Rod-Land

The player controls one or two fairies named Tam and Rit, who are armed with a magic wand. Following the concept of Taito's Bubble Bobble, the wand does not kill the monsters directly, but only immobilizes them and makes them cry. To kill them, the wand can hold them in a magical force field and the player can knock them down over their head until they disappear, leaving behind a power-up. Each level is just a small screen consisting of monsters, platforms, ladders and later tunnels. Unlike other games in the genre, players can never jump, but must use ladders. They can conjure a custom ladder above or below them to get to the appropriate platform. There can only be one such "custom" ladder, so when the fairy summons it again, it disappears from its previous position to reappear next to the fairy. This can be advantageous for the player if a monster climbs up the ladder to approach it. The fairies' task is to rescue their mother, who is trapped in a tower. In the sequel (part of the original arcade game), they must venture into a pyramid to stop an evil demon who is building a mobile fortress. The spirit of their deceased father "guides" them in some places. The ending suggests that the demon in the pyramid was somehow responsible for their father's death.