Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (USA)

In the NES game Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, players embark on a challenging adventure based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel. The game features a unique side-scrolling gameplay style, divided between two characters with completely opposing playstyles.

When controlling Dr Jekyll, the player's primary goal is to navigate through the streets of London without drawing attention. Jekyll is a pacifist character, incapable of attacking. Instead, he must avoid obstacles and local townspeople. Each time Jekyll collides with a passerby, is attacked by birds, or struck by lightning, a "Hyde" meter (energy bar) will increase. If this bar fills up, Jekyll will immediately transform into Mr Hyde.

Conversely, when transformed into Mr Hyde, the gameplay changes entirely. Hyde is the embodiment of chaos and violence. He can attack and destroy almost everything in his path, including civilians and various creatures. However, Hyde's health bar will continuously deplete over time and when taking damage. If Hyde's health drops to zero, Jekyll will die instantly, leading to a game over. Hyde's objective is to defeat enough enemies to make Jekyll's "Hyde" meter decrease, allowing Jekyll to return to his original form. This constant transformation between the two characters is a core and challenging element of the game.

Each stage in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde features unique settings and enemies, from bustling London streets to gloomy graveyards. The game's difficulty is notoriously high, requiring players to have patience and a sound strategy to effectively control Jekyll in evasion and Hyde in attack. The game's ending depends on whether the player can keep Jekyll alive and achieve the final objective.