8 Eyes
Encyclopedia
is a 2D action
platforming
video game developed by Thinking Rabbit
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
. The game features eight levels, and can be played by one or two players. It also features a large, diverse soundtrack, composed by Kenzou Kumei, often quoting from the opera
tic repertoire, consisting of three pieces for each of the eight levels, each set in a different part of the world.
8 Eyes is set in a post-apocalyptic future. Mankind is recovering from hundreds of years of chaos and nuclear war
, and civilization is being rebuilt by the Great King, who harnesses the power of the eight jewels
. The jewels, known as the 8 Eyes, were formed at the centers of eight nuclear explosion
s that came close to destroying the Earth. The 8 Eyes have mysterious power which, in the wrong hands, could bring about the end of the world. The Great King's eight power-hungry duke
s steal the jewels for themselves and banish the King to the nuclear wastelands, threatening to once again plunge the Earth into war.
The player controls Orin the Falconer and his fighting falcon
Cutrus. His mission is to penetrate the Dukes' eight castles and retrieve the 8 Eyes. With the help of Cutrus, you must fight the Dukes' soldiers, nuclear mutants, and the duke of each castle to retrieve the jewels. After the jewels have been recovered, you must return them to the Altar of Peace so that the Great King may return and finish rebuilding the Earth.
. The player can choose to play each of the first seven castles in any order, though the boss at the end of each is vulnerable to only one sword. It is therefore easier to play levels in a particular order. There are hints about the correct order hidden throughout the game. Only after each has been completed can the House of Ruth be played.
After the House of Ruth has been cleared and the 8 Eyes recovered, the player must return the jewels to the Altar of Peace. At this point the jewels must be placed in a particular order, or the game is lost. Hints about the order of the jewels are also hidden throughout the game.
8 Eyes features a cooperative mode in which one player controls Orin and the other player controls Cutrus. In the single-player mode, the player has limited control of both characters simultaneously, making the game significantly more difficult.
The gameplay and graphical style are noticeably similar to Castlevania
.
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
platforming
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
video game developed by Thinking Rabbit
Thinking Rabbit
Thinking Rabbit was a software house based in Takarazuka, Japan, and are the original publishers of Sokoban. The company joined the Disk Original Group in 1986.-External links:...
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
. The game features eight levels, and can be played by one or two players. It also features a large, diverse soundtrack, composed by Kenzou Kumei, often quoting from the opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic repertoire, consisting of three pieces for each of the eight levels, each set in a different part of the world.
Story
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
, and civilization is being rebuilt by the Great King, who harnesses the power of the eight jewels
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
. The jewels, known as the 8 Eyes, were formed at the centers of eight nuclear explosion
Nuclear explosion
A nuclear explosion occurs as a result of the rapid release of energy from an intentionally high-speed nuclear reaction. The driving reaction may be nuclear fission, nuclear fusion or a multistage cascading combination of the two, though to date all fusion based weapons have used a fission device...
s that came close to destroying the Earth. The 8 Eyes have mysterious power which, in the wrong hands, could bring about the end of the world. The Great King's eight power-hungry duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
s steal the jewels for themselves and banish the King to the nuclear wastelands, threatening to once again plunge the Earth into war.
The player controls Orin the Falconer and his fighting falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
Cutrus. His mission is to penetrate the Dukes' eight castles and retrieve the 8 Eyes. With the help of Cutrus, you must fight the Dukes' soldiers, nuclear mutants, and the duke of each castle to retrieve the jewels. After the jewels have been recovered, you must return them to the Altar of Peace so that the Great King may return and finish rebuilding the Earth.
Gameplay
The game consists of eight levels, each set in the castle of one of the dukes. At the completion of each level, Orin receives a new swordSword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
. The player can choose to play each of the first seven castles in any order, though the boss at the end of each is vulnerable to only one sword. It is therefore easier to play levels in a particular order. There are hints about the correct order hidden throughout the game. Only after each has been completed can the House of Ruth be played.
After the House of Ruth has been cleared and the 8 Eyes recovered, the player must return the jewels to the Altar of Peace. At this point the jewels must be placed in a particular order, or the game is lost. Hints about the order of the jewels are also hidden throughout the game.
8 Eyes features a cooperative mode in which one player controls Orin and the other player controls Cutrus. In the single-player mode, the player has limited control of both characters simultaneously, making the game significantly more difficult.
The gameplay and graphical style are noticeably similar to Castlevania
Castlevania
Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30...
.