PANZER DRAGOON | SEGA/TEAM ANDROMEDA | 1995

Panzer Dragoon

Panzer Dragoon marks the beginning of one of the most underrated yet impressive chapters in gaming history.

It hails from the acclaimed Team Andromeda whom was one of the first teams assembled to develop Saturn titles.

It was released in 1995 and at the time the game set new standards in games bringing in-game cinematics, superb 3D graphics (for the time) and a unique style whilst at the same time maintaining and old-skool retro vibe with its gameplay.

From here the series went on to have 2 more games on the Saturn and another some 15 years later on the Xbox, and whilst never enjoying mass popularity it has one of the most loyal fanbases ever.

Panzer Dragoon European Case
Panzer Dragoon European Case Panzer Dragoon European Case

Case Quote

"Enter an intense 360-degree world one thousand years into the future. Your people live in fear of the Dark Dragon. But armed with a deadly weapon from the ancient past, and the guidance of your armoured dragon, you must confront your enemies in claustrophobic caves, deadly deserts and fantastic sunken cities. View the action from any side and zoom in and out as giant sandworms, man wised wasps and lethal flying battleships attack you."

Panzer Dragoon Movies (Saturn)
Movie

Episode 1 Demo

Movie

Episode 2 Demo

Movie

Episode 5 Demo

STORY

Thousands have years have passed since a thriving human civilisation perished in the dust. Mankind has nearly been destroyed by its own bio-weapons. These genetically altered creatures turned against their masters, and as a result, the human race was pushed to the brink of extinction.

A tribe of humans known as the "Imperials" recently discovered an ancient tower, a tower that houses an arsenal of devastatingly powerful ancient weapons. The weapons discovered in the tower were used by the Imperials to hunt and destroy the dangerous creatures roaming across the Earth. Many believed that the human race would rise again, rebuild their lives and live in peace....safe from the bio-weapons of the Ancient Time.

But there is an ancient saying: "Power is the father of desire, and desire is the father of aggression." This is the creed of the Imperials, sworn on being the new masters of the Earth.

You are a member of a hunting party out in the vast and arid Great Plains. You are puzzled at the sight of an Imperial Battlecruiser passing overhead. As you watch the ship float by, a Burrower leaps from beneath the ground and attacks one of your fellow hunters. Your hunting instinct takes over as you chase after it, only to find yourself in an un-travelled canyon.

Panzer Dragoon Opening Panzer Dragoon Opening

At the end of it is an entrance to a strange, abandoned storehouse. In it, you find more than your quarry. You are surprised by the sight of two dragons, engaged in a spectacular air-battle...right above you.

The rider of the armoured blue dragon is fatally wounded by a powerful laser blast through his chest. The blue dragon and its rider land before you. The Sky Rider stretches out his hand to you, a desperate gesture for help. As your hand touches his, the Sky Rider's mind and yours become one. In his final thoughts you see the tower that is under control of the Imperials. They have discovered the true use of the tower- the most powerful weapon ever created. With this and the Dark Dragon (a bio-weapon created by the tower), The Imperials will be unstoppable!

Panzer Dragoon Opening Panzer Dragoon Opening

The Sky Rider speaks his final words, "Don't let the Dark Dragon return to the tower...if that happens the horror of the Ancient Time....."

The Sky Rider falls at your feet, his life force spiralling off into the great unknown. The dragon lets out a piercing cry for its fallen master. You look at the dragon, and it looks back at you....waiting.

A few moments later, armed with the Sky Riders weapon, you choose to fulfil your destiny-to fight and triumph! And now, the fate of the world rests on the wings of an armoured blue dragon...."

Panzer Dragoon Opening Panzer Dragoon Opening

Taken from the European game manual

GAMEPLAY

The gameplay to Panzer Dragoon is that of an old-skool on rails shoot'em up. You must shoot down enemies onscreen be them man or beast and avoid the occasional hazard on the landscape during flight such as falling pillars.

You control both the targeting of the dragon rider and the flight of the Dragon itself.

Using an ancient relic as your weapon, target enemies that are in the air or on the ground using the crosshair (on screen target) or the lock-on laser. As you play you will realise which enemies are better defeated with each weapon.

An Episode (or level) scrolls a predetermined course. This could be across the ocean or through caves and at various speeds. You can move around the screens to an extent necessary for targeting. When the course of enemies and hazards has been passed you will encounter a boss.

Panzer Dragoon Gameplay (Saturn)
Panzer Dragoon Panzer Dragoon

Enemies will attack from all angles. You have a 360o view around your dragon yet you can only view 90o arcs at any one time. You will have to switch between these to shoot down all. You have a radar to assist you.

The D-Pad moves your crosshair around the screen. Your dragon will manoeuvre to align with it. By pressing a double left or right will make your dragon perform a sharp swing (dash) in that direction.

Buttons A, B and C are your weapons. You have 2 at your disposal; single shots and homing lasers.

A single tap of the button will fire a single shot of the manually targeted weapon.

By holding down one of the fire buttons the crosshair will begin to spin. Moving this over enemies or other targets a blue crosshair appears. Releasing the button will fire a homing laser. You can target up to 8 of these in a single burst.

Buttons X,Y and Z select different camera angels.

X - Angel is standard view (default)
Y - Angle is dynamic view.
Z - is long view.

The L and R triggers rotate the viewing area in 90-degree increments.

The game can also be played with the Saturn Virtua Stick.

Barrel Rolls are used to get out of tight spots performed by double tapping diagonal DOWN/LEFT or UP/RIGHT. You can only perform these when your energy bar is flashing blue (full power). This not only evades enemies but also makes you rather disorientated. The downside to this is that they also require energy to perform.

Your Dragon has a fixed amount of energy represented by the blue bar at the bottom of the screen. When you take a hit some is lost and your dragon will cry out. Bigger enemies do more damage. Collisions with objects do the most damage. When there is no more the dragon dies.

You recoup a small amount of energy at the end of each episode.

When your Dragon dies you can choose to begin using your credits to continue or end the game. There is no ability to save progress.

Radar

To the top right of the screen you have a radar. This displays the locations of enemies in relation to your dragon.

Enemies are represented as yellow. Incoming fire is represented by smaller red dots.

Bosses are orange and usually larger. Bosses appear at the end of each episode.

Panzer Dragoon Panzer Dragoon

Bosses have large amounts of energy represented by bar at the top right (green). They have specific weak spots and as you damage them they change method of attack and will eventually 'cycle' through all attacks therefore boss battles will be of a minimum length. Parts of them may also break off and hurled towards you.

Panzer Dragoon Boss Fight
Panzer Dragoon Boss Fight

Boss Fight

There are a set number of enemies in each episode. At the end of each episode you are given a percentage of how many enemies that you have killed. You can earn more continue credits depending on how well you did in that episode. Rewards are:

85% - 95% = 1 credit
95%+ = 2 credits
100% = 3 credits

At the end of the game all of the percentages are added up together to give you an average ranking.

Game Options

From the title screen you can select the difficulty. The choices are Normal, Easy or Hard. Press D-Pad LEFT or RIGHT to choose.

In an easy game you have unlimited credits, in normal you begin with 3 credits and in hard you begin with none and the enemies do more damage.

A few options are on offer and can be accessed from the title screen, however, the coolest ones are actually cheat codes. These are detailed in the Cheats and Tips section.

Up/Down - Toggle Normal or Reverse.

Controller Setting - Allows the remapping of buttons.

Sound Mode - Toggle Stereo / Mono output.

Sound Balance - set the balance of the sounds. BGM /Normal / SE

Music Main Title - Listen to the audio tracks in the game.

THE EPISODES

The game consist of six Episodes and a final boss encounter.

Each Episode is separated by a cut scene which progresses the story of the game. The voice over uses the unique language developed especially for the game.

Panzer Dragoon Screenshots (Saturn)

EPISODE 1: OCEAN RUINS

Episode 1 Episode 1
Episode 1 Episode 1 Boss

EPISODE 2: DESERT STORM

Episode 2 Episode 2
Episode 2 Episode 2 Boss

EPISODE 3: THE BURROWS

Episode 3 Episode 3
Episode 3 Episode 3 Boss

EPISODE 4: ANCIENT EXCAVATIONS

Episode 4 Episode 4
Episode 4 Episode 4 Boss

EPISODE 5: FOREST OFFENSIVE

Episode 5 Episode 5
Episode 5 Episode 5 Boss

EPISODE 6: IMPERIAL STRONGHOLD

Episode 6 Episode 6
Episode 6 Episode 6 Boss

LAST EPISODE: DARK DRAGON ARCHETYPE

Last Episode Last Episode
Last Episode Last Episode

CHEATS AND TIPS

Panzer Dragoon has a plentiful selection of cheats one of which includes being able to fly through the game without the Dragon!

Episode Select

Press start on the first title screen. When he words Normal and Options are being displayed press: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, X, Y, Z. The Episode Select menu will appear.

Secret Episode - Episode 0

On the difficulty / options screen press: Up, Up, Up, Down, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, L and R. If done correctly Episode 0 should start. This does not play like an ordinary episode in the game. Only Button A on the control pad works and your energy is continuously falling. It is replenished when you shoot down an enemy.

Episode 0 runs at "Wizard Mode" speed by default in most versions of the game, but it only runs at normal speed in the PAL Saturn version (where Wizard Mode was removed).

Panzer Dragoon Cheat

Episode 0

Wizard Mode (Except PAL Versions)

On the difficulty / options screen press: L, R, L, R, Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right. You will hear a sound from the dragon to inform you the cheat has worked. Begin the game as normal. It will now play much faster than before.

This cheat is not available on the PAL version of the game though it can be activated via an Action Replay/Game Shark code which still does not affect the games speed.

Scenic Mode (Invincibility)

On the difficulty / options screen press: L, L, R, R, Up, Down, Left, Right. The words scenic mode will appear on the screen. Your dragon will now be invincible.

Panzer Dragoon Cheat

Scenic Mode

Free Rolling Mode

At the second title screen press: Up, Right, Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up, Down, Left then Up. You will hear a sound from the dragon to inform you the cheat has worked and Rolling Mode will appear on the screen.

When performing a barrel roll (double tapping a diagonal direction) energy will not be used.

Panzer Dragoon Cheat Rolling Mode

Rolling Mode

Suicide

Anywhere during the game press: A+B+C+L+R together. Your energy will drain and Game Over will appear.

View End Sequence

At the difficulty/options title screen press: Up, Up, Down, Up, Right, Right, Left, Right, Down, Down, Up, Down, Left, Left, Right then Left. The screen will go black and the ending will begin.

View Hard Ending Sequence

At the difficulty/options title screen press: Up, Up, Down, Up, Left, Left, Right, Left, Down, Down, Up, Down, Right, Right, Left then Right. The screen goes black and the extra ending starts.

Panzer Dragoon Cheat Hard Ending Sequence

Hard Ending Sequence

Additional Weapons

At the difficulty/options title screen press: Up, X, Right, Y, Down, Z, Left, Y, Up and X. You will hear a sound from the dragon to inform you the cheat has worked. Different weapons are selected when 'Episode 1' is being displayed and the loading screen. They are:

Hold A or X for the standard weapons
Hold B for red lasers (Pink)
Hold C for sidewinder lock-on lasers (Blue)
Hold Y for multi-shot fire (Purple)
Hold Z for wide shot (Green)

Panzer Dragoon Cheat Panzer Dragoon Cheat Panzer Dragoon Cheat Panzer Dragoon Cheat

Extra Weapons

Play with Just the Dragon

At the difficulty/options title screen press: Left, Left, Right, Right, Up, Down, Up, Down, L then R. You will hear a sound from the dragon to inform you the cheat has worked. Start the game and the rider will be absent. The dragon will only have its lock-on lasers.

Play without the Dragon ([Space Harrier] Mode)

Boot up the Saturn without a CD and access the system controls. Change the Saturn's language to Deutsch. Boot up the game and on the screen with Normal Game and Options press: Up, X, Right, X, Down, X, Left, X, Up, Y and Z. You will hear a laser sound. Start the game and your dragon will be absent.

Panzer Dragoon Cheat No Dragon

Space Harrier Mode (No Dragon)

New Start

You can change the opening 'SEGA Man' animation to a guy wearing a red top by pressing: Up, X, Right, Y, Down, Z, Left, Y, Up and X at the second title screen. You will hear a sound that the code has worked. Next time you die and the game resets the red man will appear.

Panzer Dragoon Cheat

New Start

Control SEGA Man (Opening)

When the polygon figure appears in demo mode, on controller two hold Buttons X+Y+Z and press START. Use the following actions on controller two:

Right or Left - Rotate the screen
A + Left or Right - Rotate the image
Up or Down - Zoom in and out
A + Up or Down - Tilt forward or backward
X or Y - Adjust the characters shading
A + B + C - Resets the view

Panzer Dragoon Cheat

Control SEGA Man

Infinite Continues

At the difficulty/options title screen press: Up, X, Right, Y, Down, Z, Left, Y, Up and X.

This cheat will not work on PAL versions though it can be activated with an Action Replay/Game Shark code. See below.

Max Manual Shot Firepower

Use 2 or (better if 3) buttons (A,B or C) in quick succession in order to keep a steady stream of fire at your enemies. Very effective against bosses.

Action Replay Codes

PAL (UK) Version

Master Code F6000914 C305

Scenic Mode 16084DE6 0002
Fly Fast (Wizard Mode) 16084DB6 0002
Unlimited Credits 16084DA6 0003
Practice Level 1-7 16084DAE 0004
Episode 0 16084DAE 0000
Instant Game 16084DD6 0002

US Version

Master Code F6000914 C305

Unlimited Credits 16084BAA 0005
Infinite Energy 1607FB08 0100

Jap Version

Master Code F0000000 C305

Invincibility 0602BA92 2322
Fly Fast (Wizard Mode) 0602BA94 E202
Instant Laser Lock-On 06026212 A00D
Unlimited Credits 06084846 000F

OTHER VERSIONS AND UPDATES

There have been a few ports of Panzer Dragoon. They are detailed below in chronological order.

PC Version

A PC conversion of the game was originally released in 1997 (with multiple re-releases which sported only different packaging) and is a straight port of the Saturn original. It runs under Windows with DirectX (pre Direct3D).

Any modern machine will run it with no problems but the requirements on the box are a Pentium 75 with 8MB RAM though as I remember a faster machine was needed in the day. You can probably find it for about £1 at software houses.

Panzer Dragoon PC European Case
Panzer Dragoon PC European Case Panzer Dragoon PC European Case

When running, the Funtion Keys handle the games options.

F2 allows the recording of replays.

F3 is a simple pausing of the game.

F5 allows for the changing of controllers, (Keyboard, PC Pad or SEGA Pad). Note that USB controllers do not work since the game was written before this standard.

F6 allows the reconfiguring of buttons. A Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad is a good choice to use since it has L and R triggers like a Saturn controller.

F7 changes the screen resolution. It is possible to run in a High-Res mode (depending on your video card) by pressing F7 during the game and changing the resolution to 640x480 16Bit colour. It makes for crisp visuals better than the Saturn version. You can also alter the games speed (possibly in absence of the Wizard Mode cheat).

F8 activates the mixer where you can adjust volume control and listen to the music and sound FX.

The game plays fine under Windows XP (and possibly 2000). There is no need for any application compatibly settings unlike other SEGA PC games such as Sonic CD.

To manually install, insert the CD and close down the installer that autoplay may start (no one every reads the documentation it installs anyway). Explore the CD and go into the INSTALL folder. Launch Install.exe, set the target folder and perform a full install.

When complete launch the game and at the title screen press F7. Set the graphics to 640x480 16Bit colour. You may need to restart the game so the graphics become free of anomalies. Then setup your keys or pads as necessary by pressing F5/F6.

Available here is the No CD crack for the game which with a full install can play the game without the CD audio which does actually spoil it.

Panzer Dragoon Crack

Panzer Dradoon No CD Crack

Panzer Dragoon Desktop

Desktop Image 1024x768 JPEG (Click for larger or save target as)

XBOX Version

Panzer Dragoon Orta for the X Box contains the original Panzer Dragoon game as an unlockable secret! It can be found under Orb 5: Appendix in Pandora's Box. To unlock this you must complete the game on any mode with 5 hours of total gameplay.

Panzer Dragoon (Xbox Version / Panzer Dragoon Orta)
Panzer Dragoon (Xbox Version / Panzer Dragoon Orta)
Panzer Dragoon (Xbox Version / Panzer Dragoon Orta)

The port includes all of the original cheat codes for the Saturn. Substitute the Z BUTTON on the Saturn pad with WHITE BUTTON on the X box Pad.

This version is essentially a port of the PC version with some smoother looking textures; ergo a PC version patched for Direct3D which SEGA did with some of their PC titles. The opening movies are also of higher quality.

It is very well played on the X Box controller (Type S) with the added advantage of virtually no loading time. It is an awesome addition to the Orta package.

Interestingly it is possible to activate wizard mode and the infinite continues cheat which is not possible on the Saturn PAL version or the PC version.

Panzer Dragoon: SEGA AGES Vol 27

SEGA Ages Vol 27: Panzer Dragoon

The original (this game) was re-released in 2006 as part of the SEGA Ages 2500 brand on the Playstation 2.

The gameplay remains the same and features graphical enhancements. The models and textures are more detailed and smooth whilst still being very faithful to their original Saturn counterparts. The soundtrack and effects are said to be unchanged.

As with the majority of the SEGA Ages, there are no plans for release outside of Japan so importing is the way to go.

Panzer Dragoon SEGA AGES Screenshots (PS2)
Panzer Dragoon SEGA Ages Panzer Dragoon SEGA Ages
Panzer Dragoon SEGA Ages Panzer Dragoon SEGA Ages

Panzer Dragoon Remake (2020)

In 2020 Megapixel Studios and Forever Entertainment released a 'remake' of the Saturn original.

It is a full remaster with upgraded graphics, animations, cut scenes and audio fidelity. It remains very true to the original even including the original soundtrack. The updated graphics compliment the story and setting of the game greatly.

The original release of this remake had a few issues but it scored well with gamers and moreover SEGA fans alike – but now it has been massively patched to version 1.3 bringing many improvements including an additional port making it now available for Xbox One, PC (Steam), Switch and PS4.

Thankfully the gameplay remains perfectly intact right down to some of the quirks the original had. It will feel nostalgic to fans of the series and new comers can get a taste of a previous era without complaining about primitive visuals.

Panzer Dragoon Remake Panzer Dragoon Remake

Panzer Dragoon Remake (Steam/PC). Screenshot Shamelessly stolen from Steam. Select for HD Image.

The studio is currently at work on Zwei due for release in 2021.

Panzer Dragoon Mini (Game Gear Jap)

You fly along taking out basic enemy sprites in the pseudo-style of the polygon enemies from the Saturn version. You are able to choose between a blue dragon and a red dragon. The game is best described as a gentle nod at Space Harrier.

Panzer Dragoon Mini Panzer Dragoon Mini Panzer Dragoon Mini

Although basic it presents a reasonable challenge. For more information check out The Will of The Ancients.

SEQUELS

Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei (Saturn)

Panzer Dragoon II Zwei

The dragon returns! This incredibly slick sequel delivers the most stunning 3D environment yet seen. Awe-inspiring end bosses, multiple routes, tons of secrets and a unique "Dragon Evolution" system combine to deliver a surreal gaming experience that is second to none! - Case Quote

Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei was actually one of two sequels in a dual development effort of the series the other being Panzer Dragoon Saga. Zwei was the first title released in 1997 offering improvements in all areas over the original. The gameplay was refined and expanded with most episodes (levels) having different routes through them making them larger with an array of unlockable gameplay modes once the game was completed. Graphics and sound were also noticeably improved.

It told the story of how a young boy called Lundi defied his village code in refusing to kill his pet Khourieat, small animals used for domestic purposes, when it displayed signs of genetic mutation.

Following the destruction of his village by a huge airship controlled by the Imperials he sets out for revenge but as the adventure unfolds Lagi evolves into something far more powerful.

The game was actually a prequel with the events occurring in the games story taking place before the first PD adventure.

Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Screenshots (Saturn)
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei

For more information checkout the Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Feature.

Panzer Dragoon Saga (Saturn)

Panzer Dragoon Saga European Case

Panzer Dragoon Saga European Case CD's 1-2

'Saga' was the second sequel released in 1998 and was a drastic change in style from on-rails shooter to a RPG set in the bio-technological wastelands of the Panzer Dragoon world.

Set 30 years after Panzer Dragoon, 'Saga' kicks off at an excavation site and the discovery of a mysterious young girl kept in a state of suspended animation for 1000's of years. The site is promptly attacked by Commander Craymen - an Imperial renegade. You are the only survivor; a young mercenary called Edge. Craymen is intent on capturing the girl.

Edge (your character) is left for dead, but rescued by the Dragon of Legend. In a fit of rage Edge sets out for revenge against Creyman.

Gameplay is a combination of exploration and battle. The battle system was a revolution at the time using a real-time engine. Most of the battles take place on your dragon which has different attacks depending on it's growth. When exploring, you discover new towns, interact with the people there but what is striking is that no 2 places look the same.

Coupling the gameplay are some of the best graphics to ever come out of the Saturn as well as a fitting soundtrack. It spans 4 CDs in total.

Hailed routinely as the best RPG of all time fans are clamouring for an updated version of this game. So much could be possible...

This game is one of the most collectable there is. In PAL format the game is worth anywhere between £100 and £200 because it had a limited print run. The first CD was given away with SEGA Saturn Magazine #31. The Japanese version goes by the name of Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG.

Panzer Dragoon Saga Screenshots (Saturn)
Panzer Dragoon Saga Panzer Dragoon Saga
Panzer Dragoon Saga Panzer Dragoon Saga

Panzer Dragoon Orta

The latest (or possibly final game) in the series was Panzer Dragoon Orta on the X Box released in 2003. It was developed by Smilebit (responsible for Jet Set Radio) which has several members of the original Team Andromeda.

It was a return to classic PD on-rails gameplay with several new features, the most significant of which is the ability for the dragon to morph into three forms for specialised types of attack.

The game centres around Orta, a beautiful young girl who has been imprisoned since birth. In an attack by the Empire she is rescued by the Dragon of Legend. She alone has the ability to save the world according to a mysterious Drone.

The game is set further in the future detailing advancement in the PD world and technology. The journey takes you from escaping attacks to the computerised reality of The Ancients; Sestren.

Graphically the game is stunning being one of the most advanced on the system making use of progressive scan mode (HDTV/720p) coupled with high frame rates.

Panzer Dragoon Orta Video OpeningOpening

As rewards, it also has an extensive amount of information about the background of the game and the PD world in general which is unlocked as you progress through the game

Surprisingly, it took some time for Orta to become playable on Xbox 360's and there are reports that this still is not perfect. This is certainly the case with the PAL version which fails before reaching Episode 4.

Panzer Dragoon Orta Screenshots (Xbox)
Panzer Dragoon Orta

EPISODE 1: CITY IN THE STORM

Panzer Dragoon Orta Video Episode 1Episode 1 Demo

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 1
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 1

EPISODE 2: ALTERED GENOS

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 2
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 2

EPISODE 3: THE FALLEN GROUND

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 3
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 3

EPISODE 4: GIGANTIC FLEET

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 4
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 4

EPISODE 5: ETERNAL GLACIES

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 5
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 5

EPISODE 6: LEGACY

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 6
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 6

EPISODE 7: FORBIDDEN MEMORIES

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 7
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 7

EPISODE 8: IMPERIAL CITY

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 8
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 8

EPISODE 9: SHOWDOWN

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 9
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 9

FINAL EPISODE: THE END OF DESTINY

Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 10
Panzer Dragoon Orta Episode 10

SOUNDTRACKS

Two soundtracks were released later. There are fairly rare to find these days but copies do appear on Ebay. They can be downloaded from some websites that offer game soundtracks.

This soundtrack matches that more closely of the original Saturn version and is complete.

Original Soundtrack (Full)

Panzer Dragoon Soundtrack

01 Main Theme [Orchestral Complete Version].mp3
02 Opening Theme.mp3
03 Flight.mp3
04 Sudden Change.mp3
05 Worms.mp3
06 Confrontation.mp3
07 Empire.mp3
08 Departed Spirit.mp3
09 Creature Revived.mp3
10 Raid.mp3
11 Flagship.mp3
12 The Imperial District Goes Up In Flames.mp3
13 Tower.mp3
14 Final Decision.mp3
15 Game Over.mp3
16 Parting.mp3
17 Staff Roll.mp3
18 Main Title [Synthesizer Version].mp3
19 Flight [Synthesizer Version].mp3
20 Staff Roll [Synthesizer Version].mp3
21 Bonus Track.mp3

Power Remix D-RAM

Panzer Dragoon Soundtrack

01 Opening ~ Invasion Of The Empire Army.mp3
02 Main Title ~ Dragon Fly To Horizon ~ Hiding Worms.mp3
03 The Empire Burning ~ Sadness Of Ghost Weapons ~ Rock On ~ Theme of Last Battle ~ Opening Part II.mp3

EMULATOR COMPATIBILITY

Some Saturn emulators exist and VF can be played using the SSF Emulator. This can be downloaded from the Saturn Emulators [page].

BETA / DEVELOPMENT IMAGES

The following items have been scanned from Official SEGA Magazine that was published in Europe in the early 90's. The following are clips related to the development of Panzer Dragoon. There maybe others since I do not have the entire collection before the magazine changed to SEGA Saturn Magazine. They do highlight several changes that occurred during development.

Click on any of the images for the larger versions.

Development

SEGA Magazine Issue 5

Panzer Dragoon Development

A single screenshot of a yet untitled Saturn game in development. Part of a feature on SEGA's upcoming 32-Bit titles.

The caption shows some of the incompetence with reference to the 32X displayed by SEGA Europe which continues till this day!

SEGA Magazine Issue 6

Panzer Dragoon Development

Shows a few screenshots of an untitled Saturn game in development. The description certainly matches what we have come to know as Panzer Dragoon. The fact that the scenario is a character riding a dragon over some pillars of ruins is supportive.

It is possible these are shots of the testing of a graphics engine or tools before it was decided a game could be made.

This is also similar to the pup included in the Pandra's Box options of Panzer Dragoon Zwei.

SEGA Magazine Issue 7

Panzer Dragoon Development Panzer Dragoon Development

Not much more information yet plenty of screenshots.

The shots bear a slight resemblance to episode 1 (if there was to be no water).

SEGA Magazine Issue 9

Panzer Dragoon Development

An update on big Saturn titles in development. PD actually has a name now.

SEGA Magazine Issue 10

Panzer Dragoon Development

An update about PD. It can be safely assumed that this is the Japanese version since the game has not been released yet.

SEGA Magazine Issue 12

Panzer Dragoon Development

Another update on the progress of development.

SEGA Magazine Issue 13

Panzer Dragoon Development

Another update on the progress of development.

SEGA Magazine Issue 14

Panzer Dragoon Development Panzer Dragoon Development

A tour through an early version of the Japanese game. Obvious changes are the order in which the levels are presented.

SEGA Magazine Issue 15

Panzer Dragoon Development

A report on the near completion of Panzer Dragoon. This shows a few screenshots from Episode 1.

SEGA Magazine Issue 20

Panzer Dragoon Development

This is part of a Saturn dossier of games. The Saturn hardware was released at this time in Europe and Panzer Dragoon was not a launch title.

REVIEW

SEGA Magazine Issue 21

Panzer Dragoon Development Panzer Dragoon Development

A review of the PAL version of the game.

SEGA Magazine Issue 22

Panzer Dragoon Development Panzer Dragoon Development

Some cheats for the game including the Wizard mode which is not in the PAL version of the game!

MISC INFO

Related

Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Feature

Saturn Virtua Stick

Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon

Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei

Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon Saga

Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon Orta

Rez Feature

LINKS

As the Panzer Dragoon series seemed to become abandoned by SEGA plenty of fansites appeared on the net paying testament to the general greatness of the games. Here are some examples of where to go for some great Panzer Dragoon information.

The quite excellent The Will of Ancients

The Will of the Ancients is a truly outstanding website devoted to bringing the best Panzer Dragoon content around. It has a wealth of information and rare items.

http://www.thewilloftheancients.com/

Panzer Dragoon Revival Petition

There is an active petition of SEGA to remaster the Panzer Dragoon games. You can join by visiting:

http://www.panzerdragoonrevival.com/

History of Panzer Dragoon at Gamespot

Note that this seems to be a defunct page in that the text colour is the same as the background but highlighting it with your mouse will make it readable!

http://uk.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/panzerdragoon/1.html

Review of the PS2 version (SEGA Ages Vol 27)

A review of the re-released version of Panzer Dragoon.

http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/segaagespanzerdragoon/index.html


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