Play Red Earth / War-Zard Online

Game Overview

Red Earth (or War-Zard, depending on where you played it) is one of those arcade gems that never got the love it deserved. It’s a weird, wonderful mix of fighting game and fantasy RPG—you pick one of four heroes (my go-to was the lion dude, Tessa) and brawl through a series of monster-filled stages instead of a traditional versus mode.

The combat’s got this satisfying weight to it, like your hits actually hurt, and each character levels up mid-fight with special moves that feel borderline unfair in the best way. The pixel art’s gorgeous too, all dark fantasy vibes with giant demons and crumbling temples. Just don’t expect to beat it on one credit unless you’ve got reflexes like a caffeinated ninja.

It’s basically what would happen if Street Fighter and Dungeons & Dragons had a really cool, slightly janky baby.