I first played this game with my dad when I was 8 on an emulator on our bright yellow cube-shaped playmobil-evoking windows XP. The lack of instructions but low stakes made the game approachable and engaging, and even, a little mysterious. This and bubble bobble quickly became my favorite NES games. The puzzle box quality has a tactile and systematic nature to it that felt satisfyingly clockwork. The music and animations made it welcoming. The quick striking nature of the medusa and... dagger-toting? cat? introduced just enough fear into the heart of an 8 year old girl that there was a satisfying flow of tension between the more contemplative and the twitchier level designs, lovingly seasoned through the dungeon floors. I would recommend this.