Released in 1990 for Capcom’s CPS-1 hardware, Magic Sword: Heroic Fantasy is a side-scrolling hack-and-slash that trades Strider’s futuristic tech for classic high-fantasy tropes.
The Quest
The world is threatened by the dark lord Drokmar (known as Dracmar in Japan), a sorcerer who wields the Black Orb to plunge the land into eternal darkness. You play as the Brave One (later named Alan in supplemental materials), a barbarian-style hero tasked with scaling the Dragon Keep, a massive 50-floor tower, to destroy the Orb.
Journey Through Dragon Keep
The story unfolds through a relentless vertical climb:
- The Infiltration: Starting at the tower’s base, you fight through dungeons, lava pits, and watery traps.
- The Allies: Throughout the tower, you find and release eight classes of allies—including Ninjas, Amazons, and even a Lizardman—who have been imprisoned by Drokmar and now fight by your side.
- The Sages: To reach the top, you must defeat Drokmar’s five sages, claiming their legendary weapons to upgrade your sword’s power.
The Final Choice
On the 50th floor, after defeating Drokmar, the game offers a rare branching narrative for its time. You are presented with the Black Orb and must make a choice:
- Destroy the Orb: You shatter the crystal, banishing evil and restoring light to the world. This is the “Good Ending”.
- Claim the Orb: You take the power for yourself, becoming the new Dark Lord. This results in a “Bad Ending” and an instant Game Over.
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