Dragon Blaze

Lore & Background

Dragon Blaze was developed and published by Psikyo for arcades in 2000. It was later ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2005 as part of Taito's Psikyo Shooting Collection Vol. 3: Sol Divide & Dragon Blaze compilation. In 2006, 505 Games released the game on its own as a budget range title for the PlayStation 2 in Europe. Zerodiv ported the game to the Nintendo Switch in 2018 as part of their series of re-releases of classic Psikyo games, and it was subsequently ported to Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

The gameplay follows the typical Psikyo 2D vertically scrolling shooter formula, with each of the four characters—Quaid, Sonia, Ian, and Rob—equipped with a standard shot, charged shot, and magic bomb. A unique feature is that each character rides a dragon, which can be dismounted and used as a piercing weapon before remaining stationary and firing until recalled. The dragon can also collect items. The color of enemy bullets is neon purple, a departure from Psikyo's usual orange.

Reader's Guide

Dragon Blaze holds a place in the shoot 'em up genre as a transitional title for Psikyo, incorporating bullet hell elements more heavily than their earlier games while retaining their signature gameplay structure. The dragon dismount mechanic adds a strategic layer, allowing players to deploy a stationary turret or use it as a piercing projectile. The game's arcade performance was noted in Japan, where Game Machine listed it as the fourth best-performing arcade game in their November 1, 2000 issue. Its subsequent ports across multiple platforms, including the Nintendo Switch re-release series by Zerodiv, have kept the game accessible to modern audiences. The shift from orange to neon purple bullets is a distinctive visual change that sets it apart from other Psikyo titles. The inclusion of four playable characters with identical weapon sets but different dragons provides variety without altering core mechanics.

Did You Know?

• Dragon Blaze was the fourth best-performing arcade game in Japan according to Game Machine's November 1, 2000 issue.
• The game changes enemy bullet color from Psikyo's trademark orange to neon purple.
• Each character rides a dragon that can be dismounted and used as a piercing weapon or stationary turret.
• The PlayStation 2 version was first released in 2005 as part of a compilation with Sol Divide.