Play Soul & Sword Online

Soul & Sword came out for the Super Nintendo in 1993, developed and published by NCS Corporation. It was one of those side-scrolling action games that felt right at home on the SNES, sitting alongside plenty of other fantasy titles but carving out its own little niche with a focus on methodical, weighty combat rather than pure speed.

You control a lone knight exploring a cursed fortress, room by room, with the goal of defeating the evil that has taken hold. The combat relies heavily on timing your sword swings and blocks; mistiming an enemy's attack leaves you wide open. You collect keys to progress and hunt for health upgrades, but the real challenge comes from learning each enemy's patterns. The pacing is deliberate, almost cautious, and the difficulty can be punishing if you rush. It feels like a tense, careful duel from start to finish.