<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
(	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
Wizards	B-Application
and	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Ironsword	I-Application
)	O
is	O
a	O
platforming	O
action-adventure	O
video	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
(	O
NES	O
)	O
developed	O
by	O
UK-based	O
company	O
Zippo	O
Games	O
,	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
Rare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
Rare	O
's	O
1987	O
title	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Ironsword	B-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
the	O
knight	O
warrior	O
Kuros	O
as	O
he	O
ventures	O
in	O
the	O
land	O
of	O
Sindarin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
must	O
defeat	O
the	O
evil	O
wizard	O
Malkil	O
,	O
who	O
has	O
assumed	O
the	O
elemental	B-Device
forms	O
of	O
Earth	O
,	O
Wind	O
,	O
Fire	O
,	O
and	O
Water	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kuros	O
must	O
collect	O
the	O
parts	O
of	O
and	O
assemble	O
the	O
legendary	O
"	O
IronSword	B-Application
"	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
defeat	O
Malkil	O
,	O
who	O
resides	O
at	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
IceFire	O
Mountain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Zippo	O
Games	O
 '	O
founder	O
Ste	O
Pickford	O
and	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
that	O
he	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
NES	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pickford	O
wanted	O
to	O
expand	O
on	O
the	O
previous	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Various	O
video	O
game	O
magazines	O
praised	O
Ironsword	B-Application
for	O
its	O
size	O
,	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
,	O
detailed	O
characters	O
and	O
bosses	O
,	O
and	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
led	O
Zippo	O
Games	O
to	O
develop	O
additional	O
games	O
for	O
Rare	O
on	O
the	O
NES	O
such	O
as	O
Solar	B-Device
Jetman	I-Device
:	I-Device
Hunt	I-Device
for	I-Device
the	I-Device
Golden	I-Device
Warpship	I-Device
and	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
III	O
:	O
Kuros	O
:	O
Visions	O
of	O
Power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
won	O
"	O
Game	B-Device
Player	I-Device
's	O
NES	O
Excellence	O
Award	O
"	O
from	O
Game	B-Device
Players	I-Device
magazine	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
better	O
NES	O
titles	O
of	O
1990	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
platforming	O
video	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
the	O
renowned	O
warrior	O
Kuros	O
as	O
he	O
explores	O
the	O
land	O
of	O
Sindarin	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
evil	O
wizard	O
Malkil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
time	O
,	O
Malkil	O
has	O
taken	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
"	O
Elementals	B-Device
"	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
classical	O
Greek	O
elements	O
–	O
Earth	O
,	O
Wind	O
,	O
Fire	O
,	O
and	O
Water	O
–	O
to	O
stop	O
Kuros	O
in	O
his	O
quest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
objective	O
is	O
to	O
assemble	O
the	O
legendary	O
"	O
IronSword	B-Application
"	O
the	O
only	O
weapon	O
that	O
can	O
defeat	O
Malkil	O
and	O
defeat	O
the	O
evil	O
wizard	O
who	O
lies	O
at	O
the	O
peak	O
of	O
IceFire	O
Mountain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kuros	O
loses	O
a	O
life	O
when	O
his	O
life	O
meter	O
runs	O
out	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
ends	B-Application
when	O
he	O
loses	O
all	O
his	O
lives	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
consists	O
of	O
four	O
levels	O
called	O
"	O
domains	O
,	O
"	O
each	O
named	O
after	O
the	O
four	O
elementals	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
second	O
part	O
,	O
Kuros	O
must	O
find	O
the	O
magic	O
spell	O
necessary	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
boss	O
–	O
the	O
domain	O
's	O
Elemental	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
the	O
elemental	B-Device
in	O
each	O
stage	O
has	O
been	O
destroyed	O
,	O
Kuros	O
obtains	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
the	O
IronSword	B-Application
,	O
which	O
is	O
needed	O
for	O
the	O
final	O
battle	O
on	O
Icefire	O
Mountain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
magic	O
spells	O
help	O
against	O
enemies	O
and	O
Elemental	B-Device
bosses	O
;	O
some	O
are	O
bought	O
,	O
while	O
others	O
must	O
be	O
found	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
magic	O
spells	O
are	O
necessary	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
Elemental	B-Device
bosses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
players	O
with	O
a	O
high	O
enough	O
score	O
can	O
place	O
their	O
names	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
IronSword	B-Application
Hall	O
of	O
Fame.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
UK-based	O
computer	O
game	O
company	O
Zippo	O
Games	O
,	O
headed	O
by	O
Ste	O
and	O
John	O
Pickford	O
;	O
this	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
Zippo	O
developed	O
for	O
fellow	O
UK-based	O
video	O
game	O
company	O
Rare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
Zippo	O
Games	O
had	O
just	O
completed	O
a	O
previous	O
game	O
titled	O
Cosmic	O
Pirate	O
-	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Palace	O
Software	O
and	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
Atari	O
ST	O
,	O
and	O
Amiga	B-Device
in	O
1988	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rare	O
decided	O
to	O
hire	O
Zippo	O
Games	O
to	O
develop	O
this	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
sequel	O
;	O
Pickford	O
remarked	O
:	O
"	O
Rare	O
showed	O
us	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
and	O
asked	O
us	O
to	O
develop	O
the	O
sequel	O
,	O
and	O
pretty	O
much	O
left	O
us	O
to	O
it.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Rare	O
assisted	O
with	O
the	O
sound	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
background	O
music	O
was	O
composed	O
by	O
video	O
game	O
composer	O
David	O
Wise	O
,	O
who	O
Pickford	O
said	O
"	O
did	O
a	O
fantastic	O
job	O
on	O
IronSword	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ste	O
Pickford	O
developed	O
the	O
gameplay	O
map	O
for	O
Ironsword	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
him	O
,	O
he	O
basically	O
copied	O
the	O
map	O
that	O
was	O
used	O
in	O
a	O
conversion	O
port	O
of	O
Ghosts	B-Application
'	I-Application
n	I-Application
Goblins	I-Application
that	O
he	O
developed	O
a	O
couple	O
of	O
years	O
earlier	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Moreover	O
,	O
the	O
Pickford	O
brothers	O
were	O
trying	O
to	O
resemble	O
Ghosts	B-Application
'	I-Application
n	I-Application
Goblins	I-Application
and	O
similar	O
games	O
by	O
Capcom	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
attempt	O
to	O
earn	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
develop	O
the	O
game	O
from	O
Rare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
the	O
map	O
screen	O
,	O
Ste	O
Pickford	O
used	O
specific	O
character	O
data	O
in	O
the	O
ROM	B-Protocol
itself	O
,	O
used	O
the	O
font	O
from	O
elsewhere	O
in	O
the	O
data	O
that	O
was	O
inserted	O
separately	O
,	O
and	O
overlaid	B-General_Concept
the	O
Elementals	B-Device
 '	O
floating	O
heads	O
over	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
graphic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
animation	O
of	O
the	O
eagle	O
(	O
the	O
"	O
Eagle	O
King	O
"	O
)	O
that	O
transports	O
Kuros	O
to	O
the	O
Wind	O
Elemental	B-Device
was	O
one	O
of	O
Ste	O
Pickford	O
's	O
first	O
graphics	O
which	O
he	O
drew	O
for	O
the	O
NES	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
done	O
in	O
Deluxe	B-Application
Paint	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
with	O
sketching	O
done	O
by	O
mouse	O
-	O
without	O
assistance	O
from	O
graphics	B-Device
tablets	I-Device
or	O
other	O
scanners	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
We	O
were	O
working	O
on	O
Amiga	B-Device
and	O
ST	O
games	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
,	O
so	O
were	O
always	O
trying	O
to	O
push	O
the	O
NES	O
with	O
bigger	O
and	O
better	O
graphics	O
,	O
right	O
from	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
our	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
machine.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Pickford	O
planned	O
to	O
use	O
,	O
and	O
completed	O
,	O
an	O
Ironsword	B-Application
logo	O
of	O
his	O
own	O
when	O
Acclaim	O
made	O
him	O
use	O
their	O
planned	O
logo	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
said	O
"	O
was	O
a	O
bit	O
more	O
bland	O
and	O
blocky	O
,	O
with	O
detail	O
that	O
did	O
n't	O
work	O
very	O
well	O
at	O
such	O
a	O
low	O
pixel	O
resolution	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
first	O
unveiled	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
1989	O
Winter	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
Show	O
in	O
Las	O
Vegas	O
,	O
Nevada	O
and	O
was	O
displayed	O
with	O
other	O
games	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
later	O
that	O
year	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Finally	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
previewed	O
by	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
in	O
its	O
July	O
–	O
August1989	O
issue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
released	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
for	O
the	O
NES	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
in	O
December1989	O
and	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
Australia	O
in	O
1991	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
Zippo	O
Games	O
would	O
proceed	O
to	O
develop	O
its	O
next	O
game	O
for	O
Rare	O
,	O
Solar	B-Device
Jetman	I-Device
:	I-Device
Hunt	I-Device
for	I-Device
the	I-Device
Golden	I-Device
Warpship	I-Device
;	O
they	O
would	O
eventually	O
also	O
release	O
the	O
third	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
series	O
,	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
III	O
:	O
Kuros	O
:	O
Visions	O
of	O
Power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
television	O
advertisement	O
consisted	O
of	O
a	O
boy	O
who	O
is	O
shown	O
playing	O
the	O
first	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
game	O
when	O
a	O
Conan	O
the	O
Barbarian-lookalike	O
enters	O
his	O
room	O
after	O
having	O
defeated	O
a	O
monster	O
and	O
hands	O
him	O
a	O
copy	O
of	O
Ironsword	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
commercial	O
,	O
after	O
briefly	O
playing	O
Ironsword	B-Application
,	O
the	O
boy	O
opens	O
the	O
door	O
in	O
his	O
room	O
,	O
only	O
to	O
find	O
his	O
dog	O
,	O
who	O
now	O
has	O
smoke	O
coming	O
from	O
his	O
behind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
initially	O
reviewed	O
and	O
received	O
positive	O
ratings	O
in	O
the	O
June1989	O
issue	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jim	O
Allee	O
praised	O
all	O
the	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
if	O
you	O
liked	O
Wizards	B-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
,	O
you	O
'll	O
love	O
Ironsword	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewers	O
,	O
the	O
U.S.	O
National	O
Video	O
Game	O
Team	O
,	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
superior	O
to	O
its	O
predecessor	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
other	O
games	O
released	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
particularly	O
better	O
than	O
Castlevania	O
II	O
:	O
Simon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Quest	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
concluded	O
that	O
Ironsword	B-Application
was	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
welcome	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
games	O
in	O
a	O
long	O
time	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
featured	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
November	O
–	O
December1989	O
issue	O
of	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
,	O
where	O
it	O
received	O
six	O
pages	O
of	O
coverage	O
and	O
featured	O
a	O
poster	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	B-Device
Players	I-Device
magazine	O
awarded	O
Ironsword	B-Application
the	O
"	O
Game	B-Device
Players	I-Device
NES	O
Excellence	O
Award	O
"	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
console	O
in	O
1990	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Matt	O
Regan	O
said	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
not	O
impressed	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
similar	O
platforming	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
DuckTales	B-Application
and	O
Gremlins	B-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
New	I-Application
Batch	I-Application
were	O
superior	O
to	O
Ironsword	B-Application
and	O
had	O
a	O
more	O
original	O
approach	O
in	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
just	O
as	O
Regan	O
noted	O
,	O
Rignall	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
offer	O
anything	O
special	O
like	O
with	O
better	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
2	O
or	O
Super	O
Mario	O
Bros	O
.	O
2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Overall	O
,	O
they	O
said	O
that	O
Ironsword	B-Application
was	O
"	O
a	O
fun	O
but	O
ultimately	O
limited	O
game	O
that	O
will	O
appeal	O
to	O
platform	O
fans	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ironsword	B-Application
:	I-Application
Wizards	I-Application
&	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
listed	O
at	O
#64	O
in	O
IGN	O
's	O
list	O
of	O
"	O
Top	O
100	O
NES	O
Games	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
noted	O
that	O
"	O
Fabio	O
's	O
bare-breasted	O
likeness	O
smoldering	O
on	O
IronSword	B-Application
's	O
cover	O
art	O
that	O
made	O
this	O
game	O
a	O
smash	O
hit	O
with	O
kids	O
and	O
moms	O
alike	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
listed	O
Ironsword	B-Application
as	O
having	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
notable	O
covers	O
in	O
video	O
game	O
history	O
,	O
listing	O
its	O
cover	O
as	O
the	O
2nd	O
best	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
behind	O
Ninja	B-Application
Golf	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Conversely	O
,	O
1UP.com	O
listed	O
Ironsword	B-Application
as	O
having	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
worst	O
covers	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
,	O
comparing	O
it	O
to	O
the	O
cover	O
for	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
retrospective	O
of	O
the	O
NES	O
for	O
the	O
console	O
's	O
25th	O
anniversary	O
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
wrote	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
quality	O
will	O
be	O
forever	O
overshadowed	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
's	O
choice	O
of	O
Fabio	O
as	O
the	O
cover	O
model	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
