Layla (Japan)

Layla is a side-scrolling action-adventure game developed by Palcom (a Konami subsidiary) and published by Konami in 1986 for the Famicom. Players control Layla, a member of the elite "Rough" mercenary group, on a mission to rescue her kidnapped comrades from the evil Dr. Manbow.

The game involves traveling between eight different planets, each with its own unique environment and challenges. Before landing on a planet, there's a short space shooter segment where Layla's ship flies through an asteroid field, which can be skipped.

On each planet, the game shifts to a side-scrolling platformer perspective. Layla can walk, jump, and shoot. She starts with a basic pistol. Throughout the levels, she can find various weapon upgrades such as machine gun, laser, grenade launcher, flame thrower, and other power-ups like shields, extra lives, and health refills. These are often found by destroying specific enemies or hidden blocks.

A unique feature for its time is Layla's inventory system. Players can collect and switch between different weapons and items, adding a strategic element as certain weapons are more effective against specific enemies or bosses. Each planet is populated with various alien creatures and robotic enemies. At the end of each planet, Layla faces a boss, which often requires specific tactics or weapon choices to defeat. Levels can be quite extensive, encouraging exploration to find hidden items and the path to the boss. Layla has a health bar; taking damage depletes it, and running out of health results in a life lost. The game features a password system to save progress, which was common for NES games of this era. Layla is known for its challenging difficulty, varied weapon system, and blend of action, shooting, and exploration elements.