How to play
BLADE DASH: CASTLE is the story version of BLADE DASH, drawn in the same black ink on old paper. Kage, the shadow blade, has taken Princess Hana to the roof of Tenshu Castle. You climb the outside of the tower and break in through a window on every floor, with glass and shoji paper shattering around you, then cut your way across the floor to the stairs. There are fourteen floors and then the roof.
Click or tap anywhere to dash about 300 pixels that way. The aim snaps onto an enemy within 24 degrees, so you do not need to be pixel-perfect. You have two dash charges. A kill refills both, and landing refills them too but breaks your chain. Hold Space (or the 集中 button on a phone) to slow time while the meter lasts. On a keyboard you can point with the mouse and press J, K or Enter to dash, R sends you back to the start of the room and Esc pauses.
A floor is two to six screen-wide rooms in a row. Each doorway is a paper door sealed with a 封 talisman until that room's guards are down; then it glows and you dash through it. The stairs at the far right open when the last room is clear. If you die you go back to the start of the room you are in. Rooms behind you stay cleared.
Tips and strategy
Chain in the air. Because a kill refills both charges, the best way through a room is kill to kill without landing. Plan the order: the enemy you hit last should leave you near the next door.
Every attack is telegraphed. Nothing kills you just by touching it. Archers, bombers and generals show what they are about to do, and spring-spike plates (from floor 4) flash red for half a second before they shoot up and stay up for another half second.
Use slow-mo for crowded rooms. The meter is short, so save it for the moment you need to pick a line between several threats.
Fighting Kage. He shows a TELL (he flashes, a "!" appears and a red dashed line tracks you, then locks), then DASHES along the line, then stumbles in a RECOVERY window with a pale ring and a 隙 sign. Dash to dodge: your dash passes through him. Dodge close for "DODGE!" and a refill. Then dash into him while he recovers to land a hit. Strike at any other time and he parries and counters.
The boss gets faster. He takes nine hits over three phases. In phase two he dashes twice and feints; in phase three he dashes three times with shorter tells. If you die, the fight restarts from the start of the current phase, not from the beginning.
What's in it
Fourteen castle floors and the roof fight, with an intro story, ink story panels after floors 4, 9 and 14 and an ending. Guards are grunts, lanterns, archers, shields, bombers and generals (on floors 5, 10 and 14), plus spike pits and spring-spike plates. Between floors you see the hero climbing the eaves, with a tower gauge showing the floors you have cleared.
Each floor has three stars: clear it, beat the par time, and clear it without dying. Coins (銭) come from kills, longer chains, clearing floors and new stars, and buy outfit pieces in the wardrobe: hats and helmets, masks, seven robe colours, five patterns, sash colours and the colour of your sword scarf. Your outfit shows in play, in the climb scenes and in the story panels.
Questions
Is this the same as BLADE DASH? No. BLADE DASH is still on PLAYPILE with its own levels and saves. This is a separate game with a story, a castle to climb, outfits and a boss.
Do I need an account? No. Stars, best times, coins and your outfit are saved in your browser.
Is it violent? It is sword fighting drawn in ink. Enemies disappear in ink splats, and the final boss is cut in half in a stylised ink finish. There is no blood.
Does it flash? Spring-spike plates flash red before they fire, and the boss flashes as a warning before each attack. There is also slow-motion and screen shake.