<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
is	O
a	O
1986	O
vertically	O
scrolling	O
shooter	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Konami	O
for	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
home	O
computer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
included	O
in	O
compilations	O
for	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
,	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
mobile	O
phones	O
,	O
and	O
digital	O
re-releases	O
for	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Knightmare	B-Application
trilogy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
was	O
created	O
by	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
division	O
at	O
Konami	O
under	O
management	O
of	O
Shigeru	O
Fukutake	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
music	O
was	O
scored	O
by	O
Miki	O
Higashino	O
,	O
best	O
known	O
for	O
her	O
work	O
in	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
and	O
Suikoden	B-Application
series	O
,	O
and	O
Yoshinori	O
Sasaki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
proved	O
popular	O
among	O
Japanese	O
players	O
,	O
garnering	O
generally	O
positive	O
reception	O
from	O
critics	O
and	O
retrospective	O
commentarists	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
The	B-Application
Maze	I-Application
of	I-Application
Galious	I-Application
and	O
Shalom	B-Application
:	I-Application
Knightmare	I-Application
III	I-Application
(	O
1987	O
)	O
,	O
while	O
Popolon	O
and	O
Aphrodite	O
would	O
later	O
make	O
appearances	O
outside	O
of	O
the	O
trilogy	O
in	O
other	O
Konami	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
is	O
a	O
vertical-scrolling	O
shoot	O
'	O
em	O
up	O
game	O
starring	O
Popolon	O
,	O
a	O
warrior	O
who	O
embarks	O
on	O
a	O
quest	O
to	O
rescue	O
the	O
princess	O
Aphrodite	O
from	O
the	O
evil	O
priest	O
Hudnos	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
can	O
obtain	O
more	O
lives	O
by	O
earning	O
100.000	O
points	O
each	O
time	O
or	O
collecting	O
a	O
yellow	O
magic	O
jewel	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
game	B-Application
is	I-Application
over	I-Application
once	O
all	O
lives	O
are	O
lost	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
,	O
known	O
as	O
Majou	O
Densetsu	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
division	O
at	O
Konami	O
under	O
management	O
of	O
Shigeru	O
Fukutake	O
,	O
who	O
revealed	O
about	O
its	O
creation	O
process	O
in	O
a	O
1988	O
interview	O
with	O
Japanese	O
publication	O
Micom	O
BASIC	O
Magazine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fukutate	O
explained	O
that	O
the	O
staffer	O
who	O
came	O
up	O
with	O
the	O
character	O
of	O
Popolon	O
was	O
in	O
charge	O
of	O
design	O
and	O
facilitating	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
project	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
process	O
of	O
making	O
original	O
titles	O
for	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
revolved	O
around	O
the	O
person	O
who	O
came	O
up	O
with	O
the	O
characters	O
being	O
assigned	O
to	O
do	O
both	O
planning	O
and	O
the	O
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fukutate	O
also	O
claimed	O
they	O
made	O
it	O
difficult	O
from	O
the	O
beginning	O
because	O
shoot	O
'	O
em	O
ups	O
on	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
were	O
meant	O
to	O
be	O
played	O
at	O
home	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Micom	O
BASIC	O
writer	O
Akira	O
Yamashita	O
speculated	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
idea	O
was	O
possibly	O
an	O
arrangement	O
of	O
the	O
Konami	O
arcade	O
game	O
Finalizer	B-Application
(	O
1985	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Miki	O
Higashino	O
(	O
best	O
known	O
for	O
her	O
work	O
in	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
and	O
Suikoden	B-Application
series	O
)	O
and	O
Yoshinori	O
Sasaki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Higashino	O
revealed	O
that	O
she	O
worked	O
as	O
part-time	O
composer	O
and	O
wrote	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
music	O
,	O
but	O
did	O
not	O
use	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Masaaki	O
Kukino	O
(	O
of	O
Haunted	B-Application
Castle	I-Application
,	O
Asterix	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Silent	B-Device
Scope	I-Device
)	O
also	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
title	O
is	O
a	O
portmanteau	O
of	O
knight	O
and	O
nightmare	O
,	O
giving	O
it	O
a	O
double	O
meaning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
was	O
first	O
published	O
for	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
March	O
29	O
,	O
1986	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
in	O
Europe	O
of	O
that	O
year	O
by	O
Konami	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlicensed	O
versions	O
for	O
the	O
SG-1000	B-Operating_System
and	O
arcades	O
were	O
also	O
distributed	O
under	O
the	O
names	O
Mó	O
Yù	O
Chuánqí	O
( 魔域伝奇	O
)	O
and	O
Pesadelo	O
(	O
"	O
Nightmare	O
"	O
in	O
Portuguese	O
)	O
by	O
the	O
Taiwanese	O
company	O
Jumbo	O
and	O
Brazilian	O
manufacturer	O
Fort	O
II	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
main	O
theme	O
was	O
featured	O
alongside	O
music	O
tracks	O
from	O
Penguin	B-Application
Adventure	I-Application
and	O
King	B-Application
Kong	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
Yomigaeru	I-Application
Densetsu	I-Application
in	O
a	O
compilation	O
album	O
titled	O
The	O
Konamic	O
Game	O
Freaks	O
,	O
distributed	O
in	O
Japan	O
by	O
Alfa	O
Records	O
in	O
1987	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1	O
compilation	O
for	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
,	O
featuring	O
support	O
with	O
the	O
Konami	O
SCC	O
cartridge	O
for	O
improved	O
audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
is	O
found	O
in	O
the	O
Konami	B-Application
Antiques	I-Application
MSX	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
(	O
1997-1998	O
)	O
compilations	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
re-released	O
two	O
times	O
on	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
;	O
first	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
on	O
December	O
22	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
on	O
March	O
19	O
,	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
re-released	O
in	O
digital	O
form	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
through	O
D4	O
Enterprise	O
's	O
Project	O
EGG	O
service	O
on	O
July	O
22	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
proved	O
popular	O
among	O
Japanese	O
players	O
and	O
received	O
generally	O
positive	O
reception	O
from	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
French	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
Magazine	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
must	O
have	O
"	O
for	O
shoot	O
'	O
em	O
up	O
fans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MSX	B-Operating_System
Computing	O
felt	O
it	O
was	O
similar	O
to	O
Sky	O
Jaguar	O
,	O
but	O
saw	O
its	O
visuals	O
very	O
innovative	O
and	O
the	O
audio	O
acceptable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MSX	B-Operating_System
Computer	O
Magazine	O
recommended	O
it	O
for	O
action	O
fans	O
and	O
considered	O
it	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
Konami	O
's	O
better	O
titles	O
on	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
,	O
highlighting	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Regardless	O
,	O
they	O
labelled	O
it	O
as	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
finest	O
"	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
on	O
the	O
platform	O
,	O
commending	O
the	O
audiovisual	O
presentation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
named	O
it	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
Best	B-Application
Action	I-Application
Software	I-Application
"	O
of	O
1986	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
editor	O
for	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
Gids	O
lauded	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
visuals	O
,	O
audio	O
and	O
overall	O
quality	O
,	O
noting	O
its	O
addictive	O
nature	O
but	O
the	O
difficulty	O
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aktueller	O
Software	O
Markts	O
Wolfgang	O
Rui	O
agreed	O
with	O
both	O
Tilt	O
and	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
Gids	O
about	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
difficulty	O
but	O
expressed	O
admiration	O
towards	O
the	O
music	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
the	O
best	O
thing	O
i	O
've	O
heard	O
so	O
far	O
on	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Spanish	O
publication	O
Input	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
praised	O
the	O
graphics	O
for	O
their	O
originality	O
and	O
variety	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
writer	O
for	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
News	O
regarded	O
Knightmare	B-Application
as	O
"	O
an	O
authentic	O
masterpiece	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
five	O
reviewers	O
of	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
Extra	O
commented	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
fun	O
fast-paced	O
but	O
difficult	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospective	O
commentaries	O
for	O
Knightmare	B-Application
have	O
been	O
favorable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
Spains	O
Jaume	O
Esteve	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
an	O
unusual	O
vertical-scrolling	O
shooter	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
absence	O
of	O
ships	O
and	O
compared	O
its	O
power-up	O
system	O
with	O
that	O
of	O
TwinBee	B-Device
,	O
writing	O
that	O
"	O
despite	O
the	O
technical	O
limitations	O
of	O
the	O
computer	O
that	O
were	O
mainly	O
reflected	O
in	O
that	O
limping	O
scroll	O
,	O
Knightmare	B-Application
deserved	O
much	O
more	O
impact	O
than	O
it	O
finally	O
had	O
,	O
although	O
it	O
is	O
certainly	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
that	O
are	O
essential	O
when	O
it	O
comes	O
to	O
touching	O
the	O
catalog	O
of	O
the	O
MSX.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Knightmare	B-Application
spawned	O
two	O
follow-ups	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
and	O
Family	O
Computer	O
,	O
both	O
of	O
which	O
fall	O
under	O
different	O
genres	O
:	O
The	B-Application
Maze	I-Application
of	I-Application
Galious	I-Application
and	O
Shalom	B-Application
:	I-Application
Knightmare	I-Application
III	I-Application
(	O
1987	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
main	O
games	O
,	O
a	O
stand-alone	O
sequel	O
titled	O
Majou	O
Densetsu	O
II	O
:	O
Poporon	O
Gekitou	O
Hen	O
was	O
scheduled	O
to	O
be	O
published	O
in	O
1987	O
by	O
Konami	O
for	O
the	O
PC-8801	B-Device
and	O
X1	B-Device
home	O
computers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
vertical-scrolling	O
shooter	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
but	O
with	O
role-playing	O
elements	O
added	O
,	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
Maze	B-Application
of	I-Application
Galious	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
characters	O
of	O
Popolon	O
and	O
Aphrodite	O
would	O
later	O
make	O
appearances	O
outside	O
of	O
the	O
trilogy	O
in	O
other	O
Konami	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Parodius	B-Application
(	O
1988	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Hai	O
no	O
Majutsushi	O
(	O
1989	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Former	O
Compile	O
staffer	O
Takayuki	O
Hirono	O
cited	O
Knightmare	B-Application
as	O
an	O
influence	O
on	O
Zanac	B-Device
(	O
1986	O
)	O
,	O
particularly	O
its	O
power-up	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2021	O
,	O
Konami	O
announced	O
a	O
contest	O
encouraging	O
indie	O
developers	O
to	O
make	O
games	O
based	O
on	O
some	O
of	O
its	O
classic	O
series	O
,	O
including	O
Knightmare	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
years	O
since	O
,	O
fans	O
have	O
experimented	O
with	O
remaking	O
and	O
porting	O
Knightmare	B-Application
unofficially	O
to	O
other	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1992	O
,	O
a	O
MS-DOS	B-Application
version	O
was	O
created	O
by	O
the	O
group	O
Friends	O
Software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2005	O
,	O
a	O
mod	O
dubbed	O
Knightmare	B-Application
Gold	O
was	O
released	O
by	O
the	O
Portuguese	O
fan	O
group	O
Amusement	O
Factory	O
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
support	O
with	O
the	O
MSX2	B-Operating_System
hardware	O
for	O
smooth	O
scrolling	O
,	O
an	O
upgraded	O
color	O
palette	O
,	O
among	O
other	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
developed	O
by	O
Climacus	O
and	O
McNeil	O
was	O
released	O
online	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
download	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2013	O
,	O
a	O
demo	O
for	O
a	O
Windows	B-Application
remake	O
was	O
released	O
online	O
by	O
Spanish	O
programmer	O
Alberto	O
De	O
Hoyo	O
(	O
of	O
Demon	O
Videogames	O
)	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
full	O
version	O
releasing	O
in	O
2015	O
,	O
followed	O
afterwards	O
by	O
a	O
"	O
Gold	O
Edition	O
"	O
containing	O
new	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2015	O
,	O
a	O
conversion	O
for	O
the	O
ColecoVision	B-Device
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Opcode	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Team	O
Pixelboy	O
,	O
featuring	O
an	O
"	O
Easy	O
"	O
mode	O
but	O
requires	O
the	O
Super	O
Game	O
Module	O
expansion	O
to	O
run	O
on	O
the	O
hardware	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
ROM	B-General_Concept
image	I-General_Concept
was	O
released	O
online	O
for	O
free	O
in	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2022	O
,	O
an	O
Amiga	B-Device
conversion	O
co-developed	O
by	O
"	O
h0ffman	O
"	O
and	O
Toni	O
Galvez	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
online	O
for	O
free	O
,	O
featuring	O
several	O
enhancements	O
and	O
additions	O
.	O
</s>
