Shamus (USA, Europe) (GBC)

In the Game Boy Color title Shamus, players take on the role of the masked detective Shamus, venturing into a vast labyrinth consisting of 128 rooms, each filled with its own dangers and challenges. Your primary objective is to locate and defeat the Shadow King, freeing the world from his reign.

Shamus's gameplay focuses on exploration and combat. You navigate through rooms from a top-down perspective, using sharp shurikens as your main weapon to dispatch the numerous shadowy monsters (known as Shadows) that appear continuously. A key characteristic is that enemies will respawn after a certain period or when you leave and re-enter a room, forcing players to constantly move and react quickly.

To progress deeper into the labyrinth and eventually reach the Shadow King, players need to collect special keys scattered throughout the rooms. These keys will unlock new areas or previously locked doors. Furthermore, finding the "Sword of Shamus" is crucial, as it may be the key to defeating the Shadow King or provide a significant advantage.

The game features a limited number of lives and a timer, adding pressure and requiring players to employ effective movement and combat strategies. With its blend of exploration, continuous combat, and light puzzle-solving through key collection, Shamus delivers a classic and engaging action-adventure experience on the handheld platform.