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Genpei ToumaDen

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Make your way along a very strange landscape fighting enemies as they appear. The graphics are highly impressive for the time. The player character in this game is based on a true historical person. You play as the resurrected spirit of "Taira no Kagekiyo" (d.1196), a samurai from the Heike cl...

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Developer
Namco

Released on
1986

Size
1 Player

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Beat 'em Up

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Make your way along a very strange landscape fighting enemies as they appear. The graphics are highly impressive for the time.

The player character in this game is based on a true historical person. You play as the resurrected spirit of “Taira no Kagekiyo” (d.1196), a samurai from the Heike clan who has returned from the dead to exact vengeance on “Minamoto no Yoritomo” of the Genji clan.

Genpei Toumaden is an interesting side-scrolling action game. There are three phases to it. In one, your character is depicted in a small size and things come at you from every direction and you slash your sword to kill things, but the game is relentless in its efforts to kill you. The second features a very large version of your character and is focused on one-on-one fighting between you and the stage boss mostly, aside from some other minor enemies. The third, is an overhead perspective, basically you are in the Japanese land of the dead fighting dead things to escape.

Genpei ToumaDen

Overview & History

Released by Namco in 1986 for the System 86 arcade hardware, Genpei ToumaDen is a dark, mythical action game steeped in Japanese folklore. Set during the late Heian period, the narrative follows the resurrection of Taira no Kagekiyo, a fallen samurai warrior summoned from the underworld by the deity Shinra Daimyojin. His ultimate mission is to slay the evil Minamoto clan—specifically Yoritomo and Yoshitsune—and retrieve three sacred treasures to restore balance. Unlike the cheerful aesthetics of contemporaneous arcade hits, Namco crafted a grim, atmospheric world featuring eerie Jorogumo spider-women, giant skeletal monks, and grotesque yokai, all brought to life through large, highly detailed sprites and a haunting traditional soundtrack that utilized distinct vocal chants.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Genpei ToumaDen is a multifaceted experience divided into three distinct gameplay styles across its progression. Players navigate a top-down, non-linear overworld map where Kagekiyo chooses different provinces to conquer, featuring mini Torii gates that test his combat prowess. Upon entering a stage, the perspective shifts to a side-scrolling platformer where Kagekiyo wields his heavy sword to hack through swarms of demonic foes, climb chains, and leap across treacherous chasms. If Kagekiyo falls in battle, players enter a frantic vertical-scrolling purgatory sequence, where mashing attack buttons allows him to climb back to the land of the living. Periodically, the game transitions into a 3D over-the-shoulder perspective during boss encounters, pitting the samurai against screen-filling behemoths in intense, scaling-sprite duels. Kagekiyo commands an arsenal of moves depending on his stance: he can execute a standard sword slash, crouch to stab low-tier enemies, perform high vertical jumps, and unleash devastating magic spells once enough spiritual energy is collected.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move Kagekiyo left/right, climb chains, and navigate the overworld map
Action Keys: Attack with sword, jump, and cast collected magic spells
Enter: Start / Pause