Hey folks, Laian here and today we're going to play another game I used to play when I was a kid called "Wizards and Warriors X: The Fortress of Fear". I used to play this game on my uncle's Gameboy at that time since he only had this game and Tetris. I couldn't beat it when I was an innocent but, thanks to the magic of save states, it's now buried once and for all. I've always wanted to beat it, to see the final boss and all. Let me tell you, this game is quite challenging to beat. Not impossible but really hard so be prepared. Time to jump into the world of "Wizards and Warriors X: The Fortress of Fear".

STAGE 1,0

This stage has a problem you may find irritating: there are two rows of platforms, which make the progress quite tedious. Remember you have three lives and sudden death is your prize if you fall down. Jump on the first platform to find a locked chest and a gem. Grab the key, go open the chest to get three gems or keep it for later. Yeah, you have to manage your stock of keys. I suggest you to keep it for later, there's a better loot in another chest later in this level. Keep going east, collect the chalice, step on the clouds to cross the gap and open the locked chest if you kept the key you found earlier to get a bonus life. Otherwise, say goodbye to that loot and carry on. Pick up the piece of meat and enter the castle.

STAGE 1,1

Just keep moving forward and make those gaps until you find a key. You can go open the chest you found a few steps earlier to find a life potion (which fully restores your life and it's instantly consumed) or you can go up and open the other chest that contains a shield. The door down below leads to a room with some goodies and the other door leads to the next level.

You're back here, on the upper part of the ramparts this time. Slow progress is strongly recommended as you will encounter a new type of enemy with two patterns. There's also a chest to unlock that contains a resistance spell. It grants you a temporary invincibility, which might be useful for this part of the level. Keep going west, go up and get ready to face the boss.

STAGE 1,3

Your opponent is a giant bat. As you can tell, you only have four platforms on which you can land. His pattern is the same and there's a safe platform you can step on in order to not be hit by the enemy and hit the boss a few times when he divebombs (with the up arrow and A button) then go to the left when he disappears from the screen and repeat the operation. Hit him a few times until he dies and go through the door.

STAGE 2,0

A level full of dripping acid, fireballs, spiders and bats. A real corridor of death if you don't pay attention to your surroundings. Things are getting seriously serious now so slow progress is the key. Grab all the goodies including the key and open one of the chests with this (or both if you still have a spare key). The one above your head has some jumping boots and the other one contains a life potion. I really recommend taking the jumping boots or else the gap a bit farther will be difficult to get through. Collect the keys, open the door and proceed to the next level.

STAGE 2,1

Tired of fireballs? If you said "yes", I'll be pleased to tell you that there's more. A locked chest contains a bonus life after a series of platforms. Carry on, grab the key, fall down to get a bonus life and go back up. Use the platforms to get to the locked door, unlock it with the key and proceed to the next stage.

STAGE 2,2

Go east until you see a locked chest above your head. Go up, then left to get the key, open the chest to find some jumping boots and carry on. There's a shortcut leading to the next stage if you jump on the ledge to the left of the key and fall down. Collect the key kept by a creature after the giant gap, reach the chest containing some jumping boots and carry on. You have three ways now: one past the skull charging towards you, another one to the left leading to the bonus room with some goodies and the last one locked. The upper right path is safe and will let you avoid most of the obstacles in the next part. Up to you to choose which one seems wise for you.

STAGE 2,3

If you start from the bottom road, you will have a bad time with a series of fireballs, enemies and blazing torches spitting fireballs. If you start from the platform up above, you will avoid all of this. The gap leading to the bonus life is nearly impossible to do. Too bad, especially when you see at the end of the line another path you can go through, sadness. Anyway, go through the passageway to proceed to the next part.

STAGE 2,4

Just make your way to the giant skull by killing the flying skulls and jump inside his mouth to get to the next level. There's no bonus to get, no secrets to find.

STAGE 3,0

Go left, jump from platform to platform to find a secret part with a bonus life and a key. Go back east and keep going east. Kill the enemies, dodge the throwing axes and grab the piece of meat standing before the fireplace. Carry on, jump over the spinning axes, avoid the trap and the creature and go through the door.

STAGE 3,1

Go forward until you reach a locked chest. Inside, there's some boots of jumping. There's a key a bit farther after the two floating platforms. Go back and open the chest with that, as you won't be able to make the next gap leading to the end of the level without these boots. Stand right in front of the door, press up arrow and go to the next level.

STAGE 3,2

Nothing really challenging except for the three spinning axes after the first opening. Make your way to the end of the level. You can get past the axes but it requires a perfect timing. The other passageway leads to the bonus room. Up to you to choose if you want all the goodies or just go face the boss.

STAGE 3,3

Your opponent is a giant skull floating around. Leap down and stay on the edge of the ledge. Wait until the skull comes at you to hit him twice or three times with the combination of the up arrow and the attack button and leap over him. Duck afterwards and head back to the last spot and repeat the operation until he dies.

STAGE 4,0

I call this level "the long corridor of doom", simply because there's a ton of enemies and a few traps. Make your way to the end of the corridor slowly and carefully, grab the goblet and the gems and it will be alright. Just step on the elevator and go left to go to the next level. Now, there is a secret part. Step on the elevator and leap over the wall. You'll find a chalice, two chests containing a shield of protection and some gems. The door is useless and leads nowhere since there's no transition to another level, nor a bonus level. I guess it was supposed to leads somewhere but the developers didn't remove it or it's just there to trick you.

STAGE 4,1

Welcome to the top of the castle. A few more stages and you will face the final boss. In this stage, a few items are tricky to get and requires good skills to get without getting hit by the foes. Other than that, two chests await you halfway containing some gems and a potion of healing. Keep going west, use the cloud to make the gap and prepare yourself for the upcoming boss fight.

STAGE 4,2

And your next opponent is a giant bird. I found a good safe spot for this fight. Step where the character is, as shown on this screenshot.

When he comes at you, duck. He will come back but he will stop before you, which lets you an opportunity to strike. Press the up arrow and the attack button a few times and repeat the operation.

STAGE 5,0

That last part of the game is an amazing maze (it's been a while since I didn't say that). Right at the beginning, you can see the door to the next part of the level. You can go there directly but you will miss a lot of goodies hidden past the wall to the left, such as a fair amount of gems, a bonus life, a key and a locked chest. Teasing, isn't it? Well, all you have to do is step on the elevator and jump on the top of the wall to get all these items. Go through the door, jump from platform to platform and reach the upper part of the room. In the next room, reach the elevator, go get the piece of meat and go back up. Take the key, go up the stairs, grab the gems, carry on and go right. Kill the skulls, then go right in the next room, ignore the door and go get the potion of life in the chest and the goblet. Go open the door, stay at the lower part of the screen, grab the key and carry on. Kill the skulls, grab the goblet and go back on the elevator. Go through the door at the top right hand corner, make your way through that room, ignore the door and go right to face Malkil. This boss is not that hard when you know his pattern well. You have to jump between both of the columns and avoid his shock powers. Give him the best you have in store for him and, after a good amount of hits and a decent timing, all your efforts will be rewarded by a nice endgame screen. I know, it's just a screen with a message, what did you expect to have after all this? Fireworks all over the screen? Could be worse. Oh well, congratulations! You just beat "Wizards and Warriors X: The Fortress of Fear".

Well that's all folks. Quite a short game guide I know but the next one will be a gem of the videogame history. Stay tuned next month and take care!