View source for Valis (video game series)

{{short description|Platform video game series}}
{{Infobox video game series
| title = Valis
| image = Valis game logo.png
| caption = Logo used consistently in Japanese releases
| genre = [[Platform game|Platform]], [[visual novel]]
| developer = [[Telenet Japan]], [[Wolf Team]], I.S.C
| publisher = '''Japan'''<br>Telenet Japan, [[Bandai]], [[Tokuma Shoten]], Riot, Laser Soft, [[Sega]], Razorsoft<br>'''North America'''<br>[[Renovation Products]], [[NEC]], [[TurboGrafx-16|Turbo Technologies Inc.]], [[Atlus]]
| creator = 
| platforms = Various home console systems
| first release version = ''[[Valis: The Fantasm Soldier]]''
| first release date     = 1986<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/valis-the-legend-of-fantasm-soldier/ |title=Mugen Senshi Valis: The Fantasm Soldier |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 5, 2015}}</ref>
| latest release version = ''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection II''
| latest release date    = September 22, 2022
}}
{{nihongo foot|'''''Valis'''''|ヴァリス|Varisu|group=lower-alpha}} is a [[platform game]] series created by [[Telenet Japan]]. A [[magical girl]] plot, the games tell the story of a Japanese schoolgirl who is fated to protect three realms by wielding a mystical sword known as Valis.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=June 1992|title=Valis|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/f/f9/GamePro_US_035.pdf|journal=Game Pro US 35|pages=56}}</ref>

The original game, ''[[Valis: The Fantasm Soldier]]'' (1986), was developed for the [[PC-8800 series|PC-88]] and ported to several other platforms. This was followed by a series of platform games released during the [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|16-bit era]] for various home consoles, most notably the [[TurboGrafx-16]] and [[Sega Mega Drive]]. Outside the original series, an erotic visual novel was released in 2006, followed by compilations of the original games.

After Telenet Japan shut down in 2007, [[Sunsoft]] acquired the rights to the series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/20526/sunsoft-acquires-nihon-telenet-game-library|title=Sunsoft Acquires Nihon Telenet Game Library - News|website=Nintendo World Report|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref> These rights were passed on to Japanese media company Edia in December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=「夢幻戦士ヴァリス」35周年記念「復活応援プロジェクト」始動！Nintendo Switch版開発とクラウドファンディング実施決定！|url=https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000373.000021592.html|access-date=2021-06-17|website=プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES}}</ref>

==Games==
All ''Valis'' games are platform games except ''Valis X,'' an erotic [[visual novel]] released for Windows in 2006 on the 20th anniversary of the series. Developed by Eants, it was the last game published by Telenet Japan. ''Valis X'' is divided into five episodes that retell the stories of the first four games, containing copious amounts of lesbian acts and tentacle erotica.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mizuguchi|first=Makoto|date=2010-04-07|title=「死んでいた方がよかったゲーム」－復活したのが間違いだった？|url=https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2010/04/07/41449.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704002244/http://www.inside-games.jp:80/article/2010/04/07/41449.html|archive-date=2010-07-04|access-date=2020-10-22|website=インサイド|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2007/12/column_might_have_been_telenet.php |title=GameSetWatch – Column: 'Might Have Been' – Telenet Japan |access-date=2008-01-12 |archive-date=2011-07-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711071714/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2007/12/column_might_have_been_telenet.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In June 2021, on the 35th anniversary of the ''Valis'' series, Edia announced a [[Crowdfunding in video games|crowdfunding]] campaign to bring ports of the ''Valis'' games to the [[Nintendo Switch]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Edia Announces Crowdfunding for Valis Games' Switch Port|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-06-17/edia-announces-crowdfunding-for-valis-games-switch-port/.174069|access-date=2021-06-17|website=Anime News Network|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-15|title=Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Switch Crowdfunding Announced|url=https://www.siliconera.com/valis-the-fantasm-soldier-switch-crowdfunding-announced/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=Siliconera|language=en-US}}</ref> 

After the crowdfunding period, Edia ported several games from the Valis series to the Switch through collections. The first collection, ''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection,'' was released in December 2021 in Japan and in March 2022 in Western territories.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-11-11|title=Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection coming west|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/11/valis-the-fantasm-soldier-collection-coming-west|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Gematsu|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-19 |title=Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection coming to Switch this December |url=https://www.nintendo.destructoid.com/valis-the-fantasm-soldier-collection-coming-to-switch-this-december/ |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=Destructoid - Nintendo |language=en-US}}</ref> In March 2022, Edia also announced the launch of a second collection of Valis that will feature ''Valis IV'' (PC Engine), ''Syd of Valis'' (Genesis / Mega Drive) and ''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier'' (Genesis / Mega Drive and MSX).<ref>{{Cite web |last=McFerran |first=Damien |date=2022-03-31 |title=We're Getting A Second Valis Collection On Switch |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/03/were-getting-a-second-valis-collection-on-switch |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}}</ref> In December 2023, the third collection was launched in Japan.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Original platform
!Notes
|-
|1986
|''[[Valis: The Fantasm Soldier]]''
|[[PC-8801]]
|
|-
|1989
|''[[Valis II]]''
| rowspan="3" |[[PC Engine CD-ROM²|PC Engine CD-ROM²/TurboGrafx-CD]]
|
|-
|1990
|''[[Valis III]]''
|
|-
|1991
|''[[Valis IV]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1992
|''[[Super Valis IV]]''
|[[Super NES|Super Famicom/Super NES]]
|Despite a similar name, it is significantly different from ''Valis IV''
|-
|''[[Syd of Valis]]'' (''SD Valis'')
|[[Sega Genesis|Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]]
|[[Super deformed]] remake of ''Valis II''
|-
| 2006
|''Valis X''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
|Erotic visual novel
|}

===Compilations===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Platform
!Games included
|-
|2006
|''Valis Complete''
| rowspan="2" | Windows
| rowspan="2" | The four original games. ''Plus'' version includes ''Syd of Valis'' and ''Super Valis IV''.
|-
| 2011
|''Valis Complete Plus''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504095440/https://www.amusement-center.com/project/egg/special/package_valiscompleteplus/ |title=夢幻戦士ヴァリスCOMPLETE PLUS / レトロゲーム総合配信サイト、プロジェクトEGG |access-date=September 5, 2015 |language=ja |trans-title=Mugen Senshi Valis Complete Plus – Legend of a Fantasm Soldier / retro game comprehensive delivery site, project EGG}}</ref>
|-
| 2021
|''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection''<ref>{{cite web |title=Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/valis_the_fantasm_soldier_collection |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=25 August 2023 |date=30 December 2022}}</ref>
| rowspan="1" | Windows, [[Nintendo Switch]]
| The TurboGrafx-CD versions of the first three games: Valis I, Valis II and Valis III.
|-
| 2022
| ''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection II''<ref>{{cite news |title=Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection II gets surprise release in the west |url=https://nintendoeverything.com/valis-the-fantasm-soldier-collection-ii-gets-surprise-release-in-the-west/ |access-date=25 August 2023 |work=Nintendo Everything |date=25 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" | Nintendo Switch
| ''Syd of Valis'' (Genesis)<br>''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier'' (Genesis and MSX)<br>''Valis IV'' (TurboGrafx-CD)
|-
| 2023
| ''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection III''<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection III launches December 7 in Japan |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2023/08/valis-the-fantasm-soldier-collection-iii-launches-december-7-in-japan |access-date=25 August 2023 |work=Gematsu |date=25 August 2023}}</ref>
|    ''Super Valis IV'' (SNES)<br>''Valis: The Fantasm Soldier'' (PC-8801 and NES)<br>''Valis II'' (MSX2)<br>''Valis III'' (Genesis)
|}

==Manga==
A four-volume ''Valis'' [[manga]] series by the artist ZOL was published by Kill Time Communication and featured in the [[seinen manga]] magazine ''[[Comic Valkyrie]]'' in 2007-2012. The first game had been separately adapted into a manga in 1999.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/valis/ ''Valis''] at Hardcore Gaming 101

;''Valis X''
*[http://www.eants.co.jp/game/valis/index.html Official website (eants Inc.)] {{in lang|ja}}
*[http://www.bb5.jp/pr/valis/top/index.php Official website (bb5)] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Valis series}}
{{Comic Valkyrie}}

[[Category:Valis (video game series)| ]]
[[Category:LGBTQ-related video games]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]
[[Category:Magical girl video games]]
[[Category:Seinen manga]]