8 Eyes

8 Eyes
Also known as: 8 Eye's (title screen) Developer: Thinking Rabbit Publishers: Seta (JP), Taxan (US) Platform: NES Released in JP: September 27, 1988 Released in US: January 1990 This game has a hidden sound test. This game has regional differences.

8 Eye's [sic] can be best described as "a blatant Castlevania ripoff". Put into the role of a brave falconer, you must recover the legendary jewels that are the 8 Eyes from the warring dukes, and restore them to the Altar of Peace.

There's also something about nuclear war in there somewhere.

Sound Test

The Japanese version contains a sound test which was removed from the American version. Simply pause the game, and you can use Controller 2 to scroll through the tracks with Left / Right and play a track with A.

Interestingly, the reason why this sound test is available so easily is by an accidental "bug": The internal flag enabling this sound test somehow has the same RAM address as some system variable which is not zero at that particular moment of the pause. The cheat was actually meant to be triggered by pausing the game with A + B held on both controllers.

Regional Differences

Title Screen

Japan	US

Seta and Thinking Rabbit's logos were removed, along with "PUSH START". Taxan's name was added along with some copyright dates, a TM, and "Licensed by Nintendo of America Inc." The topmost part of the E was cut off by the Taxan header.

Startup

Japan	US

The background was changed from black to teal, and the text is no longer in all-caps.

Password

Japan	US

Same changes as above. The Japanese version only has the letters A-P, while the US version has the entire alphabet. This opens up some extra quests, as detailed in the next section.

2nd & 3rd Quests

US

The US version has two extra quests: "Special stage" and "Final stage". Special stage is automatically begun upon completion of the main game, and can also be accessed via the password TAXANTAXAN. Final stage is a hidden 3rd quest that begins by pressing Reset after completing the Special stage and viewing the credits, and can also be accessed via the password FINALSTAGE. These are mostly the same as the main game, only enemies now move faster and the clue scrolls are removed (the solution to the jewel puzzle remains unchanged).

Stage Order

Japan			US
Stage	Jewel	Sword	Stage	Jewel	Sword
Spain	Black	Red	Spain	Black	Red
Egypt	Red	White	Egypt	Red	Green
Arabia	White	Green	Italy	Green	Yellow
Italy	Green	Yellow	India	Yellow	Orange
India	Yellow	Orange	Africa	Orange	Purple
Africa	Orange	Purple	Germany	Purple	White
Germany	Purple	Black	Arabia	White	Black

8 Eyes has an unusual system wherein each time you defeat a boss, you receive a new sword that replaces your old one. The new sword isn't necessarily stronger against enemies, but deals more damage against the boss who carries the jewel that matches its color. Ergo, collecting the Red Sword deals more damage against the boss that carries the Red Jewel (in this case, Egypt's boss).

For some odd reason, the order in which you receive the swords was changed, with the White Sword being acquired much later. Also note that the Japanese order is the same one in which you re-fight the bosses in the House of Ruth (sans Germany).

Clues & Sword

Japan	US

The clues were given some extra space to account for the translation. The Japanese version has question marks for scrolls not yet collected, whereas the US version is simply left blank.

Japanese	Translation
クロと シロの あいだに、 5つはいる。	Between Black and White, there are 5 eyes.
クロと シロの あいだに、 キはない。	Between Black and White, there is no Yellow.
アカの となりに ダイダイはない。ひだり はしは キ。	Red is not next to Orange. Yellow is on the left end.
シロと ダイダイと ムラサキは となりにない。	White Orange and Purple are not next to each other.
シロの となりは キ。 クロの となりは アカ。	White is next to Yellow. Black is next to Red.
ムラサキと ミドリの あいだに、 2つはいる。	Between Purple and Green, there are 2 eyes.
ムラサキの となりには アオ。みぎはしは クロ。	Purple is next to Blue. Black is on the right end.

A few clues were changed between versions, although the solution is the same.

Status Bar

Japan	US

The hero is named Bond in Japan and Orin in the US. The health/item extensions are displayed in color where they were simply left blank in the Japanese version, they turn white once the extension is collected. "8 Eye's" was replaced with a scoring system that was not otherwise present. The "oss" in "Boss" was slightly edited and was moved closer to its health bar, and the bar's leftmost unit was redrawn to have an end-cap.

Clue Scrolls

Japan	US

The Japanese version has a nifty graphic for when you collect a scroll. Sadly, this was removed to allow more room for the English text.

New Sword & Password

Japan	US

PASSWORD and PUSH START are no longer capitalized, along with typical translation.

Japanese	Translation
このつるぎをやろう、 きっとやくにたつぞ。	I shall give you this sword, surely it will be useful.

(Translation: Joe)

Game Over

Japan	US

The Japanese Game Over screen is black and the text scrolls upwards from the bottom of the screen. The US Game Over screen is teal and includes a SCORE and HI-SCORE counter. "Push start key" is no longer in all-caps.

Ending

...But does it make sense? The translations on this page need to be proofread. If you are fluent enough in this language, please make any corrections necessary!

While the original game has only one ending, the US version has three! Note that the third ending has a few typos, notably "motal" instead of "mortal" and improper capitalization.

Japan	Translation	US (1st Quest)	US (2nd Quest)	US (3rd Quest)
かくしとびら　の　おくには、ルースたちが、 あちこちから　うばってきた、ざいほうと　ともに、 にぶい　いろに　ひかる、ぶきみな　にんぎょうが、 かざられていた。ところどころ　に　のこる かがやきで、もとは、きんいろだったことがわかる。 いくども　かさねられた、ざんぎゃくな　ぎしき　に よって、にんげんの　ちをそそがれ　つづけた　せい で、　あかがね　いろとも、なまり　いろ　ともつかぬ ぶきみな　いろに、そめあげられたのだ。 この、きみょうな　にんぎょうこそ、その　むかし、 テンプルきじたん　に　よって、すうはい　されて いたと　される、でんせつ　の　バフォメット　ぞう なのである。イスラムきょう　と　キリストきょうの りょうほうの　やみ　の　せかい　を　つかさどる、 バフォメットーー　このぞう　を　めざめ　させた ものは、せかい　を　しはいできると　いわれている ルースの　どりょくにも　かかわらず、バフォメット の　まぶた　は　とじたままだ。 そのことを　かくにんした　ボンドは、ぞうを　もち かえろうと、うでをのばした。 そのとき、　バフォメットの　あたまに　きざまれた、 じゅうじかの　もようが、いっしゅん、かぎじゅうじ に　へんか　したことに、また、その　しゅんかん、 とじていた　はずの　まぶたが、うすく　ひらき、 よこしまな　ひかりを　やどした　ことに、ボンドは まったく、きづかなかったーー	Beyond the hidden door lies a spot decorated in treasures stolen by Ruth and his followers, along with a creepy statue giving off a dull colored shine. You can tell the statue was originally golden due to the bits that shine. The statue had been used in countless cruel and atrocious ceremonies, and the culmination of human blood soaking into it turned it into this creepy color that isn't quite red (copper) or gray (lead). This curious figure is none other than the legendary Baphomet statue said to have been worshiped by the Knights Templar in the past. It's said that the one who awakens this statue of Baphomet - the ruler of the netherworld for both Islam and Christianity - can rule over the world. Baphomet's eyes remained closed despite Ruth's efforts. After Bond verified that, he extended his arm in a bid to take the statue home. Bond did not notice that just then, the cross that was etched into Baphomet's forehead changed into a swastika for a brief moment, at which point the eyelids faintly opened, and it harbored a wicked light.	CONGRATULATIONS ORIN!! In fighting your way through the eight Perilous castles, you have proved that your swordsmanship and falconry talents are great. In solving the riddle of the eight jewels, you have proved your skill as a logician. These were great tests of skill, and only the strongest of warriors and the wisest of scholars could have completed this quest. I realize that there is only one thing more gratifying than coming to the end of a great game, that is realizing the challenge has just begun. Go now Orin, another quest awaits. In this second adventure, your skills will be tested as never before. If you are truly skilled, you may be able to finish some of it! GOOD LUCK ! Here is the password to the most challenging adventure of your life ! PASSWORD TAXANTAXAN push start key	Well, well. You managed to beat the second challenge of 8-Eyes. Unbelievable! Your video game talents are among the best the world has to offer. You confronted the challenge I set for you, and triumphed undisputed. You have beaten one of the hardest games you will ever play, or have you??	VERY IMPRESSIVE ! I truly though that no mere motal would ever be reading the statement here, at the end of the third quest of 8-Eyes. you have reached the end of this game. I give my deepest congratulations to one who has beaten one of the most challenging games seen on the home video screen. Thank You, and look for more extremely challenging games from your favorite game masters TAXAN !!!

(Japanese Transcript: Torchickens)

(Japanese Translation: sharksnack, snark)

Credits

Japan	US

Once again, the black background was changed to teal and the text is no longer in all-caps. Hiroto Nakamura's name was corrected.