Ties with faxanadu?

[Eisenhorn]

Has this game any ties with faxanadu, the old NES game, in any shape or form?

[r47926]

Well, judging by its name, it's part of the same game franchise. I don't think its gameplay is similar to it though.
Here's a quote from another thread linking an interesting graphic about the franchise:

Originally posted by Don Rumata En Regalia:

Here's an infographic detailing the Dragon Slayer franchise: http://i.imgur.com/nX7WNef.jpg

I don't consider Faxanadu or Tokyo Xanadu part of the classic Xanadu continuity and series, but others do. Falcom's not actually selling Toxanadu as something related to Dragon Slayer based on promo materials, and they don't mention Faxanadu anywhere I can think of on their site or in interviews. Think of Xanadu Next more as a spiritual successor to Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu, but vastly different in key areas.

[Sigs]

Faxandu was a one-off Dragonslayer spinoff game by Hudson Soft with no relation to the actual series. As it was a spinoff, there aren't really any connections to the actual series. Xanadu Next is a sort of reimagining/remake of the OG dragonslayer games.

The "new" dragonslayer games are basically highschool simulators with light RPG aspects and Tokyo Xanadu is basically a ripoff of those with no connection to literally anything else in the Dragonslayer universe, so it's just a spinoff as well.

Gameplay wise, Faxanadu is a 2d action platformer with light rpg aspects-- Xanadu Next is an isometric 3d dungeon crawler with heavy RPG aspects. You need keys to open doors. There is equipment. Those are kind of the only comparable aspects.

[orborborb]

The feel of upgrading and exploring is similar, and they both have great music. I think Faxanadu fans would be more likely to enjoy Xanadu Next than any other Falcom game.

[Ryan Fenton]

The music perhaps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgsie-FAHQI