Xexyz (pronounced 'zecks-zees') is a video game by Hudson Soft for the Nintendo Entertainment System, first released in Japan on August 26, 1988 under the title Kame no Ongaeshi - Urashima Densetsu; it saw a North American release in March, 1990. The game's music was written by Hirohiko Takayama. Gameplay The game centers around the main character of Apollo (no relation to the sun god) who progresses through the game in an alternating format that switches between platform, side-scrolling action (similar to the Super Mario Bros. series) and side-scrolling shooter action (similar to Konami's Gradius series). The goal of the series is, stereotypically, to rescue a princess — in this case, Princess Maria. In the platforming levels, defeated enemies drop life ('L' blocks) or money ('E' blocks) powerups. Apollo collects the currency of the land ('Balls''E Ball') in order