows 95 Native Staff), Toshiyuki Fujimoto, Takahiro Hirakawa, Tomohisa Nakayasu, Kenji Shintani
Coordinators: Satomi Kawasaki, Yasuhide Nagasawa, Chie Tokoro
Publicity: Hiroyuki Otaka
Manual: Ko Ariizumi, John McClain, Osamu Nakazato
Special Thanks: Kazuya Fujishima, Namie Kawashima, Naoyuki Machida, Yukifumi Makino, Takeshi Narita, Noriyoshi Oba, Yutaka Sugano, Tomonori Saguchi, James Spahn, Koue Tsukuda
Created & Copyright By: Sega Enterprises. Ltd.
Published By: Expert Software Inc.
Physical Scans
Saturn Version
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93
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Sega Retro Average
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| Based on 5 reviews
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| Saturn, EU
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Cover
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| Saturn, KR
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Cover
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PC Version
| PC, US
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Cover
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Jewel Case |
| PC, EU (Fair Game)
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Cover
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| PC, JP
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Cover
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External Links
