In a lot of ways, Cadash is an incredibly inventive game. The first and most obvious point is that it's an Action-RPG designed for the arcades. Yes, I'm talking true blue experience points, shopping, and sleeping at the inn Action-RPG. You may find yourself asking "well, what's stopping players from grinding a bunch to easily beat the game?" Oh, that's easy. Taito, the developer behind this classic, included two deterrents. One is the clock that's always ticking away. Progressing through the game adds minutes to the clock, but you can't really afford to waste time either. Two is the fact that inns get exponentially more expensive with every stay. It's a reverse in dynamics. The equipment tends to be cheap, but resting becomes prohibitively pricey. Through this pair of factors, the game develops its uniquely deep and rich flavor. You have to contend with vicious monsters, devious traps, and time-management.
When Cadash was ported to the Turbografx-16, the clock was stripped out entirely, and inns reverted back to being cheaper than dirt. "Oh no! Now the game is ruined!" said by absolutely no-one on this planet or the next. There is still plenty of inventive meat to go around. Upon starting a new game, players are given four classes to choose from, each of whom play quite differently from one another. A Fighter's strategy might be to run up and hit everything with a sword, but a Mage can't afford to be as aggressive. The Ninja can use his superior range and speed to keep out of danger, while a Priest manages her MP to stay as healthy as possible. That's four playstyles to experiment with, adding significant replay value. The inclusion of a two-player mode allows for even more variation. Different class combinations have their own challenges. Since experience isn't shared, the Fighter can't simply charge onward while the Mage conserves his powerful magic for bosses. Also, since both players share the same screen, neither can rush too far ahead without causing problems.
Seeing as how this review is designed to fit the 2026 Special, I don't have to worry about Fighters, Mages, Ninjas, or even friends. This is the Priest's show, and if you're familiar with Cadash, then you know she dominates. Her weapon is a flail, though it behaves like a hookshot. Fling it in one of eight-directions and purchase the upgrades so it'll reach the entire length of the screen. It's far from weak, allowing the Priest to solve problems - or at least lock them down - the second they appear. What makes her the demon of the battlefield is her shield spell. A 30 mp cost might sound expensive, but let's look at the benefits. Once cast, the shield revolves around its caster indefinitely. Yep! There's no harm in casting before bedtime! I don't know the exact number off the top of my head, but I'll go ahead and say that the shield absorbs several hits.
With this spell, the Priest becomes exponentially more durable than any of her compatriots. She also doesn't take any knockback while shielded, making it a great method for getting past several obstacles at once. If you happen to know what you're facing next, then it might be worth holding onto that MP for a bit. Damage in the TG-16 port tends to vary. Some traps and projectiles only do a single point of damage; others cleave off huge chunks of 15 or more. The one consistency is that contact with a monster hurts badly. Naturally, you can extend the life of your shields even further by not wasting them in sections where everything barely scratches the heroine. Absolutely save it for bosses though, particularly the finale. During my last play-through, I got knocked backwards into the final boss. I was out over 100 HP just trying to detach myself from his big body. Granted, it's not like I was in much danger of dying. I had two elixirs sitting in my pockets, and they function as extra lives.
Okay, so we have a Priest with a strong weapon and an overpowered spell. That means Cadash isn't fun anymore, right? Actually, you'd be surprised to read that there is no possible way I could ever imagine this game being unfun. After all, I've been playing it off and on for about 35 years. There's fantasy, action, imaginative and unexplained phenomena like the giant stone hands reaching out to grab hapless adventurers. The tight pacing also plays a big part. Dungeons move quickly and feature an array of difficult scenarios to overcome. Avoiding obstacles has a simple yet tangible appeal to it. Waiting for spears to recede back into their receptacles, leaping over giant spiked balls so they pass underneath, everything works as it should.
I suppose I shouldn't put it off any longer. Let it be known here and now that Cadash will henceforth be considered one of my "comfort games". It absolutely deserves a place on the fluffy shelf next to SoulBlazer, and... damn I forgot the rest of the list. These warm & fluffy feelings extend to every version, including the Genesis port, which aside from lacking two characters is still quite nice. The Turbografx-16 port isn't as accurate. The most noticeable difference - beyond graphics & sound - is that there are more screen transitions. A nitpick I have is that the first boss has a projectile that moves faster than even the arcade original, making it rather tough to dodge. There are a few other minor cuts, like the final boss doesn't get its second head, but nothing serious. It's an altogether impressive effort, perfect for anyone who wants to experience the game, but isn't quite ready for the time limit and overpriced inns.
Oh! There is one mishap that this so-called critic forgot to mention. Some enemies aren't particularly smart. Look directly above to see an example of what I'm talking about. Flan the Priest is waiting for one of these skeletons to stab her, and sadly she'll be waiting forever. Monsters that rely on weapons will often stop just short of their intended target. Apparently, they have this misguided hope that the player will just walk into their sword or club. It's one of those amusing oversights that, if I'm being honest, doesn't affect the port all that much. These incompetents are only seen in the early portions of the game. If anything, the Priest having a totally busted shield spell is the more significant issue, but if I don't care about that, then why would I care about some dumb skeletons?
Huh... Well, look at that.
The TG-16 port of Cadash has been one of my comfy games for less than a paragraph and I'm already ignoring legitimate criticisms. Anyway, no matter how you go about it, definitely make some time for this classic.
One other thing.
The Ninja is also really overpowered. Here he is effortlessly shredding the final boss. Who needs a fancy shield spell when everything dies to a pocketful of shuriken?
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