Shadow of the Colossus facts for kids

Shadow of the Colossus is an exciting video game from Japan. It was created by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCEI) for the PlayStation 2 console. The game first came out in North America and Japan in October 2005. Later, it was released in Europe and Oceania in February 2006. The same team that made another popular game called Ico also developed Shadow of the Colossus.

In the game, you play as a young man named Wander. He rides his horse across a huge, empty land. Wander's big goal is to defeat sixteen giant creatures called colossi. He needs to do this to bring a dead girl back to life. This game is different from many other action-adventure games. There are no towns to visit or dungeons to explore. You won't find many characters to talk to. The only enemies you fight are the massive colossi. Many people think of Shadow of the Colossus as a puzzle game. This is because each colossus has a secret weakness. You must figure out what that weakness is and how to use it to win.

The Story of Wander and Mono

The game begins with Wander riding his horse, Agro. He carries a young woman named Mono to a forbidden land. He brings her to a large shrine called the Shrine of Worship. Wander believes that a mysterious voice, Dormin, can bring Mono back to life. Dormin tells Wander that he must defeat all sixteen colossi in the land. Only then can Mono be revived.

Wander agrees to this dangerous task. He uses a special sword to find the colossi. The sword points a beam of light towards the next giant he needs to find. Each time Wander defeats a colossus, a dark shadow comes from the giant. This shadow enters Wander's body. As he defeats more colossi, Wander's appearance slowly changes.

How to Play the Game

Shadow of the Colossus is an action-adventure game. However, it focuses mainly on fighting huge bosses. The game world is very open, meaning you can explore a lot. You will spend time riding Agro, your horse, to find each colossus. There are no other enemies or people to interact with. This makes the game feel very focused on the main challenge.

Finding the Colossi

To find a colossus, Wander holds up his magic sword. The sword reflects sunlight and creates a beam of light. This beam points in the direction of the next colossus. Sometimes, the colossi are hidden in caves or across large lakes. You might need to solve small environmental puzzles to reach them. Agro is very important for traveling quickly across the vast landscape.

Fighting the Giants

Each colossus is a unique and massive creature. They look like giants made of stone, fur, and ancient armor. To defeat a colossus, you must find its weak spots. These weak spots are glowing symbols called sigils. They are usually on the colossus's body, like its head or back.

Climbing the Colossi

Getting to these weak spots is the main puzzle. You often have to climb onto the colossus itself. Wander can grab onto their fur or rocky parts. He has a stamina bar that shows how long he can hold on. If his stamina runs out, he will fall. The colossi will try to shake you off. You need to hold on tight when they move violently.

Using the Sword

Once you reach a sigil, you must stab it with Wander's sword. Stabbing a sigil causes damage to the colossus. You usually need to stab a sigil multiple times to destroy it. Some colossi have more than one sigil. When all sigils are destroyed, the colossus falls. A dark shadow then comes out of its body and enters Wander.

Development of the Game

The game was made by a team at Sony Computer Entertainment. The director was Fumito Ueda. He also directed the game Ico. The team wanted to create a game that felt epic and emotional. They were inspired by old monster movies, like the original Godzilla film. They wanted the colossi to feel like living puzzles.

Game Design Ideas

The creators wanted to make a game where the world felt empty but important. They removed many common video game elements. This included towns, small enemies, and many characters. This made the player focus only on Wander's quest and the giant colossi. The large, open world was inspired by places like the Grand Canyon in the American West.

Music and Sound

The music for Shadow of the Colossus was composed by Kow Otani. The soundtrack is very important to the game's mood. It often plays during the intense battles with the colossi. The music helps make the fights feel even more dramatic and powerful.

Legacy and Impact

Shadow of the Colossus is considered one of the best video games ever made. It is praised for its unique gameplay, beautiful art style, and emotional story. Many other games have been inspired by its design. It has won many awards for its creativity and impact on gaming.

Images for kids

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  Wander climbs the first colossus to stab the sigil on its forehead. The heads-up display shows the character's health and stamina (lower right), as well as the colossus' health (upper left).

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  Wander standing near Mono. Long hair served as a foundational aspect of both Wander and Mono's designs, and in the latter's case was meant to provide a visual contrast to Ico character Yorda.

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  The monster movie genre, of which the original Godzilla film (1954 theatrical poster pictured above) is a famous example, served as a source of inspiration for the concept of Shadow of the Colossus.

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  Team Ico produced the technology demo for NICO, the initial online multiplayer-focused incarnation of Shadow of the Colossus, using the native graphical capabilities of the PlayStation 2 (shown here with its Network Adaptor attached).

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  Director Fumito Ueda was instrumental in the creative design of Shadow of the Colossus.

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  Producer Kenji Kaido worked to ensure that the Shadow of the Colossus team was able to meet the creative challenges of the game's production.

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  Geographical features of the American West's natural attractions, such as the Grand Canyon (Arizona, United States), informed the appearance of Shadow of the Colossus' environments.

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  Kow Otani composed the soundtrack of Shadow of the Colossus.

See also

In Spanish: Shadow of the Colossus para niños