Aquales

Lore & Background

Aquales takes place in a dystopian future where rising sea levels have covered most of Earth's land. In 2069, the British Elias-Rits Investigative Unit ship goes missing during a reconnaissance operation at the Kermadec Islands. Players assume the role of German pilot Fredric von Nyuya from the elite World-Ocean Development League squad, controlling a mecha to uncover the truth behind the disappearance.

Gameplay is side-scrolling with run and gun elements, similar to Bionic Commando and Front Mission: Gun Hazard. Players control a mecha through eight stages, using a directional pad, attack and jump buttons, and a grappling hook that can pull the mecha forward or swing from ceilings. Defeating enemies grants experience points to increase level, health, and attack power. Weapons are divided into four categories, and items are hidden in chests. Progress is automatically saved after each stage.

Developed by most of the same staff who worked on Exact's first X68000 title, Naious, Aquales was initially released at retail for ¥8,700. It was later distributed through Takeru software vending machines, allowing users to write the game onto blank floppy disks. A music album featuring the original soundtrack by Hiroshi Yamamoto and Hiroyuki Saegusa, along with arranged renditions, was released in Japan by Apollon in August 1992.

Reader's Guide

Aquales holds significance as a cult classic on the X68000, a Japanese home computer. Despite poor initial sales, it was praised by critics and audiences for its graphics, music, and gameplay, earning a nomination for a 'Game of the Year' award from Oh!X magazine under its genre. Retrospective reviews, such as one by John Szczepaniak in Retro Gamer, have called it one of the best titles on the system. Its legacy is tied to Exact's small but notable library of X68000 games, which also includes Naious and the later Étoile Princesse. The game's unique blend of action, role-playing, and exploration, along with its grappling hook mechanic, set it apart from other titles of the era. Its manga-origin plot and dystopian ocean-world setting contribute to its distinct identity. For collectors and enthusiasts of Japanese computer games, Aquales represents a high point in the X68000's library, though its exclusivity to Japan limited its international reach.

Did You Know?

• The game was later distributed through Takeru software vending machines, which allowed users to download it onto blank floppy disks.
• A music album containing the original soundtrack and arranged renditions was released in Japan by Apollon in August 1992.
• Aquales was nominated for a 'Game of the Year' award by Japanese magazine Oh!X under its genre.