Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Side-scrolling action platformer where knight Arthur fights through five levels of undead enemies twice to reach the final boss chamber. You run, jump, and throw weapons at demons while dodging attacks that strip your armor in one hit. Shoot upward or downward mid-air, unlike the original. Fire at treasure chests to reveal new weapons, gold armor that lets you charge magical attacks, or cursed magicians who turn you into a duck. Each weapon has its own charged spell. The twist: beat all five levels, then replay them to find a mandatory special weapon before you can access the last fight. Miss it and you can't finish. Expect to die often—Arthur moves stiffly and enemies swarm from all angles.