Is XEXEX's American version really called Orius?

[ReyVGM]

I've read on a lot of sites that the Konami shooter XEXEX was released in North America as Orius. Is that for real? I haven't found any evidence to sustain that claim. There are no screenshots, flyers or official info about the NA version being called Orius.

On MAWS I see 3 XEXEX versions, JAA, EAA and AAA, which I assume are the Japanese, European and American version?

Does anyone have actual proof of that name or is this just some inaccurate info being spread for far too long?

[Mortificator]

I'm pretty sure AAA is the Asian version. Konami ROMs use "U" for "United States."

[thewestexit]

EGM called it "Orius" when they previewed the game in their magazine... I looked for the game for years before I realized it was really called Xexex... dunno where they got that name from as I have never seen it called that anywhere else... then again EGM had a penchant for making up stuff back in the good ol' days.

[ReyVGM]

Apparently the USA version is indeed called Orius... or something.

Here's a post from the MAME boards:

"There appears to be a trademark on the name "Orius" by Konami in 1992.
http://books.google.com/books?id=xRvRAA ... nami+orius
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&ie= ... ab=wp&um=1

And as far as a US version goes, yes, it appears we're missing the US version, if there is one. So without it, we can't be sure."

[PC Engine Fan X!]

That is new news if a USA Orius PCB does pop up out of the blue. I've never knew that they even existed. ^_~

I do recall about the famous Xexex PCB review article in the USA based Gamefan magazine. It never mentions about the Orius name though as the author of that particular article went through a lot of trouble to acquire the Xexex PCB at that time back in 2000 better known as Y2K.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Cthulhu]

I've never seen it called Orius anywhere... was there more than one release or something?

[Ed Oscuro]

Orius is a bug that kills crop pests :O

Found in the US although I can't find any information about where their natural habitat is in the world - they are used in agriculture so their range probably has spread

[Crayfish]

Yeah I owned the EAA board and have searched for many years for the Orius version, but I don't think it exists.
The Western and Japanese versions of the game are diferent, but not in name...
The UAA and EAA features 2player support, an energy bar (as opposed to the r-type style single hit kill) and the arsenal is reduced to a single spreadshot weapon with missles that is powered up by picking up multiple powerups (strangely, the different weapon powerups still exist, but they all just pow up your spreadshot). If you looking to buy a Xexex board, make sure its the JAA one..

[thewestexit]

That is new news if a USA Orius PCB does pop up out of the blue. I've never knew that they even existed. ^_~

I do recall about the famous Xexex PCB review article in the USA based Gamefan magazine. It never mentions about the Orius name though as the author of that particular article went through a lot of trouble to acquire the Xexex PCB at that time back in 2000 better known as Y2K.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

"A lot of trouble" eh? He got it through one of my guys... he got too involved in our niche antics, it seemed.

[PsikyoFan]

Necro post.

http://www.mameworld.info/ubbthreads/sh ... ber=347795
Orius PCB located and bought for dumping.

[soprano1]

Necro post.

http://www.mameworld.info/ubbthreads/sh ... ber=347795
Orius PCB located and bought for dumping.

Wonder how different it is from Xexex, besides the title screen.

[system11]

It's based on the World rev, been dumped now.

[Xyga]

Well !

That's a thing I love with rare games collecting/hunting; even the stuff that was only mentioned in rumors and legends may actually exist somewhere.

#ShouTime

I tell you one day Cyvern Plus will be a thing, and the Earth will shatter.

[copy-paster]

Necro post.

http://www.mameworld.info/ubbthreads/sh ... ber=347795
Orius PCB located and bought for dumping.

Wonder how different it is from Xexex, besides the title screen.

If the World ver. is based on EU version, That would be Health bar (instead of lives) and limited weapon pack.

[system11]

The EU is the World ver So yes, it's life bar etc.