8 Eyes is an action-platformer developed by Thinking Rabbit for the NES in 1988. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, you play as Orin the Falconer, who must explore eight distinct castles to recover the eight titular jewels. Heavily inspired by Castlevania, the game features non-linear progression where completing levels in a specific order makes subsequent bosses easier by exploiting their weapon weaknesses. It uniquely includes a two-player cooperative mode, allowing one player to control Orin while the other commands his attack bird, Cutrus.
How to play
Your objective is to defeat the mutant bosses of each castle and collect the 8 Eyes. You can tackle the first seven castles in any order.
- Move: Arrow keys
- Jump: X
- Attack: Z
- Command Cutrus: Up + Z
- Select / Start: Shift / Enter
If playing with two players, the second player can independently control Cutrus.
Tips
- Find the optimal order: Similar to Mega Man, defeating bosses grants you weapons that are highly effective against specific other bosses. If a level seems too hard, try a different one first.
- Use Cutrus defensively: Your falcon is invaluable not just for combat, but for hitting enemies out of Orin’s reach and flipping switches to open doors. Keep an eye on his energy meter.
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