Cadash

Game Details:

Cadash was officially released in arcades by Taito in 1989. The game is set in the ancient fantasy land of Cadash, where the evil demon Baarog has awakened and kidnapped Princess Sarasa of the Kingdom of Dircesia, intending to use her blood to awaken dark forces. The King has summoned four brave warriors to embark on a quest. As a representative work of the early "Action RPG" arcade genre, the game introduced traditional RPG systems like XP leveling, gold for purchasing gear, NPC dialogue, and resting at inns. Combined with its exquisite dark-fantasy art style and high-pressure, massive boss battles, it stood out as a unique title in arcades at the time.

Game Guide:

The game supports multiple class choices: Fighter (high attack and defense but short range), Mage (strong screen-clearing magic but low HP), Priest (high defense with healing abilities, the top choice for solo runs), and Ninja (extremely fast attack speed and excels at long-range harassment).

The core gameplay revolves around enemy control and resource management. Pro-tip: The game has a strict time limit; if the countdown reaches zero, it's instant death. Therefore, do not mindlessly farm mobs in stages; you must prioritize making progress. Gold earned from defeating enemies must be allocated wisely; prioritize upgrading weapons and armor at every village, and stock up on antidotes and hourglasses (which increase time). Once the Priest learns healing magic in the mid-game, the difficulty of clearing the game drops significantly. When facing the final boss, Baarog, the Mage or Priest should maintain distance and kite with magic or ranged items, while the Fighter and Ninja should utilize post-hit invincibility frames to stay close and finish the fight quickly.