The Magic of Scheherazade

The Magic of Scheherazade is a game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, released by Culture Brain in 1989. It is the translation of the 1987 Famicom game Arabian Dream Scheherazade (天方夜谭). The player attempts to rescue Princess Scheherazade from the evil wizard Sabaron, who has summoned the demon Goragora to do his bidding. The game was innovative for its time, incorporating elements of adventure and RPG styles.

The majority of play takes place on an overhead map where the player moves between screens, as in The Legend of Zelda. In each world, the player must complete a number of tasks and recruit the area's allies, traveling between two eras of the world using the Time Gate found on a particular screen. Landscapes are numerous and include the tree-lined overworld, towns, deserts, underwater areas, dimly lit dungeons, and palace labyrinths.

The original Japanese version of The Magic of Scherherazade is a significantly different game than its North American counterpart. Everything from the music, graphics, and world maps are different between the two versions. The music of the Japanese version is simplified and sounds more in line with compositions from 1st generation Famicom/NES games. The graphics sport an anime influenced style to it, the protagonist has large round eyes versus the nondescript facial features of the North American version.

Story
The player controls a player-named hero who is a descendant of the great magician Isfa, who unsuccessfully attempted to defend Arabia from the evil wizard Sabaron. As a result, the Hero's memories are erased, and his beloved, Princess Scheherazade, is captured. Isfa must travel across five worlds to rescue Scheherazade's three sisters, her father, and finally Scheherazade herself. Along the way, eleven NPCs join the party to fight against Sabaron.