Grail of the Gods

Grail of the Gods is an indie retro-style adventure with RPG and roguelike elements where a medieval knight crawls through dungeons in search of some mythical “Grail of the Gods”. Developed by GuyDeNaville, it was first released on September 25, 2025.

The game features procedurally generated dungeons with tile-based, turn-by-turn progression. Players must face monsters, traps, and other dangers while managing scarce equipment in their quest for the Grail. Death is permanent and runs are short, encouraging careful planning and strategic decision-making.

Self-published by GuyDeNaville and made available for free on the Sega Master System, Grail of the Gods is also a remake of a DarkBASIC game originally created by IBOL, now expanded for Sega’s 8-bit console with new rendering, UI, and mechanics, while remaining faithful to the original concept. The game also sports pixel art visuals reminiscent of Tibia, along with color palettes inspired by Ultima VI.

Video

Gameplay

Grail of the Gods combines the classic structure of a dungeon crawler with a roguelite feel, streamlined for the Master System. It’s tile-based, but with smooth and fluid scrolling, ensuring a quick read of the action. Each floor (depth) generates a new map with corridors, secrets, monsters, traps, and treasures. Exploration is straightforward and requires attention: illusory walls, locked doors, and the fog that shrouds the landscape force the player to take risks and plan each step.

Combat follows the logic of a bump attack: simply move toward the enemy to attack. Weapons and armor offer bonuses but have limited durability, making each item valuable. Progression is short and intense—as experience accumulates, the hero gains rank, recovers HP, and can advance deeper into the dungeon. The goal is simple yet challenging: reach Depth 10, conquer the Chalice of the Gods, and survive. As mentioned, each run is short but full of decisions that influence the outcome.

Controls (Master System)

• D-Pad – Move (and attack by moving into a monster)
• Button 1 – Open status/inventory parchment
• Button 2 – Confirm / interact

About the game

Grail of the Gods — A compact, crunchy roguelite for Sega Master System

Dive through hand-crafted-feeling procedural floors, manage scarce gear, and brave traps and illusions to claim the Grail.

Features

• Procedural floors with varied room shapes and flows.
• Weapons & armor with durability.
• Meaningful class-ups: gain Rank, refill HP, push deeper .
• Each Depth adds a new menace:
  • Fog of War that reveals around the hero.
  • Keys & locked doors (from Depth 5+) gating shortcuts and exits.
  • Illusory walls (from Depth 7+) to test your curiosity.
  • Orel, the tempter — pay in gold… or face what he becomes.
  • …and more dangers to discover in-game.
• Clean 8-bit presentation: smooth scroll, Ultima-VI-inspired vibes, palette fades.

Download & compatibility

Download it and you’ll get a .sms ROM:

• Play on real hardware via a compatible flashcart.
• Or use a modern emulator of your choice. Kega Fusion, Blast ‘Em or some other from this list should work.

Credits

• Original game & concept: IBOL (DarkBASIC)
• SMS port/remake — code & design: GuyDeNaville
• Music: Louis the Sega Nerd
• Art assets: based on work by DENZI (DENZI部屋のドット絵)
• Dev stack: SMSDevKit by sverx, PSGlib for audio, Emulicious by Calindro for testing/debugging
• Testing & feedback: community friends & players

Screenshots

More info and adventure

• GuyDeNaville @ Twitter – Official developer’s site.
• Grail of the Gods @ Archive – Looks like it’s the IBOL’s game that inspired this one.
• Seis emuladores de Master System @ Gaming Room – Six (and more) emulators with SMS support. In Portuguese.
• Grail of the Gods @ Gaming Room – Source, with more info and media. In Portuguese.
• Escape The Maze (ETM)
• Ascent
• Treasure Adventure Game
• The Family Treasure
• Free Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters
• Cave Story+