shame considering how idiosyncratic it is. That puts it in the weirdly existent category of 16-bit action sidescrollers made by a mainly RPG developer, e.g. Wolf Team of Tales of Phantasia's El Viento and Game Arts of Grandia's Alisia Dragoon. The biggest difference with Ranger X is that there is actually any reason at all to play it. Tying it all back home to shoes, Ranger X lead designer Toshio Toyota actually worked for Wolf Team (though not on El Viento!)! and Ranger X producer Isao Mizoguchi worked for Game Arts (though not on Alisia Dragoon!)! So if you voted for Alisia Dragoon in the poll, don't be sorry, because we're playing I think what would technically qualify as its second cousin.
The next crazy and almost unbelievable fact about NexTech is that they still exist! As NEX Entertainment though. And only still as recently as 2013, I don't really know about that. But as you can see the company was also credited for 3DS classic Crimson Shroud (presumably in cooperation with Yazzy Mazzy and L5) and Bayonetta (presumably under the pseudonym Platinum Games). Two actual programmers from Ranger X even leant their code to Crimson Shroud! What a treat!
There is at least one more game of interest from NexTech/Gau - , a top-down 8-way shooter on Genesis. The art is definitely reminiscent of Ranger X, as is the way it has a map and objective counter. I'll see if I can pull some strings and get this one in the list of future Commune suggestions, but I won't make any promises.