About this game
Makai Hakkenden Shada is an action-RPG based on Nansou Satomi Hakkenden, the longest novel in the history of Japanese literature — a centuries-old epic about eight half-brother samurai descended from the same dog. Released by Data East in April 1989, the game borrowed Falcom's Ys combat system, where walking into enemies at a slight angle causes them to collide with your weapon rather than your character. Shada uses HuCard format and saves progress via passwords, not battery backup.
Key Features
Ys-style bump combat where attacking happens by walking into enemies at an angle, password save system (no battery), HuCard format for instant loading, action-RPG progression through a world based on classical Japanese literature.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Makai Hakkenden Shada was released on April 1, 1989, months after Falcom's Ys had become a major success on the PC Engine. Data East borrowed Ys's bump-combat system, where fighting occurs by walking into enemies at a slight angle. The game is based on Nansō Satomi Hakkenden — a 98-volume epic novel composed by Kyokutei Bakin over 28 years (1814–1842), considered one of the longest works in Japanese literature. Bakin went blind before completing the novel and dictated the final chapters to his daughter-in-law. The game was directed by Mitsuo Iwao and featured music by a six-person sound team including Shogo Sakai. Shada was never localized in English. The game was released at a retail price of 5,500 yen.
Tricks & Tales
Nansō Satomi Hakkenden, the source novel, is a 98-volume epic composed over 28 years (1814–1842) by Kyokutei Bakin — one of the longest novels in Japanese literature, running to an estimated 50 million characters. Bakin went blind before finishing the work and dictated the final parts to his daughter-in-law Michi Tokimura. The game uses a password save system rather than battery backup, meaning save data cannot be lost to a dead battery. Director Mitsuo Iwao later worked on the Famicom game 'Dark Lord' (1991). The game's high difficulty was noted for its dark maze exploration and an unusual design where players must open the same treasure chest twice to collect items.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PC Engine (Japan) and TurboGrafx-16 (North America) share the same physical HuCard slot shape but are not compatible with each other's software. NEC deliberately reversed the data bus wiring between the two regions: data pin D0 on the PC Engine corresponds to D7 on the TurboGrafx-16, and so on through all eight lines. Beyond the hardware wiring difference, most North American HuCards contain region-checking code that detects a Japanese console and immediately crashes. Converters that electrically flip the data bus do exist and allow cross-region play. CD-ROM² discs themselves carry no region protection and play freely on both systems—however, the System Cards required to boot CD software are region-locked in the same way as HuCards, so a Japanese System Card cannot be used in a TurboGrafx-16 and vice versa.
Maintenance Tips
HuCard contacts are the most common maintenance point on the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16. The card's edge connector oxidizes over decades of storage, causing failure-to-read and graphical glitches. Cleaning with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab—gently wiping the gold contacts on the card itself—resolves most contact issues; stubborn oxidation responds to dedicated contact cleaners such as DeoxIT. Never blow into the card slot with your mouth, as moisture accelerates the very corrosion you are trying to remove. On systems equipped with the CD-ROM² or Super CD-ROM² add-on, the optical drive is subject to the same age-related laser and sled degradation seen in any CD system of that era; the laser assembly uses a KSS-220a-type unit on the Super CD-ROM² and replacement parts remain available.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Makai Hakkenden Shada copies regularly.
Will this game lose my save if the battery dies?
Makai Hakkenden Shada doesn't use battery backup — it saves progress with passwords you write down. There is no internal battery to die, so your saves are as permanent as the paper you keep them on. The trade-off is that you must enter the password each time you restart, but you never lose progress to a dead battery.
Is this a Japan-only game?
Yes. Makai Hakkenden Shada was released only in Japan and was never localized in English. The game's text and menus are in Japanese. PC Engine HuCards are region-free, so the cartridge will run on a North American TurboGrafx-16 console, but all in-game text remains Japanese.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Makai Hakkenden Shada
A short checklist for buying used PC Engine software wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
Japanese PC Engine HuCards and CDs are not compatible with the North American TurboGrafx-16 — the formats differ. Use a Japanese PC Engine system.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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HuCard or CD-ROM² — know which you're buying
PC Engine games come on HuCard chips or on CD-ROM². CD titles also require the right CD system and a working System Card.
Confirm the format in the listing, and for CDs check the disc surface and that saves are supported.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
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Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Makai Hakkenden Shada sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
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