Dragon Scroll: Yomigaerishi Maryuu is an adventure game developed by Konami in 1987 for the Famicom. It is often compared to The Legend of Zelda in terms of game play, but it is considerably more difficult due to the lack of clues or information on how to proceed.
The game is non-linear, and you must explore different territories in search of the eight stolen magical artifacts that maintain a sleep spell over a large and dangerous dragon. Enemies roam the overworld and dungeons, and must be defeated in order to earn experience points. Experience points are used to increase the player's level, which makes him stronger and gives him access to stronger weapons and magic. Most useful items are well hidden and, even when obtained, are difficult to determine their appropriate use. The game features a password system which allows you to continue play where you left off.
Erika to Satoru no Yume Bouken is a 1988 Japan-exclusive adventure video game for the Famicom. It is a fairytale-inspired menu-driven adventure game. Players use the menu commands to interact with the world: moving around, looking around, picking up objects, talking to people, etc. The setting of this game is 20th century Japan.
In a novel twist, the two characters of Erika and Satoru (who are depicted as twin schoolchildren) are independently playable - either a single player switches between the two, or a second player takes over the second twin. Both characters need to be in the same region to converse with NPCs, but are otherwise free to explore the map autonomously. Two-player adventure games are very rare; even in Japan. However, only one person can partake in the animal quiz portion. Failing the quiz will force the player(s) to start from the beginning.
An odd bit of infamy related to this game is a secret developer's message that can be found if the player inputs a list of button presses after waiting som
Elnark no Zaihou is an adventure game developed and published by Towachiki. It presents the action from an overhead perspective, similar to many of the traditional 2D Zelda games.
It is unusual in that it tracks the player's behavior and adjusts a meter which indicates whether the player is generally more good (Light) or more evil (Dark). Though a more evil player has stronger abilities, players must air on the side of good in order to make significant advances through the game.
As a result, this game is considered extremely difficult, due to the unknown nature of how one should behave in order to proceed. If the player does not perform the correct actions, levels typically repeat themselves, and players find themselves stuck in the game with no clear method to advance. In fact, it was one believed that the only way to beat the game was to exploit a bug, however that has since been proven false.
Famicom Doubutsu Seitai Zukan! Katte ni Shirokuma: Mori wo Sukue no Maki! is an Adventure game, published by CBS Sony Group, which was released in Japan in 1989.
"Jarinko Chie: Bakudan Musume no Shiawase Sagashi" is a graphical text-adventure game. It is a game based on the Jarinko Chie anime and manga about a dependable girl who struggles to help her troublesome father run a small tavern in Osaka. Unbeknownst to her dad, she occasionally visits her mother who left him not too long ago. She plans on trying to reunite them, but not until her father gets a job. Though it is largely text driven, there are moments where the player must play a mini-game in order to advance to the next chapter of the story.
The adventure continues as Peacock faces the incarnation of general Nobunaga Oda. Team up with Asura, a fiery spirit, Jukindo master Onimaru, and Zen master Kou Kaifou to fight Nobunaga's missionary minions with a vast array of Shingon spells! Travel to the mystic world of the Lotus mandala and defeat Hindu demons, dark boddhisattvas, and the shadowiest villain yet, the Phoenix!
To save the kidnapped Iyona-chan, Talututo-kun teams up with Mimora and Honmaru and go on a magical adventure. Each character has their own special abilities, so they must work together to overcome the challenges they face.
Sanma no Meitantei is a murder mystery detective adventure game developed and published by Namco for the Famicom in 1987. In the vein of Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken, the player must visit several locations associated with the murder victim, to discover clues which will open up more locations in order to find more clues until ultimately, the identity of the murderer can be confirmed. The game is played entirely in Japanese and was never translated into English. The summary of the story is that while the president Yoshimoto held a party at his villa, Katsura Buntin was found to have been killed in the vault. On top of that, the "Star of Africa" diamond that was stolen from the vault. As detective Sanma Akashiya's assistant, you must help him determine the perpetrators of the incident. The game features a mini game which is a parody of Galaxian, and contains sound effects from other Namco hits such as Dig Dug and Xevious
Sherlock Holmes: Hakushaku Reijou Yuukai Jiken (loosely translated as Sherlock Homes: Kidnapping of the Young Countess) is an adventure game developed for the Famicom by Towachiki, and released in 1986. The game puts the player in the role of Sherlock Holmes, who must travel throughout England (by train) while trying to solve the mystery of a kidnapping. In this unusual portrayal of Holmes, his only means of interrogating anyone to obtain information is by attacking them with jump kicks until they run out of stamina and reveal clues. The game alternates between a zoomed out view of England streets, where every bystander can damage Holmes simply by running in to him, to a zoomed in side scrolling view of buildings or sewers or parks. Besides interrogating people for information, or simply beating them up for train fare, Holmes must search seemingly random cracks or trees in order to find important clues, or inventory items.
Eight years after a great war was waged between colonies in outer space, peace has finally settled back onto the Earth. Tadashi Himukai, a 17-year-old war orphan, purchases a used worker-mech in order to start a construction business with his girlfriend, Elina Furfa. However, when he first activates it, the worker-mech disguise falls away, revealing a combat model Metal Slader, which were all supposedly dismantled after the war, and an enigmatic message is displayed in the cockpit: "EARTH IN PERIL... SEEK THE CREATOR". Prompted by this warning, Tadashi, his sister Azusa, and Elina head out into space to find the answers behind it.
A Famicom game based on a manga of the same name.
The game stars Kenichi as the main character, while featuring Hidou, Rocky, and Shiranui as playable characters in some levels. The goal of the game is to rescue Yukie from a dragon simply named Dra Gon.
The game was re-branded with a circus theme and released in North America under the name Circus Caper, also published by Toho. The RPG element with the final boss was removed, the stages and bosses are in different order, and many graphical and musical changes were made to better resemble a circus theme.
Here is your chance to become Young Indiana Jones, as you set out to single-handedly save the world from the Kaiser's war machine. In this World War I epic, you'll battle through 19 stages of globe-spanning action, from the deserts of Mexico to the trenches on the Western front to the heart of the German headquarters. You'll take on Pancho Villa and Big Bertha, battle tanks and tri-planes and team up with Canadian flying ace Billy Bishop in a dogfight against the Red Baron.