Despite a cliche setting that was evidently a rip-off of either the movie Mad Max or the classic Japanese manga Fist of the North Star (probably the latter), Trojan did introduce a new concept of ''defense'' to side-scrolling games. Your character is equipped with both a sword and a shield. You'll actually need to master the shield to beat the game. Ryu can move in two directions, jump in three directions, and he can also duck. Although the controls are somewhat awkward in that you have to hold down a joystick button to raise the shield, you will soon get the hang of it.

Trojan is one of the harder games from CAPCOM, who is already known for difficult games. You will go through six stages, each with two boss characters (in the middle and at the end). Some enemies are so powerful that you will die the instant you fail to block once. You also have to race against time as well, which makes the game that much more difficult. On the upside, gameplay is just as solid as CAPCOM was famous for, with smooth animations, great graphics (for the time), and interesting levels. In the traditional CAPCOM fashion, you will have to go through the game twice in order to watch the ending.

All in all, Trojan is one solid, but very tough game that requires a lot of time and effort to beat. If you are a die-hard CAPCOM fan or love the challenge, Trojan is a great addition to your collection. Anyone looking for a forgiving platformer should look elsewhere, though. Recommended.

Note: The screenshot above is from the arcade version.