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Getsu Fuuma Den

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In the first years of the Demon Age, a horrible demon named "Dragon Master" was revived by his minions in hell. To protect the peace of the overworld, the two eldest Fuuma brothers fought the Dragon Master. Both were unable to defeat him and were killed, losing their legendary Wave Swords, also c...

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Developer
Konami

Released on
1987

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

In the first years of the Demon Age, a horrible demon named “Dragon Master” was revived by his minions in hell. To protect the peace of the overworld, the two eldest Fuuma brothers fought the Dragon Master. Both were unable to defeat him and were killed, losing their legendary Wave Swords, also called Hadoukens. To avenge their deaths, the last of the Fuuma brothers vowed to slay the Dragon Master, and take back the Hadoukens.

Getsu Fuuma Den is an action game with slight RPG elements. You travel through the overworld on pre-determined paths, which branch most of the time, leading you to shops, places where you can encounter other characters, and dungeons. Once you descend into a dungeon, you navigate your character on a platform, jumping and fighting enemies with your sword or other weapons. There are also a few first-person dungeons later in the game. In the dungeons you can collect money and then use it to buy weapons and other accessories on the overworld.

Getsu Fuuma Den

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japan in 1987 by Konami for the Famicom, *Getsu Fuuma Den* is a cult-classic dark fantasy action-platformer steeped in traditional Japanese folklore. Long before Konami found global success with *Castlevania*, they experimented with a hybrid game structure here that predated *Castlevania II: Simon's Quest* and the "Metroidvania" genre by blending side-scrolling platforming with sweeping, first-person 3D dungeon crawling. Players step into the sandals of Getsu Fuuma, the surviving hero of a legendary ninja clan, tasked with avenging his fallen brothers and retrieving three stolen magical swords from the underworld lord, Ryukotsuki. Its striking artistic direction, eerie chiptune soundtrack, and distinct cultural aesthetic made it a beloved milestone in retro gaming history, eventually inspiring a modern 2021 reboot.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay is split into two distinct phases. On the overworld and standard action stages, players control Fuuma in a traditional side-scrolling perspective. Fuuma wields a versatile katana, capable of swift ground strikes and jumping aerial slashes, while also utilizing secondary sub-weapons like throwing shuriken, explosive bombs, and spinning tops collected from defeated enemies and hidden shops. Defeating foes yields money (sen) and soul points, which are used to purchase health upgrades, medicine, and key items. When entering underground labyrinths, the perspective shifts dramatically into a pseudo-3D, wireframe-style first-person maze reminiscent of *Phantasy Star* or *Wizardry*, requiring players to map out paths, fight randomized foes in real-time combat encounters, and locate crucial items necessary to confront the game's brutal boss encounters. Managing Fuuma's life force and navigating the treacherous, non-linear progression demands precision, patience, and deep tactical awareness.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move Fuuma left/right on platforms; navigate menus and first-person maze corridors
Action Keys: Attack with katana / Jump / Use sub-weapon
Enter: Start / Pause