Karnov

A 1987 Data East release, this NES version ports the arcade original. Players control Karnov, a fire-breathing strongman on a quest to reclaim the Treasure of Babylon stolen by a dragon, fighting through nine stages. His basic attack launches fireballs, and scattered pickups — ladders, boomerangs, shields, boots, and masks — augment flame intensity and mobility. Bosses drawn from mythology include Medusa, a two-headed bird, an armored knight, and a giant dragon. A side-scrolling action platformer with a brisk pace, each stage blends platforming and projectile challenges, making it a quintessential hard-edged single-player arcade title from the late 1980s.