Solomon's Key (NES)

This game is fantastic, and incredibly hard. It is a challenge that will earn your 500 wii points

Infinite continues would be nice with the Wii's rom-freezing feature. I don't like playing those first levels over and over but this is a really great game! It's worth the time it takes to master it.

It is great indeed The VC's underrated NES game, very worth the 500 points. And yes, it does have infinite continues, after the game over screen (which came up very frequently for me >_>), you're sent back to the title screen, but pressing start brings you to the level you were just on. <br> <br>But as I say, it's brilliant. Difficult though, the relief I had completing it was a lot to say the least!

One of the hardest NES games out there, Solomon's Key will infact win the hearts of many Puzzle and RPG fans.

I skipped over this one in the 80s and 90s. I have it now on the VC, and it is great. Disregard the graphics. The puzzles will keep you coming back! 4/5 stars from me too.

I love this game. FYI, there are infinite continues. At the GDV screen (game over screen), hit Up+A+B. Good luck all!

It is a challenging game and a REAL CLASSIC!
It's got many levels as well as good graphics for an NES game.
It's got tight controls, tons of secrets and just one of the best soundtracks on the NES ever.

With unlimited continues and Wii-save-function everyone can play through it. I give it 4 Stars.

There was apparently a Monster Rancher game based on this released for the Game Boy Color. It used the same game mechanics and even has the same room clearing jingle this has.

aesome game it is a platformer and a puzzle

I like puzzlers but this is a waste of $5; (I can only get to 2 levels)I am going to delete it and buy adventures of lolo. Bomberman 93 and Chew Man Fu are 2 games that are must downloads for puzzle fans!!

If you give up after 2 levels, you have a serious issue with puzzle games, haha ! It isn't that hard, especially with continues.

I loved this game when I was about 10 - I can't wait for release in the EU!

I can't seem to find it anywhere - really want it but don't know how to get it!!! Ahhhh!

even with infinite continues, the game is still pretty bad. anti-climactic un unnecessarily hard. i made the mistake of downloading this game on virtual consoleand just wasted 500 wii points. dont get this game. dont even accept it as a gift

hmmm. from the video I can totally see how this game could be cool. I still think it was a strange choice for a VC launch game though...

I love love love this game, but it is hard as hell

It's not THAT hard, people. Just learn the solution to the levels, and they'll fall easily. If I can beat it, so can you.

As someone who breezed through Lolo 1 & 2 (except PROB, C and D), this is harder, I guess because of the faster action. I've cleared the first ten rooms. Still looking for a difficult puzzler (as opposed to a difficult action game). So far I like this game and will play more.

Dig the boxart, too.

I haven't really gotten the feel of this game. I feel like I'm brute-forcing through the levels.

It takes a while to get used to. The best hint I can give is "learn the levels". Learn the sure-fire method that will always enable you to beat a level every time you try it. Collect extra lives and fairies. Learn where the hidden treasures are. Knowledge is everything in this game, since you'll keep getting booted back to the title screen if you die too much. I can get through the first 30-or-so levels without dying without too much trouble, and rack up about 15 lives on the way - all it takes is practice and a willingness to learn safe methods rather than ramboing through. Remember that fireballs are there for a reason, too.

I've spent hours on that horrible room 17.

Room 17 is easy, you just need to block yourself in completely every time you move to a new concrete block.
At the beginning, wait for the ball right in front of you to pass you, then make a block toyour left, get on top of it to reach the concrete block, and make blocks to your left and right. Wait for the balls to travel clear off the blocks you've been making, then destroy the block you made to the left, make a block right under where it was when the ball on the next concrete block has passed, then walk over to it and make blocks to your right and left again, protecting you from the balls as they travel to outskirt of the room. Continue like this until you're past all the concrete blocks and balls, then extend the floor all the way to the left, while leaving a small hole for the balls to travel through once they return to this area. block the hole when the balls try getting back out. No problem.

Yeah, I figured that much but it still took my about four sessions to actually do it. Maybe over a hundred tries. I like this game a lot as an action game but it wasn't what I was looking for when I bought it, which was right on the heels of the Lolo games that I already found too much based on timing and action. I like timing/action games too, but sometimes I just want to think, not practice my twiddly fingers (sometimes it's the opposite), it's a mood thing, I guess. Solomon's Key for me falls squarely into the "twiddly fingers" camp. Thanks for the advice.

I downloaded this yesterday, it was well worth 500 points.

Finally finished it, after chipping away on-and-off for weeks. Superb game. The levels are really beautifully crafted, although they do get increasingly hellish. Rooms 43 and 46 must be among the most fiendish ever committed to code - they had me chewing the furniture...

Anyway, I wish Tecmo would update this rather than pumping out their silly, soft-porn, boobs-on-the-beach 'games'.

Can anyone recommend a similar experience on VC?
Adventures of Lolo, maybe?

Solomon's Key is unique. The closest you'd get would be the Lode Runner games, but they're really not that similiar.

Still a fun game, but nothing groundbreaking. Of course it never really was to begin with.

A fun game, but dang it's hard.

@ Corbie. It may not have been groundbreaking, but I think that it did combine action and puzzling in a more innovative (and evil) way than anything I can think of for that generation. That said, I haven't got Lolo yet, so I know nothing...

For only 500 points, I'm even more eager to give this a try!

Buy it now, it is a forever shining gem =)

"twiddly fingers" camp.. did you meen the word skill?

8/10 all the way

I had the one for the original gameboy...bought this a month ago, this game is SOO awesome. Go Figure, a week or two after I bought the NES version the release the Arcade version on the VC...oh well this game still kicks butt

The only contue I can do is back to the first level

If someone can tell me how to continue i will tell how to skip from level 15 to 21

I figured out that you continue by pressing up a and b AT THE SAME TIME!

now I need to know how to beat level 43

Come on, Nintendo! Release this in the States for the 3DS E-Shop!