Demon's Crest, known as Demon's Blazon in Japan, is a side-scrolling platformer developed and published by Capcom in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
Demon's Crest is a side-scrolling action game with light RPG elements. While Capcom, the developer, is better known for video game hits like Street Fighter and Mega Man, this underrated gem has been largely overlooked over the years. Despite its surprising obscurity, Demon's Crest is an SNES classic hidden gem that every gamer should experience.
The Story
The demon realm was at balanced peace until 6 magical stones, each representing a part of the Demon's Crest, fell from the sky. Together, these powerful stones grant ultimate power over both demons and humans. Their arrival sparked a brutal, bloody civil war, with varied demons fighting fiercely to claim them. In the end, a red demon named Firebrand emerged victorious.
But before Firebrand could enjoy his victory, his main nemesis, the sinister Phalanx, ambushed him and stole the stones. Now, Firebrand must embark on a dangerous quest to reclaim the magical stones and stop Phalanx before both the demon and human realms fall under his dreaded control!
The Graphics and Sound
This game has some of the best animation and sprite work on the SNES. The creatures are intricately detailed, like a dragon whose decaying flesh is falling off, setting the tone for this fantasy gothic adventure. Far from Nintendo's usual kid-friendly offerings, it dives into a dark, eerie world filled with demons, blood statues, and other creepy enemies. The animation is fluid, and the settings varied, ranging from forests and castles to underwater realms, villages, and an ice world. They are all unique and atmospheric.
The soundtrack heavily features a synthesized organ, perfectly complementing the game’s gothic vibe. The haunting, creepy tunes pull you deeper into its eerie atmosphere. Boss battle themes, on the other hand, are more intense and fast-paced, pumping you up for battles against monster bosses or Phalanx's generals, like Arma. The music in the ice world and the final stage stands out as quite memorable. Additionally, the sound effects are very satisfying, especially the crunching noise when smashing through blocks at full speed. It is an audio treat that brings the gameplay to life.
The Gameplay
After an epic story intro level, the game opens up and you can explore the world freely. The nearby town serves as your basic level, and you can choose which levels to tackle next (must start with the town). This non-linear structure is fun, but the real depth shines when you start defeating bosses and earning new powers and crests. These powers unlock new moves that let you access previously unreachable areas in levels you have already visited, similar to Super Metroid and CastleVania games. Switching powers can be a bit annoying since it requires going into the menu each time, but the gained abilities and cool new animations make it worth it.
As you play, you will collect money that can be used to buy spells and potions in town. Those heal-all potions are useful lifesavers. You can also find secret talismans that grant special abilities, as well as items to extend your life bar, adding a touch of RPG flavor to the game.
The gameplay is highly addictive, thanks to the ability to revisit areas and discover new paths with your growing list of powers. Spells, potions, gold, and talismans make Demon's Crest much more than a standard action platformer. Plus, the animations when Firebrand transforms with each crest are always nice to see.
The game also offers great replay value. You can finish the game without collecting all the crest fragments and talismans, which leads to a different ending. However, if you manage to collect everything, you will unlock a new challenge. By restarting the game with the password you are given, you can fight an even tougher big boss than Phalanx, using a new crest.
My Verdict
I highly recommend Demon's Crest. If you are a fan of side-scrollers, epic boss battles, Castlevania, Metroid, Mega Man, or just want to try a classic title, this game has the features they got. I assure you, this has aged well.
Play it on the wondrous Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a well-supported emulator.