Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (USA) (UBI Soft)

In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on NES, players control the legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones on his quest for the Holy Grail. The game blends adventure, action, and puzzle elements, uniquely reinterpreting the plot of the eponymous film.

Gameplay is divided into several distinct stages, each corresponding to a key location from the movie, such as Venice, an Austrian castle, Berlin, and finally, the desert temple where the Grail is held. Players must explore environments, interact with characters and objects to gather information or necessary items for progression.

Action sequences involve hand-to-hand combat with enemies using punches or Indy's iconic whip. However, the game's core strength lies in its puzzles and adventure elements. Many situations require players to deduce solutions, use items correctly, or find secret passages. A unique mechanic is the "IQ" (Intelligence Quotient) system. Every action Indy takes, whether successfully solving a puzzle or making a mistake, affects his IQ score. A higher IQ can unlock new options or solutions for later puzzles, while a lower score might make some situations harder or impossible to overcome without replaying previous levels to improve IQ.

Managing Indy's IQ is key to completing the game. Players need to be careful with their choices, as there are often multiple ways to solve a problem, but not all are optimal for IQ points. The game encourages exploration and logical thinking, offering a deep adventure experience on the NES platform.