Some people believe that China’s single-player domestic market is being ruined by the growing influence of online games. However this is not the case; instead, domestic games are riding this “wave” of networkization. Here are a few examples of popular and “classic” Chinese-made game franchises that have already been adapted for the online market.
JX (剑侠情缘, literally Chivalrous Swordsman Destiny) by Kingsoft
The JX Online trilogy is a 3D MMORPG that allows users to complete quests and adventures based on ancient Chinese knight-errant stories, known as “jian xia” stories (where the JX comes from). Climb up or across walls, jump impossible distances, engage in martial arts battles—JX is like if World of Warcraft took place in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, with a healthy dose of Mirror’s Edge.
Myths and Heroes(天骄, literally lord of a northern tribe) by Beijing Mubiao Software
This is the online version of the game Qin Shang (秦殇, something like Casualties of the Qin). Players may be compelled to compare Tianjiao to JX, but the game’s deep and expansive story and diverse gameplay has made it unforgettably enjoyable. Like JX Online, Tianjiao is a 3D MMORPG with powerful graphics, a majestic, epic story, and an unrestrained gaming experience.
Heroes of Jin Yong (金庸群侠传online) by Heluo (now Oriental Algorithm System)
A tactical RPG based on the stories and characters in Jin Yong’s wuxia (martial arts) stories, it was originally a game published for MS-DOS in 1996. The MMO version was published in 2001, at the very beginning of the online game craze. For its time, it had a very innovative frame and a new system of gameplay. Unfortunately, facing competitive development of online games from Japan and Korea, it has since been destroyed.
The Legend of Sword and Fairy/Chinese Paladin (仙剑奇侠传) by Softstar Entertainment
An action RPG based on martial arts with elements of fantasy, it is also an older game from the 90s that was adapted to an MMO in 2009, with “New Chinese Paladin Online” released in December of 2012. In the minds of hardcore gamers it has a very prominent position, and has been made into movies and a television series. At Games.QQ, it is hailed as a “memory of a generation, a phenomenon,” and is considered the pioneer of Chinese RPGs.
Xuan-Yuan Sword (轩辕剑, literally Sword of Yellow Emperor, sometimes called Chain of Life) by DOMO group of Softstar, Inc.
Like Chinese Paladin, Xuan-Yuan is an extremely popular game from 1990, and has spawned movies and TV shows. Xuan-Yuan Sword online has not lived up to expectations, with complaints that that the settings are too avant-garde, the story is not very tight and even somewhat disjointed in comparison to its single-player counterparts, and many loyal fans are not buying it. However, because of how beloved the original series is, there is still some hope that its online version will be saved.
Blade & Sword(刀剑封魔录) by Pixel Soft
Blade & Sword managed to successfully incorporate the single-payer system of skill selection, combat, and dueling, with an innovative design and balanced gameplay, bringing to players a truly “competitive” gaming experience. With a non-mainstream battle system, Blade & Sword Online can be described as the most unique domestic online work.
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