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[[quoteright:256:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/La_Mulana2.png]]
[[caption-width-right:256:Finally I got to La-Mulana. The adventure starts here!]]
->''"This is where the Mother sleeps. A path of trials, where only heroes that do not fear death may enter."''
-->-- First tablet in the ruins

''La-Mulana'' (&#12521;·&#12512;&#12521;&#12540;&#12490;) is a {{Metroidvania}} platformer videogame for Windows. It is freeware, and was developed by three people who call their development group Nigoro (formerly known as [=GR3=] Project) in Japan as a tribute to the {{MSX}} computer system / gaming console (and includes tons of references to such). You play an [[IndianaJones Indiana-Jones]]-esque [[AdventurerArchaeologist archaeologist]] who must solve the numerous puzzles throughout an immense set of ancient ruins.

''La-Mulana'' is a homage to the 8-bit action-adventures that you might remember from your childhood. It wants to instill in you the same sense of fear and awe you felt back then. The sense that everything is at stake and anything could happen.

But you've grown up, haven't you? Your twitch skills are stronger, and your knowledge of VideogameTropes is broader. Can you ever really go back?

No need to worry 'bout that. ''[[NintendoHard La-Mulana]]'' [[NintendoHard has grown up too]].

You can download the game and the English patch [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lamulana here]].

A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on WiiWare was released in Japan on June 21, 2011, with 32-bit sprite graphics in place of the MSX-style ones, among various other changes; it was developed by the same three guys who did the original. An overseas release localized by Nicalis was planned, but was [[NoExportForYou ultimately cancelled]] due to development problems and the decline of the [=WiiWare=] service. However! As announced in [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/sorry.html this post on NIGORO's blog]], the remake came to PC. The PC version was released everywhere in the world on July 13, 2012, as the launch of the english language Playism Games site. Watch the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1yP_be9IyI trailer here.]] It can be purchased in [[http://www.playism-games.com/games/lamulana/ it's Playism page]] and, as of 4th of October, 2012, also in [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/la_mulana/ GOG.com]] and [[http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-LAMULANA/la-mulana GamersGate]].

The WiiWare version [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/we-decided-to-release-wiiware-version-in-north-america-and-europe.html was picked up]] for overseas release by [=EnjoyUp=] Games on September 20th.
----
!!Examples:
* AHouseDivided: The Giants split into two factions: those who wanted to return Mother to the sky, and those who wanted her to remain on Earth. Three factions if you want to included Zeb stuck holding up the Earth.
* AdvancingBossOfDoom: Viy pulls it off, as does Ellmac (sorta).
* AdventurerArchaeologist: Lemeza, the PlayerCharacter, is quite obviously one of these.
** As is his father, Shorn, and probably most of the skeletons found throughout the ruins.
* AlienGeometries: La-Mulana is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simply_connected_space non-simply connected]], almost certainly deliberately. If you try to make a map that shows where all the areas are in relation to each other, taking every connection into account, you'll quickly discover that it can't be done. In particular, it's not at all clear what the lowest point inside the ruins is, as you can go through the same set of locations in the lower areas (Inferno Cavern, Chamber of Extinction) over and over again while taking a path that should logically be going farther and farther downward. That said, there's also [[spoiler:the infinitely deep pit in the Inferno Cavern that appears during the quest for opening up Hell Temple.]]
** Perhaps most {{egregious}} is the Shrine of the Mother, in which the lowest area of the Endless Corridor takes you to the top of the area, and an entrance three floors up takes you to a lower, isolated area. Everything else can be explained with the depiction of three-dimensional space in two dimensions, but this...
** Even the same areas aren't connected logically. Hell Temple is the another example where you can fall from multiple rooms into the same "Land of Hell." There's also the first time the player enters the Twin Labyrinth from the Mausoleum of the Giants, where going down one ladder sends the player to a room on the opposite side of the map!
** Areas vary in terms of how alien their geometries are (with, generally, the "deeper" areas getting more bizarre, while the early ones make a bit more sense.) The Twin Labyrinths in particular is utterly confusing (naturally, since it basically connects two dimensions.) The Endless Corridor is pretty bizarre, too, but both it and the bizarre way it relates to the Shrine of the Mother make a bit more sense when you realize that [[spoiler:Tiamat used her power to swap it with the Dimensional Corridor so she could hide in another dimension.]]
* AllMythsAreTrue
* AllThereInTheManual: For your benefit, the manual is included. Do read it, or you'll be lost at sea.
** A necessary hint to one of the puzzles is only found in the manual, to encourage such things. However, as it refers to the end of the Aztec's fifth age, which got talked about a bit on television after the game came out, it's more probable you can beat the game without reading it.
* AlreadyUndoneForYou: Traps in that large temple complex.
* AlwaysCheckBehindTheChair
* AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield: In the remake. In the original version most of the bosses you fight will have a black screen in the backdrop, this is because it's [[{{Retraux}} supposed to look like it fits the limitations of the MSX]].
* AmbidextrousSprite: Averted, Lemeza has different sprites for facing left and right.
** The same is true of any enemy that holds a weapon or shield (the lizards in the Confusion Gate, for example).
* AncientAstronauts: [[spoiler:The Mother.]]
** Also Palenque
* AndYourRewardIsClothes: [[spoiler:[[FanDisservice Not a very good reward for completing the bonus level.]]]]
** [[spoiler:In the remake after you beat Hell Temple, Lemeza's sprites actually change in game of him donning the Treasure that must not be seen]]
* AnticlimaxBoss: The Boss at the end of Hell Temple isn't exactly ''easy'', but after what you just went through, most players will breeze right through him.
* ApocalypticLog: You can find skeletons of previous adventurers, frequently with some note on them, either detailing how they'll soon die or giving a hint to a puzzle. These range from the serious to the ridiculous (an adventurer writing a note after he triggered a trap instead of, you know, ''getting away from the trap'') to ("I hear there are shops in these ruins, but that does not matter because I am dying.").
** Also, the tablets in the Mausoleum of the Giants read like an ApocalypticLog for an entire civilization:
--->[[spoiler:''We could not grant the Great Mother's wish. I am the only one to remain, and here I go to my long, final rest. --Abt'']]
* AprilFoolsDay: Take a look at [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnJWbBY5mWc this gameplay trailer.]] Notice all the weird things happening? [[spoiler: Take a look at the date it was posted.]] Interestingly, a few things shown in the April Fools trailer actually ''do'' happen in the game.
* ArsGoetia: The source of the names of some sub-bosses and enemies.
* AscendedExtra: In the WiiWare version [[spoiler: [[BonusBoss The Boss]] is given an actual theme, it uses one of the unused songs from the Jukebox, called Good Morning Mom.]]
* AscendedMeme: Even the developers refer to the Cat Sidhe in the Temple of the Sun as [[LetsPlay/DeceasedCrab Cat Ball]].
** One of the entries in Jasmine "Momogirl" Cote's La-Momolana Livejournal has a joke about [[http://la-momolana.livejournal.com/8448.html Lemeza actually wearing the equipment items]]. In the WiiWare version whenever you get a new equipment item, it will indeed show Lemeza wearing it in the Items menu.
*** Naramura's Twitter showed a lot of the concept art of La-Mulana and one of those concept arts has [[http://twitpic.com/62gbwd traditional versions of Momogirl's entries]].
*** Those entries are actually in the full guide book of the Wiiware version; not only that but they were redrawn by Naramura himself.
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: About half the bosses.
** Viy, in particular, is so large that you only see its ''eye socket'' during the fight. Those annoying tentacles? They're supposed to be eyelashes.
* AuthorAvatar:
** Naramura's avatar character can be found in the Graveyard of the Giants. In the WiiWare remake, his avatar character appears as a shopkeeper.
*** [[spoiler: His avatar character can also be found in Hell Temple in the form of a bomb throwing enemy and the BonusBoss named simply "The Boss".]]
** Elder Xelpud is considered to be Duplex's avatar before NIGORO was GR3 Project.
** Ditto with Samieru, his was Lemeza.
* AutoScrollingLevel: The boss fight against Viy.
* AwesomeButImpractical: The pistol. It's by far the most powerful weapon in the game, but you can't carry more than 12 bullets, they're prohibitively expensive, you don't get it until very late in the game, and the final boss isn't even vulnerable to it. It's only useful for finding certain [=ROMs=] and boss fights.
** Made much more practical in the WiiWare version: you can buy it from one of the shops on the surface for 100 coins, and most of the bosses have their invulnerability to certain weapons removed, including the final boss.
* BackForTheFinale: Shorn [[AccidentalPun steals the show]], so to speak.
* BackgroundBoss: Tiamat as she appears in the remake.
* BagOfSpilling: According to [[AllThereInTheManual the manual]], Lemeza's equipment was seized by airport security except the whip and MSX, which he saved by screaming "THESE ARE SOUVENIRS!" until they let him take them along.
* BallisticBone: Thrown by the more advanced types of skeletons.
* BambooTechnology: Some of the children of the mother built impressive mechanisms despite not seeming to have technologically progressed too far. Though it overlaps with SchizoTech, since ''someone'' built [[spoiler: the Tower of Ruin and the Tower of the Goddess.]]
* BarrierChangeBoss: [[spoiler: Each form of Mother (in the original PC release) is only vulnerable to one specific weapon]].
* BeamSpam: The tiny flying demons in the Dimensional Corridor love to shoot lasers all over the place, and they usually come in groups.
** Then you have the floating head enemies in the Temple of the Sun, who use [[WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries Ancient Egyptian Laser Beams]]
* BigBoosHaunt: The Giants' Mausoleum, and to a much lesser extent the ruins in general.
** Even moreso in the remake where there's even a giant ghost sub-boss.
* BittersweetEnding: In perspective, the end of La Mulana is REALLY sad. [[spoiler: Mother always wanted to go back to the heavens, but all that can be given to her is the peace of death. But in doing that, it actually seals the fate of Earth, because without Mother, no more sentient races would rise on Earth. Granted, the treasure of La Mulana could make a normal human being capable of doing what she could... But can a human be trusted with that power?]]
** Not to mention the fact that [[spoiler: you go through all the work of getting the treasure only for your father to steal it from you in the end. In other words, the power to create life is now in the hands of a thieving jerk!]]
* BlackoutBasement: A large portion of the Chamber of Extinction. Also, both Tower of the Goddess and Hell Temple have a room which is dark initially.
* BlandNameProduct: The Super Notebook MSX was manufactured by S.ONY according to the manual.
** In the remake the computer becomes the Mobile Super X.
* BleakLevel: The Confusion Gate. Also, the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Chamber of Extinction]].
* BlockPuzzle: There are lots of them.
* BoltOfDivineRetribution: Normally used whenever you hit something that you shouldn't.
* BonusBoss: The Boss, at the end of Hell Temple.
* BonusDungeon: Hell Temple, one of the most aptly named levels in the entire game.
** According to the [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/question_from_many_country.html official blog]], some people thought Hell Temple (or Hell's Sanctuary) was too ''easy''. So the WiiWare version (which will have it as {{DLC}}) is going to be '''[[UpToEleven harder]]''', with 'more traps'. Hoo boy.
* BookEnds: The fanfare at the start of the final boss fight is the same fanfare you hear when you first enter the ruins, and also resembles the Surface music.
** Also the music in the True Shrine is a remix of the title theme.
* BoringButPractical: Shurikens.
* BossDissonance: The final boss of Hell Temple is incredibly easy when contrasted with the hair-tearingly frustrating difficulty of the rest of the area.
* BossRemix: Each boss theme has musical sequences for that boss's areas, usually the backside theme, oddly enough.
* [[{{Miniboss}} (Mini-)]]BossRush: The Dimensional Corridor consists mostly of minibosses, although you don't fight them in a set order.
** The official editor comes with a Boss Rush mod
** The WiiWare version has two different types of Boss Rushes in the form of DLC; one where you fight all the bosses in a sequential order, and the other one where you fight all of the bosses and mid-bosses in any order, with the whole ruins to explore in.
* BottomlessPits: The game has precisely one, but it doesn't kill you. Instead it's an infinitely long vertical chain of identical (or are they?) lava-filled screens.
* {{Bowdlerization}}: Early promo art for the WiiWare version showed Lemeza [[SmokingIsCool smoking a cigarette]]. This was quickly changed on the English side of the website.
** The translation of the original game removed the world "holy" when it would have made for a more accurate translation. "Grail" instead of "Holy Grail," for example.
** Baphomet, Tiamat, and the goddess statues now have their breasts covered in the remake (though Tiamat does it with her arms and GodivaHair rather than clothing).
** The remake changes the Conception Seal to the Origin Seal, though this could just be a poor choice in translation.
* [[BraggingRightsReward Bragging Rights (Dis)Reward]]: Called a treasure [[NightmareFuel not meant to be seen]], according to an ingame character, and [[{{Squick}} with good reason]].
** Annoyingly enough, this is obtained after getting through the most ridiculously hard area of the game (Hell Temple), which is nearly impossible to find in the first place without [[GuideDangIt reading the dev team's minds]], requires having all the gear to finish the game already, and rewards you with [[spoiler: being shown something almost no-one will find enjoyable, being called an idiot, and not even having a mark on your save or inventory to show for the experience. It however is likely to leave the mark of insanity on the player.]] Clearly, the dev team are ''completely'' sadistic.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Duracuets, in regards to the [[spoiler:Hell Temple treasure. Judging by Lemeza's facial expression when he equips it, Duracuets isn't really making fun of him so much as making fun of '''YOU.''']]
* BrutalBonusLevel: "Welcome to Hell Temple. This place is one that none should come to. If thou will have no regrets regardless of what happens, proceed. This is Hell Temple. [[ShapedLikeItself Hell temple is Hell!]]"
* BuildLikeAnEgyptian: The Temple of the Sun.
* CaptainErsatz: Lemeza is an obvious spinoff of IndianaJones. Shorn, in turn, spun off from Henry Jones Sr.
* CaveBehindTheFalls: Found in a few places at the Surface, and also in the Spring at the Sky and Dimensional Corridor.
* ChainReactionDestruction: Ellmac is more explosive than one might think when damaged enough.
* CharacterBlog: The [[UpdatedRerelease Wiiware remake's]] [[http://la-mulana.com/en/ official blog]] has a series of [[http://la-mulana.com/en/category/archeology_lecture archeology lectures]] done by Lemeza himself.
* ChineseVampire: Seen in Endless Corridor.
* TheChosenOne: Lemeza is granted permission by the Sages to chant the Mantras and summon the Mother.
* CollapsingCeilingBoss: Sakit. In the WiiWare remake Mother qualifies as well, what with her being a LoadBearingBoss (see below).
** Ellmac in the original also uses this.
* CollapsingLair: Happens in cutscene format in the original, but played completely straight in the Wiiware remake. Not to mention the fact that it has an utterly obscene GuideDangIt as to where to actually go, especially since ''all the normal exits are blocked.''
** Less of a GuideDangIt if you [[spoiler: visit Mulbruk repeatedly - she mentions that her room connects to the surface]].
* CollisionDamage: Although most of the time, it's very minor. The damage doesn't matter so much as the {{KNOCKBACK}}.
** Collision damage with bosses is not to be sniffed at, the damage from some bosses much more so than others. Especially Palenque, who, being a {{shmup}}-like boss, takes off almost half a life-bar, even at the most health.
** Touching Viy in the remake constantly drains Lemeza's health. There's no knock-back and no MercyInvincibility.
* ColossusClimb: During the fight agaist Sakit.
* {{Conlang}}: The glyphs found in the ruins, including an even older set of glyphs in the remake. [[spoiler:Also, according to the last mantra tablet, "La-Mulana" apparently means "The Mother" in some ancient language.]]
* CrateExpectations: Seen in Tower of Ruin.
* CreateYourOwnVillain: According to one of the Philosophers, [[spoiler:the Eighth Children (us humans) were created without knowledge of The Mother, feeling that if we only viewed her as ruins, one of us would be willing to fight and defeat her.]]
* CrystalSkull
* CultureChopSuey: The ruins are basically a huge pile-up of most of the world's major cultures, religions and architectural styles. Justified, as the game implies that all intelligent life was born in La-Mulana.
* CutSong: The jukebox program that comes with the PC version of the game reveals a number of songs that never made it into the final version of the game.
** In the WiiWare version Good Morning Mom gets used, See: Ascended Extra.
* CuteMonsterGirl: Tiamat.
* CycleOfHurting: Various traps, most notably the Confusion Gate's 'Sacrificial Pit' and the Twin Labyrinth's passage pits.
* DamnYouMuscleMemory: Players who are used to jumping by pressing up will have some difficulty in the remake. Similarly, people used to pressing the jump button to cling to walls with the Grapple Claw will also have some troubles. Finally, in addition to puzzles being changed for the remake, some of the old solutions now result in activating traps!
* DeadCharacterWalking: If Lemeza doesn't properly die, he can move around without harm but can't attack or use the menus. The easist trigger is getting killed by a paralyzing attack, and is also known as the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsYQtTTzc4U Zombie Lemeza Glitch]].
* DeadlyDisc: The Chakram.
* DeadlyGas: The Twin Labyrinths, when you first access them. [[spoiler: And it's not deadly. If you fall to it, you just get kicked back to the previous room. Shocking, since this game is known for screwing you over at every opportunity.]]
** [[spoiler: Played straight in the remake. If you run out of time, you die.]]
* DeathTrap: And tons of them.
* DepthPerplexion: The bats can fly "in front of" any object on the screen, whether or not you can pass it, and will always hurt you if their sprite touches yours. They can also fly "in front of" water and behave exactly the same as they do elsewhere, although since the water is a solid color and the same color they are, they are invisible.
* DestructibleProjectiles: Most projectiles can be destroyed by hitting them: for example [[BallisticBone thrown bones]], fire chunks, and even the burning excrements bonnacons attack with.
* DevelopersRoom: Three of them, one for each of the developers.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: All of the game's assets are in plain image and sound files that you can view/hear normally...except for one. The [[spoiler:skimpy swimsuit scene]] has its graphics ''scrambled'', all to keep the surprise.
** [[spoiler:Subverted in the remake. By looking through the sprite files you can find the animation sprites of both Lemeza and Mulbruk wearing the skimpy suit, as well as the VirtualPaperDoll.]]
* DisconnectedSideArea: There are quite a few. A path you need to take late in the game consists mostly of them.
* DistaffCounterpart: Temple of the Sun, "the valiant, male temple", and its counterpart, the Temple of Moonlight, "the lovely, female temple."
* DoorToBefore: Quite a few.
* DownTheDrain: Spring of the Sky is ''up'' the drain.
* DualBoss: Gozu and Mezu.
** Amphisbaena is one creature, but the fight against him runs on the same principle.
* DubNameChange: The English version of the remake transliterates most of the names differently than the English patch of the original game. The exception seems to be the area names which are the same in both versions of the game, with the exception of the Confusion Gate/Gate of Illusion. Ironic since the Japanese version of the remake gives the area names in English already.
* DurableDeathTrap
* EasterEgg: The MazeOfGalious area found in the Chamber of Extinction, which is also a convenient shortcut between the two parts of the chamber.
** In the remake there's the Gate of Time, allowing the player to go through a small section of the original game.
* EasyLevelsHardBosses: Combat is only a minor issue throughout the game - puzzles and navigation are the main challenge, and being knocked into water or off a platform is more dangerous than HitPoint loss from attacks. During a BossBattle, though, this is completely different...
* EmptyRoomPsych
* EndlessCorridor: Area 8 is literally called "Endless Corridor". It has five floors, each of which loops around on itself.
* EternalEngine: The Tower of Ruin, especially in the remake. And to some extent, the Tower of the Goddess.
* EvolvingWeapon: The starting whip can be upgraded twice, dealing triple the damage of the start whip. Not to mention the Castlevania-Mahjong Wizard rom combo, which grants you five times the usual damage. Sadly, the combo is almost required on two late game bosses.
* EyeBeams: Some bosses do this, most notably Viy.
* EyeScream: '''Viy.'''
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: Algol's entire skin is covered by eyeballs.
* FacelessEye: One which chases you.
* FakeTrap: One of this is encountered in the early game and looks like a spike pit.
* FanBoy: Xelpud, of the MSX.
* FinalBossNewDimension: Several new dimensions, actually. This has led to community debates regarding whether what you're fighting actually ''is'' the final boss or merely some sort of security system.
* FinalExamBoss: All of the primary weapons must be used to defeat the final boss.
** Also in the WiiWare remake [[spoiler:Mother's final form borrows attacks from all the bosses you've fought before]].
* FlipScreenScrolling: Which often leads players [[PlayerTic jumping before the screen transitions]].
* FlareGun: A secondary weapon to be found in the ruins. Useful for solving puzzles and hitting monsters above the player, but probably not a weapon to be relied upon ([[NotCompletelyUseless except for bosses]]).
* FlunkyBoss: A few of them.
* FourIsDeath: The fourth Seal is the Death Seal.
** It even has [[{{Conlang}} La-Mulana's character for four]] on it.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: In the ending, Lemeza is shown backtracking through the ruins on foot. As he does this he passes by a few enemies without getting hit at all.
** Completely averted in the remake where the escape sequence is no longer a cutscene.
* GameMod: The creators of La-Mulana released an editor tool, including that tool has a BossRush and a Time Attack mode of Hell Temple. However actual mods are very rare, if not impossible to find due to either La-Mulana not being very popular when the tool was released or no one has even bother to translate the tool to proper English. This will also be possible in the PC remake, but not to the same extent.
* GeniusLoci: [[spoiler:The entirety of the ruins.]]
* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: This is a game full of ancient ruins and relatively normal giant monsters for the bosses. Then you get Palenque, who is an alien riding some kind of flying jet.
** Actually, it's apparently based on [[http://www.earthmatrix.com/serie26/pakal.htm Pakal The Maya Astronaut]].
* GodivaHair: Tiamat and Nu Wa in the Wii version.
* GraphicsInducedSuperDeformed: In pseudo-MSX port, Lemeza's head takes up the half of the height in-game. Less so in Wii port due to more pixels.
* GratuitousEnglish: The Japanese version of the game opens with "Finally I got to the La-Mulana [sic]. The adventure starts here!" Also, the introduction text of the original was edited a bit for readability in the patch.
** The soundtrack titles are filled with it. Some examples are "Fanfale," "Interstice of the Dimention," and "Mother Will Be Awaken." Also most titles aren't capitalized correctly.
* GuideDangIt: Combining certain MSX ROM's can result in useful effects such as boosted attack power or extended MercyInvincibility ... but with a pool of over 50 ROM's, good luck trying to figure out what to combine with what.
** Repeated in the remake with the .exe files. It's a little less annoying since there are fewer to chose from and it seems like every file does ''something''.
** The game is full of them, but without a doubt the worst is the route to Hell Temple, a convoluted sequence with many steps, each of which is itself a massive GuideDangIt. Screwing up any of these steps can reset the sequence to the beginning, except for the (at least) one that can make Hell Temple [[LostForever permanently inaccessible]]. Of course, preventing the player from going into Hell Temple can be seen as an act of mercy.
** One could argue the game invokes this trope as part of its game design. It heavily discourages brute-forcing your way through, as almost every puzzle in the game has a non-intuitive solution that would be very difficult to work out via trial and error, thus requiring the use of a "guide". The game just provides said "guide" for you in the form of the tablets (and the manual of course). Not to mention that attacking everything to try and open a route forward will very likely get you killed, because some things shock you with massively damaging lightning if hit. 
** The stupid [[spoiler:invisible ladder]] in the Confusion Gate has made several players completely stuck.
** The CollapsingLair sequence in the end of the Wiiware remake. How the hell was anyone supposed to figure out to [[spoiler: go to Muburk's Shrine in the Sun Shrine]] to get out of the collapsing ruins, especially with a tight time limit causing major panic, and no warping allowed?
*** By [[spoiler: visiting Mulbruk repeatedly - she mentions her room connects to the surface at one point]]. Also, a tablet in the Dimensional Corridor hints that you should go here when the time comes.
** Good luck defeating Mother without looking at a guide or being really good at understanding cryptic hints.
** The remake's scanning puzzle in the Temple of the Moonlight. The few hints about where to scan are extremely cryptic. It seems the developers want the player to walk through the entire area scanning every single spot possible until the right ones are found.
* HeartbeatSoundtrack: Wonder of the Wonder (the Confusion Gate theme) in the new arranged version.
** It's also in the arranged version of "Awakening" (the True Shrine of The Mother theme).
* HeartContainer: Life Jewels.
* HeroicBSOD: Deceased Crab has one when he goes far out of his way to get an awesome item early... and winds up getting the [[FlareGun flare gun]] for all his work. He was expecting the Chain Whip upgrade, and the flaregun, while useful, ''is not the Chain Whip.'' Kept as a LostEpisode.
** To clarify, painful block puzzle with more steps than most of the Endless Corridor block puzzles, all while not having the upgrade needed to quickly push blocks. This makes an otherwise painless, if tricky, puzzle painfully slow.
** Once he starts [[BonusLevelOfHell Hell Temple]], it would be easier to count the moments that ''don't'' make him do this.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: Sakit. [[spoiler: It's one of statues you see in the Mausoleum of the Giants.]]
* {{Homage}}: To MSX games in general, and a secret area contains a tribute to ''MazeOfGalious'', the inspiration of the game.
** There are also segments based on ''VideoGame/{{Parodius}}'' and ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}.''
* HighSpeedBattle: Bahamut, [[MinecartMadness Ellmac]] and [[UnexpectedShmupLevel Palenque]]. Ellmac's theme is even called "High Speed Beast".
* HonestJohnsDealership: One of the ghost shopkeepers in the Graveyard of Giants. He [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial suspiciously emphasizes]] that his wares are real...
* InexplicableTreasureChests: Why is everything still in their chests if Shorn already went into the ruins?
* InfinityPlusOneSword: If you have the Gauntlet and the right ROM combo, the Mace becomes the fastest, strongest, and most versatile weapon in the game.
* InterchangeableAntimatterKeys: The weights: found everywhere, used everywhere for various purposes, and each one can only be used once. The remake justifies their one-time use by having them sink into the ground after being placed, presumably becoming impossible to retrieve. The actual keys (Seals), on the other hand, open all locks of their type.
* InvisibleMonsters: One enemy in in Tower of the Goddess, which is invisible until you get the Eye of Truth, and another in the Tower of Ruin, which can only be seen when time is stopped.
* JerkAss: [[spoiler:'''Duracuets with his SchmuckBait.''']]
** Also, Shorn [[AllThereInTheManual taunting his son he found the ruins first]] [[spoiler: and then stealing the treasure from Lemeza at the end of the credits.]]
* JokeWeapon: The Keyblade is the worst primary weapon in the game (it's as weak as the weakest secondary weapon, in fact), weak, slow and with a smaller hitbox than any other weapon. Naturally, there are many puzzles that require you to use it and even a few bosses that [[WeaksauceWeakness can only be harmed by it]]. Additionally, as an almost never useful detail, it does extend a few pixels farther forward than any other primary weapon except the [[InfinityPlusOneSword mace]].
** LethalJokeWeapon / MagikarpPower: In the remake, as soon as you recite all of the mantras the Keyblade (Or Key Sword, as what it's called in the remake.) glows brightly Red and does the same amount of damage as the Mace (Flail Whip). 
* KaizoTrap: Plenty of them in the original, a bunch more in the remake, especially in Hell Temple.
** In the remake, what does one boss ([[spoiler: Palenque]]) do as he's exploding? Makes a flying leap at you to take you down with him.
** Another one occurs when you beat [[spoiler: Chi You]]. The roof literally comes down on you shortly after you claim the [[spoiler: Key of Eternity]].
** [[spoiler:Stone fist in remake's Hell Temple anyone?]]
* KamehameHadoken: Mother's soul in the WiiWare version.
* KingMook: The Ghost boss, the Anubis boss, and The Boss.
* {{Knockback}}: Your main difficulty enhancer.
* LastDitchMove: [[spoiler:Palenque in the Wiiware version]].
* LavaIsBoilingKoolAid: Lava is a palette swap of water. The only difference between them is that they require different items to allow you to use ROMs while in them and to swim in them without taking damage (though you still take damage from lava in the remake, just a lot more slowly).
* LedgeBats: In many, many places, particularly in BrutalBonusLevel.
* {{Leitmotif}}: Lemeza, Xelpud, the Four Sages, and every boss.
* LethalLavaLand: The aptly named Inferno Cavern.
** Also the Tower of Ruin, though most players will be immune to lava by the time they reach it.
* LetsPlay: "[[CatchPhrase Hey La-Mulanites!]] I'm LetsPlay/DeceasedCrab!"
* LevelMapDisplay: There's a Map item to be found in each area of the dungeon (there is no overworld map). Viewing a map requires equipping either or both of the Ruins RAM cartridges.
* LevelUpFillUp: The way that you can HealThyself is by filling your experience bar. The only benefit is a health refill.
* LoadBearingBoss: [[spoiler:The Mother.]]
** Justified: [[spoiler:La-Mulana ''is'' the Mother; [[GeniusLoci the entire complex is her body.]]]]
* LostForever: ([[spoiler:Both Whip upgrades, The Life Jewel in the Dimensional Corridor, and nearly everything in the Shrine of Mother.]])
** As well as [[spoiler:Hell Temple if you don't complete its whole unlocking process in one go.]] This, however, is arguably an act of mercy.
** The Dimensional Corridor's [[spoiler:Life Jewel]] is still accessible, technically, but just very hard to get because you have to depend on the random nature of the enemies.
* MacGuffin: The Treasure of Life, Lemeza and Shorn's ultimate goal. Its powers (if any) are never explained, other than that [[spoiler:it is connected to the power to create life]].
* MagicFeather: A literal one allows Lemeza to DoubleJump.
* MalevolentArchitecture: Far too often to recount.
* MamaBear: Tiamat, who you can only fight after slaying her eleven children in the Dimensional Corridor.
* MercyInvincibility: Can be mercilessly exploited by dealing negligible damage to yourself with caltrops to survive major attacks.
* TheMaze: At least half of the areas, especially Chamber of Birth, Confusion Gate, Twin Labyrinths and the True Shrine.
* {{Metroidvania}}: And ''how''.
* MinecartMadness: Boss battle against Ellmac.
* MiniGame: A ''VideoGame/{{Parodius}}'' clone and a dating sim [[spoiler: which segues into a parody of ''Snatcher'', complete with shooting gallery battles]].
* MistakenForGranite: The second Guardian and the Spriggan statue. Also, wall reliefs will start shooting at you if you stand next to them for too long or strike them.
* MusicalPastiche: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXWNcvz9k-k Curse of IRON PIPE]], the theme to the [[DownTheDrain Spring in the Sky]], borrows about 15 seconds of melody from [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flspAofUIIQ the obscure MSX game Ashguine 2]]. Because of this, that part of the song had to be [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong changed slightly]] for the WiiWare version, now called [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXkS5sOUW0Y Curse of Ocean]].
* MultipleEndings: Nicalis claims that the WiiWare version has 3 different endings. This isn't true and appears to be a mistake from a bad edit of their description of Cave Story. Compare the two links here:[[http://nicalis.com/games.php?game=cavestory]], [[http://nicalis.com/games.php?game=lamulana]].
** While the ending itself doesn't particularly change, the credits sequence can have different characters depending on whether or not certain conditions are met.
* MultiStageBattle: While two- and even three-stage boss battles are par for the course in modern games, [[spoiler: the Mother battle should be acknowledged as it consists of five separate stages, some of which involve substages]].
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: The hero is an AdventurerArchaeologist... descended from ninjas. The Japanese kind, not [[McNinja McNinjas]]. I am not making this up - it's AllThereInTheManual.
* [[NintendoHard MSX Hard]]: The whole game is basically an homage to the era of NintendoHard MSX games, so it's only natural that it would be difficult. They promised they'd lower the difficulty on the wiiware release... but not for hell temple. However, the main difficulty removal comes from removing the FakeDifficulty.
** The FakeDifficulty has been severely toned town in the remake, however the overall combat has been made ''harder'', as well as having all traps do more damage.
* NotCompletelyUseless: Throwing knives. [[spoiler:Try them on Viy.]]
** [[spoiler:They're also good for detecting fake floors and for finding the edges of platforms in [[BlackoutBasement dark rooms]].]]
** In the remake, [[spoiler:caltrops also work fairly well on Viy.]]
* NoExportForYou: The overseas release of the [=WiiWare=] remake was cancelled, mainly due to snags with the differing standards between regional ratings boards and having to debug the game a second time, and the perceived decline of WiiWare as a service.
* NoWarpingZone: Dimensional corridor inhibits teleportation to grail points. There's also a few death traps that prevent warping as well.
* ObstructiveForeground: Is present in some locations.
** Much more prominent in the Wii version.
* OminousPipeOrgan: "Sabbat" (Baphomet's theme), especially the arranged version.
* [[OminousLatinChanting Ominous Vocalizing]]: The opening of the arranged version of "Awakening" (the True Shrine of The Mother theme).
* OneWingedAngel: Mother's soul (3 times!); Baphomet in the Wii version
* OnlySmartPeopleMayPass: All of the puzzles in the game can be solved with information found in the game, with the exception of one, where the information needed is in the manual.
** Constantly [[LampshadedTrope lampshaded]] by the tablets in the Confusion Gate.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Baphomet and Beelzebub, as well as having [[{{Mooks}} common enemies]] called Satan and Devil.
* PlatformHell: The aptly named Hell Temple. It's one of the few PlatformHell examples where it's hard to die. Considering what it is, dying may actually come as a ''blessing.''
* [[ViewersAreGeniuses Players Are Geniuses]]: The dev team seems to assume this of the players given how cryptic some of the hints are to their solution. The remake does make a few of them a bit more straightforward, but many are still confusing as all hell.
* PowerNullifier: The grail will not work within the Dimensional Corridor, since Tiamat sealed it off from the world.
* PrecisionFStrike: One of the shopkeepers does not take kindly to you not completing a sale.
* {{Precursors}}: The race of giants who built many of the ruins are the most obvious example, but if you pay attention to the scraps of story scattered throughout the game there are ''several iterations'' of "Nth children of the Mother".
* PromotedFanboy: The WiiWare version's credits, note the familiar names in the Special Thanks? [[spoiler: They have Madamluna and LetsPlay/DeceasedCrab's names in it.]]
** Jasmine "Momogirl" Cote herself has confirmed that she is now one of the translators for the US release. She is also on the Special Thanks list.
* PuzzleBoss: The Soul of Life in the final boss fight is a very ornate example, requiring you to have found four hints scattered around the ruins to tell you what order to attack the boss in.
* RecurringRiff: All the boss themes start with the same sequence of notes.
** The same note sequence is used in the Chamber of Extinction, Chamber of Birth, and the fight with Palenque.
* RecursiveReality: In the remake many of the [=ROM=]s are previous games by NIGORO, and one of them is La-Mulana itself. The description even identifies it as "the game you're playing right now!".
* RedundantResearcher: Lemeza and Shorn. As well, there are many who eventually failed at their research - check their corpses for notes and items.
* RelationshipUpgrade: Subverted; the girl in the dating sim talks about doing this, but then she complains about toothaches and the guy she was talking to [[VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}} finds some fake skin on the ground...]]
* RemixedLevel: The Shrine.
** In the Wiiware version, the Maze of Gailous tribute area has been replaced with the Gate of Time, which has the Surface, Gate of Guidance, and Mausoleum of the Giants in their classic original form, although limited.
* RespawningEnemies: You'll love to hate them most of the time.
* ResurrectiveImmortality: [[spoiler:The Mother is immediately reborn if her body dies. This is why Lemeza must give form to her soul and kill that.]] 
* {{Retraux}}: Without doing a little research on the game, you may think that this game is straight out of the 80's, when it was really developed and released in the 2000's.
* ReverseGrip: How you attack with your dagger.
* RewardingInactivity: A few puzzles are solved by waiting and doing nothing in specific areas.
* RewardingVandalism: If you attack something you shouldn't you will bring it closer to becoming pissed off at you and randomly firing at you, if you aren't directly punished via lightning. But there's some puzzles that require you to piss off statues to get an item or continue on.
* RocketPunch: Sakit shoots out his left arm, on a large chain that enables the player to reach his weak point. He gets a proper RocketPunch in the remake, using his right arm.
* RunningGag: The "Curse of Ashguine". Elder Xelpud warns you about it; it turns out to be an iron pipe suddenly sticking out of your crotch. The manual mentions that one type of enemies breathes with an iron pipe originating from its crotch, and the theme of the Spring of the Sky is called "Curse of IRON PIPE"--which contains some musical material that references [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flspAofUIIQ a certain theme]] from the game ''Ashguine 2''. (Said material had to be reworked for the WiiWare version to avoid possible copyright issues.)
* SceneryGorn: [[spoiler:The Shrine of the Mother after it "transforms", with great parts of the former place being broken down and MeatMoss-like roots emerging from the Tree of Life.]]
* SchizoTech: The Tower of the Goddess and the Tower of Ruin have fully-functioning electronics and computer monitors all throughout the areas. Going by in-game text, it seems the Giants were one ''extremely'' technologically advanced race.
* SchmuckBait: Many traps, such as those that have a pedestal for weights, but merely close off the section of the room you're in, or throw spikes in your face - or often both. Also, a really useful item sitting in plain view. Often it's told that doing this or that will trigger a trap. Also, as a sort of meta-schmuck-bait, the [[spoiler:treasure which must not be seen.]]
** At least one of those trap pedestals is ''also'' the solution to a puzzle, but requires that you hit a certain switch first. As well, some traps ''must'' be triggered for certain puzzles.
** A certain tablet in the Mausoleum of the Giants tells you not to read it again. If you do, it basically says "you shouldn't have done that" and spawns extra enemies all through the area. The added DifficultySpike isn't a game-breaker by any means, but the only way to undo it is to restore a previous save.
** In the WiiWare version, the dev team sure seems to like to mess with people who have played the original game, for an example there are traps that were never there in the original version.
*** Not only that, but a couple puzzle solutions in the original game are now traps in the remake.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: An odd meta-example: [[spoiler:In ''Mukimuki SD Memorial'', a second girl appears after the protagonist downs the first one that tried to kill him. Turns out she's a Snatcher too, to which he replies, "Ah, to hell with this." The RobotBuddy invokes the MST3KMantra, then the ROM crashes.]]
* SdrawkcabName: The game's name, La-Mulana, is the programmer's name, Naramura, with the syllables written backwards. Well, that, and the Japanese lack of distinction between "L" and "R". Xelpud's name spelled backwards is duplex, one of the other developers. Lemeza's Japanese name, Ruemiza, with syllables inverted is Samieru, the third developer's name.
* SequenceBreaking: If taken far enough, you can amass enough power to kill the first boss in 4 hits. In fact, odds are you won't fight the bosses in order, and you may end up fighting the first boss late in the game if you don't go looking for it sooner.
** On a whole though, the game is well aware of your sequence breaking desires, and just makes it so you have to work very hard to get what you want. There is almost always more than one path available to you at any time, though one is generally a lot easier than the other.
** Maybe the game stops caring about linear paths after a certain point. The game starts to feel like a WideOpenSandbox the more areas of the ruins you unlock. And in fact, it's highly likely that no two Let's Plays run the game the same way. Unlike say ''SuperMetroid'' where certain key items are usually obtained and events are done in order.
* SequentialBoss: The final boss has five increasingly difficult forms, with no opportunity to heal.
* ShoutOut:
** One of the ROM combos lets you play a ''{{Gradius}}'' clone, another combo with ''{{Contra}}'' turns you into a OneHitPointWonder, and one of the ROMs required for the whip power-up combo is ''{{Castlevania}}''.
** The Contra "anti-shout-out" is part of a combo with F1 Spirit 3D, because the creators disliked that latter game (which also shows in the fact that you can buy it for ''five coins''.).
** Those who grew up with the MSX will get quite a few laughs from Elder Xelpud's many quotes.
** The [[spoiler:Final reward for beating the Hell Temple is a ShoutOut to Dragon Quest 2 for the MSX]].
** Lemeza's last name Kosugi and his love for curry was inspired by a TV commercial about Kane Kosugi's "curry is my special power-up".
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0m8IONmXsc The second music preview for the Wii version]] makes shoutouts to ''{{Castlevania}}'', ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' and especially ''{{Moonwalker}}''.
*** Speaking of ''{{Moonwalker}}'', in the Wiiware version of the Moonlight Temple there are actual mural silhouettes of MichaelJackson ingraved on some of the walls.
** In the WiiWare version the MSX references has been replaced by flash games that Nigoro has made in the past.
** The song "Rest, No Rest" in the Wiiware version comes from the very first game that Nigoro made, ''[=GR3=]''.
** Lemeza's whip goes from leather to a chain to a chain with a spiked ball ("mace") just like the classic ''{{Castlevania}}'' games, among other references like the bone-throwing skeletons.
** [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow You need to stop time to defeat the Skyfish]].
** The developers in the remake for the Lamp of Time couldn't help pass up a [[JoJosBizarreAdventure Dio Brando/ZA WARUDO]] reference.
** One common enemy is a [[SonicTheHedgehog blue porcupine]] that curls into a ball and goes around with enormous speed.
* SlippySlideyIceWorld: The Graveyard of the Giants.
* SomeDexterityRequired: Precisely controlling falling, using grapple claws, and getting used to water and lava will take a while to get used to.
* SoundCodedForYourConvenience: Shell horn announces when a puzzle is completed, or when you activate a trap instead.
* SoundOfNoDamage: A hollow "ping", accompanied by the projectile ricocheting off.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: A few names were changed (or, more appropriately, romanized differently) in the remake. The biggest one is Shorn's name becoming Shawn (further referencing his resemblance to SeanConnery). The giants also have slightly different names, except for Sakit. [[spoiler: Oddly enough, in the Gate of Time, they're given their old names from the Aeon Genesis translation.]] Udjat is also now romanized as Wedjet, and Shu now goes by his Chinese name, Chi You.
* SpikesOfDoom: Though they're not really doomy so much as they are [[GoddamnedBats Goddamned Spikes]].
** Much more doomy in the Wiiware remake, as they're said to knock out much more life when you hit them. On the other hand, you can now approach them from the sides without damage.
* SpiritualSuccessor: The game was made by fans of the relatively little-known Konami MSX game ''MazeOfGalious''. In the manual, they explain modern games just aren't thrilling enough. Not only that but [[spoiler:there is a hidden area based off of it]].
* SprintShoes: The Boots.
* StoryBreadcrumbs
* StuffBlowingUp: Ellmac, a giant frilled lizard, explodes when defeated.
** So does Palenque, [[spoiler: who actually does this as a kamikaze attack in the remake.]]
* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The Mother is heavily implied to be one.
* SuperDrowningSkills ''and'' SuperNotDrowningSkills: Merely ''touching'' water damages you if you don't have a certain item, even if you aren't submerged in it. The item makes water completely harmless. Because of this, the [[WaterLevel Spring in the Sky]] is notable for being one of the most dangerous areas in the game up until you get the item in question and becoming one of the safest immediately afterward.
** The remake [[HandWave handwaves]] this by pointing out that the water is slightly toxic.
** Same is oddly true for lava. In fact, in all likelihood, you'll be able to [[ConvectionSchmonvection swim around in LAVA]] before water.
** The fun part about water is the player MUST swim through water in order to get the item that makes Lemeza immune to it.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: For legal purposes, references to the MSX are removed from the WiiWare version. Instead, Lemeza will carry a '''[[FunWithAcronyms M]]'''[[FunWithAcronyms obile]] '''[[FunWithAcronyms S]]'''[[FunWithAcronyms uper]] '''[[FunWithAcronyms X]]''' laptop.
** Also for legal purposes, the much-loved song "Curse of IRON PIPE" has been removed from the WiiWare version. In its place is "Curse of Ocean", which is pretty much the same song with the copyrighted parts changed.
* TacticalSuicideBoss: Sakit. It would be almost impossible to damage him if his arm wouldn't be a convenient bridge after his RocketPunch. Ellmac is one as well (though not in the remake). While it's not necessary to beat him, Ellmac makes himself much easier to hit when he backs off and returns with his head at just the right level for you to spam shurikens at him when doing his cave-in attack.
** Also, Viy doesn't really ''need'' to open his eye (his only weakpoint) to attack you, even if it's required for his most powerful attacks. Perhaps the demons that open it are actually on your side?
* TakeThat: The first page of the manual is a jab at newer generations of video games, as well as gamers of the current generation:
--> ''"For those used to the new-style of really easy games, it may be very hard to beat La-Mulana. But that's OK. We're looking for those gamers that could in days past defeat [[TheTowerOfDruaga Druaga]], bring the baby back safely from the clutches of [[MazeOfGalious Gallious]], and sealed the Evil Crystal."''
** If you're an NES fanatic, a couple of Xelpud's quotes might piss you off a bit.
** A minor one: F1 Spirit (a real MSX game) is available in a store for 130 coins. F1 Spirit 3D (also a MSX game) is available in the same shop, costs 5 Coins. When combined with the MSX version of ''{{Contra}}'', it either drains your health, or makes you a OneHitPointWonder.
** In the remake one of Xelpud's [[TalkativeLoon ramblings]] has him complaining that a new game he just downloaded is too easy and contains too many hints.
** Also in the remake, show Xelpud the CrystalSkull and he'll comment that a [[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull lousy movie]] was made about it.
* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: Palenque]] pulls this right at the end of his boss fight after he's killed in the remake, [[spoiler: Jumping out of his spaceship and exploding - if he's not knocked back into his ship with a well-timed hit, it's a OneHitKill.]]
** [[spoiler:Baphomet tries this as well, spouting flame columns from the ground when it dies. However, these are easily avoided by hugging a wall.]]
* TearsOfBlood: The third form of the [[spoiler:Mother]] cries these, and they turn into blazes of fire.
* TeleportSpam: A few minibosses do this.
** Hell Temple takes the greatest pleasure in making you do this. By bouncing you around on teleporters, until you are back at the very beginning, if you make the slightest misstep.
** The player is also forced to do this (though not quite as extensively) to get through the Confusion Gate and the Chamber of Birth.
* TempleOfDoom: The main theme of the game.
* TennisBoss: In the second form of the final boss, the swirling disks have to be hit with the knife to knock them back at her.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: In the Wiiware version, the song ''Requiem?'' is basically ''&#12460;&#12522;&#12454;&#12473;&#12398;&#36855;&#23470;&#12288;&#12316;&#22823;&#24746;&#39764;&#38899;&#38957;&#12316; (Roughly translated: MazeOfGalious ~Enormous Satan~)'' but only with ''Requiem's'' melody replaced.
* TheWikiRule: [[http://lamulana.super-turbo.net/wiki/index.php5?title=Main_Page La.MuLANA Wiki]] Has a helpful {{La-Mulana}} Starter Guide, along with field maps and walkthroughs for those inevitable GuideDangIt moments. Also has details on the upcoming WiiWare remake.
* TimeStandsStill: The lamp.
* TitleDrop: [[spoiler:'''The last Mantra is LAMULANA.''']]
* {{Tomorrowland}}: Most of the game is ancient, dusty ruins. Then the Tower of the Goddess comes along, and it's ''a spaceship''.
* TookALevelInBadass: Most of the bosses and sub-bosses are much more difficult in the remake than the original.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Lemeza has a huge love for Curry, he pulls it out whenever you pause the game.
* TrapDoor: TempleOfDoom has plenty of them.
* TryEverything: The game is designed to discourage brute-force solutions. Doing this will likely lead to a lot of deaths and make HundredPercentCompletion impossible.
* TrialAndErrorGameplay: Often, but especially noteworthy in Hell Temple.
* TurnsRed: The Soul of Death in the final boss fight takes this to an extreme, by casually gaining more attacks and having different animations in the background the more you hurt it.
* UnexpectedGameplayChange: The dating sim minigame mentioned above does this for laughs.
* UnexpectedShmupLevel: The boss battle against Palenque, especially if you have a lot of Shurikens to toss at him from afar. [[spoiler:''[=PR3=]'' is an Unexpected Shmup ''Minigame'', and you need to reach a high enough score to clear a puzzle in the Hell Temple.]]
* UpdatedRerelease: The remake originally made for WiiWare but is now available on PC. It features 32-bit graphics, [[SuperNintendo SNES-style]] music, improved controls, and a bunch of new enemies and puzzles.
* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: It's not really what you call ''cruelty'', but attacking statues will cause them to fire darts at you. [[spoiler:It becomes cruelty when you learn that the ruins are the body of the Mother; you're attacking her from the inside.]]
* VideoGameRemake: The [=WiiWare=] and PC remake.
* VirtualPaperDoll: The inventory screen in the [=WiiWare=] remake shows a picture of Lemeza wearing the current equipment set. [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/the-menu-is-done.html The official blog]] [[LampshadeHanging recognizes]] that [[RainbowPimpGear end-game combinations can make Lemeza look ridiculous]].
* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection: The remake has Elder Xelpud send e-mails to the player when certain conditions are met, which can be read at any time.
* WaitingPuzzle: Some of the puzzles require to stand in specific spots for long enough. One puzzle specifically requires pausing long enough for Lemeza to go through his entire IdleAnimation and start taking a nap.
* WakeUpCallBoss: Sakit. As the boss of the second area, he is ''many times'' harder than Amphisbaena was, as he is immune to subweapons, is only vulnerable in the head, has a lot of difficult to avoid attacks, and is nearly impossible to beat if you don't have the knife.
** Amphisbaena himself is shaping up to be one of these in the Wiiware version. Whereas in the original version he was easily dispatched by spamming shurikens, he has a much different method of attack and appears to be a genuine challenge in the Wiiware version.
** In the PC remake ''Ellmac'' becomes this, as he's ridiculously damaging and sturdy for a boss that's so easy to unlock. The 150 shurikens you carry around? Barely enought to kill him without missing a shot, and getting in melee range is [[InstantDeathRadius not a good idea]], so many players will want to find some extra equipment first.
* WalkDontSwim: Swimming translates into walking around underwater with reduced gravity and movement speed, and the ability to make infinite mid-air jumps.
** Subverted in the remake; Lemeza now has swimming animation. He still walks slowly on an underwater floor, however.
* WarpWhistle: The grail. However, you must first locate the stone monument that identifies an area before you can teleport in. You also cannot teleport out from inside the Dimensional Corridor.
* WaterLevel: The Spring in the Sky.
* WithThisHerring: The lack of starting equipment is {{HandWave}}d in the manual by being confiscated by airport security.
* WombLevel: [[spoiler:The entire game, since the ruins are the body of the Mother]], but especially the[[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon True Shrine of the Mother]], chock full of organic tentacle-things radiating from the boss room.
** Also the inverted pyramid in the "feminine" Temple of Moonlight is a literal example. As one of the game's many examples of GettingCrapPastTheRadar, it even has a mural depicting the entire female reproductive system.
** The entire Temple of Moonlight qualifies as well. The walls are covered in what looks like muscle tissue, with arms stretching out of it at times.
* {{Wutai}}: Dimensional corridor.
* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: One gravestone calls you "Ye fool" instead of the proper "Thou fool".
* YouFool: Commonly found on glyphs, especially in the Confusion Gate.
** From the Endless Corridor:
--> He who runs needlessly. \\
Thou art a fool. \\
Thou art a fool. \\
Thou art a fool. \\
Thou art a fool.
* [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair You Gotta Have Green Hair]]: Mulbruk from the new version. Though her sprite and official art appear to have black hair, several promotional arts and videos show her sporting various shades of green hair.
* YouHaveResearchedBreathing: Want to save the game? Buy the ability to do so for 10 coins.
** Want multiple save files? Etc...
** Averted in the WiiWare Remake, you can now save any time at the grail points.
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