Description

"Hydlide" is an action role-playing game developed by T&E Soft for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), released in North America in 1989. The game follows the adventures of a hero named Jim, who embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Ann, who has been split into three fairies by the evil sorcerer Varalys. Set in the expansive fantasy world of Hydlide, players navigate Jim through various landscapes including forests, fields, and dungeons fraught with enemies and obstacles. Gameplay involves battling monsters using a unique real-time combat system, where players must toggle between an attack and a defensive mode by pressing the button, rather than using traditional turn-based mechanics.

Hydlide was originally released on the MSX and NEC PC-8801 in Japan before making its way to the NES. As one of the earlier action RPGs, Hydlide introduced several gameplay mechanics that were innovative for its time, such as regenerative health and an open-world concept where the game does not follow a linear storyline, allowing players a significant degree of exploration and choice. However, it received mixed reviews, particularly in the West, due to its difficult gameplay and direct comparison to the more popular and polished "The Legend of Zelda," which was released around the same time in the United States. Despite its mixed reception, Hydlide was influential in the evolution of the action RPG genre, contributing to the development of subsequent titles and serving as a foundational piece of video game history.

Title

Hydlide - Title

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Gameplay

Hydlide - Gameplay

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