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Layla

NES

NES

Layla has to rescue her friend Iris from a genetically modified apparatus named Jill; who is apparently controlled by a Dr. Manitoka. As a member of the CAT Special Forces, Layla has all the skills needed to foil Dr. Manitoka's plans. Eight different asteroids have to be explored before being ...

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Developer
dB-SOFT

Released on
1986

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Platform

Publisher
dB-Soft

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Layla has to rescue her friend Iris from a genetically modified apparatus named Jill; who is apparently controlled by a Dr. Manitoka. As a member of the CAT Special Forces, Layla has all the skills needed to foil Dr. Manitoka’s plans.

Eight different asteroids have to be explored before being able to rescue Layla’s best friend. Each asteroid is divided into two sections; the first part involving the surface of the asteroid while the second part deals with the actual enemy base.

There is an equally large mechanical element to the level as there is a biological element. The screen always scrolls from left to right. No backtracking is permitted on any level. While navigating through the cavern-like interiors of the asteroids, enemies must be defeated and password disks must be retrieved. At the final room of each asteroid lies a boss that must be defeated before being able to move on. Several guns in addition to some hand grenades can be used to destroy the bad guys impeding Layla’s progress. The handgun is the player’s initial weapon; but more powerful weapons can be found just by exploring. Certain blocks can be broken by using the player’s chosen weapon; the difference between destroyable blocks and non-destroyable blocks is sometimes indistinguishable.

Bonus levels distributed throughout the game allows players to destroy entire squadrons of enemy ships while being completely impervious to their attacks. Players must be wary that every weapon has a limited amount of bullets; players can possess more than one sub-weapon at a time. When Layla’s life reaches zero, she dies and immediately loses a life. A password is shown after the player loses the game.

Layla

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japan in 1986 by Birdy Soft for the Family Computer (Famicom), Layla is an ambitious yet polarizing sci-fi platformer that blends side-scrolling action with first-person shooting sequences. The game follows the titular heroine Layla, a green-haired 17-year-old rock star turned freedom fighter, who embarks on a solo rescue mission to the hostile planet Alpha. Her goal is to save her friends—members of her musical group—and overthrow the tyrannical dictator Sutherland. Conceived as a gritty space opera, the title stands out in the Famicom library for its narrative framing and experimental genre-mashing, though it ultimately gained a reputation for its staggering difficulty and obtuse level design.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Layla structures its campaign across two distinctly alternating phases. The primary mode consists of side-scrolling platforming where Layla navigates cavernous alien bases, jumping across floating platforms and blasting bizarre extraterrestrial fauna. Layla is equipped with a standard laser blaster, but players can upgrade her arsenal by collecting power-ups hidden within destructible pods. The secondary phase shifts the perspective entirely into a first-person, pseudo-3D corridor shooter reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers. In these segments, players pilot a mech suit or navigate maze-like facility interiors, managing limited ammunition while hunting down specific terminals and boss encounters. Resource management is crucial, as failing to scavenge enough energy crystals leaves Layla ill-equipped for the punishing difficulty spikes encountered in later sectors.