Solomon’s Key is a 1986 action-puzzle game developed and published by Tecmo for the NES, adapted from their arcade original. You play as Dana, a young sorcerer working through 50 increasingly elaborate rooms — each one a closed puzzle you must solve before the timer expires.
How to Play
Your goal in every room is to find the hidden key and carry it to the glowing exit door. Dana’s core ability is conjuring and erasing solid magic bricks: press B (Z on keyboard) while facing any direction to place a brick directly in front of you, and press it again to remove it. You use these bricks to build platforms, reach high ledges, and block enemies. An enemy caught in the space where you create a brick is crushed and eliminated — often the cleanest way to clear a path. A countdown timer runs continuously; if it hits zero you lose a life and restart the room from scratch.
Controls
| Gamepad control: | ||
|
Player 1: |
Player 2: | |
|
↑ |
↑ | – |
|
↓ |
↓ | – |
|
← |
← | – |
| → | → | – |
| A | X | – |
| B | Z | – |
|
SELECT |
Shift |
– |
|
START |
Enter |
– |
Tips
- Pause and map the room mentally before moving — enemies begin tracking Dana the instant the room starts, and a hasty first move often cuts off the route you actually need.
- Brick-crushing enemies is far more reliable than waiting for a fireball scroll; create a brick on top of a stationary enemy to eliminate it cleanly.
- Bells scattered around rooms award bonus lives — collect them whenever you safely can, since the later rooms are unforgiving.
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