Athena/Items

Weapons

Blunt
Club	Hammer	Flail
Power: 2 Destruction: ♦ The club is likely the first weapon you will pick up. It is the weakest weapon, and it breaks solid blocks in two hits.	Power: 3 Destruction: ♦♦ The hammer is a good upgrade to the club, but it is still a relatively weak weapon. It breaks solid blocks in one hit.	Power: 5 Destruction: ♦♦♦ The flail is a useful weapon. It can break up to four blocks in front of you. However, because it does not shoot projectiles, it is difficult to use against bosses.
Arrow
Bow	Arrow	Flame Arrow
Power: 4 Destruction: 0 The bow itself is not a great weapon. The arrows it shoots can't even break blocks. However, upgrades to the bow are quite useful.	Power: 5 Destruction: ♦♦ Although not much more powerful, the blue arrow adds a lot of utility to the bow. This arrow can break solid blocks with one hit.	Power: 6 Destruction: ♦♦ The flame arrow is surprisingly useful. Athena can fire off three flame arrows in rapid succession. Like the blue arrow, they break solid blocks in one hit. (Note that in the NES version, the function changes to destroying one row of blocks in its path.)
Magic
Cane	Scroll	Magic Tome
Power: 5 Destruction: 0 The cane fires waves of magic that can banish enemies from the screen. While the magic it fires is strong, it can't break blocks, which can be dangerous.	Power: 6 Destruction: ♦♦♦♦ By collecting the scroll, Athena can upgrade the magic that the cane fires. This upgraded magic can destroy an entire row of blocks.	Power: 7 Destruction: ♦♦♦♦♦ The magic tome unlocks the cane's most powerful magic. A burst of energy will fly out and explode, shredding blocks around it. (Note that in the NES version, the function changes to destroying two rows of blocks in its path.)
Blade
Blue Sword	Yellow Sword	Red Sword
Power: 4 Destruction: 0 Not a great first weapon, the blue sword has a little power, and can't break blocks. But it's upgrade has twice the power.	Power: 8 Destruction: ♦ As a first upgrade, the yellow sword is more powerful than all other weapons' second upgrades! However, you must hit solid blocks twice to break them.	Power: 8 Destruction: ♦♦ The red sword does not necessarily get stronger against enemies, but it fires a fast projectile. It can also break solid blocks in one hit.
Fire Sword
Power: 12 Destruction: ♦♦♦♦♦ The Fire Sword is a rare and unique third upgrade to the sword class of weapons. It is the most powerful weapon available, and it can destroy up to eight blocks in front of Athena. Whenever Athena picks up the sword, it will fully restore all of her lost health. However, every time she swings this sword, she loses one hit point. Furthermore, the Fire Sword will revert to the Red Sword when Athena reaches 5 remaining hit points.

Protective Gear

Armor
Bronze	Silver	Gold
Defense: +2 The Bronze armor is the most basic armor available. It will provide adequate protection from attacks that come from behind.	Defense: +3 The Silver armor is a good upgrade to the Bronze armor. If it gets damaged, it will revert to Bronze armor.	Defense: +4 The Gold armor is the best armor available, providing Athena with a good deal of defense. Collect mirrors to protect it.
Shield
Bronze	Silver	Gold
Defense: +2 The Bronze shield is the weakest shield. It will protect her from frontal attacks.	Defense: +3 The Silver shield is better than the Bronze shield, but still not as good as the gold shield.	Defense: +4 The Gold shield is the strongest shield, and features the image of a brave lion on the front.
Helmet
Bronze	Silver	Gold
Defense: +2 The Bronze helmet is the weakest of helmets, but it's better than nothing. You can break solid blocks by jumping into them twice.	Defense: +3 The Silver helmet is better than the Bronze helmet because its possible to break solid blocks with only one hit instead of two.	Defense: +4 The Gold helmet is the strongest helmet you can find. While it protects Athena better, it has the same breaking power as the Silver helmet.

Items

Shoes of Icarus	Wings of Pegasus	Shell Necklace
These shoes allow Athena to jump incredibly high. Without them, she can only perform short jumps, but while she wears these, each second and third jump will be much higher than usual. (Not present in the NES version, but Athena can still jump high as though she has the shoes.)	The Wings of Pegasus grant Athena the power of flight. While she wears them, she can fly over the ground by tapping the jump button. Unfortunately, she cannot bring this special item with her when she travels from one world to the next.	When Athena wears the magical Shell Necklace, she gains the ability to transform into a mermaid when she swims under water. As a mermaid, she can maneuver more deftly through the water. However, she will revert to human form if her hit points get too low.
Blue Fighter's Ring	Red Fighter's Ring	Goblin Hand
By collecting the Blue Fighter's Ring, Athena's weapon will automatically upgrade to the next level.	When Athena puts the Red Fighter's Ring on, the power of Athena's current weapon will rise. However, she will lose this ring if she changes weapons, or even simply upgrades.	What the Blue Fighter's Ring provides, the Goblin Hand taketh away. Touching this unlucky item will downgrade your weapon one level.
Bronze Crown of Wisdom	Gold Crown of Wisdom	Skull Shield
If Athena collects the Bronze Crown of Wisdom, all of Athena's protective gear will automatically upgrade to the next level.	By placing the Gold Crown of Wisdom atop her head, Athena's current defense will rise. However, she will lose the crown if she collects any other protective gear.	Like the Goblin Hand, the Skull Shield is an item to be avoided. It will downgrade the level of your protective gear if you touch it.
Blue Mirror	Yellow Mirror	Red Mirror
The Blue Mirror is the item which will provide the first level of durability protection to Athena's defensive gear, making it harder to break.	By collecting the Yellow Mirror, Athena will strengthen her protective gear even further, making it more difficult for enemies to break her defense.	The Red Mirror will provide Athena's gear with the highest degree of durability, making it nearly impossible for enemies to destroy the armor that she wears.
Blue Crystal Gem	Red Crystal Gem	K Slate
When Athena collects the Blue Crystal Gem, she will gain the knowledge of the locations of all the items buried inside of the blocks for a limited period of time.	By collecting the Red Crystal Gem, Athena will be able to see the position of the disappearing Ryukaon enemies. (Not present in the NES version.)	If Athena is in possession of the K Slate when she perishes, she will be able to keep all of the equipment she was wearing, instead of losing it all and starting over with nothing.
Blue Hourglass	Red Hourglass	Broken Hourglass
If Athena collects a Blue Hourglass, the amount of time she has remaining to complete the current world will increase.	When Athena touches the Red Hourglass, all of the enemies currently on the screen will be destroyed.	Only found in the NES version. If missing two items from the arcade version wasn't bad enough, the NES has one exclusive item which will decrease the amount of time you have left, so do not collect it.
Antidote	Poison	Lamp
If Athena collects an Antidote, she will be safe from the effects of Poison, even if she picks up a Poison bottle.	If Athena does not possess an Antidote when she touches a vial of Poison, she will enter a poisoned state and begin losing hit points over a fixed period of time.	The Lamp provides Athena with free passage to the next world without fighting the boss of the current world if she discovers a secret end to the level.
Devil's Harp	Harp of Protection	Key
Touching the Devil's Harp will cause Athena to instantly lose all of her items and current equipment.	Only a special goddess can grant Athena with the Harp of Protection, which functions like a permanent K Slate; it will allow Athena to keep all of her equipment every time she dies.	Possession of the key is required in order to reach the World of the Labyrinth. It's location is hidden.
Heart	Crystal Heart	Bonus Points
Collect a Heart to restore one of Athena's lost hit points. They usually appear when flowers are hit, but a certain monster can also provide them.	Collect a Crystal Heart to increase Athena's maximum life by two hit points, up to a maximum of 40 hit points.	Bonus bags are found in blocks and left behind by enemies. Collect them in order to receive 100, 500, 1000, 2000, or even 3000 points.
Pandora's Box	Sailor Dress
Possession of Pandora's Box is required in order to defeat the boss of the sixth world.	If you are lucky enough to find a girl's school sailor uniform (the kind worn by Athena Asamiya in Psycho Soldier), collect it and you will receive one extra life.