Nintendo was a different company in the 80’s and 90’s than it is now. Whereas now a series like Bayonetta has become synonymous with Nintendo, Nintendo of America once was very averse to ever letting in even a mention of anything religious. Something with the word Devil was definitely out, and as such America missed out on Devil World.
Devil World was a game from the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto himself and was an interesting one. The game was heavily inspired by Bandai Namco’s Pac-Man, but actually managed to have some very unique ideas.
You played as a dragon named Tamagon who must attack the titular Devil’s World. The Devil’s World is composed of mazes that the Devil can manipulate by having his minions move around. This is a major difference from Pac-Man as its the maze itself here that is the threat to you.
Levels would also have you locate and use bibles and crosses to get new powers, and it is easy to see why Nintendo of America at the time declined the game. While the hero is definitely not a satanic figure and the devil is the bad guy, Nintendo of America just shied away from anything religious back then. The use of crosses and bibles as powerups meant that the game just wouldn’t pass censorship.
Looking back on it, I feel this is a shame. The game is often written off as a Pac-Man clone but that is unfair. It took its inspiration and went in a new direction. The game was localized for the west in Europe, and I would love to see that version come to Nintendo Switch’s online service. This is an excellent Nintendo classic that North America should get a chance to experience.