Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara

"Shadow over Mystara" is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up with role-playing elements that set it apart from other similar games of the time. In addition to the four original heroes from its predecessor, “Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom” (Cleric, Dwarf, Elf, and Fighter), “Shadow of Mystara” expands the selection to include a Thief and a Mage. Furthermore, by incorporating two separate versions of each character’s sprite set, the game allows up to two players to select the same character (in “Tower of Doom,” each character could only be selected once), effectively offering 12 “different” characters to choose from. The two Clerics and the two Mages also feature subtle differences in their spellbooks. Controls are handled via four buttons: Attack, Jump, Select (brings up a small inventory ring around the character, allowing the player to choose which item to place in the Use slot), and Use. The cleric, the elf, and the mage also have two additional rings for their spells, with the Jump button used to switch between the rings. While the game uses the same kick harness as its predecessor, the Select and Use buttons are swapped. Shadow over Mystara also introduced a selection of special attacks that are executed by moving the joystick and pressing buttons in specific combinations, similar to the Street Fighter series. The characters (with the exception of the Mage) have a jump attack as well as an upward attack, which can be used to chain monsters into combos or even juggle them in the air. Most characters (again, with the exception of the Mage and the Cleric) also have a “Megacrush,” a move common in almost all Capcom side-scrollers that deals damage to all enemies standing close enough to the character, but also deals damage to the player themselves.