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Crystalis

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Crystalis takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, one hundred years after a global thermonuclear war has reverted civilization to a primitive, medieval existence populated with fierce mutated creatures. Science and advanced technology have been abandoned, though the old ways of magic have surviv...

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Developer
SNK

Released on
1990

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Crystalis takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, one hundred years after a global thermonuclear war has reverted civilization to a primitive, medieval existence populated with fierce mutated creatures. Science and advanced technology have been abandoned, though the old ways of magic have survived. The survivors of the terrible destruction built a floating “Tower” to prevent any future cataclysms, as its occupants would have the power to govern the world due to the Tower’s weapons systems. A man known as Emperor Draygon, however, has revived the forbidden ways of science and combined them with magic. With these skills, he controls the world’s last remaining military power and seeks to conquer what’s left of the planet by attempting to enter the Tower

Crystalis

Overview & History

Released by SNK in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Crystalis is a post-apocalyptic action-RPG that envisioned a world thrown back to the stone age following a devastating global nuclear war in the late 1990s. Players assume the role of a cryogenically frozen swordsman awakened in a tower by Dr. Zorn, tasked with stopping the rogue Emperor Draygon from conquering the fractured remnants of humanity. Distinguished by its sophisticated blend of top-down swordplay and elemental magic—rather than standard fantasy tropes—Crystalis offered a mature narrative featuring flying fortresses, cyborg mutants, and a desperate race to forge the ultimate titular sword before a drifting floating fortress triggers another apocalypse.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Crystalis operates from a real-time, top-down perspective where combat relies heavily on sword mastery and elemental accumulation. The protagonist wields four elemental Swords of Wind, Fire, Water, and Electricity, each governed by an upgradable magic meter. Players must hold down the attack button to charge their blade, unleashing devastating projectile beams or screen-clearing spells once magical bracelets are acquired. Unlike traditional grinding-heavy RPGs, Crystalis requires players to level up against specific monster types and collect magical balls to break level caps imposed by sages. Navigating the world involves donning specific environmental suits to survive toxic fog, utilizing teleportation spells, and transforming into monsters via the 'Refresh' and 'Telepath' spells to converse with non-player characters and bypass impenetrable defenses.