Fudou Myouou Den

Fudou Myouou Den is a 1990 Taito side-scrolling action game for the Famicom. Players embody Fudo Myoo, the wrathful Buddhist guardian deity, wielding a sacred sword and a divine rope through stages teeming with demons and malevolent spirits. The sword handles close-range attacks while the rope can bind and restrain distant foes, giving players flexible tactical options. Level design draws on Japanese mythology and folklore, and the boss encounters are memorably bizarre and imposing. Using a Buddhist deity as the protagonist was highly unusual for the Famicom library, lending the game a uniquely mysterious and atmospheric tone throughout.