In addition to its vibrant, comical characters and sounds, this horror-themed side-scrolling action game features simple controls and heartwarming fun that belie its somewhat sinister title.
Demon's World
Japanese title: ホラーストーリー
| Release | 1989 |
| Genre | Side-scrolling action |
| Platforms | Arcade SUPER CD-ROM² |
Story
The powerful Demon King known as Daemon has woken from his deep slumber beneath the earth. It is only a matter of time before the planet is overrun by his legion of terrifying monsters. Time is of the essence! You must seal away this rising evil within the darkness so that it will never again threaten mankind!
Controls & How to Play
The game is played with an 8-way joystick, a Shot button, and a Jump button.
Fire shots or jump on enemies to defeat them.
Move the joystick left and right to move sideways, and move the joystick down when on the ground to crouch.
Press the Jump button to perform a small jump.
You can move slightly to the side while jumping by moving the joystick left or right.
If you press the Jump button again on the way up during a jump, you can perform a double jump (up to a 2-level jump).
You can damage enemies by landing on their head after jumping.
Also, if you move the joystick downward during a jump, you will immediately fall back to the ground.
You will lose a life if your character is hit by an enemy, enemy attack, or certain obstacles; falls into the ocean or a hole; or gets stuck in the terrain.
When you restart after losing a life, you will lose all of your effects and boosts, but you will begin with missiles equipped.
The game is over if you lose all of your lives.
There are a total of seven stages.
【Items】
Switching items
The icon goes in order from 3 → > → M → B → L, and you can change your equipment based on what icon you pick up.
If you pick up the same icon as what you have currently equipped, you will receive 2,000 points instead.
However, the progression doesn't always start with the 3 icon, and the starting point can differ depending on where the item appears.
"3" item (Three-Way Shot)
Fires a shot that travels in three directions.
Although its damage is low, it allows for rapid fire and is also an attack that can fire upwards.
" > " item (Cutter Shot)
You can hold down the Shot button for continuous fire.
The shot doesn't go very far, but it can still inflict damage by landing multiple shots on the enemy.
"M" item (Missile)
Fires four missiles in a row.
This is the default attack for hitting distant targets.
"B" item (Bomb)
Fires two bombs in a row.
After traveling a set distance, the bomb will fall in a parabolic arc.
It is a powerful attack that explodes when it hits an enemy or the terrain, and the blast can also deal damage as well.
"L" item (Laser)
Fires a laser that pierces enemies.
Although it is able to completely wipe out some enemies, there are some that its beam is unable to pierce.
"P" icon item
These appear when you defeat enemies under certain conditions.
Acquiring three of this item gives you a special protective suit that turns your character gray.
You will also receive 5,000 points for every additional one that you obtain while wearing the suit.
The suit protects you from a single collision or attack from the enemy.
Once the suit has been used, it will disappear and its protective effect will be lost.
"Heart" icon item
Appears as you continue to defeat enemies.
You will receive 500 points for each one that you pick up.
- POINT1
- There are bells placed in certain locations in the stage, and you will receive 300 points for each one you touch.
- POINT2
- There is also a secret bonus where shooting a certain spot in the stage will award you an additional 300 points.
Also, there are more secrets to be found in the game, such as crouching in certain locations will give you the effect of a protective suit.
Impressions
The game received praise for its spooky, yet comical setting, as well as its characters, backgrounds, animations, and memorable soundtrack. This "horror story" is interesting, cute, and fun all at the same time, making players feel like they're watching an animated adventure. As an action game that could be enjoyed by gamers of all ages, this was a title that was clearly ripe for a sequel. The combination of these factors led to the game being well-received both in Japan and overseas.