Dungeonbuster
@dungeonbuster.bsky.social
Seeking adventures from the archives of the past, one story at a time. I love taking a look at the history of RPGs, the tales they spin, and in shining a light on these from time to time in my threads. Let's explore together!
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Dungeonbuster
@dungeonbuster.bsky.social
· May 20
When it's time to log off after a dungeon run with a great team. Thanks for the game, everyone!
Minelvaton Saga: Ragon no Fukkatsu, an action RPG for the Nintendo Famicom by Random House (not to be confused with the book publisher) brings out more miniatures in a two-page, 1987 ad from Japan
Top-down exploration awaited as you "bump" monsters in combat during a special "Battle Mode"!
Top-down exploration awaited as you "bump" monsters in combat during a special "Battle Mode"!
November 10, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Minelvaton Saga: Ragon no Fukkatsu, an action RPG for the Nintendo Famicom by Random House (not to be confused with the book publisher) brings out more miniatures in a two-page, 1987 ad from Japan
Top-down exploration awaited as you "bump" monsters in combat during a special "Battle Mode"!
Top-down exploration awaited as you "bump" monsters in combat during a special "Battle Mode"!
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds (1993) | RPG | PC platforms | Looking Glass Studios
Trapped by the godlike Guardian, you quest to find a way to free yourself through a flaw found within by traveling to other worlds! Sadly, this goblin was unimpressed with my delicious password.
Trapped by the godlike Guardian, you quest to find a way to free yourself through a flaw found within by traveling to other worlds! Sadly, this goblin was unimpressed with my delicious password.
September 15, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds (1993) | RPG | PC platforms | Looking Glass Studios
Trapped by the godlike Guardian, you quest to find a way to free yourself through a flaw found within by traveling to other worlds! Sadly, this goblin was unimpressed with my delicious password.
Trapped by the godlike Guardian, you quest to find a way to free yourself through a flaw found within by traveling to other worlds! Sadly, this goblin was unimpressed with my delicious password.
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday (1990) | RPG | PC platforms | SSI
The nefarious forces of RAM attack the New Earth Organization's base in the opening act of SSI's adaptation of TSR's Buck Rogers XXVc. Veterans of SSI's "Gold Box" RPGs will feel right at home, only now with 25th century pew pew.
The nefarious forces of RAM attack the New Earth Organization's base in the opening act of SSI's adaptation of TSR's Buck Rogers XXVc. Veterans of SSI's "Gold Box" RPGs will feel right at home, only now with 25th century pew pew.
September 26, 2024 at 2:13 PM
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday (1990) | RPG | PC platforms | SSI
The nefarious forces of RAM attack the New Earth Organization's base in the opening act of SSI's adaptation of TSR's Buck Rogers XXVc. Veterans of SSI's "Gold Box" RPGs will feel right at home, only now with 25th century pew pew.
The nefarious forces of RAM attack the New Earth Organization's base in the opening act of SSI's adaptation of TSR's Buck Rogers XXVc. Veterans of SSI's "Gold Box" RPGs will feel right at home, only now with 25th century pew pew.
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
A two-page ad from 1995 for Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen, a tactical RPG for the SNES by Quest
A wicked empire has reigned for twenty four years having crushed the Kingdoms of Zenobia. But now, as the leader of a band of rebels, it falls to you to save the land! Or take it for yourself...
A wicked empire has reigned for twenty four years having crushed the Kingdoms of Zenobia. But now, as the leader of a band of rebels, it falls to you to save the land! Or take it for yourself...
November 7, 2024 at 11:07 PM
A two-page ad from 1995 for Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen, a tactical RPG for the SNES by Quest
A wicked empire has reigned for twenty four years having crushed the Kingdoms of Zenobia. But now, as the leader of a band of rebels, it falls to you to save the land! Or take it for yourself...
A wicked empire has reigned for twenty four years having crushed the Kingdoms of Zenobia. But now, as the leader of a band of rebels, it falls to you to save the land! Or take it for yourself...
Phantasy Star II: Nei's Adventure (1990) | adventure | Sega Game Toshokan | Sega
Phantasy Star II's Nei rescues a kitty from a rabid dog in this neat adventure-style game. It was a downloadable MegaNet title in Japan with RPG-like combat that even had dice rolling across the screen as added flavor!
Phantasy Star II's Nei rescues a kitty from a rabid dog in this neat adventure-style game. It was a downloadable MegaNet title in Japan with RPG-like combat that even had dice rolling across the screen as added flavor!
November 9, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Phantasy Star II: Nei's Adventure (1990) | adventure | Sega Game Toshokan | Sega
Phantasy Star II's Nei rescues a kitty from a rabid dog in this neat adventure-style game. It was a downloadable MegaNet title in Japan with RPG-like combat that even had dice rolling across the screen as added flavor!
Phantasy Star II's Nei rescues a kitty from a rabid dog in this neat adventure-style game. It was a downloadable MegaNet title in Japan with RPG-like combat that even had dice rolling across the screen as added flavor!
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Baldur's Gate II, an RPG for PC platforms by BioWare, had several different ads run for it in 2000; one two-pager featuring the main villain (voiced in the game by the late, great, David Warner) and this one featuring another key character lurking in the shadows with a taste for blood.
August 28, 2024 at 12:23 AM
Baldur's Gate II, an RPG for PC platforms by BioWare, had several different ads run for it in 2000; one two-pager featuring the main villain (voiced in the game by the late, great, David Warner) and this one featuring another key character lurking in the shadows with a taste for blood.
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
The Magic of Scheherazade (1987) is an RPG for the NES by Culture Brain. Based on One Thousand and One Nights' tales, your memories were erased when you were exiled in time. But now you've been found and return to save your love, Scheherazade, and all Arabia from evil! (a magic carpet thread)
February 20, 2025 at 2:02 AM
The Magic of Scheherazade (1987) is an RPG for the NES by Culture Brain. Based on One Thousand and One Nights' tales, your memories were erased when you were exiled in time. But now you've been found and return to save your love, Scheherazade, and all Arabia from evil! (a magic carpet thread)
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
A two-page ad from 1993 for Shining Force, a tactical RPG for the Sega Genesis by Climax
Shifting from the first-person dungeoneering of 1991's Shining in the Darkness, you were not only cast as the party leader, but a tactical commander of "up to twelve different characters" in top-down battles.
Shifting from the first-person dungeoneering of 1991's Shining in the Darkness, you were not only cast as the party leader, but a tactical commander of "up to twelve different characters" in top-down battles.
July 20, 2024 at 2:42 PM
A two-page ad from 1993 for Shining Force, a tactical RPG for the Sega Genesis by Climax
Shifting from the first-person dungeoneering of 1991's Shining in the Darkness, you were not only cast as the party leader, but a tactical commander of "up to twelve different characters" in top-down battles.
Shifting from the first-person dungeoneering of 1991's Shining in the Darkness, you were not only cast as the party leader, but a tactical commander of "up to twelve different characters" in top-down battles.
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Moldorian: The Sisters of Light and Darkness (1994) is an RPG by Rit's for the Sega Game Gear in Japan. In a world split between humans and Magi, a monster has taken your childhood friend, Miria! Your father vanishes trying to find her, leaving the quest to you! (a quest for friendship thread)
November 7, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Moldorian: The Sisters of Light and Darkness (1994) is an RPG by Rit's for the Sega Game Gear in Japan. In a world split between humans and Magi, a monster has taken your childhood friend, Miria! Your father vanishes trying to find her, leaving the quest to you! (a quest for friendship thread)
Moldorian: The Sisters of Light and Darkness (1994) is an RPG by Rit's for the Sega Game Gear in Japan. In a world split between humans and Magi, a monster has taken your childhood friend, Miria! Your father vanishes trying to find her, leaving the quest to you! (a quest for friendship thread)
November 7, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Moldorian: The Sisters of Light and Darkness (1994) is an RPG by Rit's for the Sega Game Gear in Japan. In a world split between humans and Magi, a monster has taken your childhood friend, Miria! Your father vanishes trying to find her, leaving the quest to you! (a quest for friendship thread)
It's the year 2053 and Tokyo's dystopian shadows run deep in this 1995 ad from Japan (illustrated by Satoshi Shiki) for Shadowrun, an RPG by Compile for the Sega Mega-CD
Based on FASA Corporation's TTRPG, Compile's RPG-lite adaptation was set in an awakened world where cyberpunk and magic collide!
Based on FASA Corporation's TTRPG, Compile's RPG-lite adaptation was set in an awakened world where cyberpunk and magic collide!
November 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM
It's the year 2053 and Tokyo's dystopian shadows run deep in this 1995 ad from Japan (illustrated by Satoshi Shiki) for Shadowrun, an RPG by Compile for the Sega Mega-CD
Based on FASA Corporation's TTRPG, Compile's RPG-lite adaptation was set in an awakened world where cyberpunk and magic collide!
Based on FASA Corporation's TTRPG, Compile's RPG-lite adaptation was set in an awakened world where cyberpunk and magic collide!
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Magic Knight Rayearth (1994) was an RPG for the Sega Game Gear by Sega and was released only in Japan. Three schoolgirls are whisked from Japan to the magical world of Cephiro by a princess' wish, becoming the legendary Magic Knights who quest to save the land! (a portable isekai thread)
November 6, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Magic Knight Rayearth (1994) was an RPG for the Sega Game Gear by Sega and was released only in Japan. Three schoolgirls are whisked from Japan to the magical world of Cephiro by a princess' wish, becoming the legendary Magic Knights who quest to save the land! (a portable isekai thread)
Magic Knight Rayearth (1994) was an RPG for the Sega Game Gear by Sega and was released only in Japan. Three schoolgirls are whisked from Japan to the magical world of Cephiro by a princess' wish, becoming the legendary Magic Knights who quest to save the land! (a portable isekai thread)
November 6, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Magic Knight Rayearth (1994) was an RPG for the Sega Game Gear by Sega and was released only in Japan. Three schoolgirls are whisked from Japan to the magical world of Cephiro by a princess' wish, becoming the legendary Magic Knights who quest to save the land! (a portable isekai thread)
This 1989 ad from Japan does its part to hype up Hudson Soft's Neutopia, an action RPG for the PC Engine
Also shown is the Ten no Koe 2 in the lower left, a 2kb-sized battery powered add-on for the PC Engine allowing compatible games to save to it instead of relying only on messy passwords!
Also shown is the Ten no Koe 2 in the lower left, a 2kb-sized battery powered add-on for the PC Engine allowing compatible games to save to it instead of relying only on messy passwords!
November 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
This 1989 ad from Japan does its part to hype up Hudson Soft's Neutopia, an action RPG for the PC Engine
Also shown is the Ten no Koe 2 in the lower left, a 2kb-sized battery powered add-on for the PC Engine allowing compatible games to save to it instead of relying only on messy passwords!
Also shown is the Ten no Koe 2 in the lower left, a 2kb-sized battery powered add-on for the PC Engine allowing compatible games to save to it instead of relying only on messy passwords!
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Magic Knight Rayearth (1995) was an action RPG by Sega for the Sega Saturn. Three schoolgirls from Tokyo are whisked away to the world of Cephiro by a princess' wish. There, they must become the legendary Magic Knights and save Cephiro from the wicked Zagat and his followers! (a magical girl thread)
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Magic Knight Rayearth (1995) was an action RPG by Sega for the Sega Saturn. Three schoolgirls from Tokyo are whisked away to the world of Cephiro by a princess' wish. There, they must become the legendary Magic Knights and save Cephiro from the wicked Zagat and his followers! (a magical girl thread)
Magic Knight Rayearth (1995) was an action RPG by Sega for the Sega Saturn. Three schoolgirls from Tokyo are whisked away to the world of Cephiro by a princess' wish. There, they must become the legendary Magic Knights and save Cephiro from the wicked Zagat and his followers! (a magical girl thread)
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Magic Knight Rayearth (1995) was an action RPG by Sega for the Sega Saturn. Three schoolgirls from Tokyo are whisked away to the world of Cephiro by a princess' wish. There, they must become the legendary Magic Knights and save Cephiro from the wicked Zagat and his followers! (a magical girl thread)
A shattered continent at war awaits in this 1998 ad from Japan for Soldnerschild Special, the PlayStation port of the Sega Saturn's 1997 tactical RPG, Soldnerschild, by Koei
An illustration by Castlevania's Ayami Kojima (who also designed the game's characters), beckons would-be mercenary captains!
An illustration by Castlevania's Ayami Kojima (who also designed the game's characters), beckons would-be mercenary captains!
November 5, 2025 at 7:15 PM
A shattered continent at war awaits in this 1998 ad from Japan for Soldnerschild Special, the PlayStation port of the Sega Saturn's 1997 tactical RPG, Soldnerschild, by Koei
An illustration by Castlevania's Ayami Kojima (who also designed the game's characters), beckons would-be mercenary captains!
An illustration by Castlevania's Ayami Kojima (who also designed the game's characters), beckons would-be mercenary captains!
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Aretha II: Ariel no Fushigi na Tabi (1994) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Following her success in the previous game, our star, Ariel, is about to be crowned queen when she receives word that her friends need her help once again! (a wonderful adventure thread)
November 4, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Aretha II: Ariel no Fushigi na Tabi (1994) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Following her success in the previous game, our star, Ariel, is about to be crowned queen when she receives word that her friends need her help once again! (a wonderful adventure thread)
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
A two page ad from 2001 for Anachronox, an RPG for PCs by Ion Storm featuring main character, Sly Boots
It drew design inspiration from Japanese RPGs such as Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy with its turn-based, "active time battle" mechanics alongside an ambitious scope and cliffhanger ending.
It drew design inspiration from Japanese RPGs such as Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy with its turn-based, "active time battle" mechanics alongside an ambitious scope and cliffhanger ending.
September 23, 2024 at 6:22 PM
A two page ad from 2001 for Anachronox, an RPG for PCs by Ion Storm featuring main character, Sly Boots
It drew design inspiration from Japanese RPGs such as Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy with its turn-based, "active time battle" mechanics alongside an ambitious scope and cliffhanger ending.
It drew design inspiration from Japanese RPGs such as Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy with its turn-based, "active time battle" mechanics alongside an ambitious scope and cliffhanger ending.
Aretha II: Ariel no Fushigi na Tabi (1994) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Following her success in the previous game, our star, Ariel, is about to be crowned queen when she receives word that her friends need her help once again! (a wonderful adventure thread)
November 4, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Aretha II: Ariel no Fushigi na Tabi (1994) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Following her success in the previous game, our star, Ariel, is about to be crowned queen when she receives word that her friends need her help once again! (a wonderful adventure thread)
Pain and despair were the themes celebrated in this 1998 ad for Shadow Tower in Japan, a first-person, action RPG for the PlayStation
It described the experience as a refreshing return to basics with no map to reference and your character's development as the only real relief in a grim adventure.
It described the experience as a refreshing return to basics with no map to reference and your character's development as the only real relief in a grim adventure.
November 4, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Pain and despair were the themes celebrated in this 1998 ad for Shadow Tower in Japan, a first-person, action RPG for the PlayStation
It described the experience as a refreshing return to basics with no map to reference and your character's development as the only real relief in a grim adventure.
It described the experience as a refreshing return to basics with no map to reference and your character's development as the only real relief in a grim adventure.
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
A late 1998 ad for Panzer Dragoon Saga, an RPG by Team Andromeda at Sega for the Sega Saturn
Notoriously difficult to find in NA thanks in part to an extremely limited production run, this cheeky ad aimed to help by letting would-be players imagine they were in the game as the main character.
Notoriously difficult to find in NA thanks in part to an extremely limited production run, this cheeky ad aimed to help by letting would-be players imagine they were in the game as the main character.
November 4, 2024 at 11:16 PM
A late 1998 ad for Panzer Dragoon Saga, an RPG by Team Andromeda at Sega for the Sega Saturn
Notoriously difficult to find in NA thanks in part to an extremely limited production run, this cheeky ad aimed to help by letting would-be players imagine they were in the game as the main character.
Notoriously difficult to find in NA thanks in part to an extremely limited production run, this cheeky ad aimed to help by letting would-be players imagine they were in the game as the main character.
Reposted by Dungeonbuster
Aretha (1993) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Young Ariel has lived a quiet life with her grandmother, Sarah, until a chance encounter with a mysterious, and wicked, stranger sets her on a collision course with destiny. (a growing up turn-based thread)
November 4, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Aretha (1993) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Young Ariel has lived a quiet life with her grandmother, Sarah, until a chance encounter with a mysterious, and wicked, stranger sets her on a collision course with destiny. (a growing up turn-based thread)
Aretha (1993) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Young Ariel has lived a quiet life with her grandmother, Sarah, until a chance encounter with a mysterious, and wicked, stranger sets her on a collision course with destiny. (a growing up turn-based thread)
November 4, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Aretha (1993) is an RPG by Japan Art Media for the Super Famicom in Japan. Young Ariel has lived a quiet life with her grandmother, Sarah, until a chance encounter with a mysterious, and wicked, stranger sets her on a collision course with destiny. (a growing up turn-based thread)
Japan's PlayStation Magazine played host to a small feature on Poporogue in their October '98 issue, an RPG sequel to 1996's PopoloCrois by G-Artists and Sugar & Rockets
Based on Yohsuke Tamori's manga series and art style, the sequel stars Prince Pietro (now age 12) embarking on a new adventure!
Based on Yohsuke Tamori's manga series and art style, the sequel stars Prince Pietro (now age 12) embarking on a new adventure!
November 3, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Japan's PlayStation Magazine played host to a small feature on Poporogue in their October '98 issue, an RPG sequel to 1996's PopoloCrois by G-Artists and Sugar & Rockets
Based on Yohsuke Tamori's manga series and art style, the sequel stars Prince Pietro (now age 12) embarking on a new adventure!
Based on Yohsuke Tamori's manga series and art style, the sequel stars Prince Pietro (now age 12) embarking on a new adventure!