The Mystery of Atlantis

The Mystery of Atlantis
Developer	Sunsoft
Publisher	Sunsoft Media Kite (Classic Games and re-release) D4 Enterprise (Project EGG) Nintendo (Famicom Mini)
Platforms	Famicom, PlayStation, Windows, Famicom Mini
Released	Family Computer Japan: April 17, 1986 Windows Japan (Sunsoft Classic Games 1): June 29, 2001 Japan (Masterpiece Selection 1): July 2, 2004 Japan (Project EGG): May 11, 2010 PlayStation Japan (Masterpiece Selection 2): December 6, 2001 PS3, PSP, PSTV, Vita (PSOne Classics) Japan: August 30, 2007 Wii (Virtual Console) Japan: December 2, 2008 Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console) Japan: October 2, 2013 Wii U (Virtual Console) Japan: April 22, 2015 Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer Japan: November 10, 2016 Nintendo Switch (Nintendo Switch Online) Japan: February 19, 2020
Added to Museum	Famicom Mini: August 10, 2017

The Mystery of Atlantis (アトランチスの謎, Atlantis no Nazo) is a side-scrolling platforming game that was released for the Family Computer by Sunsoft on April 17, 1986.

Story

The game follows a man named Wynn, who has entered the lost city of Atlantis with his master.

The two hope to be able to find long-lost treasure in the fabled lost city.

However, Wynn's master was soon kidnapped by King Zavila.

Now, Wynn ventures into the many rooms of Atlantis. However, many strange creatures will be trying to kill him.

Wynn has to save his master and collect treasure along the way.

Gameplay

This is a platforming game that is comprised entirely of warp zones. Enemies must be avoided, as they will kill Wynn with a single hit.

Bombs are used to access warps, which brings Wynn to a different zone.

There are perilous warps that must be avoided, such as the bottomless black hole, which will eliminate all of Wynn's lives.

Once he reaches the Final Zone, Wynn must avoid the evil King Zavila, who is holding his master captive.

Wynn must avoid the fireballs that Zavila throws at him, and ultimately save his master.

Releases

The Mystery of Atlantis was originally released on Family Computer on April 17, 1986.

It was later bundled with Super Arabian and The Wing of Madoola for Windows in Ultra 2000 Sunsoft Classic Games Vol. 1 on June 29, 2001 and in its budget re-release Enjoyable Sunsoft Masterpiece Selection Vol. 1 on July 2, 2004.

A bundle with Route-16 Turbo was released in Memorial☆Series Sunsoft Vol. 1 for PlayStation in Japan on December 6, 2001.

The PlayStation compilation including the game was released on PSOne Classics for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable in Japan on August 30, 2007.

The Famicom version was released for Wii Virtual Console in Japan on December 2, 2008, on Project EGG for Windows in Japan on May 11, 2010, on Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in Japan on October 2, 2013, and on Wii U Virtual Console in Japan on April 22, 2015.

It was one of the thirty games included with the Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer, which was released on November 10, 2016 in Japan.

On February 19, 2020, it was included in Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online for Nintendo Switch in Japan.

Cancelled Nintendo Entertainment System version

Activision localized this game as Super Pitfall II (although it is unrelated to Super Pitfall), and intended to release it for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989. The localization was completed, but it was cancelled for an unknown reason.

The localization keeps much of the game the same. The major changes include the title screen, grammar corrections, and a change to make the black hole lead to one life left rather than instant death.

There is one major change in a puzzle that requires knowledge of Japanese. The screenshot on the right is the puzzle in Super Pitfall II. The solution is to stand on top of the first Moai head, and throw seven bombs, then stand on the second and throw five bombs, and then stand on the third and throw eight bombs. In Atlantis no Nazo, the clue is much harder. The clue is Nagoya, which requires knowledge of goroawase, a form of wordplay where a series of numbers matches up to the syllables in a word. In this case, na, go, and ya would equal 758. The localization simply gave the numbers for the puzzle as the clue.

A prototype cartridge of Super Pitfall II, containing what appears to be the complete North American localization of Atlantis no Nazo, was discovered in 2009.