Time Lord (USA)

Time Lord is an action-adventure game developed by Rare and published by Acclaim for the NES in 1989. The story revolves around a time traveler named Mark, who is tasked with stopping a dangerous alien race called the Space Mutants. These aliens have altered history and threaten the existence of humanity. Mark must travel to five different time periods: the year 2000, the Middle Ages, the Pirate era, Ancient times, and the Dinosaur era to collect five powerful weapons.

The gameplay of Time Lord combines action and adventure elements. Players control Mark as he moves through side-scrolling screens, facing various enemies and solving simple puzzles. Each time period features unique settings and adversaries. For instance, in the Middle Ages, you'll battle knights and dragons, while in the Dinosaur era, you'll encounter prehistoric creatures.

The main objective in each time period is to find and defeat the area boss to obtain a piece of the required weapon. Additionally, players must collect power-ups like health and ammunition. Mark can attack by punching or kicking, and once he acquires weapons, he can utilize them.

A distinctive element is the "time" system within the game. Players have a limited amount of time to complete each level. If time runs out, Mark is pulled back to the future and must restart the level. This adds an extra layer of pressure and requires players to be efficient.

The graphics in Time Lord were quite detailed for an NES game of its time, particularly the enemy and environmental designs. The music and sound effects also contribute to creating an appropriate atmosphere for each time period. While not considered a classic, Time Lord still offers a unique experience with its time-traveling premise and diverse settings.