Castle Quest

Developer: OPR	Graphics:
Publisher: Hudson	Sound:
Year: 1993	Difficulty:
Genre: Strategy	Replay value:
Number of players: 2 taking turns	My overall rating:	9/10

I am very sad not to see hardly any reference of this game on the internet while it's probably one of those on which I spent the most time in my youth (man, this sentence was hard to translate!). I'm such a misunderstood player!
I'll try to correct this injustice by making you want, I hope, to play this gem. It is never too late, especially since it is the advantage of a board game it doesn't age.

This would be called today a "tactical RPG". Castle Quest appears to be a chess game variant with fantasy creatures. You'll see many orcs, wizards, dragons . . . karate guys too . . . okay! The game is aggremented with a touch of chance materialized by a set of cards. Don't panic, no need to know the rules of chess or tarot.

The aim of the game is to eliminate the opponent's king, like in chess. The difference is that if two pieces meet on the same square, they fight. This takes the form of a mini "war" card game that takes into account the characteristics of the contestants (hit points, strength, resistance . . .).< br> At each turn, a card is drawn, plus 1 for the player who initiated the fight (if he draws a 2, it will become a 3). If that card value is greater than the opposing defense score a blow is struck. If a figure is drawn, you are entitled to an additional attack. The "joker" card means instant death to any enemy except the king.
The battle ends when one opponent loses all his points or if he manages to escape. Thus, an attacked unit has the possibility to win or if necessary, to flee!
Each piece type has its own deck of cards. Only a few of them have a joker. Others benefit from figures, which allows chain-attacks and reverse the result of a fight.

Magic is also in the party. Units able to cast attack or defense spells can do so after a move, but not in combat. All spells cost one magic point.

A bit like a game of checkers, the pieces that reach the opposite side of the chessboard are rewarded. In fact, these squares have the colors of the opposing team, they're usually located in their last lines but not always. Move a piece on one of them and it will be promoted. An "X" will appear at the end of its name, his statistics will be improved, its hit points and magic restored, and some classes will gain new spells or travel abilities (King and Queen can not benefit of promotion).

When a piece is killed in battle, it is irretrievably lost. A grave pops outside the board, on the vanquished side. When a row of graves is formed, an entire wall moves forward and pushes the units to the center of the board (if there is not enough space, some get squashed and die). The playing area is reduced and special cases get closer.
If a piece is killed by a spell, a coffin will occupy its square for some time and his opponent will be able to resurrect it.

After 30 turns, it is the truce for the night. The battle will be resumed at sunrise. All hit and magic points are restored.

There are still many little details I'll let you discover. Basically, the game includes 16 classes, a fairly difficult solo mode with 25 levels (with password access), a level editor and a two-player mode.
I am a big fan of this game, you'd have figured that. Still I couldn't give it a 10/10 because of the terrible sound. Simply turn it off and put on Era or something.

Castle Quest was released on Nes in Japan. If somebody has got a translation, please let me know!

The pieces:

H: hit points
M: magic points
C: cards (a higher score means more figures and a higher chance to get extra attacks)
D: defense (the more you have and the less likely you are of being hit by your opponent. Defense does nothing against spells!)
S: strenght (affects damage done by successful melee attacks)
J: joker (gives a small chance of killing your opponent with one blow)

SunKing	H	M	C	D	S	J
	50	0	9	6	8-14	yes

The centerpiece of your army. If he falls, the game is lost. It is also the only unit able to escape through the sides (all others need an empty space in the rear). The king moves one square in all directions, like in chess.

The healers:

MayQueen	H	M	C	D	S	J
	50	8	10	5	6-10	no

The Queen. An important support unit because she can cast 8 healing spells. She moves 3 squares in all directions.

Jester	H	M	C	D	S	J
	30	4	10	3	6-10	yes

Unfit to fight, but very resistant to magic. Jester is the wizard's bane. He moves 3 squares in all directions.

Klaw	H	M	C	D	S	J
	30	3	11	7	6-10	no

A "long range" healer who moves horizontally or vertically on 8 squares.

Mummy	H	M	C	D	S	J
	50	3	8	5	10-18	no

Relatively powerful in melee but not very useful because of its low mobility. The mummy moves one square in all directions.

Cal	H	M	C	D	S	J
	40	5	10	5	6-10	no

The best healer of the game, especially after his promotion. He moves 3 squares horizontally and vertically.

Offensive casters:

Griz	H	M	C	D	S	J
	40	3	9	6	7-13	no

Ridiculous spells, little life, little damage, no Joker. It moves diagonally on 8 squares, it is its only advantage.

Skeleton	H	M	C	D	S	J
	50	3	10	5	6-10	no

The basic magic infantry. Expendable. It moves one square diagonally or forward.

Demon	H	M	C	D	S	J
	50	3	9	5	8-14	yes

The best unit when it comes to undermining the enemy. High mobility, powerful spells and sufficient strength to break out of the melee, run away and come back again . . . a real nuisance. He moves 3 squares in all directions.

Dragon	H	M	C	D	S	J
	70	4	8	4	10-18	no

Probably the most powerful unit but very slow. A dragon takes several turns to get to an interesting position (in the enemy base, for example). When this happens, victory is assured. Dragon moves one square diagonally or forward.

Magician	H	M	C	D	S	J
	30	5	11	3	4-6	yes

Very strong in magic but obviously extremely vulnerable. After a promotion, he becomes monstrous. The enemy must target him in priority. He moves one square diagonally.

The fighters:

Karate	H	M	C	D	S	J
	30	0	8	7	10-18	yes

An unusual character who can do some damage but who cannot take much either. This gives random battles. Highly vulnerable to magic. He moves 3 squares diagonally and one square in the other directions after promotion.

Spider	H	M	C	D	S	J
	40	0	11	4	11-19	no

Another strange unit. He has more figures in his deck of cards and thus can attacks several times without giving the opponent the chance to fight back or flee. He is also the only one able to go through walls. He moves like the knight in chess.

Warrior	H	M	C	D	S	J
	60	0	8	4	10-18	no

Before his promotion, he moves only in front of him, on one or two squares. He is therefore unable to escape a fight. After his promotion, he moves one square in all directions (and gains the ability to flee).

Orcman	H	M	C	D	S	J
	60	0	7	4	12-22	no

A bully. But not as strong as Cyclops. He moves one square diagonally or forward.

Cyclops	H	M	C	D	S	J
	80	0	7	3	14-26	yes

The strongest piece. Very slow. He moves one square diagonally or forward.

The healing spells (white magic):

Level 1: Jester, Mummy
-Riska:

Level 2: Jester-X, Mummy-X, MayQueen, Klaw
-Horiska: restores 30 hp to close allies, range: one square.
-Ridon: sends a revitalizing ball forward, restores 40 hp, range: 3 squares.

Level 3: Klaw-X, Cal
-Howjan: restores 40 hp to close allies, range: one square.
-Baridon: sends 3 revitalizing balls forward and on the 2 adjacent columns, restores 40 hp, range: 3 squares.
-Titon: absorbs 3 magic points from nearby enemies, range: one square.

Level 4: Cal-X
-Highjan: restores 50 hp to close allies (one square) et 30 hp to allies 2 squares away.
-Abaridon: sends 5 revitalizing balls forward and on the 4 adjacent columns, restores 40 hp, range: 3 squares.
-Nomotito: absorbs 6 magic points from nearby enemies, range: one square.
-Sizeska: kill the target in front of the caster, range: one square. (doesn't work every time)

Level 1: Griz
-Grack: sizzle adjacent squares (-10 hp).

Level 2: Griz-X, Skeleton, Demon
-Engrack: zap adjacent squares (-20 hp).
-Sculm: shoot fire ball forward , -20 hp, range: 3 squares.

Level 3: Skel-X, Demon-X, Magician
-Biluck: fill 2 adjacent squares with fire (-30 hp to close targets, -10 hp to others).
-Desculm: shoot 3 fire balls forward and on the 2 adjacent columns, -20 hp, range: 3 squares.
-Nespal: shoot lightning 3 squares ahead (-40, -30, -20 hp depending on the distance).

Level 3bis: Dragon
-Helfen: crache du feu droit devant (même effet que Nespal)

Level 4: Magic-X
-Gunty: envoie des boules de feu tout autour, range: 2 squaress (-50 hp to cibles adjacentes, -30 hp to autres).
-Adesculm: shoot 5 fire balls forward and on the 4 adjacent columns, -20 hp, range: 3 squares.
-Erinesp: shoot lightning 4 squares ahead (-50, -40, -30, -20 hp depending on the distance).
-Codail: blizzard east and west, same effect than Erinesp on the sides.

Level 4bis: Dragon-X
-Blizzard: send a four-way snow-storm, range: 3 squares (-40, -30, -20 hp depending on the distance).

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