View source for Athena (video game)

{{Short description|1986 video game}}
{{about|the 1986 videogame|other uses of Athena in videogaming|Athena (disambiguation)}}
{{Expand Japanese|アテナ (ゲーム)|topic=vg|date=September 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Athena
| image = Athena game flyer.png
| caption = Game flyer
| developer = [[SNK]] <br> Micronics (FC/NES)
| publisher = SNK
| designer = Koji Obata
| artist = Rampty
| series = 
| engine = 
| platforms = [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom/NES]], [[ZX Spectrum]]
| released = '''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|July 1986<ref name="Akagi">{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005) |date=October 13, 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |language=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |pages=18–9, 133–4 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n19/mode/2up}}</ref>}} '''Famicom/NES'''{{vgrelease|JP|June 5, 1987<ref>{{cite web |title=ATHENA |url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M727639 |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] |access-date=June 16, 2021}}</ref>|NA|August 1987<ref>{{cite web | author=Nintendo staff | title=NES Games | url=https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/nes_games.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221005931/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/nes_games.pdf | publisher=[[Nintendo]] | archive-date=December 21, 2010 | access-date=September 24, 2011}}</ref>}}
| genre = [[Platformer|Platform]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

{{Nihongo foot|'''''Athena'''''|アテナ|Atena|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 1986 [[Platform game|platform]] [[video game]] developed and published by [[SNK]] for [[Arcade video game|arcades]]. Ports were later released for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] console and [[ZX Spectrum]]<ref name="spectrumcomputing" /> and [[Commodore 64]]<ref name="zzap_review" /> home computers.

The game's protagonist, Princess Athena, has gone on to appear in later [[fighting game]]s by SNK as a [[Secret character (video games)|secret character]] or assistant to her descendant [[Athena Asamiya]], a prominent character in SNK's titles.

==Plot==
Athena was the young, headstrong [[princess]] of the heavenly Kingdom of Victory. She was bored of the monotonous daily life in the [[palace]] and desired exciting adventures. One day, she opened the "Door Which Shouldn't Be Opened" in the basement of Castle Victory, said to lead to a savage and deadly place. As she dared cross the doorway, it caused her to fall from the skies and to another realm called Fantasy World, which was dominated by the evil Emperor Dante. After her flowing dress was lost while catching the wind for her fall, the perilous adventures of Princess Athena began as she landed in a [[wilderness]] overrun by beast-like warriors and more dangers than she could ever wish for. She readied to fight for her life and arm herself, with no other choice than to face the ruthless Dante and every obstacle on her way, to free this kingdom and make it back alive to her own.

After Athena defeats Dante, it all begins anew in the sequel, ''Athena: Full Throttle'', in which the princess, again bored, opens the "Door Which Shouldn't Be Opened '''B'''", disregarding her loyal maid Helene's advice, and they both fall to Elysium World, where they face off against other villains.

Many of the game's elements are inspired by [[Greek mythology]] or [[Ancient Rome|ancient Roman culture]] such as weapons, equipment, items and enemy designs, while Princess Athena herself is named after the Greek goddess [[Athena]].

==Gameplay==
[[File:Athena Screenshot.png|thumb|Athena navigates the Cave level.]]
Upon landing, unarmed and nearly [[nudity|nude]], the princess only has her kicks to fend off the approaching [[monster]]s, but she may collect the dead enemies's various weapons and also has the chance to find [[shield]]s, headgear and [[body armor|armor]] to cover her body, although these will be lost after withstanding some attacks. Her journey requires leaping and climbing as well as fighting through the land's eight hazardous worlds, each leading up to an oversized enemy that must be dealt with before proceeding to the next area. The use of certain weapons such as a [[hammer]] allows Athena to break through stone blocks, sometimes revealing not only armor but [[magic (paranormal)|magic]] items such as [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]]'s sandals that, when worn, allow her to make great leaps.

The game features certain [[role-playing video game]] elements to complement the platform action. Princess Athena has to defeat enemies such as the final [[boss (video gaming)|boss]] by using various mythological weapons, items and equipment. Without some items, she cannot make it through the adventure.

== Ports ==
''Athena'' was later [[Conversion (software)|converted]] for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] by Micronics. Conversions were also done for the [[ZX Spectrum]]<ref name='spectrumcomputing' /> and [[Commodore 64]]<ref name='zzap_review' /> in 1987 by [[Ocean Software]] and released under their [[Imagine Software|Imagine]] label.

The NES version was only released for [[North America]]n homes until the [[PlayStation Network]] saw a release of the arcade original in 2011. Both the arcade and NES versions of ''Athena'' are eventually included in ''[[SNK 40th Anniversary Collection]]'', released for the [[Nintendo Switch]] in 2018, and then in 2019 for the [[PlayStation 4]], [[Windows]], and [[Xbox One]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/snk-40th-anniversary-collection-review-it-belongs-/1900-6417028/|title=SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Review - It Belongs In A Museum |publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=November 6, 2018}}</ref>

Hamster Corporation released the game as part of their ''[[Arcade Archives]]'' series for the [[Nintendo Switch]] and [[PlayStation 4]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calvert |first=Darren |date=2018-12-20 |title=Nintendo Download: 20th December (North America) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/12/nintendo_download_20th_december_north_america |access-date=2025-08-27 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Expand section|date=August 2025}}{{Video game reviews
| award1Pub = ''[[Your Sinclair]]''
| award1 = Megagame<ref>Game review, Your Sinclair magazine, issue #22, October 1987, page 36</ref>
}}
In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Athena'' on their September 1, 1986, issue as being the ninth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=291|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=September 1, 1986|page=23|lang=ja}}</ref>

== Analysis ==
{{Expand section|date=August 2025}}
''Athena'' has been described as one of the first cases where a video game received [[Gender representation in video games#Portrayal of women|a playable female character]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Love |first=Dunstan |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=36ZxEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Athena%22+%22Saint+Seiya%29%22&pg=PA15 |title=Women in Classical Video Games |date=August 11, 2022 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-350-24193-0 |editor-last=Draycott |editor-first=Jane |pages=15–16 |language=en |chapter=Playable Girls in Ancient Worlds: Athena (1986) Opens the Door |editor-last2=Cook |editor-first2=Kate}}</ref>

==Legacy==
===Sequels===
A sequel, ''[[Psycho Soldier]]'', was released in the arcades in 1987. Another sequel, ''[[Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life]]'', was released for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] in 1999. Two mobile games were released in 2006: ''Athena: Full Throttle'' and ''Athena On Stage''.<ref name="HG101">{{cite web |last1=Kalata |first1=Kurt |title=Athena |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/athena/athena.htm |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |access-date=19 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320140901/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/athena/athena.htm |archive-date=20 March 2016 |date=20 January 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Video games|1980s}}
* [[SNK vs. Capcom (series)]]

==Notes==
<references group="lower-alpha" />

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name='zzap_review'>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-031/page/n15/mode/2up|title=Athena [review]|quote=[from] Imagine|page=17|magazine=[[Zzap 64]]|date=November 1987}}</ref>
<ref name='spectrumcomputing'>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.php?cat=96&id=307|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024150430/https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.php?cat=96&id=307|archivedate=October 24, 2020|title=General info for: Athena|quote=Release Year: 1987, Original Publisher: Imagine Software Ltd (UK)|website=SpectrumComputing.co.uk}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
* {{KLOV game|id=6961|name=Athena}}
* {{moby game|id=/athena|name=''Athena''}}
* {{WoS_game|id=0000307|name=Athena}}
* [http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=athena&page=detail&id=142 ''Athena''] at [http://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=news Arcade History]
* [http://game.snkplaymore.co.jp/official/nbc/museum/athena/index.html ''Athena'' video game] at [[Neo Geo Battle Coliseum]] official website {{in lang|ja}}

{{Athena series |state=autocollapse}}
{{SNK}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Athena, Princess}}
[[Category:1986 video games]]
[[Category:Arcade Archives games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Athena games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Amstrad CPC games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Hamster Corporation games]]
[[Category:Micronics games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Platformers]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:SNK franchises]]
[[Category:SNK games]]
[[Category:SNK Playmore games]]
[[Category:Video games about princesses]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Martin Galway]]
[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]