Conan: The Mysteries of Time

Last updated
Conan
Mysteries of Time cover.jpg
Cover art (NES)
Developer(s) Eastridge Tecnology [1]
Publisher(s) Mindscape
Composer(s) Nick Eastridge
Platform(s) NES
Release
  • NA: February 1991
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single-player

Conan (also known as Conan: The Mysteries of Time) is a side-scrolling action video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System released in 1991. It was developed by Eastridge Technolgy and published by Mindscape. While it features the Conan the Barbarian character, it is a simple adaptation of a computer game called Myth: History in the Making , which was developed by System 3. [2]

Contents

Gameplay

One night, the titular Conan, who seeks the throne of Aquilonia, is informed of a legend by a mysterious old man named Nemonios popping out of a campfire; there are Four Urns of the kingdom's Early Kings have vanished from their location in the Crypt of Cahalla, and that whoever returns these Urns shall gain the throne. [3]

Conan is an action-adventure video game that lasts six levels: [4] the Catacombs of Belveras, [5] the Ruins of Ry-leeh in Brythunia, [5] Kordavo at the "mouth" of the Black River, [6] the Forests of Asgard, [6] the Sky Castle of Vanaheim, and the Tombs of Zamboula, the location of the four Urns. [6] It is also a puzzle game, as the player has to figure out the hidden locations of special weapons to complete bosses; [4] [7] info about the items are in the game's instruction manual, except for the location. [7]

Reception

Critical reviews for Conan were mixed-to-negative; Skyler Miller of AllGame called it one of the worst NES titles ever, [8] the author of Video Game Bible, 1985–2002, Andy Slaven, labeled it "platform gaming at its worst," [10] and Game Players journalist Jeff Lundrigan described it as an interesting "combat puzzle" gameplay idea marred by poor execution. [7]

The difficulty was frequently criticized, with reviewers claiming that it's near impossible to get past the first level [9] [8] and beat the game without cheat codes. [2] Lundrigan noted that while the character jumps in the air, his movement stops when hit by an enemy, leading to instant kills as a result of falling in bottomless pits. [7] Brett Weiss wrote the player had to work with "pitiful, sluggish attacks (including short-range punches, limp swordsmanship, and hard-to-execute jump kicks)." [2]

Reviews, even a positive one from GamePro also attributed the difficulty to the awkward controls, criticizing decisions of pressing down to jump [9] [8] [7] and having to push both an A-or-B button and the D-pad to perform movements like ducking. [4] The backgrounds were also dismissed as bland. [9] [8]

Notes

  1. ↑ GamePro gave Conan 5/5 for challenge, 2/5 for gameplay, 3/5 for sound, and two 4/5 ratings for graphics and fun factor. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aladdin Deck Enhancer</span> 1992 video game console peripheral

The Aladdin Deck Enhancer is a system-enhancing adaptor to use Compact Cartridges on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was produced by Camerica and developed by Codemasters but not licensed by Nintendo. It is similar to the Datach system for the Famicom, but without the Barcode feature. It was released in November 1992, with its planned library to reach a total 24 games by the end of 1993. However, only seven games were actually released. The device had low sales and Camerica went bankrupt in 1993.

<i>Marios Time Machine</i> 1993 video game

Mario's Time Machine is an educational video game originally released for MS-DOS and then for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super NES consoles. The Software Toolworks both developed and published the MS-DOS and Super NES versions in 1993, while the NES version was developed by Radical Entertainment and published by The Software Toolworks in 1994. The Microsoft Windows version was re-released as Mario's Time Machine Deluxe in 1996.

<i>Paperboy</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Paperboy is an arcade action game developed and published by Atari Games, and released in 1985. The player takes the role of a paperboy who delivers a fictional newspaper called The Daily Sun along a street on his bicycle. The arcade version of the game featured bike handlebars as the controller.

<i>Battletoads/Double Dragon</i> 1993 video game

Battletoads/Double Dragon is a 1993 beat 'em up developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It was originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super NES, and Game Boy. Retro-bit Publishing has re-released the 8-bit NES version in early 2022 with plans to release the 16-bit versions later this year.

<i>Wizards & Warriors</i> 1987 video game

Wizards & Warriors, titled Densetsu no Kishi Elrond in Japan, is an action platform video game developed by Rare and published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in North America in December 1987, and in Europe on January 7, 1990. The player controls Kuros, "Knight Warrior of the Books of Excalibur", as he sets out in the Kingdom of Elrond to defeat the evil wizard Malkil. Malkil holds the princess of Elrond captive in Castle IronSpire, deep within the forests of Elrond. The player fights through forests, tunnels, and caves, while collecting keys, treasure, weapons, and magic items.

<i>Festers Quest</i> 1989 video game

Fester's Quest is a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System based on the 1960s television series The Addams Family. It was released in 1989 in North America and 1990 in Europe.

<i>Cyberball</i> 1988 video game

Cyberball is a video game released in arcades in 1988 by Atari Games. The game is a 7-man American football using robotic avatars of different speeds, sizes, and skill sets set in the year 2022. Originally released for arcades, Cyberball was ported to several home consoles and computers.

<i>Batman: Return of the Joker</i> 1991 video game

Batman: Return of the Joker is a 1991 platform video game, the follow-up to Sunsoft's first Batman game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Unlike that game, which was based on the 1989 Batman film directed by Tim Burton, Return of the Joker is entirely self-contained and based more on the modern comic book iteration of Batman, but the Batmobile and the Batwing are featured from the 1989 film. A remake of Return of the Joker, titled Batman: Revenge of the Joker, was released on the Sega Genesis by Ringler Studios in 1992. A Super NES version of Revenge of the Joker was completed but never officially released; a ROM image surfaced online in later years.

<i>Solstice</i> (1990 video game) 1990 video game

Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demnos, or simply Solstice, is a 1990 puzzle video game developed by Software Creations. It was published by Nintendo in Europe and CSG Imagesoft in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game focuses on the wizard Shadax's bid to defeat the evil baron Morbius and rescue Princess Eleanor, whom Morbius plans to sacrifice. Shadax aims to gather the six pieces of the titular Staff of Demnos hidden within the fortress of Kâstleröck. The game's setting is non-linear, and consists of 250 rooms, each with a particular puzzle to solve.

<i>Joe & Mac</i> 1991 video game

Joe & Mac, also known as Caveman Ninja and Caveman Ninja: Joe & Mac, is a run and gun platform game released as an arcade video game by Data East in 1991. It was adapted for the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Amiga, Zeebo, Nintendo Switch, and IBM PC compatibles.

<i>Cobra Triangle</i> 1989 NES game

Cobra Triangle is a 1989 racing video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The player controls a weapon-equipped speedboat through 25 levels. Objectives include winning races, saving swimmers, and defusing bombs. The game also includes vehicular combat, power-ups and is displayed from a 3D isometric perspective with automatic scrolling that follows the player's movement. The Stamper brothers designed the game and David Wise wrote its soundtrack. Computer and Video Games highly recommended the game and praised its graphics and gameplay. Later reviewers lauded its level diversity and noted its graphical similarities to previous Rare game R.C. Pro-Am. IGN and GamesRadar ranked Cobra Triangle among their top NES games. The latter considered Cobra Triangle emblematic of the NES era's aesthetic. It is included in Rare's 2015 Rare Replay compilation for Xbox One, and was re-released on the Nintendo Switch Online service on July 4, 2024.

<i>Hoops</i> (1988 video game) 1988 video game

Hoops is an NES basketball video game that was released in 1988 for a Japanese audience and in 1989 for a North American audience. In Japan, the game is known as Moero!! Junior Basket - Two on Two, which a part of "Moero!!" sports series. The game is set to be re-released for the Evercade platform in 2021.

<i>NHL 96</i> 1995 ice hockey video game

NHL 96 is a 1995 sports video game developed by EA Tiburon for the SNES, High Score Productions for the Sega Genesis, EA Canada for DOS, and Probe Entertainment for the Game Boy. EA Sports published all versions of the game except the Game Boy version, which was published by THQ. The game is based on the sport of ice hockey and puts the player in control of a hockey team in modes of play such as exhibitions, seasons and playoffs. It is the fifth installment in the NHL game series.

<i>Dash Galaxy in the Alien Asylum</i> 1990 video game

Dash Galaxy in the Alien Asylum is a platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, developed by Beam Software and published by Data East, released in 1990 exclusively in North America.

<i>Batman: The Video Game</i> 1989 video game

Batman: The Video Game is a video game developed by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System featuring the DC Comics character Batman, loosely based on the 1989 film of the same name. The game is a platformer featuring five levels. Sunsoft developed three related games with the same title for the Game Boy, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, and PC Engine in 1990.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (1993 video game) 1993 video game

The Wizard of Oz is a 1993 platform video game released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and loosely based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Developed by Manley & Associates, it was published by SETA Corporation and released in North America in 1993 and in Europe in 1994. The player assumes the role of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, or the Cowardly Lion in a series of levels containing hidden areas, mazes, and puzzles to bring Glinda's magic ruby slippers to the Wizard of Oz.

<i>Day Dreamin Davey</i> 1992 video game

Day Dreamin' Davey is an action-adventure game developed by Sculptured Software and published by HAL Laboratory for the North American Nintendo Entertainment System in June 1992.

<i>Blue Lightning</i> (1995 video game) 1995 combat flight simulator game

Blue Lightning is a 1995 combat flight simulator video game developed by Attention to Detail and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar CD. It is a conversion of Epyx's 1989 Atari Lynx title of the same name, and one of the pack-in games for the Jaguar CD. In the game, the player assume the role of a rookie fighter pilot from the Blue Lightning squadron, taking control of multiple military aircraft across various missions to stop general Drako, who betrayed the United Nations and gained power of military organizations through corruption to expand his organized crime empire all over the world.

<i>Fatal Run</i> 1990 video game

Fatal Run is a 1990 post-apocalyptic-themed vehicular combat game developed by Sculptured Software for the Atari 2600 and Atari 7800. It was published by Atari Corporation simultaneous by Atari for both platforms. Along with Klax, this was the last game Atari officially released for the Atari 2600. At 32kB of data, the game was also the biggest ever released for the Atari 2600. The game was only released in Europe.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ https://vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/Conan_(NES) [ bare URL ]
  2. 1 2 3 Weiss, Brett (2012). Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988: A Complete Reference Guide. McFarland. ISBN   9781476601410 . Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  3. ↑ Instruction manual 1990, pp. 5–9.
  4. 1 2 3 4 The Missing Link (August 1991). "Conan". GamePro . No. 25. p. 20.
  5. 1 2 Instruction manual 1990, p. 10.
  6. 1 2 3 Instruction manual 1990, p. 11.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Lundrigan, Jeff (July 1991). "Conan". Game Players . No. 25. p. 79.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Miller, Skyler. "Conan". AllGame. Archived from the original on December 12, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "RETRO REVIEW: Conan – The Mysteries of Time". Exposed. August 19, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ Slaven, Andy (2002). Video Game Bible, 1985-2002. Trafford. p. 100. ISBN   9781553697312 . Retrieved September 16, 2020.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.