Release Date: July 18, 1989
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Back in the early days of video games, movie tie-in games were seen as cheap cash-ins. In a way, they still are now, but they’re mainly released on mobile phones for dirt cheap. But the movie tie-ins of the 80s were made to be played on home consoles and sold at $40-50. Yes, there were some good movie-licensed games back then, like Batman: The Video Game and New Ghostbusters II. But the list of bad movie tie-ins in the 80s was longer than Charles Manson’s rap sheet. Shit, anyone who has played Back to the Future or The Karate Kid might well consider those games crimes!
One of the games that falls into the “good” category is Willow, a great game based on a questionable movie license. The movie, written by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, was not loved critically and was only able to break even due to the international and home video markets. It has since become a cult success; I personally enjoy the movie.
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The video game, released in 1989 by Capcom, loosely follows the events of the movie. You are the eponymous Willow Ufgood, a dwarven character from the village of Nelwyn. He has been charged with protecting a human baby named Elora from Bavmorda, an evil witch queen. It’s standard fantasy stuff.
The game is an action-adventure game straight from the Legend of Zelda playbook, with a few upgrades. Willow starts out weak and with rudimentary equipment, but gains experience and strength as he progresses. Upgraded weapons and armor will be found, and magic spells will be learned. Again, this is standard action-adventure stuff.
Graphically, Willow is generally above-average. It’s definitely not a graphical showcase, but enemies are well modeled and the backgrounds, while repetitive, are colorful. The music was catchy at first; I still remember the outside theme for Nelwyn vividly. Later tunes are a touch weaker, but still good. The sounds are serviceable, getting a noticeable punch during combat. As a whole, the presentation is quite good but lacking a bit.
The gameplay, however, is top-notch. Capcom was a beast as an NES developer, and this game is proof positive of that. Combat is challenging but not impossible, and your character becomes quite adept at fighting. The later magic spells he wields will be very useful in heavier engagements. He also has two different kinds of sword strikes, one for single combat and one to deal with multiple foes.
And those foes come at you with blood in their eyes. The enemies will frequently approach you in packs, and it will take some serious swordplay – and some magic – to beat them back. Bosses amp up the difficulty some more and might be unbeatable unless you are at a certain level. The difficulty of this game is pretty high, but more than manageable.
The game’s story, however, is its weak point. Adapting a movie script to a video game is not exactly easy, and here is no exception. Plot points are only loosely followed, and other characters – including Val Kilmer’s batty but wonderful Madmartigan – are barely in the game and only to touch on those loose plot points. Fans of the movie – and back then there were few – would be disappointed.
Does it still hold up? For action-adventure fans, yes it does. Willow is still a highly enjoyable game. The action and gameplay more than make up for the game’s shortcomings. This game was essentially an evolution of The Legend of Zelda gameplay and it was done nicely.
Unfortunately, the only way to play this game legitimately is to own an NES and the cartridge. Thankfully, the game is not terribly expensive on the used market. For those who wish to use more unseemly methods to play the game…well, I can’t help ya there.
This game was one of my favorite games on the NES. In fact, it was the second game I purchased for the console. My ex-wife picked it out for me. She then spent the next three years asking me if it was a good pick. It’s been 26 years, but I’ll say it again: yes, it was a good choice.
Good: Excellent gameplay; moderate difficulty
Bad: Only loosely follows plot; story elements weak
Final score: 8/10
