Top Down View Games: 1988 (Super Mario Bros. 3, Exile, Dark Side, Wasteland, Battle of Olympus, Kenseiden and Star Cruiser are released)
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Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter (PC-88/PC-98/FM-7/X1/MSX, 1988/PCE CD, 1989/NES, 1990/PC DOS, 1994)
Subgenre: ARPG
Perspective: TD View
Other: Bump combat
Quick toggle between rings (l1; not spells though (can be done in the PSP version of Chronicles)), stackable healing items, faster level/gear progression early on, faster saving than in Chronicles PSP, difficulty options, time attack mode, choose between midi or chip music, free movement (instead of four- or eight way), walking no longer helps with combat (hits are more frequent when running), don't need to care about positioning during combat on Easy difficulty, no exp or gold losses after death and there are checkpoints where you entered each area
Playthrough (PCE CD) - Video Review (PCE CD) - Mini Review (Complete ver.)
Golvellius: Valley of Doom (SMS, 1988)(Remake/remix of MSX game)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Action Platformer/Vertical Shoot 'em up Hybrid, Similar to Zelda
Perspective: TD view/SV hybrid
Other: No TD view platforming
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Shin Maou Golvellius (Golvellius 2)(MSX, 1988)(fan translated)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Action Platformer/Vertical Shoot 'em up Hybrid, Similar to Zelda
Perspective: TD view/SV hybrid
Gameplay - Review - Mini Review
Times of Lore (C64/AMI, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/ARPG-ish (no exp point leveling)
Perspective: Top Down view
-Interactive dialogue (key words, two topics and yes/no answers)
-Can run but acceleration is very slow - Can gain an upgrade about halfway
-Password save
-Day/night cycle
-Came with a world map, No in-game maps?
-Teleport scroll (back to town)
-Minor tool gating: Speed boots (used to avoid a guard at one point and can be used to avoid some enemies) and invisibility ring (optional?)
-Large world with no loading times during the game
-Can get stuck by killing important NPCs
-Teleportation scroll
-One hidden city
Playthrough (NES) - Review (NES) - Mini Review
The Guardian Legend (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure (similar to Zelda w/o the ability gating)/Vertical Shoot 'em up hybrid
Perspective: TD view
Other: Area 0 is a hub that connects to the 10 other areas, Shops, No jumping
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Silviana: Ai Ippai no Little Angel (FDS, 1988/MSX2, 1989)(fan translated)
Subgenre: Ys/Hydlide-like ARPG (leveling, towns w/ shops)
Perspective: TD view
Other: Zoomed out overworld
-Hydlide-like (bump into enemies, health regeneration while standing still, temporary quick save, non-linear structure?)
-Dark parallel world
-Save feature
-Female protagonist
-No map feature?
-No real tool/ability gating (the life gem allows you to jump across to the island in the SW of the demon world - used like a key, the ice ruby turns water to ice so you can walk across it - also more like a key)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter (PC-88/PC-98/FM-7/X1/MSX, 1988/PCE CD, 1989/NES, 1990/PC DOS, 1994)
Subgenre: ARPG
Perspective: TD View
Other: Bump combat
- Some innovative mechanics (transform into a demon to talk to enemies, gradually learn enemy stats by killing more of them (need to drink the bestiary potion first - later versions only?), bargain for a better iron ore price)
- Magic (fire - ranged attack, reveal/mask of eyes (helps with the limited field of vision in some dungeons), teleportation/wing)
- Some ability/tool gating (mattock for breaking a couple of walls, stone shoes to not slide down icy slopes, fireballs melt ice blocks, the monster transformation, other more key-like tools)
- Diary feature (it's not a full fledged journal/log feature though)
- Healing points in dungeons
- Teleport to any visited town (Wing/Warp)
- You can shoot villagers with fire magic (harmless but sometimes results in new dialogue)
- Interesting how the first dungeon actually connects to the first town via someone's basement
- Interactive dialogue with key characters - choose the subject to ask about
- Regenerating health if you stand still in the overworld (not in dungeons)) - Ys I
- Text displaying the name of the current location, etc. - Post PCE versions only?
- Lets you occasionally block enemy attacks like in Ys I SMS via a ring
- Save anywhere except during dialogue or boss battles (tons of slots, slots show the location and time spent) - Ys I?
- Off screen enemy respawning (generally a good thing except for some cases in the dungeons)
- Can't access the equipment and item menus during boss fights (can still use consumables if equipped before the fight), Rings have no effect during boss fights
- You can exit most boss battles at will
- No maps (more maze-focused level design)
- Revival item (life drop/elixir, only one in the game and it’s expensive)
Quick toggle between rings (l1; not spells though (can be done in the PSP version of Chronicles)), stackable healing items, faster level/gear progression early on, faster saving than in Chronicles PSP, difficulty options, time attack mode, choose between midi or chip music, free movement (instead of four- or eight way), walking no longer helps with combat (hits are more frequent when running), don't need to care about positioning during combat on Easy difficulty, no exp or gold losses after death and there are checkpoints where you entered each area
Playthrough (PCE CD) - Video Review (PCE CD) - Mini Review (Complete ver.)
Golvellius: Valley of Doom (SMS, 1988)(Remake/remix of MSX game)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Action Platformer/Vertical Shoot 'em up Hybrid, Similar to Zelda
Perspective: TD view/SV hybrid
Other: No TD view platforming
- Password save
- Unusually good dialogue for its time
- Some tool/ability gating (ring that lets you break some rocks, water boots (Zelda II), flight boots (hover over trees and water but not mountains)
- Better bosses than in Zelda overall
- Lifebar and wallet upgrades
- Herb that triggers when near death
- No map
- Projectile shields
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Shin Maou Golvellius (Golvellius 2)(MSX, 1988)(fan translated)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Action Platformer/Vertical Shoot 'em up Hybrid, Similar to Zelda
Perspective: TD view/SV hybrid
- Save feature (three slots, save anywhere in the overworld)
- Adds a hometown and NPC encounters on the overworld
- No map
- Better bosses than in Zelda overall
- Separate final area a bit reminiscent of SMW and Zelda 3
- Diagonal movement (but not attacks)
Gameplay - Review - Mini Review
Times of Lore (C64/AMI, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/ARPG-ish (no exp point leveling)
Perspective: Top Down view
-Interactive dialogue (key words, two topics and yes/no answers)
-Can run but acceleration is very slow - Can gain an upgrade about halfway
-Password save
-Day/night cycle
-Came with a world map, No in-game maps?
-Teleport scroll (back to town)
-Minor tool gating: Speed boots (used to avoid a guard at one point and can be used to avoid some enemies) and invisibility ring (optional?)
-Large world with no loading times during the game
-Can get stuck by killing important NPCs
-Teleportation scroll
-One hidden city
Playthrough (NES) - Review (NES) - Mini Review
The Guardian Legend (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure (similar to Zelda w/o the ability gating)/Vertical Shoot 'em up hybrid
Perspective: TD view
Other: Area 0 is a hub that connects to the 10 other areas, Shops, No jumping
- Partially non-linear (enemy/difficulty gating, getting the first key unlocks 2 sub areas and 3 shoot ‘em up levels however only one of these yields a key to the next area, can do areas 5 and 6 in either order as well)
- Good map system
- Password save (pretty long)
- Huge arsenal of weapons
- Female protagonist
- Lack of challenging puzzles (some are vague but not in a good way)
- Weapon shot width (red landers), Lifebar (blue landers), rate of fire (5 levels), AP (4 levels), DP (7 levels, the shields) and movement speed (only once - get 5 shields) upgrades
- Main weapon power is tied to how many chips/ammo you have left for special weapons (power chips, these also serve as money for buying new weapons) - can upgrade your capacity
- No ability gating
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Silviana: Ai Ippai no Little Angel (FDS, 1988/MSX2, 1989)(fan translated)
Subgenre: Ys/Hydlide-like ARPG (leveling, towns w/ shops)
Perspective: TD view
Other: Zoomed out overworld
-Hydlide-like (bump into enemies, health regeneration while standing still, temporary quick save, non-linear structure?)
-Dark parallel world
-Save feature
-Female protagonist
-No map feature?
-No real tool/ability gating (the life gem allows you to jump across to the island in the SW of the demon world - used like a key, the ice ruby turns water to ice so you can walk across it - also more like a key)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Shiryou Sensen: War of the Dead Part 2 (MSX, 1988/PC-88, 1989)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Proto-Survival Horror (no leveling or separate world map, no separate battle encounters, still has NPCs)
Perspective: TD View
Other: No platforming, No day/night cycle
-Linear structure and at various points you can't backtrack to the previous area
-Female protagonist
-Save feature (10 slots, frequent save points)
-No map
-Shows enemy health bars
-Life bar upgrades from bosses
-Infinite ammo and no alternate guns (upgrade your AP at one point)
-No real puzzles
-No ability/tool gating (the dynamite and night vision goggles items are used like keys)
-Some scripted events (radio broadcasts - similar to Metal Gear, terrorist attacks, unwinnable boss fight)
-Diagonal movement and aiming
-Runs a bit better on PC-88 and has somewhat more advanced music
Playthrough - Review - Mini Review
Dandy: Zeuon No Fukkatsu (FDS, 1988)(fan translated)
Subgenre: ARPG (exp point leveling), Similar to Zelda 1-2
Perspective: TD view/Tilted view hybrid (town and building exploration)
Other: Overworld & Dungeons
No map
Save feature (in towns)
Medicine item saves you from death
Bow ammo capacity upgrades but no life bar upgrades
Infinite lives (you wake up in the starting town with all of your items and money - however your experience gained since your last level up will return to zero)
No puzzles or ability/tool gating? - Seems to have key gating only
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Elysion (NES, 1988)(fan translated)
Subgenre: ARPG (leveling, 4 races/classes)
Perspective: TD view
Other: Shops and gambling, Overworld & Dungeons (enemies in towns)
No map
Save at inns/shops
Level requirements on items
Some teleporters leading to the start of mazes
No ability gating besides needles for destroying walls? (and you can destroy them without them but it takes a long time)
Gameplay - Video Review - Mini Review
XZR: Hakai no Gouzou (PC-88/PC-98/X1/MSX, 1988)(untranslated)
Subgenre: ARPG, Similar to Zelda II
Perspective: TD view/SV hybrid (town exploration/dungeon exploration and combat respectively)
Other: Shops
-Assassin protagonists (ends up assassinating both the Caliph and the US President)
-Save feature?
-No map?
-No ability/tool gating?
Gameplay - Review - Mini Review
Blaster Master (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Platform Adventure/MV
Perspective: Top down/Side view hybrid (TD boss areas and fights, no jumping in these)
Other: Tank- and pilot-based
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Bionic Commando (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure, Some Run 'n Gun segments, Basic leveling (collect bullets to increase your life bar)
Perspective: TD view hybrid (map encounters switch gameplay to a TD view segment)
Movement Mechanics: Hookshot mechanic replaces jumping (some platforming becomes more of a puzzle due to this)
Other: SMB3-like hub map w/ patrolling enemies and branching paths (also two hidden paths), NPCs and "towns" (neutral areas)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
SpellCaster (SMS, 1988)
Subgenre: Platform Adventure/Graphic Adventure Hybrid (FP View, a few TB battles here), One Vertical Shoot 'em up segment (the finale)
Perspective: FP view/SV/TD view hybrid
Other: Flight spell
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Pandora (AMI, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure?, Trading, Destroy and escape ship mission
Other: Time limit
Item stash in your shuttle (can't get them back again though?)
No save or password save
No map?
Charge attack of sorts (strike rate bar similar to swing strength in golf games)
Context sensitive firearm combat (you'll hit with it at close range)
Examine corpses for items and computer terminals for clues
No ability gating or character upgrades?
Playthrough
Gauntlet (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Maze Action
Perspective: TD view
Other: 2-player co-op
-Can go back to previous levels but only via some floors and you don't know where you'll end up in advance, Can also skip ahead more than one level
-Maximum health upgrades at score intervals (score is increased by collecting treasure here)
-Password save
-Shows a basic map between levels (exits in levels don't necessarily align with the routes shown here so one leading northwest might be placed to the east for example)
-Potions provide minor but permanent stat boosts (5 stats)
-No thieves here
-Adds a final boss at level 100
-Need keys to open doors and they won't open on their own after some time has passed here
-No voiced hints
-Temporary Reflective shot item though you can only shoot one at a time here, Temporary invisibility/repel/invincibility/super shot items
-Pushable walls
-Need to find clues to find the location of the final level
-Smart bombs (can carry up to 10 - keys have their separate inventory here so you can carry 10 of them as well)
-Hunger/draining health (Gauntlet ARC) - HP regenerates when finding the exit in treasure rooms here
-Can get stuck if you go too far ahead and don’t have enough keys
Playthrough
Outliers:
Mito Koumon II: Sekai Manyuuki (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: ARPG-lite (level-based, shops)
Perspective: TD View
Other: Time limits (can be increased with light source items)
Comical theme
Transformation via the pinwheel and bowl items (time limits)
Password save
Temporary AP, DP and movement speed upgrades
Gameplay - Video Review - Mini Review
Manhunter: New York (Multi, 1988) - ? Graphic Adventure/TD Action Adventure Hybrid
First Queen (PC-98, 1988/X68K, 1989/SNES, 1994)? - RPG/RTS hybrid, TD view
Rocket Ranger (AMI/PC, 1988) - Adventure/Strategy/Action (Shoot ‘em up, Beat ‘em up) Hybrid, Side View/TP View Hybrid, Hub map, No platforming
Interactive Dialogue w/ voice acting
Dispatch and give orders to troops, Infiltrate factories
WW2 them
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Proto-Survival Horror (no leveling or separate world map, no separate battle encounters, still has NPCs)
Perspective: TD View
Other: No platforming, No day/night cycle
-Linear structure and at various points you can't backtrack to the previous area
-Female protagonist
-Save feature (10 slots, frequent save points)
-No map
-Shows enemy health bars
-Life bar upgrades from bosses
-Infinite ammo and no alternate guns (upgrade your AP at one point)
-No real puzzles
-No ability/tool gating (the dynamite and night vision goggles items are used like keys)
-Some scripted events (radio broadcasts - similar to Metal Gear, terrorist attacks, unwinnable boss fight)
-Diagonal movement and aiming
-Runs a bit better on PC-88 and has somewhat more advanced music
Playthrough - Review - Mini Review
Dandy: Zeuon No Fukkatsu (FDS, 1988)(fan translated)
Subgenre: ARPG (exp point leveling), Similar to Zelda 1-2
Perspective: TD view/Tilted view hybrid (town and building exploration)
Other: Overworld & Dungeons
No map
Save feature (in towns)
Medicine item saves you from death
Bow ammo capacity upgrades but no life bar upgrades
Infinite lives (you wake up in the starting town with all of your items and money - however your experience gained since your last level up will return to zero)
No puzzles or ability/tool gating? - Seems to have key gating only
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Elysion (NES, 1988)(fan translated)
Subgenre: ARPG (leveling, 4 races/classes)
Perspective: TD view
Other: Shops and gambling, Overworld & Dungeons (enemies in towns)
No map
Save at inns/shops
Level requirements on items
Some teleporters leading to the start of mazes
No ability gating besides needles for destroying walls? (and you can destroy them without them but it takes a long time)
Gameplay - Video Review - Mini Review
XZR: Hakai no Gouzou (PC-88/PC-98/X1/MSX, 1988)(untranslated)
Subgenre: ARPG, Similar to Zelda II
Perspective: TD view/SV hybrid (town exploration/dungeon exploration and combat respectively)
Other: Shops
-Assassin protagonists (ends up assassinating both the Caliph and the US President)
-Save feature?
-No map?
-No ability/tool gating?
Gameplay - Review - Mini Review
Blaster Master (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Platform Adventure/MV
Perspective: Top down/Side view hybrid (TD boss areas and fights, no jumping in these)
Other: Tank- and pilot-based
- Linear structure (have to backtrack to Area 1 to reach A4, A2 to reach A7 and A3 to reach A8; A6 only connects to A5, A7 only connects to A2 and A8 only connects to A3)
- Control both a tank and its pilot (you can exit the tank and it's required to reach some areas, it also adds a sense of vulnerability to some segments)
- Get teleported to the current sub area's entrance after beating a boss
- No save or passwords and continues are limited
- No map
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Bionic Commando (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure, Some Run 'n Gun segments, Basic leveling (collect bullets to increase your life bar)
Perspective: TD view hybrid (map encounters switch gameplay to a TD view segment)
Movement Mechanics: Hookshot mechanic replaces jumping (some platforming becomes more of a puzzle due to this)
Other: SMB3-like hub map w/ patrolling enemies and branching paths (also two hidden paths), NPCs and "towns" (neutral areas)
- Only one traversal ability gained (flare bombs for dark areas)
- Partially non-linear structure (a few branching paths and in that you can skip ahead on the hub map though it's generally easier to clear areas as you first encounter them instead)
- Quick exit code lets you exit any sidescrolling area
- No save or password save
- Escape sequence after the final boss
- No area maps
- Wiretapping (flavor text and clues)
- Limited lives and continues (can gain more via the parachuted supply boxes and in the run 'n gun segments respectively)
- 2 temporary armor upgrades and 1 permanent one (bullet proof vest - blocks every other shot)
- Some censorship in the west
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
SpellCaster (SMS, 1988)
Subgenre: Platform Adventure/Graphic Adventure Hybrid (FP View, a few TB battles here), One Vertical Shoot 'em up segment (the finale)
Perspective: FP view/SV/TD view hybrid
Other: Flight spell
- Mostly linear structure (very linear at first besides being able to go back to Kizumo for healing, can only go to the next location in the sequence at some points, some sidetracking for optional items)
- Can exit an action segment where you entered it to go back to the previously visited Adventure/non-hostile location, Can only move between connecting locations in the Adventure mode (selected from a menu), Can't revisit cleared action segments unless the story takes you there (happens a couple of times)
- Temporary flight spell (only non-key tool used for traversal/exploration besides the war hammer used for some breakable blocks in one area and arguably the x-ray glasses which are used to find things in the ocean during one of the Adventure segments)
- Password save (long), Checkpoints are placed only at the beginning of action segments but you can respawn at the beginning of boss fights
- No maps besides a basic layout map during the ocean segment (vague world map in the manual, one big maze level)
- AP, HP & DEF upgrades
- Two HP restoration points (Izumo, Chizu Sea), Healing spell (mars)
- Some puzzles
- Can examine some things but generally not things that aren't relevant to your quest
- Various death pits
- Can get stuck at one point if you take too long to beat a certain boss but it's unlikely to happen (Thunder God, gives you a key item)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Pandora (AMI, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure?, Trading, Destroy and escape ship mission
Other: Time limit
Item stash in your shuttle (can't get them back again though?)
No save or password save
No map?
Charge attack of sorts (strike rate bar similar to swing strength in golf games)
Context sensitive firearm combat (you'll hit with it at close range)
Examine corpses for items and computer terminals for clues
No ability gating or character upgrades?
Playthrough
Gauntlet (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: Action Adventure/Maze Action
Perspective: TD view
Other: 2-player co-op
-Can go back to previous levels but only via some floors and you don't know where you'll end up in advance, Can also skip ahead more than one level
-Maximum health upgrades at score intervals (score is increased by collecting treasure here)
-Password save
-Shows a basic map between levels (exits in levels don't necessarily align with the routes shown here so one leading northwest might be placed to the east for example)
-Potions provide minor but permanent stat boosts (5 stats)
-No thieves here
-Adds a final boss at level 100
-Need keys to open doors and they won't open on their own after some time has passed here
-No voiced hints
-Temporary Reflective shot item though you can only shoot one at a time here, Temporary invisibility/repel/invincibility/super shot items
-Pushable walls
-Need to find clues to find the location of the final level
-Smart bombs (can carry up to 10 - keys have their separate inventory here so you can carry 10 of them as well)
-Hunger/draining health (Gauntlet ARC) - HP regenerates when finding the exit in treasure rooms here
-Can get stuck if you go too far ahead and don’t have enough keys
Playthrough
Outliers:
Mito Koumon II: Sekai Manyuuki (NES, 1988)
Subgenre: ARPG-lite (level-based, shops)
Perspective: TD View
Other: Time limits (can be increased with light source items)
Comical theme
Transformation via the pinwheel and bowl items (time limits)
Password save
Temporary AP, DP and movement speed upgrades
Gameplay - Video Review - Mini Review
Manhunter: New York (Multi, 1988) - ? Graphic Adventure/TD Action Adventure Hybrid
First Queen (PC-98, 1988/X68K, 1989/SNES, 1994)? - RPG/RTS hybrid, TD view
Rocket Ranger (AMI/PC, 1988) - Adventure/Strategy/Action (Shoot ‘em up, Beat ‘em up) Hybrid, Side View/TP View Hybrid, Hub map, No platforming
Interactive Dialogue w/ voice acting
Dispatch and give orders to troops, Infiltrate factories
WW2 them