A long-lost Japanese role-playing game developed for Nintendo’s NES has resurfaced after decades in obscurity, following the release of newly uncovered gameplay footage that sheds light on a project cancelled shortly before its planned launch in the early 1990s.
The game, Indy The Magical Kid, was developed by Graphic Research and scheduled for release in 1993 by publisher IGS. Contemporary reports suggested the title was close to completion before disappearing without explanation, with development believed to be about 90% finished and promotional materials already prepared.
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Based on a series of choose-your-own-adventure gamebooks by author Naomi Inoue, the game aimed to differentiate itself from other RPGs of the era. Players were expected to create magic spells by combining medicinal seeds in a ritual circle, resulting in more than 100 possible spell combinations. As the original article notes, the game featured a visual style blending “Dragon Quest-esque top-down exploration, mixed with Earthbound vibes.”
The story followed a young apprentice sorcerer named Indy, who travels across five demon-ravaged worlds with the help of a mentor’s cat and a magical companion, using custom spells, items and talismans in turn-based battles. Despite brief appearances in 1990s Japanese television and magazine previews, the game itself remained inaccessible for decades.
That changed after a prototype ROM surfaced at auction in 2019, though it remained privately held. In December 2025, preservationists released a seven-minute YouTube video captured on VHS during development, offering the most detailed look yet at the unreleased title, with the footage shared publicly with the approval of the game’s original creators.