Demon’s Crest is a game I’ve mentioned every single time Capcom has brought a new game to the New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, and now I no longer have to. Demon’s Crest can be picked up and enjoyed for $7.99.
Mega Man meets Metroid starring a fire-breathing demon!
I’ve been in love with this game since the first time I played it at an uncle’s house so many years ago. I remember the tint for his television was off, so Firebrand, our main character, was actually yellow. I never learned he was red until I rented the game myself!
Of course, Firebrand doesn’t remain red for very long, though. One of the lures of Demon’s Crest is collecting elemental crests which change Firebrand’s form and abilities. For example, the Earth crest turns his skin yellow, strips away his wings, and gives him a dash attack and more powerful blasts from his mouth. The Sky crest makes him blue and gives him more aerial maneuverability.
That’s another plus for Firebrand: he can fly!
And with that flight, he explores a strange combination of linear and non-linear levels. The haunted ruins and depleted cities he traverses loosely connect to one another through secret passages and are never as direct as a Mega Man stage. Before he acquires the ability to bust these secrets open, Firebrand swoops through an awesome Mode-7 overworld and accesses these levels from the air.
Random shops and mini-games also scour the overworld map, too, so Firebrand is never short on activities beyond the realm of slaying his fellow demons.
Demon’s Crest is an atmospheric and exception platformer, and it is an underrated classic. The first Mega Man X might have a small edge on it, but it easily surpasses some of the less inspired games from the franchise. Hopefully, being available digitally will bring it the fame it never got during its original run. Download it today!
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