PLATFORMS

Xanadu was the name of the summer capital of the Mongolian-ruled Yuan Dynasty in 13th century China. The game, however, is set in a fantasy world, its Xanadu being mysterious ruins beneath a prosperous kingdom, where only the bravest adventurers dare to venture. The player takes the role of one of such explorers, who is … Continue reading “Xanadu: Dragon Slayer II”

Dragon Slayer is commonly considered one of the progenitors of the action RPG genre. The premise is similar to Roguelikes: the player takes control of a knight who must fight his way through large overhead maze-like dungeons. Unlike roguelikes, the combat in the game is fully action-oriented: the player must approach the monster and “bump” into it … Continue reading “Dragon Slayer”

There is no initial character creation and only the attack and defense values are determined by the equipment you bring into the lair. You always start the game with a hundred points of health, as well as a hundred energy points, of which three are deducted each time you move on to a new screen. … Continue reading “Dragon Lair”

The Judgment Day is nearing. An ancient demonic race is ready to invade and conquer Earth. Luna, a Transylvanian princess who can predict the future, senses the impending danger. She summons Vega, a 200-year-old robot, and together they must find psionic masters across the globe and brace themselves for the final battle. Based on the … Continue reading “Genma Taisen”

This game is entirely text driven, and gives you a predefined character, pout out into the world to explore. You can get a report of all of your stats, which include your current location, as X/Y coordinates on the hexagonal world map (which was included in the magazine) and all possible exits. You can also … Continue reading “Arfgaldt”

The protagonist of Seiken Densetsu must explore dangerous wilderness in a fantasy land in order to locate and obtain four sacred swords, which allegedly grant immortality to whoever manages to possess them. This Japanese-made role-playing game is heavily influenced by early Ultima installments, having a nearly identical visual style, interface, and gameplay system. The protagonist explores an overhead world … Continue reading “Seiken Densetsu a.k.a. Final Fantasy Adventure”

Khufu-Ō no Himitsu is a dungeon crawler. The player takes control of an adventurer who enters an ancient Egyptian pyramid in search of the legendary treasure allegedly buried there by the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) in 26th century B.C. The player has to keep an eye on the protagonist’s energy level and procure food rations to prevent … Continue reading “Khufu-Ou no Himitsu”

Spy Daisakusen is a first-person adventure game with turn-based combat and slight RPG elements. It is based on the Mission Impossible TV series. You play as Mister Phelps, the leader of the Impossible Mission Force, a group of special agents that operate around the world and solve tricky cases. This time around you have to infiltrate a building … Continue reading “Spy Daisakusen”

Chitei Tanken (Underground Exploration) is believed to be the first original RPG to be developed in Japan. At the outset, you choose to take five explorers for an expedition (their stats are randomly generated each time) then spend some money to purchase medicine and food. Then you enter the cave to find treasure and hunt … Continue reading “Chitei Tanken”

Rumor says that the legendary Black Onyx, an artifact that grants eternal youth and happiness to those who can find it, lies within the Black Tower near the town of Utsuro. You assemble a party of brave adventurers and venture into the tower, defeating monsters on your way to the great treasure. The Black Onyx … Continue reading “The Black Onyx”