Hydlide (1986). Play online

Summary

In Hydlide I take the role of Sir Jim, a knight tasked with rescuing Princess Ann, who a cursed demon named Varalys has shattered into three fairies. The quest spans an open‑world that rewards exploring every forest nook and hidden dungeon, while a simple stance system lets you switch between offense and defense on the fly, plus a handful of magic spells for tougher foes. The NES version even lets you quick‑save or load at any moment, and health will slowly regenerate whenever you stand still, giving a surprisingly forgiving rhythm to combat. Its repetitive background music, reminiscent of John Williams’ Indiana Jones score, adds a quirky charm despite the dated graphics, and while critics of the time compared it unfavorably to The Legend of Zelda, many still praise the solid gameplay and freedom it offers.

Storyline

Hydlide on the NES drops players into the kingdom of Fairyland, where three magical jewels once kept the realm at peace. One night an evil intruder steals the first jewel, causing the remaining two to lose their sparkle and breaking the seal on Varalys, the most vicious demon. Varalys then snatches the last two jewels, curses Princess Ann into three fairies and hides her somewhere in the land. He unleashes a horde of monsters and claims the throne. A young knight named Jim dons his armor and vows to restore order.

Armed with only his sword and a handful of potions, Jim must explore forests, caves and dungeons to recover the stolen jewels. Along the way he battles the demon’s minions, rescues the fragmented princess and gradually re‑ignites the jewels’ power. When the jewels are reunited, Varalys’ spell shatters and peace returns to Fairyland.