An Atlus NES action-platformer with a medieval warrior. Enriched combat mechanics, polished visuals for the console. Overlooked but genuinely solid and recommendable. A pleasant surprise.
Your verdict
Category
Action1 player12+
Description
Action platformer featuring a knight battling monster armies with a sword and spells. Published by Activision, released in the USA in 1992. Knight in side-scrolling view with sword and magic to acquire, imposing bosses and detailed visuals. An original and little-known action platformer on NES.
North American NES edition from 1992 of the Athena action game, the most distributed of the four variants yet already uncommon as a complete boxed copy. The US version keeps the snappy sword combat that sustained a small cult around the title. Desirability owes less to extreme scarcity than to its role as the reference piece for anyone gathering Sword Master across all its pressings, the natural benchmark against the Japanese, European and Sample versions.
Is Sword Master still worth playing in 2026?
An action platformer from Activision, Sword Master pits a knight against monster armies, in sword combat more measured than the genre average, where parrying and timing count as much as attacking. The magic system, the progression and the polished heroic fantasy mood bring a distinctive cachet. The difficulty stays high and the handling needs a moment to adjust. For a fan of thoughtful retro action platforming or someone curious about overlooked NES gems, the title keeps an assertive style and a demanding challenge still stimulating.
