How many heroes can I choose?
There are five: Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, Long Ma and Xiao Long Nü.
ArcadeGame Rerun guide
Oriental Legend (1997 Arcade)
IGS’s 1997 Oriental Legend brings a Journey to the West-inspired adventure to the arcade. Choose one of five heroes, manage weapons and magical items, and fight through branching scenes. The original supports solo play or groups of up to four players.
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Game Rerun guide
Overview
IGS developed and published Oriental Legend for PGM arcade hardware in 1997. Its side-scrolling adventure draws on Journey to the West.
The five selectable heroes are Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, Long Ma and Xiao Long Nü. Their weapons and fighting reach differ, so choosing a hero also changes how you position attacks and approach a group of enemies.
The action moves through eight stages of a Journey to the West-inspired journey. These are belt-scrolling battles with movement along both the horizontal and depth axes, rather than one-on-one fighting rounds.
The original cabinet has four action buttons. Attack and Jump handle basic combat, while Item Select opens the item circle and Item Use spends the selected item. Choosing an item and using it are distinct actions.
Weapons can be knocked from a hero’s hands. Fighting unarmed changes attacks and reduces the effectiveness of moves that rely on a weapon, so recovering a dropped weapon matters alongside keeping health.
The original’s energy gauge supports charged techniques. Charge it in a safe opening instead of standing still among enemies. The emergency escape attack is a different tool that consumes health, even when it does not hit.
Items have different purposes, and the five-element system links a hero’s affinity to elemental tools. Do not assume every hero benefits from the same pickup; suitability and the situation matter as much as the number of items held.
The original supports one to four players cooperating at the same time. Routes can branch, and some paths change when the ground collapses; regroup and coordinate item use rather than treating every stage as a single unchanging lane.
Controls
- Arcade joystick
- Move across the scene in eight directions, including along its depth. Line up with an enemy before trying to strike.
- Arcade A
- Press A for ordinary attacks and nearby pickups. Repeated attacks form the basic combination; return to a dropped weapon to recover it.
- Arcade B
- Press B to jump, then A during the jump for an aerial attack.
- Arcade C
- Open the item circle, choose an available item with the joystick and confirm with A or C. Pressing D instead uses the chosen item immediately, so separate selection from spending.
- Arcade D
- Use the selected item and spend its stock. Check the selected icon before pressing D.
- Arcade dash
- Double-tap a direction to dash; press A during the dash for a running attack.
- Arcade A+B
- Press A and B together for an emergency escape attack. It costs health even if it misses, so save it for when you are surrounded.
- Arcade A+B+C
- Hold A, B and C together to charge the original game’s energy gauge. Choose a safe moment because charging leaves you in place.
Before you play
- Adjust the depth axis before attacking. Being close on the screen is not enough if the enemy stands in a different lane.
- Recover your weapon when an opening appears. Remaining unarmed changes the fighting style and weakens attacks that need the weapon.
- Practice separating C from D. Open and select in the item circle first, then spend the intended item only when the target or danger is in place.
- Use short charge opportunities between enemy waves or after a knockdown. Charging in the middle of an active group invites interruptions.
- Save A+B for a dangerous surrounding and account for its health cost. Repeating it when there is space to move can turn an escape tool into unnecessary damage to yourself.
- Read elemental pickups in relation to the chosen hero. An unsuitable five-element item can hurt rather than help; collecting everything is not always the safest plan.
- In cooperation, spread across useful lanes and coordinate valuable item effects. Several players standing in one crowded spot can make it harder to see incoming attacks.
- Treat the stage timer and route changes as part of the plan. A collapsing path can change where the party goes, while prolonged fighting can leave too little time for the next section.
FAQ
How many people can play together?
The original arcade game supports one to four players in simultaneous cooperative play.
Why does a dropped weapon matter?
Unarmed attacks differ, and weapon-dependent moves lose effectiveness. Recover the weapon when it is safe.
Should I pick up every elemental item?
Check its compatibility with your hero. The five-element relationships mean an unsuitable pickup can hurt instead of helping.
Is the route the same on every run?
Stages have branching paths, and collapsing ground can change the route in some scenes.