Play Willow (Japan) Online

Willow came out on the NES in 1989, developed and published by Capcom. It was part of that wave of late 80s action-adventure games that tried to capture the feel of exploring a big world, though it was based on the movie of the same name. You don't see many licensed games from that era that put this much effort into their mechanics.

You control Willow, a small Nelwyn farmer who has to rescue a baby from an evil queen. You explore the land screen by screen, fighting monsters with a sword that grows in power and eventually lets you shoot projectiles. You also collect magic seeds to learn spells, which you then charge up by holding the attack button. The pacing is deliberate, with some tough enemy placements and bosses that require pattern recognition. It feels like a methodical, hands-on adventure where your own timing and planning matter more than just quick reflexes.