Treasure's iconic side-scrolling fighting Guardian Heroes is 30 years old today, it pains me to reveal.
Released in Japan on January 26th, 1996, Guardian Heroes mixes belt-scrolling action with RPG elements such as experience points, NPC conversations and branching pathways.
Designed by Tetsuhiko Kikuchi and Masaki Ukyo, the game features multiple playable characters and bold 2D visuals and was hailed as a significant Saturn exclusive when it launched to almost universal critical acclaim.
A sequel would follow on the Game Boy Advance in 2004, it didn't quite match its predecessor in terms of brilliance, despite the involvement of both Kikuchi and Ukyo. The original game would be remastered for the Xbox 360 in 2011, bringing improvements such as a 16:9 aspect ratio, HD visuals, a retooled script and more.
Kikuchi and Ukyo would reunite for 2012's Code of Princess, a title which has similar gameplay mechanics to Guardian Heroes but, like Advance Guardian Heroes, doesn't really hit the same heights.