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Nintendo's first adventure game, based on several Japanese fairytales. You play as Donbe and Hikari as they fight against the forces of the Avatar of Darkness, a terrible dragon that is transforming humans into Oni.

The game's title translates literally to "New Island of Oni", although "Onigashima" is a place name and so not usually translated.

The game was released on the Famicom Disk System on two separate disks, although you need to clear the first disk before you can play the second.

Story

In Nagakushi village, an elderly couple are entrusted with caring for two mysterious children by the Guardian Deity of Children. The girl, Hikari, is found by the old man in a shining bamboo stalk, while the boy, Donbe is found by the old woman floating down the river in a rice bowl.

Eight years later, an ancient dragon known as the Avatar of Darkness appears, transforming humans into Oni - soulless demons that can suck the souls from other humans. The Oni arrive at Nagakushi village and steal the souls of the elderly couple. Donbe and Hikari watch in horror and decide to set out and restore the souls of their adopted parents, even if it means defeating the Avatar of Darkness himself.

Gameplay

The screen is divided up with your menu of actions across the bottom of the screen, a dialogue window on the left and a graphic window on the top right. The text windows are set out like scrolls and will adjust size automatically depending on the situation.

Your menu of options constantly changes based on the situation. In order to progress through the game, you have to use the functions in the menu to find items, talk to characters, move to another location, and more. You can switch between Donbe and Hikari, each providing different actions and dialogue, although at times you can only play one of them at a time.

It is possible for your characters to die by making a wrong move, leading to you restarting the chapter. In some cases, you have to ensure that your characters are properly equipped for the obstacles ahead, so dying is almost inevitable.

The game is divided into 9 chapters, with 4 on the first disk and a further 5 on the second disk. The game is saved at the end of each chapter by switching back to the first disk.

More Information

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• Heisei: Shin Onigashima (SFC/SNES)