<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
an	O
arcade	B-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
released	O
by	O
Taito	O
in	O
1989	O
,	O
then	O
published	O
for	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
in	O
1991	O
and	O
the	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive/Genesis	I-Operating_System
in	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
included	O
in	O
Taito	O
Memories	O
Volume	O
2	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
in	O
2005	O
and	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
versions	O
of	O
Taito	O
Legends	O
2	O
released	O
in	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
demons	O
and	O
abominations	O
of	O
nature	O
who	O
reside	O
in	O
the	O
underground	O
kingdom	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
have	O
not	O
forgotten	O
that	O
,	O
thousands	O
of	O
years	O
previously	O
,	O
they	O
once	O
shared	O
the	O
light	O
with	O
humans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Then	O
one	O
rose	O
among	O
them	O
who	O
was	O
especially	O
powerful	O
,	O
a	O
demonic	O
wizard	O
born	O
of	O
a	O
human	O
woman	O
–	O
the	O
Balrog	O
(	O
Baarogue	O
or	O
Baalogue	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
version	O
,	O
and	O
Barlog	O
in	O
the	O
TurboGrafx	B-General_Concept
version	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
night	O
,	O
the	O
beautiful	O
Princess	O
Salassa	O
is	O
kidnapped	O
by	O
the	O
Balrog	O
from	O
the	O
Keep	O
of	O
Deerzar	O
,	O
the	O
capital	O
city	O
of	O
Dirzir	O
,	O
and	O
taken	O
underground	O
to	O
the	O
dreaded	O
Castle	O
Cadash	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dilsarl	O
,	O
the	O
distraught	O
and	O
helpless	O
elderly	O
King	O
of	O
Dirzir	O
,	O
has	O
vowed	O
to	O
give	O
his	O
entire	O
kingdom	O
to	O
the	O
one	O
who	O
would	O
rescue	O
his	O
beloved	O
only	O
daughter	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
brave	O
heroes	O
have	O
disappeared	O
into	O
the	O
depths	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
on	O
this	O
quest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cadash	B-Application
is	O
an	O
early	O
example	O
of	O
what	O
would	O
become	O
a	O
fairly	O
common	O
trend	O
in	O
Japanese-made	O
arcade	B-Application
games	O
of	O
the	O
early	O
1990s	O
:	O
the	O
"	O
platform-RPG	O
"	O
,	O
combining	O
side-scrolling	O
platform	O
action	O
with	O
an	O
RPG	O
system	O
of	O
statistics	O
,	O
levels	O
,	O
money	O
and	O
magic	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Four	O
characters	O
can	O
play	O
at	O
once	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
version	O
,	O
and	O
up	O
to	O
two	O
players	O
may	O
select	O
from	O
four	O
different	O
characters	O
in	O
the	O
console	O
versions	O
:	O
fighter	O
,	O
mage	O
,	O
priestess	O
,	O
and	O
ninja	B-Application
,	O
each	O
with	O
different	O
attacks	O
,	O
statistics	O
and	O
skills	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
arcade	B-Application
version	O
has	O
a	O
limited	O
game	O
time	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
extended	O
by	O
buying	O
progressively	O
more	O
expensive	O
hourglasses	O
at	O
shops	O
,	O
or	O
by	O
picking	O
up	O
rare	O
bonuses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stage	O
five	O
is	O
set	O
entirely	O
within	O
Castle	O
Cadash	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
both	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
and	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
versions	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
four	O
playable	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Mega	I-Operating_System
Drive/Genesis	I-Operating_System
version	O
only	O
has	O
the	O
fighter	O
and	O
mage	O
as	O
playable	O
characters	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
priestess	O
and	O
ninja	B-Application
characters	O
are	O
missing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
arcade	B-Application
version	O
supports	O
a	O
four-players	O
"	O
link	O
"	O
mode	O
using	O
two	O
Cadash	B-Application
cabinets	O
,	O
with	O
some	O
limitations	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
each	O
player	O
having	O
to	O
pick	O
a	O
different	O
character	O
,	O
and	O
characters	O
playing	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
machine	O
being	O
forced	O
to	O
keep	O
up	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
,	O
unable	O
to	O
venture	O
"	O
off	O
screen	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fighter	O
:	O
identified	O
as	O
"	O
Toru	O
"	O
in	O
some	O
game	O
manuals	O
,	O
the	O
otherwise	O
unnamed	O
fighter	O
is	O
a	O
Conan	O
the	O
Barbarian-style	O
warrior	B-Application
who	O
lives	O
by	O
his	O
muscle	O
and	O
his	O
sword	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
other	O
characters	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
unable	O
to	O
use	O
any	O
magic	B-Application
spells	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mage	O
draws	O
on	O
the	O
wisdom	O
and	O
magic	B-Application
of	O
the	O
ancients	O
who	O
were	O
able	O
to	O
banish	O
the	O
demons	O
to	O
Cadash	B-Application
in	O
the	O
distant	O
past	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
also	O
rely	O
on	O
his	O
magic	B-Application
staff	I-Application
when	O
his	O
magic	B-Application
reserves	O
need	O
to	O
replenish	O
themselves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
has	O
the	O
most	O
powerful	O
offensive	O
capability	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
through	O
his	O
spells	B-Application
,	O
but	O
is	O
also	O
physically	O
the	O
weakest	O
and	O
slowest	O
character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
mage	O
gains	O
levels	O
he	O
learns	O
new	O
and	O
more	O
powerful	O
spells	B-Application
,	O
calling	O
upon	O
the	O
elements	O
and	O
the	O
very	O
forces	O
of	O
nature	O
to	O
assist	O
him	O
;	O
after	O
obtaining	O
the	O
Wizard	O
Staff	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
able	O
recover	O
1	O
mana	B-Application
point	I-Application
per	O
second	O
and	O
cast	O
spells	B-Application
at	O
half	O
the	O
original	O
mana	B-Application
cost	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
his	O
spells	B-Application
do	O
not	O
work	O
on	O
certain	O
creatures	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
undead	O
,	O
forcing	O
him	O
to	O
evade	O
them	O
or	O
fight	O
with	O
his	O
limited	O
melee	O
capability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mage	O
's	O
devastating	O
spells	B-Application
allow	O
him	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
powerful	O
boss	O
killer	O
;	O
he	O
is	O
the	O
only	O
character	O
who	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
take	O
down	O
the	O
final	O
boss	O
easy	O
and	O
fast	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Priestess	O
:	O
the	O
young	O
warrior-priestess	O
is	O
the	O
most	O
appropriate	O
character	O
for	O
beginners	O
,	O
who	O
have	O
yet	O
to	O
learn	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
differences	O
and	O
enemy	O
arrangement	O
,	O
thanks	O
to	O
her	O
defensive	O
spells	B-Application
which	O
allow	O
her	O
to	O
heal	O
and	O
negate	O
damage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Defensively	O
,	O
she	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
cast	O
a	O
highly	O
useful	O
protection	O
spell	B-Application
that	O
absorbs	O
32	O
damage	O
and	O
removes	O
the	O
knockback	O
from	O
getting	O
hit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
priestess	O
also	O
has	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
add	O
more	O
playing	O
time	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
version	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
(	O
30	O
seconds	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
,	O
and	O
60	O
seconds	O
in	O
all	O
other	O
versions	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
,	O
the	O
priestess	O
is	O
a	O
much	O
less	O
effective	O
character	O
overall	O
:	O
she	O
is	O
the	O
least	O
suitable	O
character	O
to	O
bypass	O
the	O
second	O
level	O
and	O
fight	O
stone	O
golems	O
for	O
lucrative	O
experience	O
(	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
well-known	O
and	O
critical	O
strategy	O
when	O
playing	O
optimally	O
)	O
since	O
she	O
cannot	O
compensate	O
for	O
her	O
weakness	O
at	O
that	O
point	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
the	O
much	O
cheaper	O
medicinal	O
herbs	O
sold	O
in	O
the	O
overseas	O
versions	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
cannot	O
exploit	O
staying	O
at	O
inns	O
to	O
increase	O
the	O
playing	O
time	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
exorbitant	O
inn	O
prices	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
:	O
the	O
mysterious	O
ninja	B-Application
is	O
a	O
master	O
of	O
ranged	O
combat	O
who	O
has	O
excellent	O
agility	O
,	O
the	O
highest	O
natural	O
defense	O
,	O
and	O
exclusively	O
uses	O
concealed	O
projectiles	O
(	O
shurikens	O
and	O
throwing	O
knives	O
)	O
to	O
attack	O
with	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
priestess	O
eventually	O
gains	O
a	O
weapon	O
that	O
travels	O
a	O
long	O
distance	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
ninja	B-Application
outclasses	O
her	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
attack	O
recovery	O
,	O
projectile	O
speed	O
,	O
and	O
raw	O
damage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ninja	B-Application
's	O
attack	O
takes	O
the	O
fewest	O
frames	O
to	O
come	O
out	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
other	O
characters	O
;	O
he	O
is	O
unparalleled	O
when	O
it	O
comes	O
to	O
taking	O
down	O
normal	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
also	O
a	O
very	O
efficient	O
boss	O
killer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ninja	B-Application
's	O
sole	O
disadvantage	O
is	O
that	O
he	O
has	O
the	O
highest	O
experience	O
requirements	O
to	O
gain	O
levels	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
it	O
may	O
take	O
longer	O
to	O
progress	O
the	O
character	O
,	O
but	O
this	O
is	O
largely	O
overcome	O
by	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
he	O
gains	O
the	O
most	O
status	O
points	O
per	O
level	O
and	O
his	O
ability	O
to	O
dispose	O
of	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
hence	O
gain	O
experience	O
,	O
is	O
the	O
quickest	O
among	O
the	O
four	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
Game	O
Machine	O
listed	O
Cadash	B-Application
on	O
their	O
May	O
1	O
,	O
1990	O
issue	O
as	O
being	O
the	O
most-successful	O
table	O
arcade	B-Application
unit	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
game	O
was	O
critically	O
well-received	O
by	O
RePlay	O
magazine	O
in	O
early	O
1990	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
early	O
1990s	O
,	O
Cadash	B-Application
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
(	O
in	O
1991	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis/Mega	I-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
(	O
1992	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
home	O
console	O
versions	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
eliminated	O
the	O
time	O
limit	O
that	O
existed	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
arcade	B-Application
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Turbo	B-General_Concept
Grafx	I-General_Concept
16	I-General_Concept
(	O
PC-engine	B-General_Concept
)	O
version	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
translated	O
into	O
English	O
by	O
Working	O
Designs	O
,	O
implemented	O
many	O
changes	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
agility	O
,	O
defense	O
,	O
spell	B-Application
costs	O
and	O
damage	O
,	O
to	O
better	O
balance	O
the	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
accommodate	O
the	O
differences	O
in	O
hardware	O
power	O
,	O
the	O
levels	O
were	O
divided	O
into	O
large	O
rooms	O
and	O
halls	O
connected	O
by	O
doors	O
and	O
corridors	O
,	O
whereas	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
game	O
used	O
large	O
,	O
seamless	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC-engine	B-General_Concept
version	O
features	O
colorful	O
,	O
new	O
designs	O
and	O
graphics	O
that	O
are	O
a	O
sharp	O
contrast	O
from	O
the	O
darker	O
shades	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
and	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC-engine	B-General_Concept
version	O
does	O
not	O
allow	O
any	O
continuing	O
in	O
one-player	O
mode	O
,	O
although	O
dead	O
allies	O
could	O
be	O
revived	O
at	O
inns	O
in	O
two-player	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
port	O
excluded	O
two	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
playable	O
classes	O
,	O
keeping	O
only	O
the	O
fighter	O
and	O
mage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
the	O
only	O
version	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
where	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
buy	O
elixirs	O
,	O
which	O
serve	O
as	O
extra	O
lives	O
,	O
in	O
item	O
shops	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Japanese	O
and	O
US	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
arcade	B-Application
game	O
are	O
much	O
more	O
difficult	O
than	O
the	O
other	O
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
for	O
differences	O
in	O
character	O
gameplay	O
,	O
the	O
priestess	O
's	O
Recover	O
Time	O
spell	B-Application
adds	O
only	O
30	O
seconds	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
timer	O
,	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
a	O
full	O
minute	O
in	O
the	O
other	O
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Finally	O
,	O
bosses	O
have	O
much	O
more	O
health	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
and	O
US	O
versions	O
of	O
Cadash	B-Application
,	O
which	O
is	O
easily	O
apparent	O
by	O
comparing	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
attacks	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Mage	O
's	O
Explosion	O
spell	B-Application
)	O
required	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
bosses	O
.	O
</s>
