Dark Seal (World revision 3)

Released by Data East in 1990 for arcades, this title is a fantasy action game that incorporates elements of role-playing. Players choose one of the "Four Knights of Light"—a knight, wizard, bard, or ninja—and set off on a five-stage adventure to seal the "Gate of Doom." A key component of the game is its character development system, allowing players to gain experience and learn up to 12 different spells throughout their journey. Notably, the game features a mechanic where the tempo of the background music changes in response to weapon usage; it is an interesting historical fact revealed by existing hardware that the range of this tempo shift has widened over the decades.

An evil shadow spread across the hearts of the people of the once-peaceful Kingdom of Etruria, and before long, the gate to the underworld was opened. As monsters poured forth from the gate to shroud the world in darkness, four heroes, guided by fate and ancient legend, rose to take a stand. Harnessing the power of light and their own skills, they set out on a journey of battle to seal the gate to the underworld and restore peace to the world once more.