Kuros must venture through (or, rather, beneath for the most part) the land of Elrond to reach Castle Ironspire
and defeat the evil wizard Malkil. His journey takes him through a variety of locales. Please note that most of
the images on this site were taken using the NES emulator Nesticle and the colors are not always correct
for this game.
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This is the title screen. Actually, the game cycles thru three screens (one says 'Press Start' and the
other shows the top 5 high scores which are reset every time you turn the power off), but this is the most
interesting. I don't know what those two blue creatures are, but I can tell you right now they're not in
the game. And Kuros does not have two swords. Don't you just love deceptive game art?
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Ah, the map through which Kuros must travel. The first level consists of the first forest and the trip down the hole.
The second level consists of the Ice Caves (Blue). The third level is made up of the Fire Caves (red and pink), while
the last cave section (purple) is the fourth stage. The second forest is the fifth stage, and the outside of Castle
Ironspire is the sixth stage (no boss). The seventh and eight stages are within the castle itself.
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This is the forest half of the first level. Lots of jumping around from branch to branch, but nothing too
difficult. Once you've mastered the art of gaining jump height by bouncing off enemies you should be able
to make it onto the canopy pretty easily (it's somewhat tricky to get up there if you don't). Those
flying bugs are really annoying!
Some trees have doors in them and you can venture within to find lots the pretty gems. After you pay off
the Guardian, you fall into the hollow trunk of a tree and into the earth where you meet the Demon Skull.
The roots here push you either to the left or to the right, so it's kind of difficult to get those treasure
chests along the way.
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Here is Kuros inside a tree fighting off spiders that jump down from above. There's another hollow tree with bugs flying
around inside.
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This is the view from inside the giant hollow tree which the Guardian guards. At the bottom is a door to the Demon's Skull's
lair. Lots of annoying bees here, but there are a few good treasure chests along the drop.
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This guy's pretty easy. He just bounces around shooting crap at you.
Kuros: "You were probably a lot more intimidating when you were alive."
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The first of many princesses rescued. Note how the game designers rank the women. This one was worth a paltry 5000 points.
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The first of several cave levels. This level features annoying rock faces that spit fire at you and these irritating
stalagmite-like creatures that burst forth from the ground to get you.
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This blue potion is essential to getting one of the keys. You have to nab this potion, run to the left, then up,
then to the right, and jump across a gap before the potion wears off.
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There are quite a few goodies in this level.
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Like a good mother bat, this one forces you to slaughter all her children before she bothers to fight you. Another
stupidly easy boss...if you survive the onslaught of baby bats (they're the real threat).
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Another distressed damsel saved. What kept her alive all this time? I mean, did the bats come in and feed her or something?
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The first part of this level requires you to run across a pool of lava while being chased by nasty fireballs and an
infernal firespout. If you have the boots of Lava Walk, you take less damage while running across the lava and can
actually ride on the firespout. You don't need magic shoes to float on lava bubbles, though. Everyone knows that.
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The second part of this level is a bit larger. Fat little devils and fireballs chase you here.
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Ah, the Battle Axe of Agor! Upon nabbing this magical artifact, Kuros promptly throws away the only slightly
less amazingly magical Dagger of Throwing.
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This guy's pretty easy. He just bounces around shooting crap at you.
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You know, you look exactly like Lucinda and Esmarelda...
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This level is large and confusing.
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Our hero is killed by fruit bats. How embarrassing.
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Let me get this straight. You want me to pay you 200 gems just so I can go in there and risk my life fighting some
unspeakable horror? Well, okay. It's not like I've seen any shops around here.
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This guy's pretty easy. He just bounces floats around shooting crap at you.
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With a name like that I should string you back up, but you're worth 30000 points, so I won't.
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The first part of this level involves an ascent to the surface from within a giant, hollow tree.
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This forest is similar to the first level, except that the images of the enemies are changed. All the enemies act the same way, though. In fact, if you die in this level, the enemies revert back to the eagles, bees, and werewolves of the first level!
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Kuros would be a rich man if not for the invincible knight...
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This huge spider is probably the easiest boss in the game. It is a bit freaky, though.
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The names are starting to get more normal now, but the damsels still look the same.
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In this level you scale Castle Ironspire looking for enough gems to bribe the castle's one guard to let you in.
Why someone would leave gems lying around the outside of his castle is a mystery to me. Maybe the castle's owner
really wants to clean them up, but he can't because the outside of the castle is covered in giant man-eating
ants!!!
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I'm guessing the architect who designed this castle was no genius...
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Inside the few rooms you can access from outside the castle, you'll find indestructible skulls that constantly shoot
at you in a most unsportsmanlike way.
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Here is Kuros plummeting to his death.
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Actually, a 100 story fall only dazes you if you're wearing a full suit of plate armor. That's the real reason the
knights of old wore them. When contruction techniques advanced to the point where castles didn't have to be so tall,
there was no more need for plate armor.
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"Only 50 gems to bribe you into letting me into the castle? I can find 50 gems in my sleep! What? There's no boss
to kill either? Bonus!"
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It's a little known fact that knights often triumphed over flying gargoyles during the middle ages with a simple yet swift kick in the jaw.
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And what castle would be complete without complete, unspoiled legs of ham lying around? I have several legs of ham lying
around my house at this very moment.
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In this part of the game, Kuros is trying to find the bathroom.
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Anything that can throw its own bones at you is something to stay far away from.
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See, even the likes of this little midget skeleton can fell mighty knights such as the great Kuros.
I particularly like this shot because it looks so embarrassing.
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Fifty thousand points!?! That, like, triples my score! Thanks, babe!
How Candida ever survived so long in this miserable castle surrounded by bone-chucking skeletons, bloodthirsty
gargoyles, and giant spiders is one of those unsolved mysteries like Stonehenge and how they get the caramel inside
a Caramilk bar.
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Ah, Jay Leno's green room.
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Blackwing the gargoyle, Ironfang the giant spider, and Mr. Ghosty break the news to Kuros that Futurama has been
cancelled. Visibly shaken, Kuros downs an entire bottle of Pepto Bismol to ease his stomach.
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Spider: "Run! He's invincible now!"
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Kuros: "Ah, fer cryin' out loud! Haven't you made enough to retire yet?"
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Kuros: "Woah. I, like, just got this weird feeling that some dude is standing right behind me and is about
to hit me with a big stick."
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Malkil (played here by Sir Ian McKellan*) teleports in and out of this area. He appears just long enough to fire
some whirling triple fireballs at you. He's actually somewhat challenging if you're not careful.
*If you're perceptive, that's two jokes in one!
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I did all that for you?!? Where's Candida? She was much hotter...
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I entered my name instead of my initials. Am I going to jail now?
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I have been immortalized! Future generations shall forever know my greatness...that is, until someone turns the
game off (which resets the scores).
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