Archon: The Light and the Dark - NES

ESRB Rating:
Release Date: 12-1-1989
Moby Score (1-10): 6.8
Genre(s): Action, Strategy / tactics, Top-down, Real-time, Turn-based
Media Type(s): Physical

There's a board. There are pieces with varying powers, squares to move into and an opponent to conquer. But the squares keep changing. And once you decide where to attack, the board explodes into a battlefield. Your pieces include phoenixes, golems and wizards, and they use all their strange powers when they fight the banshees, goblins and sorceresses they face. They cast spells and missiles, they pummel, pierce and throw out flames, they move each other around, take on each other's shapes and shriek at each other. If you square off on a spot that stays favorable, you'll be hard to kill. If you're smart, fast, dexterous and farsighted, you may win. If you're not, look for another game.

Archon: The Light and the Dark is a hybrid of board strategy and real-time combat, blending elements of chess with action-oriented duels. Two opposing factions, Light and Dark, each command eighteen mythological creatures on a 9×9 grid. Victory can be achieved in several ways: by occupying all five “power point” squares, by eliminating every opposing unit, or by imprisoning the enemy’s last surviving piece.

Unlike chess, capturing pieces is not automatic. When two units meet on the same square, the game shifts to a separate battle arena where players fight in real time. Each creature has unique movement and combat abilities: some wield melee weapons, others hurl projectiles, and their speed and durability vary widely. Terrain also plays a role - fighting on light or dark squares grants a health advantage to the matching side, and certain squares cycle through phases of day and night, shifting their alignment over time. This mechanic adds a dynamic layer of strategy, forcing players to consider not only positioning but also timing.

The armies of Light and Dark are asymmetrical, with rosters drawn from myth and fantasy. The Light side fields unicorns, valkyries, and a djinni, while the Dark side commands manticores, banshees, and basilisks. Each faction is led by a powerful spellcaster: the Light Wizard and the Dark Sorceress - who can cast limited-use spells such as resurrecting fallen allies, shifting the time cycle, or imprisoning enemy units directly on the board.

Archon can be played in single-player mode against the computer or as a two-player contest. Later versions introduced graphical updates, such as the NES edition, which featured more detailed backgrounds for the battle arenas and larger character sprites. By combining turn-based planning with fast-paced action battles, Archon distinguished itself from traditional board games and became one of the most influential strategy titles of its era.

*** Data by MobyGames.com ***

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