Crusader of Centy, known as Soleil in PAL regions, is an action-adventure developed by Nextech for the Sega Genesis. The story centers on the player character Corona, a boy who has just turned 14 years of age and must inherit his late father's sword to fight the monsters that threaten the human race's existence. Gameplay uses an overhead perspective and focuses on exploring, battling enemies with a sword, and solving puzzles. As the story progresses, numerous animals join the hero and aid him with special abilities, often granting the player passage to previously inaccessible areas. Crusader of Centy was Nextech's second game and was conceived as an action role-playing game (RPG) due to the way in which the player consecutively gains new skills. It was commissioned by publisher Sega as part of project to offer more RPGs on its consoles during the genre's growing popularity during the 16-bit era. Initially released in Japan by Sega in 1994, Crusader of Centy was localized by the company and launched in the PAL regions the following year. Sega's North American branch passed on publishing duties in its own territory and the game was instead picked up by Atlus USA for a 1995 release, albeit with a different English translation. Reviews for Crusader of Centy have been largely positive. It has been praised for its gameplay, graphics, and story while receiving some criticism for its controls and sound design. The game's visual presentation and many of its gameplay mechanics have been universally compared to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series, especially A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Some journalists found the similarities so blatant that they branded Crusader of Centy a "Zelda clone". Crusader of Centy was re-released for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on June 27, 2023.
Overview
Links