The Battle of Olympus

The Battle of Olympus draws on Greek mythology, casting the player as Orpheus, who journeys into the underworld and across mythical lands in search of his beloved Eurydice. Structurally the game closely resembles Zelda II: The Adventure of Link – a sprawling interconnected world, gradually unlocked abilities and items, side-view combat, and the need to revisit previously explored areas with newly acquired gear. The pacing is somewhat slower, though, leaning more on exploration than pure combat.

The player's journey passes through locations inspired by Greek myths, where creatures such as cyclopes and other mythological beings await, and gradually collected artifacts – a sword, shield, wings, or healing potions – open up previously inaccessible parts of the map. This system rewards careful exploration and gives the player a genuine sense of progress, even though navigating the world without modern hints can be challenging at times. Encounters with figures from Greek mythology also lend the story the flavor of an epic journey unfolding from one mythical location to the next.

The Battle of Olympus is still valued today as one of the finer "metroidvania" forerunners on the NES, one that managed to retell an ancient myth in an accessible and playable form. For players with an interest in mythology it also offers a nice bonus in recognizing individual figures and places from old Greek legends, reshaped into a form the game medium can convey. Even with the passage of time the game feels like a carefully thought-out whole, in which every location visited has its purpose.

Why play it: For its elaborate interconnected world inspired by Greek mythology and progression reminiscent of Zelda II.