Wizards & Warriors

Wizards & Warriors
Also known as: Densetsu no Kishi: Elrond (JP) Developer: Rare Publishers: Acclaim Entertainment (US/EU), Jaleco (JP) Platform: NES Released in JP: July 15, 1988 Released in US: December 1987 Released in EU: January 7, 1990 This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused items. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article This game has a Data Crystal page

The legendary Kuros is out to save various damsels in various states of distress from various big creatures.

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Prototype Info

Unused Item

A map special item is fully programmed into the game, but is unobtainable by normal means. To put it into your inventory, use the FCEU cheat 0078:0B. The map will appear in the fifth slot, like the other special items. Pressing Select will allow you to bring up the map screen at any time rather than just at the beginning of each level. The map will also track where you are in the level.

It would have come in handy in the early part of the game, especially in the purple caves.

Hidden Copyrights

Almost every bank in the English versions of the game starts and ends with the same copyright text:

(C) COPYRIGHT 1987 RARE LTD. ENGLAND.

The Japanese version has the same string and the start of every bank, but ends with:

[ PP + RME ] (C) COPYRIGHT 1987 RARE LTD. ENGLAND.

The same names or initials can be found in other games by the same developers team from Rare: Marble Madness and California Games, as well as the same names often mentioned in the default records table for these games and in the Wheel of Fortune series.

The initials stand for Paul Proctor and Rachel M. Edwards, the game's developers.

Additionally, the same initial is used for the RAM check during the RESET sequence in the Japanese version:

PP + RME

But in all English versions it says:

ThE tAlE

You can also note, that "PP" and "RME" are 1st and 2nd initials in top players score in the Japanese version, but in both US versions "RME" were moved to the 4th place, and completely removed from the list in the European version!

Regional Differences

To do: The European version has a few differences.

Title Screen

US	Europe	Japan

The game title and publisher were changed for the Japanese version. The European version removes the mentions of the US and Canada.

The Japanese version shows the logo of arcade game developer NMK for some reason; Jaleco was definitely the publisher, judging by the box. This may have something to do with it... The game's serial number in Japan also indicates NMK: NMK-ER.

US	Japan

The scene of Kuros fighting two enemies was rotated and recolored in the Japanese version, possibly because the original POV looks pretty goofy. One of his swords was also replaced with a shield.

US	Japan

The high score screen has numerous differences in the Japanese version. The initials were shuffled around, the colors were changed, and Malkil's castle from the map was added.

Bosses

Many bosses in the Japanese version will not turn into a pack of spirits when defeated, as they do in US version. The Rock Face boss explodes into rocks instead of souls in the Japanese version and some bosses appear in different orders in the Japanese version too.

	3rd Boss	4th Boss	6th Boss
International	Rock Face	Evil Ghost	Skeleton Changeling
Japan	Skeleton Changeling	Rock Face	Evil Ghost

After Kuros has defeated Malkil in the US version, he can safely reach the exit and rescue the last princess. In the Japanese version, however, as soon as Elrond beats Anis to dust, the room will start to tremble, and rocks will fall from ceiling, dealing 500 damage per hit, until Elrond reaches the exit.

Miscellaneous

• In the Japanese version, Level 1 has no enemies on the outside and some items have been moved to different locations (for example the Gems at the bottom of the blue door tree have been replaced with a Potion of Levitation to help Kuros reach higher places easier) but to balance the difficulty, you only have one life!
• In the US version, Kuros has a life bar of twelve bars. In the Japanese version however, Elrond uses a life point system.
• The Meat, which restores two bars of Kuros' lost life (US version), will increase Elrond's life points by 200 instead (Japanese version). Additionally, while Kuros starts a stage with a full lifebar, Elrond starts with 1500 life points instead, and can collect meat to gain more life points above the starting value.
• In the US version, Kuros cannot use more throwing items if there are already max numbers on the screen. In the Japanese version, however, when Elrond tries to use more throwing items, the older one will disappear.
• The Wand of Wonder and Staff of Power are fired automatically using the B button (which version of the game?).
• Some of the minor enemies are different in both versions. For example, the ghosts from the US version do not appear in the Japanese version.