is a side-scrolling

action role-playing video game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...

developed and published by

Sega is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...

for the

Master System The is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 and ...

. It was released in 1988. ''Kenseiden'' stars Hayato, a samurai that has to fight against

warlock A warlock is a male practitioner of witchcraft. Etymology and terminology The most commonly accepted etymology derives ''warlock'' from the Old English '' wǣrloga'', which meant "breaker of oaths" or "deceiver" and was given special applicatio ...

s and evil spirits that plague 16th century Japan. The warlocks stole the five secret scrolls and the sword of the Dragon Lord. Hayato, who has dragon blood in his veins, must recover the scrolls and sword, enter the castle and kill

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...

. The game was released as ''Hwarang-ui Geom'' (화랑의 검, "Sword of the Flower Knight") in South Korea and has the main character sprite altered to look like a Korean warrior and the Japanese map changed to a map of Korea. In the original Japanese version, Hayato is blond. In the Western versions he has black hair.

Gameplay

Each round represents one of the old Japanese provinces. In the Korean version of the game the rounds represent locations of Korea. After round 2, the player can choose any one of the nearest levels in the map. The player can go back to any level at any time after finishing it, except the final level.

Reception

Upon release, ''

The Games Machine ''The Games Machine'' is a video game magazine that was published from 1987 until 1990 in the United Kingdom by Newsfield, which also published ''CRASH'', ''Zzap!64'', ''Amtix!'' and other magazines. History The magazine ran head to head with ...

'' gave the game an 86% score, considering it one of the best "hack-'n-slay" games due to its "simple but highly playable action and superb presentation." ''

Computer and Video Games ''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') was a UK-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot website ...

'' gave it an 85% score, describing it as a "huge" role-playing adventure with exploration, "truly superb" still screens and "plenty of brain-bending puzzles" to last "weeks on end!" Retrospectively, Levi Buchanan of

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

reviewed Kenseiden. He gave the game a 7.0 and said "even though I found the choice to go grim interesting and the visuals engaging, I have discovered my appreciation for Kenseiden was more of a 'love the one your icwith' sentiment. Master System junkies should still seek it out and give it a go, but there are indeed better games for the console that deserve your renewed attention."

References

External links

* *{{IAg, segasms_Kenseiden_1988_Sega_JP_en 1988 video games Fantasy video games Platform games Sega video games Master System games Master System-only games Video games about samurai Video games set in feudal Japan Action role-playing video games Single-player video games Video games developed in Japan