About this game
Released by dB-SOFT in December 1986, Layla is a Japan-only Famicom action game inspired by the Dirty Pair anime. Players control 17-year-old special-agent Layla as she storms through eight asteroid fortresses to rescue her kidnapped partner Iris from the villainous Dr. Manitoka. A left-to-right scrolling shooter with maze elements, it was an early example of a character-driven action game with a female lead on the Famicom.
Key Features
Players advance through eight side-scrolling asteroid stages, shooting enemies and collecting items from crates. A password system allows players to continue progress, and each stage ends with a boss encounter. Backtracking within a stage is not permitted, keeping the pace brisk.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Layla arrived during the Famicom's 1986 software boom, when third-party publishers were experimenting with character-driven games aimed at a broader audience. dB-SOFT's choice of a female protagonist with an anime aesthetic was unconventional for the era, signalling early that the Famicom audience extended well beyond the assumed 'boys only' demographic.
Tricks & Tales
Layla was never released outside Japan and has never been re-released on any subsequent platform, making original Famicom cartridges the sole way to experience it on original hardware. The name and premise draw a clear parallel to the Dirty Pair OVA, though it is an original story.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Japan-exclusive Famicom cartridge. No overseas release or digital re-release on record.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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