Neutopia (1989). Play online

Summary

Neutopia, the TurboGrafx‑16 action‑adventure that felt like a love letter to Zelda, stood out for its surprisingly deep item system. Players navigate four “spheres” of sprawling crypts, collecting medallions while upgrading from bronze to silver swords, shields and armor, and wielding fire rods, moonbeam moss, or falcon shoes for tactical advantage. Even without battery‑backed RAM, the game offered a robust password scheme that let me pick up a session later, though the strings are notoriously long. The TurboBooster‑Plus optional File Cabinet added true saves, making those tough bosses a little more manageable. Reviewers praised Neutopia’s polished graphics and clever twists on familiar mechanics, calling it one of the strongest TurboGrafx‑16 titles, while still noting repetitive sections and imprecise collision detection. Its later re‑releases on Wii’s Virtual Console and PlayStation Network keep the experience alive for modern fans.

Storyline

Neutopia unfolds in a distant past where the peaceful land of Neutopia is divided into four contiguous spheres—land, subterrain, sea, and sky. Its people worship at a Sacred Shrine and are protected by Princess Aurora, who controls eight spiritual medallions that embody the powers of ancient ancestors. The medallions help sustain the Climactic Castle, a symbol of the realm’s prosperity. All is tranquil until the evil demon Dirth appears.

Dirth invades, sending a legion of demons to ravage the land. He captures Princess Aurora and imprisons her in the Climactic Castle, then steals the eight medallions and scatters them across the four spheres, sealing each in a crypt. With the medallions under his control, Dirth seeks to dominate Neutopia.

A young warrior named Jazeta arrives at the Sacred Shrine and receives a charmed compass infused with the medallions’ force. Guided by the compass, he must retrieve the scattered medallions, inherit his ancestors’ wisdom, and rescue Aurora. Defeating Dirth will free the ancient spirits and restore peace to Neutopia.