The Legend of Kage (1986)

Developer: Taito, Tose
Publisher: Square Enix, Taito
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Family Computer, Wii U, Nintendo Entertainment System
Genres: Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Arcade
Rating: 3.4 of 5, 14 player ratings

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Slash and throw shuriken through forests and enemy hordes as the ninja Kage in this NES port of a classic arcade game.

retro arcadeactionfast-pacedninjaclassicfantasychallenging

About

The Legend of Kage is a port of the 1985 arcade game under the same name. The player is armed with a kodachi shortsword and an unlimited amount of shuriken. Grabbing a crystal ball causes the player character's Kage's clothes to change to the next level in colour and thereby attain certain powers (bigger shuriken and/or faster speed); if Kage is hit while in green or orange clothes, he does not die but revert to his normal red clothes. Grabbing a scroll causes Kage to stand still and meditate for several seconds while approaching enemies drop to the ground dead.

Screenshots

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More by Square Enix

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.