Demon's World (World) / Horror Story (Japan) (set 1)

Demon's World, known in Japan as Horror Story, is a cooperative platform and shooter released by Toaplan in 1990. Two players navigate side-scrolling levels battling various supernatural enemies within distinctly themed environments. One version of the game begins the action amidst an Asian-inspired setting populated with ghostly figures, while another initiates play in a spooky Old West landscape featuring similarly spectral opponents; this variation affects the order through which the stages are presented. Players utilize a joystick to move their characters and fire weapons, facing a diverse array of obstacles and adversaries requiring both skillful platforming and ranged combat. The game’s dual CPU architecture drives its visuals and sound, utilizing a Yamaha YM3812 chip for audio. A hidden function allows for invulnerability when enabled by a dip switch, alongside the ability to pause and restart gameplay through specific player inputs. Demon's World was initially distributed in Japan via Taito before being licensed for distribution elsewhere. The game has since been ported to home consoles like the NEC PC-Engine Super CD-ROM under its Japanese title.