Trojan (NES) Playthrough

Developed and published by Capcom, Trojan arrived on the NES in 1987 as a home conversion of the 1986 arcade game, known as Tatakai no Banka in Japan. Set in a bleak post-apocalyptic world ruled by the warlord Achilles, the game follows the warrior Ryu as he fights through ruined cities, underground bases and enemy strongholds armed with little more than a sword and shield. Rating: 7/10 Trojan is an early side-scrolling action game that sits somewhere between Kung-Fu Master and the beat-'em-ups that would become much more common later in the 8-bit era. Rather than simply attacking everything in sight, combat revolves around balancing offense and defense. Your sword has limited range, while the shield can block many enemy attacks and projectiles. Learning when to defend and when to counterattack is especially important against the bosses, where reckless button-mashing usually results in a quick death. The controls take some adjustment. One button swings the sword, the other raises the shield, while jumping is performed by pressing Up on the D-pad. That arrangement feels strange today and can make some of the platforming unnecessarily awkward, but Trojan is primarily about combat rather than precision jumping. Once the controls become familiar, the sword-and-shield system gives the game a distinct rhythm that separates it from many other early NES action titles. Enemies constantly approach from both directions, fire projectiles or attempt to overwhelm you at close range. Certain attacks can even knock away your sword and shield, temporarily forcing Ryu to fight with punches and kicks. It is a simple mechanic, but suddenly losing your equipment in the middle of a dangerous encounter creates some memorable moments. The game is divided into six main stages, with environments ranging from destroyed city streets and rocky wastelands to underground facilities and the final enemy fortress. Hidden rooms provide an incentive to explore and can contain useful upgrades, including improved jumping ability, health and strength bonuses. Finding the attack upgrades in particular can make the later bosses considerably easier. Boss fights are easily one of Trojan's strongest features. Many of them behave more like small duels than traditional action-game bosses. Blocking, watching their patterns and striking during openings is usually far more effective than attacking constantly. The difficulty rises sharply during the later stages, and some sections can become frustrating when enemies and projectiles attack from several directions at once, but the NES version is generally more forgiving than the original arcade release. Visually, Trojan is unmistakably an early NES game, yet its grim atmosphere still works well. Ruined buildings, industrial interiors and muted scenery create an unusual post-apocalyptic tone, while the relatively large character sprites make the sword fights easy to follow. The energetic Capcom soundtrack also helps keep the action moving. A particularly interesting NES addition is the two-player versus mode, where two warriors can fight each other directly with swords and shields. It is extremely basic compared with later fighting games, but it is a fun historical curiosity and gives the cartridge something beyond the main campaign. Trojan is short, occasionally stiff and nowhere near as refined as Capcom's later NES classics, but its emphasis on blocking and tactical sword fighting gives it a personality of its own. The hidden upgrades, challenging bosses and surprisingly effective atmosphere make it considerably more interesting than a generic mid-'80s arcade port. It may not be an essential NES game, but for fans of early Capcom action titles, Trojan is a tough and rewarding experience that is still worth playing today.