The original Crystalis was developed and published by SNK for the Famicom/NES in 1990. While it wasn't a massive hit, the game is considered a cult classic. Nintendo's newly set up American development studio, Nintendo Software Technology, developed this remake.
One hundred years has passed since the global thermonuclear war that reduced civilization to a medieval existence where magic and mutants have replaced the old ways of science and technology. The Emperor Dragonia, however, has combined science and magic, becoming extremely powerful. He created a giant Tower that will allow him to control the entire world.
You play as a man who has been cryogenically frozen since the devastating war, but now with no memory of who he was. Four sages entrust him with the Sword of Wind, and task him with finding the swords of Fire, Water and Thunder in order to merge them into the legendary sword Crystalis. With this, you will be able to defeat Dragonia.
The game differs from the original in many ways. Several new dungeons have been added, and the final Tower dungeon has been completely altered. The final battle against Dragonia has also been changed to more closely meet the original intention of the developers, who had to cut it due to memory constraints on the Famicom. Enemies are no longer immune to certain elemental swords, although the reduced screen resolution makes it more difficult to fight.
