is a 1985 platform video game developed and published by Taito for arcades. It was released only in Japan in July 1985.

Ptolemy's enemies are based upon typical fantasy beings - these include Orcs, She can sometimes collect some utility bonuses which increase her power and range of her magic for a short while or offensive bonuses that, most usually, result in the cake-ification and destruction of all on-screen enemies. It was designed by Hiroshi "ONIJUST" Tsujino, best known for designing The Ninja Warriors, with music composed by Y. Tsuchida, and sound effects done by Tadashi Kimijima. While working at Taito's Yokohama Institute, Tsujino drafted an idea for a game where the player had to defeat enemies by crushing them under large cakes, which he claims to be partly inspired by his addiction to Namco's Dig Dug.

Conversions

An MSX port, developed and published by Hot-B, was released around 1987. This port featured new stages not found in the arcade version. Later, a X68000 port was developed and published by SPS, and was released around 1991. In 2003, a port was made available for Japanese mobile phones via the I-mode and EZweb network services. This port features online leaderboards and new gameplay modes. The game is featured on the Taito Egret II Mini as part of the system's default 40-game lineup.

A Famicom version of the game developed by Tose was set to be released in Japan sometime in 1986, but was cancelled.

Reception and legacy

In Japan, the game was positively received, mostly due to its intricate level designs and its puzzle-platformer elements. The MSX and Sharp X68000 ports similarly received a warm reception.

Overseas views on The Fairyland Story however have been mixed to positive. A mini review of the game in a The NewZealand Story retrospective in an issue of Retro Gamer claimed the game as "nothing special" due to its level designs and simplistic gameplay mechanics. PlayStation Official Magazine - UK, while reviewing Taito Legends Power Up, unfavorably compared it to Parasol Stars, referring to it as a "dress rehearsal" for Parasol Stars. When criticizing the fact that Bubble Bobble was a locked game in Taito Memories Jokan, Hardcore Gamer said that while one could "make do" with it and Don Doko Don, ultimately stated that it was "decaf when you want espresso". When reviewing Taito Legends 2, Eurogamer wrote that the game was "hugely additive", although criticized it for the lack of co-op play. A more in-depth retrospective review on the game by Hardcore Gaming 101 was more positive, praising the game for its detailed graphics (for the time) and its risk-versus-reward gameplay elements. Others like Hardcore Gamer and Nintendo World Report unfavorably compared it to Bubble Bobble.

The Fairyland Story is often considered to be one of the spiritual predecessors to Bubble Bobble, mostly due to the similar gameplay mechanics. A block formation that resembles Ptolemy appears as a hidden level in The NewZealand Story. The Worm enemy would later appear in both Don Doko Don and Don Doko Don 2.

Notes

References

  • The Fairyland Story at the International Arcade Museum