Over the Wire

Somewhere in the back corner of the Pantheon of Great Games lies the criminally under-appreciated Super Nintendo classic Actraiser. One of the premier action titles on the SNES, Actraiser was actually published by Japanese role-playing giant Enix. The game is split into two wholly unique and excellent pieces—side-scrolling segments have players taking the role of “the Master” (God after Nintendo’s censors got through with him) as he attempts to clear individual world regions for settlement by his people. The second piece of the game is a simplistic but incredibly addictive simulation mode where players direct the citizens to build their city up a la SimCity. Ultimately, the best thing about Actraiser is definitely the musical score. Composed by Yuzo Koshiro—the gaming equivalent of John Williams—the soundtrack is textured, triumphant, and technically amazing. After being ignored by Enix for nearly ten years, the classic is finally available for purchase on the Wii Virtual Console. At only eight dollars, it’s a gift from the Master.