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Cadash

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Story & Game Mechanics: Cadash is a platform action role-playing game. The player chooses one of the four character classes in the beginning of the game: fighter, priestess, mage, or ninja. The protagonist fights his or her way through dungeons, attacking physically or casting spells (as priestes...

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Developer
Taito

Released on
1989

Size
1–4 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Platform

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Story & Game Mechanics:
Cadash is a platform action role-playing game. The player chooses one of the four character classes in the beginning of the game: fighter, priestess, mage, or ninja. The protagonist fights his or her way through dungeons, attacking physically or casting spells (as priestess or mage). Like in regular platform games, there are places where the player character is required to jump, duck, or climb. The protagonist gains experience for defeating monsters, and their level rises in a true RPG fashion.

Hardware & Novelty:
Two arcade cabinets could be linked to support up to 4 simultaneous players. A single cabinet supported two simultaneous players. The hardware was typical for reasonably powerful arcade machines of the time: a 12 MHz 68000 CPU with a 4 MHZ Z80 and a 4 MHz YM2151. The architecture was similar to Asuka & Asuka, another Taito game that was developed by Visco. However, that game had a slower CPU and no multiplayer support.

Cadash

Overview & History

Released by Taito in 1989, Cadash is a dark, coin-operated dark-fantasy side-scrolling platformer that brilliantly fused traditional action-RPG progression with fast-paced arcade combat. Set in the gothic kingdom of Cadash, players are summoned by the dying King Salzad to rescue his daughter, Princess Sarasa, who has been abducted by the wicked sorcerer Baal. Unlike standard beat-'em-ups of its era, Cadash introduced persistent character stats, armor upgrades, and magic systems purchased via gold collected from slain monsters. It stands out in arcade history for pioneering a four-player simultaneous cabinet option (depending on the revision) and offering a deeply immersive, sprawling quest across varied terrains—from desolate caverns to haunted castles—long before console RPGs became mainstream in arcades.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Cadash features four distinct character classes with unique playstyles: the balanced Swordsman, the long-range Priestess, the acrobatic Ninja, and the spell-slinging Mage. Players must manage a strict time limit (functioning as a life force) and a life gauge, both of which can be replenished by purchasing herbal medicines, life waters, or armor pieces from eccentric merchants hidden throughout the stages. Combat requires precise timing; enemies drop experience points that automatically level up your character, increasing maximum health and damage output. Vertical exploration, hidden rooms, and brutal boss battles define the game's challenging difficulty curve, demanding mastery of each hero's specific offensive range and special abilities.