History VideoGame / SaintSeiyaOugonDensetsu

[[caption-width-right:350:The game's Perfect Edition version released for the UsefulNotes/WonderSwan Color.]]

'''Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu''' ("Gold Legend") is a platformer-slash-RPG game developed by TOSE and published by Bandai, released in 1987 for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], and the very first game based on the ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' manga/anime. It implements a rather primitive (and sloppy) RPG system with platforming sections, where the player (using [[TheProtagonist Pegasus Seiya]]) moves around the city, talking to {{NPC}} or throwing punches at {{mooks}} and gaining experience which can be distributed across several stats which determines strength, defense and [[LifeEnergy Cosmo]]. When fighting bosses, the game switches to turn-based combat: here the player assigns an amount of strength to each stat and selects an attack and defense option, then watches as the attack animations play out.

Finally, a {{Remake}} combining both games was released in 2003 for the UsefulNotes/WonderSwan Color, titled '''Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu Hen Perfect Edition''', taking and updating the combat system of the first game with a very welcome set of new graphics and cutscenes.

* BladeOnAStick: One of the few Mook types throw spears at the player.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Most characters follow their Anime color scheme, with a few exceptions.

* UnwinnableByMistake: [[spoiler:When you face the final boss with Ikki, you '''must''' speak to him, otherwise he'll be immune to any attack, and when Seiya comes back to fight him he'll be unable to damage him at all]]. Rather jarring considering it's the last boss, and there's no indication in-game of what to do to win.

The game follows the first story arc of the anime, albeit very haphazardly: [[CompressedAdaptation throwing several characters away]] and including [[RecurringBoss clones of the same enemy saints]] to pad its length out. It also [[OvertookTheManga ran out of material to adapt]] half-way through the Gold Saint arc, leaving most of the latter Gold Saints out and [[GeckoEnding heavily changing the ending]].

The game received a sequel in 1988 for the same system, '''Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu Kanketsu Hen''' ("Gold Legend Finish Arc"), which went for a more simplified/streamlined gameplay: platforming sections are now much more straightforward and simple "left-to-right" ordeals, while turn-based elements were reduced to a single "Sevensenses" bar the player fills up by punching mooks, and later distributes among a Saint's "Life" and "Cosmo" before each boss fight. The boss fights are simply "pick up an attack" and "hope you can evade damage", with the many character stats and leveling up from the first game removed entirely. The game focus exclusively on the "Twelve Temples" part of the first arc, now adapted in its entirety and much more faithfully, even encouraging the player to reproduce the battles as seen in the manga/anime.

* GeckoEnding: Due to both manga and anime being still unfinished, the game staff made-up an ending, which includes [[spoiler:the Pope not being the Gemini Saint, but an ObviouslyEvil saint with a skull-themed "Shadow Cloth" named simply the "Shadow Saint"]].

* RapidFireFisticuffs: Seiya's "Pegasus Ryuseiken" as usual. In-game it is represented as a flurry of punches aimed at the screen.

* BottomlessPits: Present in all stage sections. Gemini Temple's extra stage is the worst offender, as two thirds of it is basically one giant pit with small platforms scattered above. It's somewhat mitigated in that, instead of instant death, falling off them results in the playable character at the time taking some damage and being sent back to the start of the stage to do over.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Leo Aioria is held under the power of the Pope's Genrou Maouken, which turns him into a sadistic monster, and can only be released by seeing someone die in front of him. In-game, this was translated as him being impossible to damage until Seiya was defeated, at which point Cassios comes up and promptly dies, making Aioria defeatable.

* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:Do the [[PuzzleBoss final boss]] fight correctly, and Seiya gets an enormous boost of Sevensenses from his friends, and the ability to refill his Life/Cosmo every turn, making him almost invincible.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: After Seiya is defeated by Leo Aioria, Cassios enters into scene and dies for him in order to break Aioria's [[BrainwashedAndCrazy mind control]], just like in the manga/anime.

** Fighting Aioria with anyone other than Seiya, or Camus with anyone other than Hyoga makes those bosses this as well, as both require that their respective saints talk to them for them to become vulnerable to attacks.

* OldMaster: Shiryu's master, Libra Dohko. He appears (in spirit) in his temple to help Shiryu rescue Hyoga, and is the one who brings Shiryu back to health in the Capricorn Temple, while also unlocking his best attack.

* RapidFireFisticuffs: Seiya's "Pegasus Ryuseiken", which is represented by several comets shot forward. In platforming sections, everyone but Shun can rapid-fire energy punches at enemies.
* SkippableBoss: You can avoid fighting the Gemini Saint if you choose Hyoga, which will isntead match him with his master Camus in the Libra Temple, per the anime/manga story.

* SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity: Sagittarius Temple has no boss and grants a huge boost of Sevensenses...right in time for the game's final three Temples, which have some of the worst platforming stages in the game.

* TemporaryPlatform: Appear in the form of 3 tiny platforms over pits. A nightmare for some thanks to the "floaty" control scheme...and [[TheScrappy Shun]]

* UnwinnableByMistake: [[spoiler:When you face the final boss with Ikki, you '''must''' speak to him, otherwise he'll be inmune to any attack, and when Seiya comes back to fight him he'll be unable to damage him at all]]. Rather jarring considering it's the last boss, and there's no indication in-game of what to do to win.
** You can go outside the canon and beat Pisces Aphrodite with Seiya...which leads to Seiya dying and Shun being the only choice left to cross the Path of Roses (which [[LifeDrain cosntantly drains his life]]). However, the exit at the end of this area (Seiya's mentor) only appears for Seiya, leaving Shun unable to continue until his life drops to 0. Oops.

* CutsceneBoss: Several bosses from the first game (Shaina, Cassios, Argol, Ptolemy...) have become this.
* CompressedAdaptation: Even moreso than the original game. Probably wanting to get to the Goldies faster, the game drops all the Black Saints and most Silver Saints save Misty, Jamian, Argol and Ptolemy (though the latter 3 are not properly fought, and simply killed in a cutscene).

[[caption-width-right:350:The game's Perfect Edition version released by Wonderswan.]]

* BottomlessPit: Present in all stage sections. Gemini Temple's extra stage is the worst offender, as two thirds of it is basically one giant pit with small platforms scattered above.

* OvertookTheManga: Both manga and anime hadn't reached the end of the first arc back then, so the game doesn't include the final 4 Gold Saints (who were still unrevealed) and sloppily re-arranges most of the late-story battles, leading to stuff like the Cancer Saint being fought in the Sagittarius Temple.

'''Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu''' ("Gold Legend") is a platformer-slash-RPG game developed by TOSE and published by Bandai, released in 1987 for the [[NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], and the very first game based on the ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' manga/anime. It implements a rather primitive (and sloppy) RPG system with platforming sections, where the player (using [[TheProtagonist Pegasus Seiya]]) moves around the city, talking to {{NPC}} or throwing punches at {{mooks}} and gaining experience which can be distributed across several stats which determines strength, defense and [[LifeEnergy Cosmo]]. When fighting bosses, the game switches to turn-based combat: here the player assigns an amount of strength to each stat and selects an attack and defense option, then watches as the attack animations play out.

'''Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu''' ("Gold Legend") is a platformer-slash-RPG game developed by TOSE and published by {{Bandai}}, released in 1987 for the [[NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], and the very first game based on the ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' manga/anime. It implements a rather primitive (and sloppy) RPG system with platforming sections, where the player (using [[TheProtagonist Pegasus Seiya]]) moves around the city, talking to {{NPC}} or throwing punches at {{mooks}} and gaining experience which can be distributed across several stats which determines strength, defense and [[LifeEnergy Cosmo]]. When fighting bosses, the game switches to turn-based combat: here the player assigns an amount of strength to each stat and selects an attack and defense option, then watches as the attack animations play out.

* OvertookTheManga: Both manga and anime didn't finished the first arc back then, so the game doesn't include the final 4 Gold Saints (who were still unrevealed) and sloppily re-arranges most of the late-story battles, leading to stuff like the Cancer saint being fought in the Sagittarius Temple.

* BadassArmFold: Taurus Aldeberan's initial sprite pose. He loses it after being damaged enough.

* ButThouMust: The fights in the Leo, Capricorn and Acuarius Temples must follow the manga/anima canon, as these bosses are invincible otherwise. Strangely averted with the final temple, Pisces, which leads to an {{Unwinnable}} situation (read below).

* ContestWinnerCameo: [[spoiler:The Shadow Saint]]'s armor was the winner design in a fan-submitted contest to create the game's final enemy organized by Weekly Shonen Jump.

Finally, a {{Remake}} combining both games was released in 2003 for the WonderSwan Color, titled '''Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu Hen Perfect Edition''', taking and updating the combat system of the first game with a very welcome set of new graphics and cutscenes.

* CanonForeigner: [[spoiler:The Shadow Saint.]]

* RapidFireFisticuffs: Seiya's "Pegasus Ryuseiken".

* WarmUpBoss: Marin (Seiya's mentor) at the beginning is practically a TrainingBoss. Cassios and Shaina count too.

* AnotherDimension: The signature attack of the Gemini Saint. Three Gold Saints (Gemini, Deathmask and Shaka) send the player to a second, "extra stage" set in alternate worlds (another dimension, the gates of Hell and the Six Hells of Buddhism respectively).

* BladeOnAStick: Spear-throwing mooks.

* BreatherLevel: Sagittarius Temple. Though a late-game stage, it's slightly easier than the previous temple, and there's no boss fight to worry. Even better, it grants a huge boost of Sevensenses at the end.
** SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity: This comes right in time for the game's final three Temples, which have some of the worst platforming stages in the game.
* ButThouMust: The fights in the Leo, Capricorn and Acuarius Temples must follow the anga/anima canon, as these bosses are invincible otherwise. Strangely averted with the final temple, Pisces, which leads to an {{Unwinnable}} situation (read below).

* HeroicSacrifice: Cassios in the Leo Temple, just like in the manga/anime.

* OldMaster: Shiryu's master, Libra Dohko.

* RapidFireFisticuffs: Seiya's "Pegasus Ryuseiken". In platforming sections, everyone but Shun can rapid-fire energy punches at enemies.

* WakeUpCallBoss: Cancer Deathmask, the 3rd boss, has an insane amount of advantages which not even the end-game enemies have, making him the most frustrating boss in the game.
* WarmUpBoss: The first boss, Aldebaran, is pretty easy, and talking to him reduces the force of his attack considerably too.