KickMaster

KickMaster is an action-platformer game developed by KID and published by Taito for the NES. The protagonist Thonolan, an aspiring martial artist and brother of knight Macren, embarks on a journey to rescue kidnapped Princess Silphee from the witch Belzed after her parents are slain. Gameplay features side-scrolling levels with jumping, enemy combat using kicks and magic spells learned through leveling up; defeated foes drop items that boost HP, MP, or offer harmful effects. Thonolan gains experience to increase maximum MP and learn new attacks like slide kick, helicopter kick, and spinning flip kick. There are eight destinations before facing Belzed, with branching paths and boss fights. Story culminates in defeating the witch and Thonolan vanishing after burning her tower. What stands out is the RPG leveling system combined with platforming and martial arts, plus high-quality gothic visuals and soundtrack akin to early Castlevania titles.