Wardner

About

Wardner is a 1987 platformer from Toaplan where you play a portly hero chasing through five perilous levels to rescue a kidnapped companion. Navigate forests, dungeons, and traps while leaping over hazards, dodging enemies, and collecting gold and power-up orbs. Combat revolves around a weapon meter that cycles through tools like axes and arrows, with power levels boosting fire rate rather than damage. You can play solo or team up with another player to split objectives and share resources. The game’s charm lies in its straightforward mechanics and quirky art style. The weapon system feels fresh for its era, letting you swap tools without losing charge, a detail that adds depth to fights and puzzle-solving. Despite its age, Wardner holds up as a brisk, co-op-friendly challenge. Originally released on arcade machines and later ported to Famicom Disk System and Genesis, it’s a relic of late-80s platforming that balances action and exploration without pretension.

Storyline

The hero and his girlfriend got lost in the mysterious forest of Wardner. Suddenly the ruler of the forest, Wardner, transforms the heroes girlfriend and takes her deep into the forest. The hero sets out to traverse the forest to save his girlfriend.