History VideoGame / LaMulana

* AscendedExtra: In the remake, [[spoiler:[[BonusBoss The Boss]] is given an actual theme. It uses one of the unused songs from the Jukebox, called Good Morning Mom.]]

** Naramura's avatar character can be found in the Graveyard of the Giants. In the UsefulNotes/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".]]

* BonusBoss: [[spoiler:"The Boss", the boss of Hell Temple.]]

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 about that. ''La-Mulana'' [[NintendoHard has grown up too]]. Rather than making the actual platforming be the most difficult part of the game (which is saying something that's quite tough too), the chief focus of ''La-Mulana'' is on its absolutely [[MoonLogicPuzzle mind-bending puzzles]]. Decoding tablets, figuring out symbolism, and some outside-of-the-box thinking is required, just like the days of old. It says something about how fiendish some of these puzzles can be when most veterans of the game recommend actually whipping out a pen and paper and taking notes as you go along. After all, you're an archaeologist, and studying is what you do.

* PeekABangs: The Fairy Queen and the Attack Fairy in the remake.

* 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.''']]

* AlreadyUndoneForYou: Traps in that large temple complex. Made especially noticeable because it's eventually obvious that [[spoiler:Shorn has already traversed the ruins all the way to the center, yet somehow left every puzzle unsolved along the way. Maybe he just reset them because he's a jerk.]]

[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/La_Mulana2.png]]
[[caption-width-right:256:"Finally I got to La-Mulana. The adventure starts here!"]]
[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LaMulanaTitle2_6868.png]]
[[caption-width-right:256:"[[VideoGameRemake Once again, the adventure starts here!]]"]]

** [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow You need to stop time to defeat the Skyfish]].

* CantCatchUp: The poor knife is the second weapon in the game. It deals one more damage than the meager base whip (which deals 2), so it's only draw is its high attack speed and that you can use it while running without losing your momentum. It's immediately superseded the moment you get the gauntlets, the chain whip, or the katana. Even when you buff it with a certain ROM/Software combination, it still loses out to the katana. Even the key sword in the remake gets a huge buff once you [[MagikarpPower complete an endgame puzzle]], leaving this thing in the dust.

* WhamEpisode: The Eden area in the remake. [[spoiler:More so if you haven't played the original; at first it seems like a nice relief from all the difficult puzzles and combat, then you solve the puzzle in Eden that promises "more happiness", and... '''''"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"''''' Welcome to the Gate of Illusion!]]

* AllMythsAreTrue: Guardians, sub-bosses and common enemies come from a huge array of various sources, including Sumerian and Babylonian myths, Chinese mythology, ancient Egypt, European medieval folklore, Russian literature, Hebrew and Christian lore, and even modern paranormal myths like [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_(optics) flying rods]] and Music/MichaelJackson. Justified because La-Mulana is stated to be the source for all cultures on Earth.

A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on UsefulNotes/WiiWare was released in Japan on June 21, 2011, with 16 / 32-bit sprite graphics in place of the MSX-style ones, among numerous other changes -- it was developed by the same three guys who did the original. An overseas release localized by Creator/{{Nicalis}} was planned, but was [[NoExportForYou ultimately cancelled]] due to [[DevelopmentHell development problems]] and the decline of the [=WiiWare=] service. But, as noted in [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/sorry.html NIGORO's blog,]] they chose to release the remake on PC, released worldwide on July 13, 2012 at the launch of the English-language Creator/{{Playism}} website. It subsequently saw releases not only on [[http://www.playism-games.com/games/lamulana/ Playism,]] but also [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/la_mulana/ GOG.com,]] [[http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-LAMULANA/la-mulana GamersGate,]] [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/230700/ Steam]] and last, but definitely NOT least, finally released on overseas [=WiiWare=] under the publisher [=EnjoyUp=] Games. An updated version of the remake, entitled ''La-Mulana EX'', was released in 2015 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita with a new monster bestiary, online leaderboards, and trophies. Though if you're looking for the original freeware game, you can still find it (and its English patch) [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lamulana here.]]

[[caption-width-right:256:"...[[VideoGameRemake Again]]."]]

* TookALevelInBadass: Most of the bosses and sub-bosses are much more difficult in the remake than the original, with or without TurningRed. For two, it is no longer possible to simply spam Shurikens at Amphisbaena, and Viy no longer flinches every time you damage him.

A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on UsefulNotes/WiiWare was released in Japan on June 21, 2011, with 16 / 32-bit sprite graphics in place of the MSX-style ones, among numerous other changes -- it was developed by the same three guys who did the original. An overseas release localized by Creator/{{Nicalis}} was planned, but was [[NoExportForYou ultimately cancelled]] due to [[DevelopmentHell development problems]] and the decline of the [=WiiWare=] service. But, as noted in [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/sorry.html NIGORO's blog,]] they chose to release the remake on PC, released worldwide on July 13, 2012 at the launch of the English-language Creator/{{Playism}} website. It subsequently saw releases not only on [[http://www.playism-games.com/games/lamulana/ Playism,]] but also [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/la_mulana/ GOG.com,]] [[http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-LAMULANA/la-mulana GamersGate,]] [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/230700/ Steam]] and last, but definitely NOT least, finally released on overseas [=WiiWare=] under the publisher [=EnjoyUp=] Games. An updated version of the remake, entitled ''La-Mulana EX'', was released in 2015 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita with a new monster bestiary, online leaderboards, and trophies. A version containing both ''La-Mulana EX'' and ''La-Mulana 2'' was released for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch by [[Creator/NipponIchi NIS America]] in March of 2020. Though if you're looking for the original freeware game, you can still find it (and its English patch) [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lamulana here.]]

[[VideoGame/LaMulana2 A sequel]] was released in July 30, 2018 for Windows and Macintosh via PLAYISM and Steam, starring [[http://www.usgamer.net/articles/tgs-an-exclusive-first-look-at-la-mulana-2 star Lemeza's daughter Lumisa]] and was successfully funded by [[http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/playism/la-mulana-2 a Kickstarter campaign.]]

A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on UsefulNotes/WiiWare was released in Japan on June 21, 2011, with 16 / 32-bit sprite graphics in place of the MSX-style ones, among numerous other changes -- it was developed by the same three guys who did the original. An overseas release localized by Creator/{{Nicalis}} was planned, but was [[NoExportForYou ultimately cancelled]] due to [[DevelopmentHell development problems]] and the decline of the [=WiiWare=] service. But, as noted in [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/sorry.html NIGORO's blog,]] they chose to release the remake on PC, released worldwide on July 13, 2012 at the launch of the English-language Creator/{{Playism}} website. It subsequently saw releases not only on [[http://www.playism-games.com/games/lamulana/ Playism,]] but also [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/la_mulana/ GOG.com,]] [[http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-LAMULANA/la-mulana GamersGate,]] [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/230700/ Steam]] and last, but definitely NOT least, finally released on overseas [=WiiWare=] under the publisher [=EnjoyUp=] Games. An updated version of the remake, entitled ''La-Mulana EX'', was released in 2015 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita with a new monster bestiary, online leaderboards, and trophies. A version containing both ''La-Mulana EX'' and the ''La-Mulana 2'' was released for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch by [[Creator/NipponIchi NIS America]] in March of 2020. Though if you're looking for the original freeware game, you can still find it (and its English patch) [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lamulana here.]]

A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on UsefulNotes/WiiWare was released in Japan on June 21, 2011, with 16 / 32-bit sprite graphics in place of the MSX-style ones, among numerous other changes -- it was developed by the same three guys who did the original. An overseas release localized by Creator/{{Nicalis}} was planned, but was [[NoExportForYou ultimately cancelled]] due to [[DevelopmentHell development problems]] and the decline of the [=WiiWare=] service. But, as noted in [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/sorry.html NIGORO's blog,]] they chose to release the remake on PC, released worldwide on July 13, 2012 at the launch of the English-language Creator/{{Playism}} website. It subsequently saw releases not only on [[http://www.playism-games.com/games/lamulana/ Playism,]] but also [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/la_mulana/ GOG.com,]] [[http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-LAMULANA/la-mulana GamersGate,]] [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/230700/ Steam]] and last, but definitely NOT least, finally released on overseas [=WiiWare=] under the publisher [=EnjoyUp=] Games. An updated version of the remake, entitled ''La-Mulana EX'', was released in 2015 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita with a new monster bestiary, online leaderboards, and trophies. On August 2019, versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch were announced by [[Creator/NipponIchi NIS America]] and are set to be released on early 2020 alongside the sequel. Though if you're looking for the original freeware game, you can still find it (and its English patch) [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lamulana here.]]

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair:
** The Attack Fairy and Item Fairy have blue and green hair respectively.
** NIGORO has posted a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtAFGes3Xdo beginner's guide to La-Mulana]] on their [=YouTube=] channel with a SuperDeformed Mulbruk with green hair guiding players through the essential basics of the game; that same Mulbruk can be seen in a sidebar background in the PC version of the remake if you set the aspect-ratio of the game screen to 4:3.

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. ''La-Mulana'' [[NintendoHard has grown up too]]. Rather than making the actual platforming be the most difficult part of the game (which is saying something that's quite tough too), the chief focus of ''La-Mulana'' is on its absolutely [[MoonLogicPuzzle mind-bending puzzles]]. Decoding tablets, figuring out symbolism, and some outside-of-the-box thinking is required, just like the days of old. It says something about how fiendish some of these puzzles can be when most veterans of the game recommend actually whipping out a pen and paper and taking notes as you go along. After all, you're an archaeologist, and studying is what you do.

A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on UsefulNotes/WiiWare was released in Japan on June 21, 2011, with 16 / 32-bit sprite graphics in place of the MSX-style ones, among numerous 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 [[DevelopmentHell development problems]] and the decline of the [=WiiWare=] service. But, as noted in [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/sorry.html NIGORO's blog,]] they chose to release the remake on PC, released worldwide on July 13, 2012 at the launch of the English-language Playism Games website. It subsequently saw releases not only on [[http://www.playism-games.com/games/lamulana/ Playism,]] but also [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/la_mulana/ GOG.com,]] [[http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-LAMULANA/la-mulana GamersGate,]] [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/230700/ Steam]] and last, but definitely NOT least, finally released on overseas [=WiiWare=] under the publisher [=EnjoyUp=] Games. An updated version of the remake, entitled ''La-Mulana EX'', was released in 2015 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita with a new monster bestiary, online leaderboards, and trophies. On August 2019, versions for UsefulNotes/Playstation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch were announced by [[Creator/NipponIchi NIS America]] and are set to be released on early 2020 alongside the sequel. Though if you're looking for the original freeware game, you can still find it (and its English patch) [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lamulana here.]]

!!La Mulana contains examples of:

* AlienGeometries: The various areas of La-Mulana are connected in a non-Euclidean fashion, 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.]]

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: In the original version, there is no warning that hitting a particular object results in getting zapped with a BoltOfDivineRetribution. The remake adds Eyes of Divine Retribution in rooms where you can get zapped.

* 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.").

* AscendedMeme: Even the developers refer to the Cait Sidhe in the Temple of the Sun as [[LetsPlay/DeceasedCrab Cat Ball]].

* BittersweetEnding: In perspective, the end of La Mulana is REALLY sad. [[spoiler: The Mother spent millennia wanting 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. And 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!]]

* {{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.

* BraggingRightsReward: Called a treasure not meant to be seen, according to an in-game character, and [[invoked]] [[{{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 a muscular guy in a woman's swimsuit, 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.

** Less of a GuideDangIt if you [[spoiler:visit Mulbruk repeatedly -- she mentions that her room connects to the surface]].
* CollisionDamage: The actual damage isn't as much of an issue as the {{KNOCKBACK}}. However, damage from touching ''bosses'' is another story. For example, in the remake, touching Viy (or Palenque) in the remake results in your HP being drained ''fast'', and MercyInvincibility will not protect you.

* DarkerAndEdgier: The Shrine of the Mother looks a lot more grisly in the remake, featuring ''piles'' of skeletons all over the place and multiple OneHitKill crush traps.

* DevelopersForesight: All of the game's assets are in plain image and sound files that you can view/hear normally... except for one: the file depicting the Treasure That Must Not Be Seen appears ''scrambled'', just to keep the surprise.
** In the remake, Xelpud gives commentary for all the usable items (like the Hand Scanner and the Serpent Staff) that you find in the game. He even has them for the Djed Pillar and the Magatama Jewel, the last two you find, but you can only get one per playthrough due to how Xelpud stops talking after all eight Guardians are beaten, and the puzzles (and bosses) that must be overcome to actually get those items.
* DifficultyLevels: Though you can't select them directly, a tablet in the Mausoleum of the Giants will permanently add more enemies throughout the game (and, in the remake, increase the difficulty of boss battles outright) if you ignore its warning to not read it again. Whether or not you've done so is sometimes called "Easy Mode" or "Hard Mode".
** The steam version outright calls it "hard mode" in an achievement.

* DoubleJump: Acquiring the Feather allows you to do this. Note that in the original version, you must execute the second jump before the apex of the first (while in the remake, you can perform the double-jump at any time).

* 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.) Most notible is the change of Shorn to Shawn.
* DurableDeathTrap

* EmptyRoomPsych

* FaceFault / FacePalm: In the remake, some of the shopkeepers' reactions if you decide not to buy an item after selecting it.
* FairySexy: The fairies are somewhat revealing clothing and showing some legs, but the [[http://la-mulana.com/img/chara_en/c5.jpg Fairy Queen]] in the remake certainly takes the cake.

* FanDisservice / FanService: [[spoiler:SKIMPY ♥ SUIT]]. If you know what to expect, though, [[spoiler:and are into guys, Lemeza's pretty good-looking. It leans more fanservicey in the remake, where instead of a single jump scare of a scene that doesn't even leave a mark on your save file, Lemeza's VirtualPaperDoll, sprite, and idle animation changes, so it's more like a reward. The remake also lets you see Mulbruk wearing the same bathing suit if you beat the game after conquering Hell Temple, so [[http://lamulana-remake.wikia.com/wiki/Steam_Trading_Cards?file=SteamCard_Skimpy_Bathing_Suit.jpg everybody's happy!]]]]
** It goes back into Fan Disservice if you consider that [[spoiler:her father made the swimsuit for her.]]

* 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]]).

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The development team actually came up with the idea to make a La-Mulana 2 during the development of the remake, and slipped in some hints about it throughout the game. For some examples, look for [[spoiler:the tablets that discuss the ninth children, and the one that says the eighth children (humanity) will be wiped out in 2015]]. There's also some of Xelpud's dialogue where he not only mentions a [[BreakingTheFourthWall sequel game]], he also talks about wanting to be rich and turning the ruins into a tourist attraction.

** 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.

* 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.

* GuideDangIt: You might have more luck searching for the actual Ark of the Covenant than attempting to finish this game without an FAQ.

* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: The boss in the Masoleum of the Giants: [[spoiler:Sakit, one of the statues in the masoleum]].
* {{Homage}}: To the MSX computer and their games in general, and a secret area contains a tribute to ''[[spoiler:[[VideoGame/KnightmareIITheMazeOfGalious Maze of Galious]]]]'', the inspiration of the game. There are also segments based on ''VideoGame/{{Parodius}}'' and ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}''.

* InterfaceSpoiler: Those wanting to not spoil one of the game's most infamous secrets should not read the achivements on Steam, particularly the global achievement stats. [[spoiler:Specifically, it spoils the Skimpy Swimsuit's existence and purpose.]]

* JerkAss: [[spoiler:'''Duracuets with his SchmuckBait.''' Though in the remake, he's less of a JerkAss and more of a guy whose relieved that he's finally able to pass off his treasure to ''somebody.'']]

* KingMook: The remake's Ghost Lord and Anubis bosses, [[spoiler:and The Boss (of Hell Temple) in either version]].

* {{Knockback}}: Your main difficulty enhancer; if it happens in midair, you have absolutely ''zero'' ability to affect your momentum until you land on solid ground again--even if you land on water [[ArtisticLicensePhysics you will continue moving backward until you hit the bottom]]; trying to swim against it will just move you up, meaning you'll go back even further. If you were on a ladder when hit, you at least drop straight down instead of flying across the room.
** And if you're hit in mid-air in the WrapAround room in the remake's Chamber of Birth, your only options are to teleport out or reset.

** KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Shorn becomes one of these for this very reason, as if leaving behind his son all those years ago and then sending him a letter taunting him to come explore the temple years later weren't enough.]]

* {{Leitmotif}}: Lemeza, Xelpud, Mulbruk, the Four Philosophers, and every boss.

* LifeDrain: Anubis enemies in the Temple of Moonlight. In the original they sap your HP just by being in the same room as them, while in the remake (where there are more of them to go around, especially in Hard mode) they have to actually ''see'' you to drain your HP... but when they do, your HP drops ''[[OhCrap fast]]''.

* MoonLogicPuzzle: All puzzles give you just ''barely'' enough hints to solve them, but said hints can be ... quite obtuse, and are usually located halfway across the ruins from the puzzle they actually apply to. Good luck figuring out which hints belong to which puzzles....

* MusicalPastiche: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXWNcvz9k-k Curse of IRON PIPE]], the theme to the [[invoked]] [[DownTheDrain Spring in the Sky]], borrows about 15 seconds of melody from [[https://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 UsefulNotes/WiiWare version, now called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXkS5sOUW0Y Curse of Ocean]].

* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: The hero is an AdventurerArchaeologist... descended from ninjas. The Japanese kind, not [[McNinja McNinjas]]. It's AllThereInTheManual!

** The FinalBoss [[spoiler:can now take damage from any weapon in any phase, and the fourth phase is no longer "hoppe you memorized this seemingly innocous sequence that you learned from some tablet and probably forgot about".]]

* NoticeThis: In the PC (but not [=WiiWare=]) version of the remake, tablets have a faint red glow to indicate you haven't read (and translated) them yet.

* OminousPipeOrgan: "Sabbat" (Baphomet's theme), especially the arranged version.
** Not to mention the Ankh theme.

* OrbitingParticleShield: The Centimanti miniboss in the Chamber of Extinction is surrounded by a ring of swirling skulls. The remake replaces these with generic energy orbs. They don't exactly protect the miniboss from taking damage, but they do harm you if you touch them.
* PercussiveMaintenance: Draining the water from the Spring of the Sky requires whacking a mechanism with your weapon until it works. The remake's Twin Labyrinths has two vertically moving platforms that appear stuck in the ground; you activate them by falling and landing on them from a great height.

* PlatformBattle: In the original version, the boat you stand on while fighting Bahamut doesn't track your movements, so you have to make a concious effort to keep on it while fighting. And in either version, there's a winged miniboss high up in the Confusion Gate/Gate of Illusion that if you fall off the screen, it's a bit of a trip through the Tower of the Goddess just to get back. (On the other hand, if you hit a switch in the room this creates a ladder in the room below so you can simply climb back up -- but the boss is back at full HP.)

* ReadTheFreakingManual: NIGORO tell the player to do this before they start, when one downloads and/or buys it. If one ignores this friendly advice, good luck finishing the game. [[spoiler: Among other things, it provides a vital hint for unlocking the final boss in a timeframe which isn't best expressed in ''days.'']]
* RecurringRiff: All the boss themes start with the same sequence of notes. [[spoiler: Except for the final boss, which opens with the same riff that plays when you first enter the ruins.]]

* 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!".

* RewardingInactivity: A few puzzles (most of them plot-important) are solved by waiting and doing nothing in specific areas. Others are solved by pausing the game so that Lemeza falls asleep. One of these areas is a niche that's [[spoiler: made to look and represent a mother's uterus.]]

* SavedForTheSequel: In the remake, a tablet found within the Mausoleum of the Giants describes each of the Children of the Mother. While Children 1-8 are all given some amount of additional backstory elsewhere, this tablet alone makes mention of the "9th Child" and "Child 0." Come VideoGame/LaMulana2, this becomes critical to the plot.

** SaveGameLimits: In the original, the "Game Master" ROM gives you only one save file (number 0, if you will), while the "Game Master 2" ROM gives you four save files (1 thru 4). The PC version of the remake gives you ''fifteen'' save slots to use whereas the [=WiiWare=] version has only three, two less than the original.

* SchmuckBait: Many traps are easily spotted (or at least anticipated) in advance, like a too-useful item (Ankh Jewel, Life Orb, etc.) sitting in plain view, a weight pedestal sitting underneath a ceiling of spikes, etc.

* SequenceBreaking: You can unlock and battle bosses in pretty much any order your items and abilities permit, as there aren't many bosses who actually block paths to the next area (in fact all the puzzles in the first four areas are entirely self-contained within those areas). Do enough exploration and puzzle-solving and you can amass enough power to kill any of the first four bosses in just a few hits each.
** 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 ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' where certain key items are usually obtained and events are done in order.

** The player must purchase, gather, and use consumable Weights, placing them on daises, like the opening sequence to ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. In the film, the weight fails, triggering a trap. In La-Mulana, the weights intentionally sink the daises.

** In the remake Lemeza jumps in place after beating a boss, just like the heroes of ''The Maze of Galious''.

* SpiritualSuccessor: The game was made by fans of the relatively little-known Konami MSX game ''Knightmare II: Maze of Galious''. In the manual, they explain modern games just aren't thrilling enough. [[spoiler:Not only that, but there is a hidden area based off of it in the original.]]

* StuffBlowingUp: Ellmac, a giant frilled lizard, explodes when defeated.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: For legal purposes, references to the MSX are removed from the remake. Instead, Lemeza will carry a '''[[FunWithAcronyms M]]'''[[FunWithAcronyms obile]] '''[[FunWithAcronyms S]]'''[[FunWithAcronyms uper]] '''[[FunWithAcronyms X]]''' laptop.

* 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 [[VideoGame/TheTowerOfDruaga Druaga]], bring the baby back safely from the clutches of [[VideoGame/KnightmareIITheMazeOfGalious Gallious]], and sealed the [[VideoGame/{{Hydlide}} Evil Crystal]]."''

** 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. This could be a TakeThatMe, since the remake has Xelpud give many more hints to early puzzles than you got in the original game.

** The remake also has a bit of SelfDeprecation with one block puzzle in the Twin Labyrinths that was unsolvable in the original (as one of the blocks could not be placed on its correct plate without deeming the other unmoveable). The nearby tablet states "those that created this contraption are fools; they made a puzzle that could not be solved." [[spoiler:Turns out the original simply lacked a trapdoor, which was the only thing added to fix that puzzle.]]
* TakingYouWithMe: The remake's [[spoiler:Palenque]] pulls this right at the end of his boss fight when he's killed, [[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 instant death]].]]

* AmbushingEnemy:
** "Surprise Fish" in the Spring in the Sky remain in place until you approach, then leap out at you. They were almost invisible in the original (due to being the same color as water), though they're easily spotted in the remake.
** On the other hand, those blobby hands reaching out of floor and ceilings to attack you in the Chamber of Extinction were easy to spot ahead of time in the original, but that's no longer the case in the remake.
* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: While generally of very good quality, the translation has some of this.
** One gravestone calls you "Ye fool" instead of the proper "Thou fool".
** "Be thee a wise man?" instead of "Be thou...?"

* TimedMission:
** Unlocking the full Twin Labyrinths requires you to place weights on several pedestals in a gas-filled area within 30 seconds. Failure results in being kicked back to the Temple of the Sun in the original version and an outright GameOver in the remake.
** A puzzle in the Endless Corridor requires making a full circuit around one of the floors within a time limit.
** In the remake, [[spoiler:after defeating the FinalBoss, [[LoadBearingBoss you have 5 minutes to escape]].]]

* UnexpectedGameplayChange: The dating sim minigame mentioned above does this for laughs in the original.

* WithThisHerring: The lack of starting equipment is {{HandWave}}d in the manual as Lemeza's stuff being confiscated by airport security.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: The Attack Fairy and Item Fairy with blue and green hair respectively. NIGORO has posted a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtAFGes3Xdo beginner's guide to La-Mulana]] on their [=YouTube=] channel with a SuperDeformed Mulbruk guiding players through the essential basics of the game with green hair; same Mulbruk can be seen in a sidebar background in the PC version of the remake if you set the aspect-ratio of the game screen to 4:3.

** [[invoked]][[FanNickname Surprise Fish]] in the Spring in the Sky remain in place until you approach, then leap out at you. They were almost invisible in the original (due to being the same color as water), though they're easily spotted in the remake.

* ChainReactionDestruction: Ellmac is more explosive than one might think when damaged enough.

A [[VideoGameRemake remake]] on UsefulNotes/WiiWare was released in Japan on June 21, 2011, with 16 / 32-bit sprite graphics in place of the MSX-style ones, among numerous 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 [[DevelopmentHell development problems]] and the decline of the [=WiiWare=] service. But, as noted in [[http://la-mulana.com/en/blog/sorry.html NIGORO's blog,]] they chose to release the remake on PC, released worldwide on July 13, 2012 at the launch of the English-language Playism Games website. It subsequently saw releases not only on [[http://www.playism-games.com/games/lamulana/ Playism,]] but also [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/la_mulana/ GOG.com,]] [[http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-LAMULANA/la-mulana GamersGate,]] [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/230700/ Steam]] and last, but definitely NOT least, finally released on overseas [=WiiWare=] under the publisher [=EnjoyUp=] Games. An updated version of the remake, entitled ''La-Mulana EX'', was released in 2015 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita with a new monster bestiary, online leaderboards, and trophies. On August 2019, versions for UsefulNotes/Playstation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch were announced by [[UsefulNotes/NipponIchi NIS America]] and are set to be released on early 2020 alongside the sequel. Though if you're looking for the original freeware game, you can still find it (and its English patch) [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lamulana here.]]

** In a [[GuideDangIt particularly evil subversion]], the [[spoiler: Scalesphere]] can only be obtained after passing through a [[spoiler: pool of water]] that [[StupidityIsTheOnlyOption drains your health due to you not having the item]]. This is actually ''more'' likely to trip up experienced metroidvania players, who will assume the item needs to be found elsewhere before proceeding (unless they're the type to attempt SequenceBreaking on the first run).[[spoiler:[[note]]There is a tablet that tells the player not to fear the pool that must be swam through, so the game does at least tell the player what to do.[[/note]]]]

* BraggingRightsReward: Called a treasure not meant to be seen, according to an in-game character, and [[{{Squick}} with good reason]].

* CollisionDamage: The actual damage isn't as much of an issue as the {{KNOCKBACK}} (especially from the GoddamnedBats). However, damage from touching ''bosses'' is another story. For example, in the remake, touching Viy (or Palenque) in the remake results in your HP being drained ''fast'', and MercyInvincibility will not protect you.

* MonsterCloset: Removing a certain section of wall in the Temple of Moonlight releases a whole bunch of GoddamnedBats. Amazingly enough, this is not a trap.

* MusicalPastiche: [[https://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 [[https://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 UsefulNotes/WiiWare version, now called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXkS5sOUW0Y Curse of Ocean]].

** A certain tablet in the Mausoleum of the Giants forbids you from reading it again (in the remake, it then flips around to reveal its opposite side). If you do, it basically says "you shouldn't have done that" and [[DifficultySpike increases the game's overall difficulty]]. The extra enemies aren't a game-breaker by any means, but it also makes the bosses stronger, and the only way to undo it is to restore a previous save.

** You're not allowed to use any weapon inside the pyramid in the Temple of Moonlight, or else you'll be struck by a BoltOfDivineRetribution. There are also devilishly tempting pots and GoddamnedBats littered around the area to tempt you.

* SelfImposedChallenge: Some UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} achievements require players to do these. Some examples include defeating Zu without using the Lamp of Time and defeating all Guardians (including Mother) without using sub-weapons (one achievement each for normal mode and hard mode).

** A minor one: F1 Spirit (a real MSX game) is available in a store for 130 coins. F1 Spirit 3D (also an MSX game) is available in the same shop, costs 5 Coins. When combined with the MSX version of ''{{VideoGame/Contra}}'', it either drains your health, or makes you a OneHitPointWonder. This stems from the [=MSX2=] version of ''Contra'' being regarded widely as a PortingDisaster and the developers just straight up disliking ''F1 Spirit 3D''.

** [[FanNickname Surprise Fish]] in the Spring in the Sky remain in place until you approach, then leap out at you. They were almost invisible in the original (due to being the same color as water), though they're easily spotted in the remake.

* WaterLevel: The Spring in the Sky.

* WrapAround: The Endless Corridor wraps around after four screens. In the remake's Chamber of Birth, there's also a room where if you fall off the bottom, you just reappear at the top and continue falling, endlessly.
** [[spoiler:This turns out to be true for all the major areas and an essential clue for solving the Mantra puzzle. Every map can be arranged into a four-by-five grid, and rooms on one edge are considered bordering the opposite edge.]]

* BottomlessPits:
** In the original, there's one lava-filled pit that continues down endlessly (and it's one of the steps for unlocking Hell Temple). In the remake, an added room in the Chamber of Birth has a pit that continues endlessly by virtue of simply wrapping around to the same room all over again.
** In La-Mulana 2, Kujata is fought on a flying ship over a bottomless pit. If you don't have Frey's Boat, or you get knocked off during the battle, you fall in the pit and die instantly.
** Earlier versions of the game had you fight Surtr over a bottomless pit, where the stone blocks that [[CollapsingCeilingBoss constantly fall from the ceiling]] were your only platforms. Later versions replaced it with a lava pit, making the fight much more balanced.

* BottomlessPits: In the original, there's one lava-filled pit that continues down endlessly (and it's one of the steps for unlocking Hell Temple). In the remake, an added room in the Chamber of Birth has a pit that continues endlessly by virtue of simply wrapping around to the same room all over again.

* CollapsingCeilingBoss: Sakit's footsteps (and RocketPunch) cause debris to fall from the ceiling. The original version of Ellmac also has an attack where he roars and debris falls down.