History VideoGame / Landstalker

''Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole'' is an action-adventure RPG on the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis, in the same vein as ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', from Climax Entertainment (which co-developed ''VideoGame/ShiningInTheDarkness'' and the first ''VideoGame/ShiningForce'' with Camelot Software Planning). Released in the US during 1993 ('92 in Japan) and although it wasn't what anyone would call a smashing success, it is fondly remembered and gained a decent sized cult following.

It was scheduled for a remake on the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, but was canceled for reasons unknown. It has at least two direct {{Spiritual Successor}}s - ''VideoGame/DarkSavior'' (from Climax - for the [[UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn Saturn]]), and ''VideoGame/{{Alundra}}'' (not in isometric view anymore, making it more ''Zelda''-esque - but felt very much like it, from Matrix Software for the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation PSone]], a company comprised of members formerly from Climax) and one [[{{DistaffCounterpart}} Distaff Counterpart]] in ''VideoGame/LadyStalker'' for [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem its rival]]. Nigel and Friday were also featured as playable characters in the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast game; ''VideoGame/TimeStalkers'' - alongside a smattering of other Climax characters. It also now available to download on the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}'s Virtual Console, as well as the Sega Genesis Classics collection for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

* {{Bowdlerise}}: In the English release, the brothel "Madam Yards Pink Palace" was renamed "Ballet Studio", and several items were changed to remove their erotic references, such as an erotic book to a spellbook.

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: [[https://r.mprd.se/fup/up/38561-Landstalker_-_Koutei_no_Zaihou_(Japan)-1460256009.jpg Japanese Nigel]] is a dashing LightNovel/{{Slayers}}-esqe figure. [[http://mycooldreams.at.ua/load/igry/roms_igry/landstalker/4-1-0-5 American Nigel]] is a FrazettaMan. Not as cool as it sounds, given that Nigel still has ''clothes.''

* SparedByTheAdaptation: A number of things were changed when the game was translated.[[http://tcrf.net/Landstalker]] Most if it was stuff too racy for the American CensorshipBureau: all the sexy goodies in the optional Mercator variety shop became oddities, a BathtubScene was blocked off(but not deleted). Nigel ''[[VictoryIsBoring might]]'' be happier in the American version despite this - [[spoiler:in the Japanese, [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption all of King Nole's treasure is lost]] down a BottomlessPit when the Guardian is defeated. In the American, he gets all the treasure, and ''[[DevelopersForesight the Gold counter even spins up to quintuple digits to show this!]]'']]

* BalefulPolymorph: Once you acquire the Einstein Whistle, you can learn that two dogs named Marty and Bell are actually people under the curse of a WickedWitch. The only way to break the curse? Kill the witch somehow, but it gets a little more complicated when the witch decides to turn Nigel into a dog too....

** Taken UpToEleven in the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon; there's a fully-equipped ''town'' right in front of the entrance. Then, after hours of spelunking, you find a save point right in the middle of the dungeon. GenreSavvy gamers will realize that they're barely at the ''halfway'' point of a dungeon that's already tying them in knots.

It was scheduled for a remake on the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, but was canceled for reasons unknown. It has at least two direct {{Spiritual Successor}}s - ''VideoGame/DarkSavior'' (from Climax - for the [[UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn Saturn]]), and ''VideoGame/{{Alundra}}'' (not in isometric view anymore, making it more ''Zelda''-esque - but felt very much like it, from Matrix Software for the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation PSone]], a company comprised of members formerly from Climax) and one [[{{DistaffCounterpart}} Distaff Counterpart]] in ''LadyStalker'' for [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem its rival]]. Nigel and Friday were also featured as playable characters in the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast game; ''TimeStalkers'' - alongside a smattering of other Climax characters. It also now available to download on the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}'s Virtual Console, as well as the Sega Genesis Classics collection for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

* Bowdlerise: In the English release, "Madam Yards Pink Palace" was renamed "Ballet Studio", and several items were changed to remove their erotic references, such as an erotic book to a spellbook.