Argos no Senshi

Argos no Senshi — released in North America and Europe as Rygar — is an action game by Tecmo, published for the NES in 1987. Players control the warrior Argos, wielding the Diskarmor, a distinctive spinning disc-shield, as they fight through varied landscapes and dungeons. The NES version greatly expands on the arcade original by adding RPG progression: defeating enemies yields experience that permanently raises health and attack power. The semi-open world structure is widely recognized as an important early precursor to the Metroidvania genre, lending the title lasting historical significance beyond its considerable playability.