Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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A playthrough of Vic Tokai's 1990 action-adventure game for the NES, Clash at Demonhead.

At 1:16:24, you can see the alternate ending that plays if you fail to disarm the bomb in time.

Long before it became the name of the pro-vegan rock band in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (youtu.be/cOw5fSjioOw), Clash at Demonhead was an obscure little NES gem that was better known for its outlandish name than anything related to its gameplay. It's a platforming action-adventure that takes place in the modern day, with gameplay that feels similar to games like Rygar (youtu.be/dwbsRUyLmvA) and The Battle of Olympus (youtu.be/B5Q1tMtfXLo), but with the RPG elements stripped out.

Each of the game's forty-two areas is connected through a road map-style hub, and there are few restrictions placed on where you can go from the outset. On certain routes, you'll find NPCs who dole out useful information and move the plot along, like your shifty "ally" Michael, a fairy named Faysha, an old hermit who teaches you how to use the force (for things like life refills, teleportation, and invincible karate), as well as Tom Guycott, a trash-talking skeleton who flies around in a cape.

The translation is a little stiff and wonky, but the characters' entertaining personalities shine through during "talking time". The stilted insults bandied about by the villains are sure to draw a smile or two, and like the off-kilter writing, the graphics bring a whole lot of charm. The expressions shown during conversations are often so exaggerated that you can't help but laugh, and the visual design of the backdrops and character sprites gives the game the look of an 80s-era anime.

The gameplay is solid, and though it does occasionally annoy with the stiffness of its controls, the mechanics are easy to grasp, the power suits are fun to mess around with, and the enemies are rarely difficult. The real challenge lies in learning how to navigate the world. It's a game that requires you to take notes, and you'll quickly find yourself lost if you aren't keeping track of which intersections lead to which routes.

Clash at Demonhead is a game I've always appreciated for its quirky tone, and the fun to be found in the freeform nature of the gameplay is more than enough reason to look past its minor faults.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.

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