Wardner no Mori

Famicom Disk System

Famicom Disk System

One day the town of Niknik is invaded by Wardner's henchmen. Wardner's henchmen have the power to turn all humans into crystals. A honeymooning couple, Dover and Mia, get lost in the towns nearby forest. One of Wardner's wards, Terragon, spots them and decides to kidnap Mia. Now it's up to Dover ...

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Developer
ToaPlan

Released on
1988

Size
1 Player

Version
Famicom Disk System

Requirements
Nintendo Famicom Disk System

Downloads
Platform

Publisher
Taito

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

One day the town of Niknik is invaded by Wardner’s henchmen. Wardner’s henchmen have the power to turn all humans into crystals. A honeymooning couple, Dover and Mia, get lost in the towns nearby forest. One of Wardner’s wards, Terragon, spots them and decides to kidnap Mia. Now it’s up to Dover to rescue Mia from Wardner and his minions.

The game contains 6 stages: The forest entrance, house of tricks, forest of the dead, Wardner’s Castle, a tower, and the hidden underground room. Each stage is controlled by a ward of Wardner. Some of these bosses are the Emerald Dragon, Kaja, and Grocko.

Dover uses a magic fireball as his main weapon. Defeating enemies turns them into money. This money can be used at the end of each stage where there are shops that sell items that will help Dover on his journey. Some of the items in the game are the magical cape, thread and needle, magical clock, magical flute, and the high jump shoes.

Wardner no Mori

Overview & History

Originally released by Taito in 1987 as an arcade platformer, Wardner no Mori (Forest of Wardner) was subsequently ported to the Famicom Disk System in 1988. This dark fantasy side-scroller tells the tale of a young magician named Dover (or Spark depending on the region) whose beloved has been kidnapped and imprisoned in a crystal by the wicked wizard Wardner. Traversing a twisted, monster-infested forest to reach Wardner's castle, the game stands out in Famicom Disk System history for its utilization of the extra storage medium to deliver larger sprite animations, distinct stage progression, and a haunting chiptune soundtrack that captured the eerie atmosphere of the arcade original.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard platformers of its era, Wardner no Mori emphasizes precision resource management and projectile combat. The protagonist attacks primarily by throwing magical coins or bouncing fireballs, which can be upgraded by collecting bags of currency dropped by defeated foes or hidden inside enchanted tree stumps. Players can also purchase temporary power-ups, defensive shields, and transformative items from wandering merchants using accumulated wealth. The level design is notoriously punishing, featuring treacherous platforming gaps, aggressive enemy swarms, and screen-filling boss encounters at the end of each zone. Health is measured by a strict life gauge, and running out of magic power or lives requires careful tactical spacing, as enemies respawn dynamically. Defeating Wardner demands mastery of both the jumping arc and the directional trajectory of your magic attacks, making every screen a puzzle of timing and positioning.