Magic Sword: Heroic Fantasy (1990). Play online

Summary

Magic Sword: Heroic Fantasy is Capcom’s 1990 side‑scrolling hack‑and‑slash arcade title where you storm a mystic tower to save the world. You wield a sword, axe or channel magic, and can rescue an assorted cast of allies—an Amazon archer, a axe‑wielding Big Man, a knight, lizardman, ninja, priest, thief or wizard—each bringing their own special attacks. The AI partner mirrors your moves, attacking or jumping only when you do, while a magic meter charges while you pause, its colour dictating the potency of ranged spells. Collectible magical books unleash full‑screen attacks at the cost of one health bar, and secret doors tucked in the 50‑floor gauntlet let you skip sections. The game culminates against Drokmar on floor 50 and features eight boss arenas. It earned Gamest’s Grand Prize (9th) and Best Action (2nd), and was the second‑most popular arcade hit in Japanese listings September 1990.

Storyline

Magic Sword takes place in an unnamed world threatened by the dark lord Drokmar (called Dracmar in the original Japanese version). He wields an evil crystal known as the Black Orb, which could let him dominate the realm. The player assumes the role of the Brave One – Alan in the Japanese release – and must ascend the 50‑floor tower called Dragon Keep, where Drokmar makes his lair.

After battling through the tower and finally defeating Drokmar, the game presents two possible endings. The hero can either shatter the Black Orb, ending its menace, or seize the crystal for himself, becoming the new dark lord. This choice determines the fate of the world at the conclusion of Magic Sword.