Overview and Gameplay
Sarah has thirteen hours to cross Jareth’s labyrinth and rescue Toby in this Japan-only Famicom action-adventure. The countdown also acts as her health, losing time through normal play and enemy attacks. Players explore thirteen maze-like areas, defeat creatures with thrown stones, collect keys and coins, and return to the Wiseman between stages.
Invisible passages, one-way routes, altered directional controls, underground networks, and a multilevel final castle make route planning central to progress. Coins unlock permanent attack and defense upgrades, while gems purchase time-restoring items and other supplies.
Controls And Mechanics
- Movement and combat: Move in eight directions and throw unlimited stones in the chosen direction.
- Companions: Recruit Hoggle, Ludo, or Sir Didymus with hearts, then strengthen their attacks by collecting more.
- Time system: Clocks, lipstick, and the Labyrinth Book restore portions of the countdown.
- Score: High scores can cause Jareth to appear and steal time until driven away.
Version Notes
The official release is titled Labyrinth: Maou no Meikyuu in Japanese and was not released for the North American or European NES. Its menus and dialogue remain in Japanese.
Release And Credits
- Release year: 1987
- Developer: Atlus
- Publisher: Tokuma Shoten
- Platform: Nintendo Family Computer
