Originally shelved during development in 1985 due to “technical instability” (and allegedly, a haunted dev studio), Starhowl is a cosmic action-RPG set on a cursed moon orbiting a dead star. Today — nearly 40 years later — the full game has been discovered on a prototype cartridge and officially released by a retro game preservation group.

Plot:

You play as Vex Lunar, a lone synth-knight stranded after a crash landing. As he explores the moon Eon Vale, he’s hunted by ancient AI spirits and mutated starbeasts. The twist? Every time you die, time rewinds — but the moon remembers. Enemies evolve, terrain shifts, and your previous failures haunt your path.

Gameplay:

• Side-scrolling with RPG elements and a light permadeath mechanic
• 8-bit pixel graphics with eerie ambient chip-tunes
• Upgradeable armor and weapons forged from cosmic ore
• Boss battles that change form based on your in-game decisions

Lost Feature Rumor:

The game allegedly included a “howl” mechanic — if you whistled into the original Famicom mic, it triggered alternate timelines. That feature? Still being reverse-engineered…