ActRaiser is an action city-building game developed by Quintet and published by Enix (now Square Enix) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. It uniquely blends side-scrolling action and city-building simulation. Players take on the role of "The Master" (a god), purifying lands and guiding humanity to rebuild civilization to fight evil forces.
In the action segments, players control a sword-wielding warrior who traverses various terrains, battles enemies, and liberates areas occupied by evil. Purifying each region unlocks the city-building phase, where players guide residents to construct towns from an angelic perspective, use divine powers to clear obstacles, and protect inhabitants from monster attacks.
The game's soundtrack was composed by renowned composer Yuzo Koshiro, and its exceptional score drew widespread attention at the time.
In 2021, Square Enix released a remake titled *ActRaiser Renaissance* for PS4, Switch, PC, iOS, and Android. While retaining the original's essence, the remake features enhanced graphics, rearranged music, and new content including storylines, action stages, and more challenging boss battles.
With its unique gameplay and profound themes, ActRaiser has become a classic on the Super Nintendo platform and remains beloved by players to this day.