Demon's Crest (SNES, 1994)

A macabre Capcom staple that didn't really grab me.

Nostalgia Factor: Low.
Difficulty: Hard. Some tough bosses that will make you rage.

This is easily one of the most impressive showcases of pixel art on the SNES. The dark, detailed, macabre sprite work is incredible. The visuals alone make this title worthy of a go in my opinion. There’s also a decent amount of lore and story included compared to most SNES platformers.

In Demon’s Crest, you control Firebrand, a gargoyle-type demon who first appeared as an enemy in the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series. Demon’s Crest is the third game to feature Firebrand, following Gargoyle’s Quest 1 and 2. Firebrand can jump, fly laterally, cling to walls, and spit fire. He can also gain more health, new abilities, and different attack modes as he progresses through the game.

Rather than marching through the levels in a pre-determined order, Firebrand can fly around a “3D” Mode 7 landscape to choose his next location. This gives the player control over which stage or boss to challenge next. It also allows you to rush to the Phalanx level for the “bad ending”, or you can fully explore the map to collect all the items and upgrades. Unfortunately, even the full experience of the game is quite short (~2-3hrs).

The soundtrack is suitably gothic and creepy, with a few well-composed tracks, but I also understand the criticism about the soundtrack being a bit repetitive. Most of the tracks feature a dark cathedral organ for those classic Dracula vibes.

Gutsy gamers might call this one “tough but fair,” which for me usually just means “really hard,” haha. However, if you take your time and seek out all of the health upgrades, it makes Firebrand much more resilient against the tricky bosses. You can also stock up on healing potions which make a big difference.

I have to admit, on paper, this game deserves more than just a “7,” but this is just not a Mo game. I had some fun with it, but I found the gameplay to be frustrating. Firebrand’s mobility is limited for a good reason. If he could just fly all over the screen (like Kirby, ha), the game would lose its challenge. But, I often found myself landing on enemies or constantly colliding into the large bosses with nowhere to go. Firebrand is not agile like Mega Man. Trying to snipe enemies out of the air with Firebrand is cumbersome. It really does just come down to gameplay preference, and Demon’s Crest did not really grab me like other SNES platformers have.

However, you may have a much different experience. There are many retro gamers that swear by Demon’s Crest. Give it a try, and you may find a new favorite.