Solomon's Key
1986 · Puzzle / Platform · Arcade
Overview
Solomon's Key (1986) is Tecmo's puzzle platformer: the wizard Dana creates and destroys blocks to reach each room's key and door.
Deep Dive
Each of Solomon's Key's rooms is a puzzle. Dana can conjure a stone block beside him or break one away, and must use that single power to build routes to the key and then the exit door, while enemies roam and a timer counts down. Hidden bonuses, fairies and secret rooms reward exploration. Tecmo's design makes it far more puzzle than platformer, and its later rooms demand precise sequences.
Developer Story
Solomon's Key was developed by Tecmo in 1986. Players controlled Dana, a wizard who could create and destroy blocks to navigate puzzles, reach a key, and find a door. Each of the 50 levels was a contained block-manipulation puzzle requiring specific sequences of actions. Hidden rooms containing fairies and secret items rewarded thorough exploration. The game was more puzzle than platformer.
Did You Know?
- Creating and destroying blocks was the core mechanic — the same button alternated between modes based on context.
- Hidden fairies in certain levels granted access to a bonus stage called "The Room of Solomon" with powerful items.
- Every level had a hidden "Dana" figurine — collecting all of them across multiple playthroughs was a near-impossible completionist challenge.
- The game was extremely difficult for a puzzle game — later levels required nearly perfect execution in a specific order.
Sources & further reading
- Solomon's Key — Wikipedia
