Gargoyle's Quest

Gargoyle's Quest took the red demon enemy from Ghosts 'n Goblins and made him the protagonist — a bold move for Capcom. Firebrand flew (for limited duration growing with power-ups), clung to walls and spat fire in unique vertical platforming for Game Boy. The RPG overworld with villages, NPCs and random encounters added unexpected narrative depth. Capcom proved even secondary characters could carry an entire game, anticipating a trend that would explode in following decades with spin-offs and prequels for every franchise.