Play Wizards & Warriors (Europe) Online

Wizards & Warriors came out for the NES in 1987, developed by Rare. It was part of that wave of early side scrolling action games where you spent a lot of time just figuring out where to go next. The fantasy setting felt familiar, but the way it handled movement and combat gave it its own distinct, slightly awkward personality.

You control the knight Kuros, working your way through a series of castles and forests to defeat an evil wizard. The game progresses screen by screen, with a lot of careful jumping between platforms and battling enemies like flying eyes and axe throwing skeletons. You use a sword for close combat and can find a crossbow for ranged attacks, though ammunition is limited. The main goal involves collecting three magical keys to open the path to the final boss. It moves at a deliberate pace, and the jumps require precision, making some sections feel punishing. Playing it feels like a constant negotiation with the controls, a push and pull between your intentions and what the knight actually does on screen.