Power Blade

Power Blade
Also known as: Power Blazer (JP) Developer: Natsume Publisher: Taito Platforms: NES, Arcade (PlayChoice-10) Released in JP: April 20, 1990 Released in US: March 1991 Released in EU: January 23, 1992 This game has hidden developer credits. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has regional differences. This game has a prerelease article

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

Power Blade has you play as NOVA, a buff white soldier guy who must stop aliens from harming Earth, armed to the teeth with...boomerangs.

Sub-Pages

Prerelease Info

Sound Test

Power Blazer (Japan)	Power Blade (US/EU)

At the title screen, hold Left + A + B on Controller 2 and press Start on Controller 1. Press Up/Down to select the music and A to play it.

The sound test looks a bit different in Power Blazer, and most of the music tracks have names instead of just "BGM01"/"BGM02"/etc. The sound test in Power Blade simply replaces the titles with their listings in hexadecimal instead, "TYPE" indicating sound effects while "BGM" indicates music tracks.

Comparing both games' sound tests, overall Power Blade has more sound effects and music than its earlier predecessor Power Blazer.

The following table lists tracks in order from their respective sound tests. Notes column lists what each abbreviation given in the Power Blazer sound test means, along with any tracks new to Power Blade. Track titles listed next to BGMs are taken from Rom Cassette Disc In TAITO Vol.2 (CDST-10044).

Sound Test

Power Blazer (Japan)	Power Blade (US/EU)	Notes
PAUSE	TYPE01	Pause sound
DAMEGE	TYPE02	Damage taken - DIFF
SUTA	TYPE03	DIFF
BOOMER	TYPE04
LIFE	TYPE05	DIFF - lower latter
ALLOUT	TYPE06	DIFF
ITEM	TYPE07	DIFF - higher latter
ONEUP	TYPE08
BSET	TYPE09	DIFF - slapback latter
HODAI	TYPE0A	DIFF - slightly lower pitch latter
ZDAM	TYPE0B
	TYPE0C
	TYPE0D	US/EU only - Intruder Alert (Alarm)
ZOUT	TYPE0E
PRESS	TYPE0F
BOUND	TYPE10
BURNER	TYPE11
SELECT	TYPE12
OK	TYPE13
TAIHO	TYPE14
POUT		Player Out different "Miss" / 「ミス」
	TYPE15
DOOR	TYPE16
BOUT	TYPE17	boss out?
ZABA	TYPE18
ZABAN	TYPE19
CHOICE	TYPE1A	DIFF - higher latter
BUU	TYPE1B
DRAGON	TYPE1C
RAIJIN	TYPE1D
	TYPE1E
	TYPE1F
	TYPE20
	TYPE21
	TYPE22	Disarming the sector computer
CENTER	BGM02	Central control center / 「総合コントロールセンター」 Used in Sector 7 in Power Blade
BIO	BGM03	Life research / 「生命研究」 Used in Sector 3 in Power Blade
BASE	BGM04	"Military base" / 「軍基地」 Used in Sector 5 in Power Blade
ROCKET	BGM05	Space development / 「宇宙開発」 Used in Sector 1 in Power Blade
ENERGY	BGM06	Energy Development / 「エネルギー開発」 Used in Sector 2 in Power Blade
DEMO0	BGM07	"Well!Well!Well!" / 「Well!Well!Well!」 Plays in cutscene before entering final area / Sector 7
LIFE	BGM08	Residential area / 「居住区」 Used in Sector 6 in Power Blade
THESKY	BGM09	Weather control research / 「天気コントロール研究」 Used in Sector 4 in Power Blade
SELBGM	BGM01	Select BGM - used for "Stage Select" 「ステージセレクト」
DEMO		Used for "Epilogue" / 「エピローグ」
	BGM0A	Plays during Sector Disarmed cutscene
BOSS	BGM0B	Boss BGM / 「ボス」
BBOSS	BGM0C	Final Boss (after transformation of David Uncle) 「最終ボス（デビット・アンクル変身後）」
OVER		Game Over BGM / 「ゲームオーバー」 different for both games
	BGM0D
PCLR		Player Clear "Clear" / 「クリア」 Plays after beating area, entirely new in US/EU version
	BGM0E
	BGM0F	New! used in US/EU opening
ENDING		Ending BGM / 「エンディング」 Plays during credits New song for US/EU version, used in epilogue cutscene
	BGM10
	TYPE23

Hidden Credits

Present at 0x1C010 in all versions:

TOSHIKAZU IWASA

Regional Differences

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this. Specifically: Lots of comparisons between Power Blazer and Power Blade to be made here. Add screenshots of ending cutscene, bosses and, if possible, level layout comparisons.

The original Japanese release was titled Power Blazer and was a fairly shameless Mega Man ripoff. The overseas versions were retitled Power Blade, and the game underwent one of the most extensive localizations in NES history. Graphics, gameplay, music and more were all changed for the overseas versions.

Title Screen

Japan	US

Stage Intro

In the Japanese version, this appears by remaining at the title screen. In the US version, it appears upon getting past the title screen. Alternately, if you let the game sit on the title screen, you get a new story intro.

Japan	US

Title Demo Cutscene

While much of the story in Power Blazer was relegated to the manual, with hardly any dialogue in-game, Power Blade elaborates on its story much more in-game, adding more cutscenes and in-game dialogue.

Most importantly, it adds an extra intro to the title screen, moving the previous cutscene to the start screen afterwards.

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Music

Replaced Music

Some of the music in Power Blade has been replaced entirely with new pieces that sound less happy-go-lucky and more somber and foreboding, perhaps to match with the more serious tone and setting.

• Game Over:

Power Blazer (Japan)	Power Blade (US/EU)
OVER	BGM0D

• Player Clear:

Power Blazer (Japan)	Power Blade (US/EU)
PCLR	BGM0E

However, this does not necessarily mean the songs added in Power Blade are used in the exact same place as the songs replaced, as shown with what's used for the epilogue cutscene in both games.

• Epilogue: While "BGM10" replaces "ENDING" in the sound test, it is not actually used for the credits like the latter in Power Blazer. Since Power Blade has no credits, the song is used instead for the epilogue cutscene that plays after beating the final boss.

Power Blazer (Japan)	Power Blade (US/EU)
DEMO	BGM10

Exclusive music

There are also a few tracks that are exclusive to either the Japanese or American/European versions as well.

• Ending: This track is used for the staff credits in Power Blazer. While BGM10 takes its place in the Power Blade sound test, it is used for the epilogue cutscene instead, as there are no credits in Power Blade.

Power Blazer (Japan) — ENDING

• Opening: This song is used in the brand new title intro demo added to Power Blade.

Power Blade (US/EU) — BGM0F

• Sector Disarmed: This song takes the place of DEMO in the sound test. A variation of the new opening theme, it plays during the Sector Disarmed cutscene that plays after beating a sector's boss in Power Blade.

Power Blade (US/EU) — BGM0A

Sound Effects

In addition to the music, some sound effects are different in Power Blade, either being updated from Power Blazer or are entirely new.

• Player Out - This sound effect that plays when the player's health is completely depleted has been made less "cartoony" in Power Blade.

Power Blazer (Japan)	Power Blade (US/EU)
POUT	TYPE15

Map Screen

The map screen was completely overhauled. It's now far more helpful, as well as more detailed.

While navigation is handled the same way (press Left or Right to either move the cursor counterclockwise or clockwise respectively), the stage select cursor is different. The player sprite is used as the level select cursor on the Power Blazer map screen, but it's replaced by a rectangular reticle in Power Blade instead.

Japan	US

Gameplay

The US version is pretty much a completely different game compared to the Japanese one: different hero, different enemies, different levels, different graphics etc. and a significant improvement in gameplay controls.

Differences	Japan	US
Status bar	It shows only the player health and the power meter. Bombs and energy refills are always visible. There is a scoring system.	There is also a health meter for the stage boss. Bombs and energy refills can only have the selected one visible. There is also a timer and the remaining durability of your power suit.
Boomerang attack	The player can only throw one boomerang straight forward. It is possible to change the penetration ability with corresponding items, where a non-penetrating boomerang can stick at the back of enemy and hit multiple times. The power regeneration is slow.	The player can throw boomerangs in 8 directions, up to 3 at the same time with powerups. It always penetrates. The power regeneration is fast.
Power suit	Does not exist.	Can be found at fixed locations. When wearing, attack becomes a powerful wave with infinite range. Armor will be lost after taking 3 hits.
Special items	Bombs and energy refills are shown as badges with "B" and "E" letters. Both are only found in fixed locations.	Bombs look like grenades and can be dropped by common enemies. Energy refills are shaped like can of rations and be placed at fixed locations.
Stage layout	Each stage is linear. Simply survive to the last door and fight the boss. Falling off the screen returns to lower area.	The first 6 stages are bigger. The player must find the agent to get the key card in order to access the boss door. Falling off the screen kills.
Expert mode	Does not exist.	Exists.

(Source: Hardcore Gaming 101 (Article, Comparisons), Video Game Den)

Stage Order

The order and placement of the stages on the map has been significantly rearranged in Power Blade. Order is listed from counterclockwise, starting from top left:

Japan	US/EU
Military Base	Sector 1 - Space Center
Weather Control Research	Sector 2 - Energy Development
Residential Area	Sector 3 - Life Research
Life Research	Sector 4 - Weather Control
Space Center	Sector 5 - Military Base
Energy Development	Sector 6 - Residential Area
Control Center	Sector 7 - Control Center

Roughly speaking, the order starting counterclockwise from top left in the Japanese version is: Military base, Weather control research, Residential area, Life research, Space center, Energy development, and finally the Control center.

The order in the US/EU version, now listed under Sectors 1 to 7, is moved to: Space center, Energy development, Life research, Weather control research, Military base, Residential area, and finally the Control center.

Bosses

Some of the bosses and their areas have been redesigned to look less cartoonish and more serious. For instance, the Frankenstein robot boss has been changed from a chibi-style robot to a more Terminator-esque design. The beehive boss area has also been changed from a natural-looking honeycomb to a much more mechanical design.

Epilogue/Credits

There is an additional credits cutscene exclusive to Power Blazer, which plays after the epilogue cutscene, featuring the staff credits for the game. This is completely absent from Power Blade, which features no staff credits and ends the game on the epilogue cutscene instead.