Why Crystalis Is One of the Best Hidden Gems on NES

1997, October 1. The END DAY.

Crystalis Opening Sequence

Updated April 2026

Some games are instantly legends. Others quietly turn into cult classics.

Crystalis falls neatly in that second category.

It had fast action, great progression, plenty to explore and one of the most ambitious storylines of its time. It never reached the popularity or fame that The Legend of Zelda did, but many gaming fans still consider it one of the best games to hit the system.

Does Crystalis still deserve that reputation today? Absolutely. Will I end up fanboying through parts of this article? Also yes.

Lately I’ve been thinking about the games I loved most as a kid, and Crystalis was hands-down my most played NES game.

Crystalis also earned a top spot in my ranking of the best NES RPGs still worth playing today.

Crystalis

Gamers of a certain age often view the 8-bit era of video games with nostalgia (and by certain age, I mean us elder millenials and young Gen-Xers). And for good reason. It was an era when video games were in their infancy, and developers were still learning what was possible with the hardware available to them. It felt like the sky was the limit! Crystalis is one of the most overlooked games in one of the most popular genres from The Early Days.

Crystalis was developed by SNK and published by Nintendo in 1990 for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). It combined elements of action-adventure games like The Legend of Zelda with traditional RPG mechanics like leveling up and a spell system. The result was a game that was both familiar and unique, and in spite of pretty favorable reviews, was written off by many as a lesser quality game than the Zelda games or games in the Dragon Quest or Ultima series. This is a garbage take. Crystalis is beautiful in both visuals and sound. Seriously, the soundtrack is … *chef’s kiss* so good.

Our Destiny is in Your Hands

One of the best things about Crystalis is its plot. Set in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi meets fantasy world of 2097, the game sees the player take on the role of a young magician tasked with saving the world from the evil Draygonian Empire and the powerful sorcerer Draygon. This is a world where humanity had been pushed to the brink of extinction and literally back to the dark ages!

The unnamed hero (you!) only survived because they were cryogenically put to sleep, to be awoken only to prevent another Great War. Along the way, you meet a variety of helpful Sages, explore different towns and dungeons, and uncover the secrets of the world’s past.

The game’s plot is engaging, with plenty of twists and turns to keep players interested. The story is linear, and there are several instances where you will be unable to move forward because you have missed something and will need to backtrack to learn more about the swords (more on these bad boys later!) or the world. Mutated plants and creatures cover the post-apocalyptic landscape due to the THERMONUCLEAR WAR of 1997!

Ahead Of Its Time

In terms of gameplay, Crystalis is absolutely a joy to play. The controls and combat are responsive, which was not always the case in the Early Days. The game features a unique system of elemental swords, which you must collect and use to progress through the game. Each sword has its own unique abilities and can be leveled up by collecting certain items and defeating certain enemies. This gives the game a sense of progression and makes the player feel more powerful as they progress through the game.

The Swords of Crystalis

• The Sword of Wind is the first sword you receive, in the very first village you enter: Leaf. Once powered up you can break down rock obstacles (Ball of Wind) and hit multiple enemies at once (Tornado Bracelet).
• The Sword of Fire is necessary for defeating many ice-based enemies and is found in the village of Oak. You can break down ice walls with it (Ball of Fire) and cause damaging explosions around your character (Flame Bracelet).
• The Sword of Water is useful against fire-based enemies and is found in the Waterfall Cavern. You can freeze narrow waterways to make bridges (Ball of Water) and cause a blizzard to damage enemies around you (Blizzard Bracelet).
• The Sword of Thunder is found in the Cave of Styx and shoots a small cone of lightning in front of you. (3 bolts) Upgraded with the Ball of Thunder, you can shoot a wider cone (7 bolts) and once you find the Storm Bracelet, you can cause major damage to all enemies on-screen.
• Of course, this list is not complete without mentioning the Ultimate Weapon: CRYSTALIS. Forged by Mesia using all of the other Elemental Swords, Crystalis attacks with the power of all four elements. There are no additional power-ups.

Combat for Everyone

The combat in Crystalis is well-executed, fast-paced and fun, with plenty of variety in terms of enemy types and attacks. The game also features a magic system, which allows players to use spells to heal themselves or damage enemies. This adds an extra layer of strategy to the combat, as players must balance their use of magic with their physical attacks. There are also a wide array of magical power-ups and story-specific items to use and discover – statues that calm the tides, flutes that awaken allies and keys of all sorts – even a gas mask that is required to survive some poisonous terrain!

The combat (real time vs turn based) and equipment progression aside, the world building and story of the game was ambitious to say the least. Magic mixed with technology, a brutal techno-fascist dictator and several wise wizards all added up to story that was, though confusing at time, thoroughly fun and engaging.

Crystalis on the GBC

In 2000, Crystalis was re-released for the Game Boy Color, with some updated graphics and a few other changes. While the changes were minor, they did serve to enhance the game’s already impressive visuals, making it even more appealing to players. They also mixed up the order of the final battles, which I did not love but is not a deal-breaker by any means. They updated some of the dialogue with the townsfolk, but not in a way that changes the game in a meaningful way.

The one gripe I have – and others seem to as well – is that the screen size is smaller, making the world feel a little more cramped to traverse. Again, not a deal-breaker, but certainly a complication and limitation of the hardware.

This Will Be a Legend Forever Remembered …

Much of the game aged well. The controls were so good, that they don’t feel clunky or rough by today’s standards. The sense of wonder and discovery as you travel what truly feels like an alien world really needs to be experienced to be believed. The music is on another level for its time, and really gives the world depth.

What’s Missing in 2026?

Nothing! Well, biases aside, there are more than a few moments where what to do next is not very clear. A lot of progression points in the story rely on finding a specific item and/or hitting a certain level, and the clues are not always linearly located. Personally, I consider the awkward translations charming, but others may have a less charitable take.

One major gripe from a friend of mine was the learning curve on some fights was too steep. This is a hallmark of the era, though. Difficulty spikes in NES games come with the territory.

Zelda vs Crystalis: What Happened?

Honestly, I think it was a timing issue and publishing/marketing issue.

Crystalis released in 1990, so The Legend of Zelda had been out for just about three years already. On top of the that, Zelda’s sequel The Adventure of Link had been out for almost two years, so there was already a huge amount of buzz and interest in the Zelda franchise.

That period of time also had a huge amount of options in the RPG/action-adventure genres, so it was challenging to standout. Many players chose to stick with what they knew instead of risking buying something unknown, from a relatively unknown publisher.

The Verdict

Crystalis is an absolutely an underrated gem of the NES era of RPGs. It has an engaging plot, fun gameplay, and decent replayability to make it a must-play for fans of the RPG genre. It’s not as well-known as other games from the era, such as Final Fantasy, Zelda or Dragon Quest, but it is every bit as enjoyable and deserving of attention. If you’re a casual video game fan looking for a great RPG to sink your teeth into, give Crystalis a spin. It won’t disappoint you.

(all screenshots taken from a gameplay walkthrough by NintendoComplete. Full video: here)

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Crystalis an RPG or Zelda-style Action game?

It blends parts of both, making it an action-RPG

Is Crystalis worth playing today?

Absolutely. It is very popular among retro fans, and the controls, music and graphics still hold up today.

Was Crystalis underrated?

Very much yes.

Is Crystalis hard?

It can be challenging, but if you’re patient it is not so bad. Typical NES difficulty spikes, but nothing extreme.