MechWarrior (SNES)
Sarna News
 | Apocryphal Product Although the subject of this article is an official BattleTech product, it does not meet the current criteria for Canon. Its content may or may not be canonical for the BattleTech universe, and for the purpose of the Sarna.net BattleTechWiki is considered apocryphal. |
| |
| MechWarrior | |
|---|---|
| Product information | |
| Type | Computer game |
| Development | Beam Software |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Activision |
| First published | 1993 |
| MSRP | ? |
| Content | |
| Era | Succession Wars era |
| Timeline | 3027 |
| Series | MechWarrior computer games |
| Followed by | MechWarrior 3050 |
The MechWarrior video game, known in Japan as Battletech, was developed for the Super NES. Its plot and gameplay is based upon the PC MechWarrior game, but uses the tools available on the Super NES (Mode 7 graphics and sprites) for the first-person mission portions of the game. The game was developed by Beam Software and published by Activision in the US and Europe, and by Victor Interactive Software in Japan.
Story
The player takes on the role of a MechWarrior named Herras Ragen, the son of Colonel Joseph T. Ragen. Colonel Ragen was a soldier in the AFFS whose mission was to infiltrate and destroy the renegade mercenaries called the Dark Wing Lance. In 3017 the Dark Wing Lance attacked Colonel Ragen's home on Redondo, killing him and most of his family. Herras survived and in 3027, at the age of 22, he set out on a quest of revenge to hunt down the Dark Wing Lance. Herras acts as a mercenary, selling his services as he uses contacts to gather information on the Dark Wing Lance until he can avenge his family.
Herras tracks down and kills three of the Dark Wing Lance members - Wolf Glupper, Zach Slasher, and Duff Skully. During his search, Herras encounters multiple references to a mercenary underground engaged in criminal and terrorist attacks (guerrilla warfare to disrupt planetary governments, bombings, theft of secret documents, raids, planetary assaults, etc.). After Herras kills Duff Skully, Yerg Gantor offers to hire Herras for missions, offering the location of the head of the Dark Wing as a bonus. Unfortunately for Herras, Yerg himself is the head of the Dark Wing, and has tricked Herras into carrying out missions for the mercenary underground. Herras faces off against Gantor in personal combat and kills him, achieving vengeance and stopping the Dark Wing's mercenary underground.
This is a significant alteration from the backstory of the original PC game, and the player character has a different identity and name. It should be noted though that the two backstories and storylines do not rule each other out and could technically both be "true". (See also Canonicity section below.)
Gameplay
BattleMechs
Unlike the BattleMechs in the game's PC version, the BattleMechs in the SNES version of MechWarrior were developed specifically for the game. There are eight 'Mechs in all. Four of them are Light 'Mechs, two are Medium 'Mechs, one is a Heavy 'Mech, and the last is an Assault 'Mech. Several of the BattleMechs share similarities to each other (the Nexus series of Mechs especially) and the Grand Crusader is a very similar design to the unseen design of the same name. The name "Ragnarok" is shared with a BattleMech from the MechAssault series, but the two designs are very different.
Weapons
Much like the later MechWarrior PC Games, the player can heavily customize BattleMechs. The armor, engine, and weaponry can all be changed between missions. This even includes changing the number of heat sinks or jump jets on the 'Mech.
Canonicity
Video games do not fall under the current definition of Canon. Although it is an official BattleTech product, MechWarrior can therefore be considered apocryphal at best.
It has been confirmed by the Line Developer that the storylines and backstories of video game can be assumed to be part of the shared universe at least in broad strokes where they "make sense" and do not violate other canon. In this sense, the game's backstory is acceptable but the 'Mech designs are not.
Areas where the SNES MechWarrior game does not meet this standard include:
Setting:
While Galatea and Solaris are canonical settings, most missions in the game take you to the non-canon worlds of Zacapa, Kagran, Rostov, Zhada, Quillon, Puxi, Galeton, Drena, Escalon, Dalview, Cawdor, Qutang, and Jelenia.
Timeline:
Every mission undertaken by the player advances the game's timeline by three days. Canonically, Galatea's standard transit time from orbit to a zenith or nadir jump point is 12 days. Even if all the non-canon target worlds were within one jump, 30 days would be more realistic than 3, given the way BattleTech's interstellar transit functions.
Equipment:
Canonically, the Grand Crusader was created in 3052, while the Nexus and Raijin debuted in 3055, so none should be appearing on the battlefield in 3027. An argument can be made that the title character could be piloting a Jackrabbit left over from the Star League Civil War (the Jackrabbit was the model for the later Nexus), but neither the game documentation nor any other canon material give any indications of that being the case.
Images
Lighter Four Mechs featured in the game
Heavier Four Mechs featured in the game
Game opening screen
- See also: Game Genie Codes
External links
- MechWarrior at GameFAQs
- Soundtrack information at SNES Music
- Mechwarrior (Super NES) at Wikipedia