The Bard’s Tale: Tales of the Unknown is a classic first-person dungeon-crawling RPG released for the NES in 1991. Set in the cursed city of Skara Brae, players must assemble a party of adventurers to explore monster-filled labyrinths and defeat the evil wizard Mangar. Known for its challenging turn-based combat, intricate mapping, and the unique addition of a Bard class whose songs provide vital buffs, this port brings the deeply rewarding gameplay of the seminal PC RPG to the console.
How to play
Create and manage a party of adventurers, balancing melee fighters with magic users like the Bard, to survive the dungeons beneath Skara Brae. For this browser-based NES emulator, the default controls are mapped to your keyboard: use the arrow keys for the D-pad to navigate menus and move through the first-person mazes, press Z for the A button to confirm actions or attack, X for the B button to cancel, and Enter for Start to pause or access your party screen.
Tips
- Map your progress on physical paper if possible; the dungeons of Skara Brae are complex and filled with traps and teleporters that can easily disorient you.
- Always include a Bard in your party and keep them equipped with instruments, as their persistent songs are essential for healing and buffing your team during long dungeon dives.
- Spend time near the city’s Adventurer’s Guild early on to grind for experience and gold, as venturing too deep too quickly will result in a party wipe.
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