Alfred Tries To Play: First Samurai (SNES)
1Considering this game begins on a 'battlefield' (which looks more like a cave) in 1730, the claim of 'First Samurai' is a pretty bold lie considering the first samurai appeared centuries earlier.
But I digress, this is a decent hack n slash platformer game that's a little rough round the edges, but still enjoyable. In each stage, you must locate 5 mystic runes to trigger the boss battle at the end of the stage while slaying enemies with your fist or sword. Certain obstacles can only be passed by ringing a bell to eliminate whatever danger is blocking your path (usually fire).
Enemies do tend to swarm you, and you end up taking a lot of cheap hits, but the frustration is mitigated by the fact that effectively you get a free life while wielding the sword. If you run out of health while holding the sword, you lose your sword (accompanied by your character saying "Oh no! My sword!" which is rather amusing), and then your health bar resets. If you run out of health again without a sword, you will die and return to the last checkpoint, but it is fairly easy to gain enough energy (by defeating enemies) to regain the sword.
What is more annoying though is the fact that when you start each stage or restart at a checkpoint after losing a life, you have to put up with an unnecessary 20 second animation of some sparkly face flying around making weird sounds before your character appears.
And also, if you break open treasure chests or food baskets, the Hallelujah chorus plays. I feel the same way when I'm able to get some health restoring food items at a crucial moment.