Norse by Norse West: The Return of the Lost Vikings

The Premise and Setting

The story picks up after the Vikings’ initial escape from the villainous Tomator. Enjoying a peaceful life, their respite is cut short when Tomator recaptures them. During an attempt to be sent to an arena via a robotic guard, a system failure occurs. The Vikings dismantle the robot and incorporate its parts, granting them new, unexpected abilities. This accidental transformation sends them hurtling through time once again. Equipped with their new robotic gear, they must navigate various environments to find their way back to their own time. Along their journey, they gain allies in the form of a werewolf named Fang and a dragon named Scorch, both of whom offer assistance in their quest.

Core Gameplay Mechanics

The gameplay is fundamentally built around character switching and cooperative puzzle-solving. In each level, the player controls one of the three Vikings at a time, swapping control between them as needed. Success hinges on utilizing each character's unique skills in sequence to overcome obstacles that no single Viking could manage alone. Furthermore, all three characters must successfully reach the level exit while simultaneously possessing three specific collectible items scattered throughout the stage.

What makes this game unique?

The defining feature is the mandatory, synergistic use of the three protagonists. Unlike standard platformers, progression is gated by the necessity of combining powers. While the single-player experience involves swapping control, a two-player cooperative mode allows two players to simultaneously control two characters, with the option to switch to the third unused character at any point. This mechanic emphasizes strategic planning over simple reflexes.

Available Content

This specific release is the base game; there are no officially released downloadable content packs or expansions associated with this title.

Platform Availability and Release

Originally launched in 1997, this title was made available across several major systems of the era, including the Sega Saturn, DOS, PC (Microsoft Windows), and PlayStation. The genre classification is a blend of Platform and Strategy.