Swords and Serpents (USA)

In the classic NES RPG, Swords and Serpents, players control a party of four courageous adventurers. From the outset, you can choose or create characters from four fundamental classes: Fighter, Cleric, Magic-User, and Thief. Each class possesses distinct strengths and skills, allowing for a balanced and strategically diverse team composition.

The gameplay of Swords and Serpents primarily revolves around exploring a vast dungeon, presented from a first-person perspective. Players navigate in a grid-based fashion through corridors and rooms, searching for treasure, solving puzzles, and unlocking new areas. The dungeon features multiple levels, each concealing its own secrets and challenges.

The combat system is turn-based. Upon encountering monsters, the screen transitions into battle mode, allowing players to issue commands to each party member. Fighters will wield weapons, Clerics can cast healing and support spells, Magic-Users unleash powerful offensive spells, and Thieves can disarm traps or pick locks. Item and equipment management is also crucial; you'll need to equip appropriate weapons and armor and utilize various potions for support during battles.

Defeating monsters grants your party experience points and gold. Experience points help characters level up, enhancing their statistics and allowing them to learn new skills or spells. The ultimate goal is to delve deeper into the dungeon, confront, and defeat the malevolent serpent threatening the kingdom.