Gargoyle's Quest

Gargoyle's Quest is a 1990 Game Boy action-adventure by Capcom and a spin-off of the Ghosts 'n Goblins series, starring the demon Firebrand. It alternates between a top-down overworld dotted with towns and side-scrolling action stages.

Progress is gated by abilities Firebrand earns along the way — extended flight, new fireballs, and greater wall-climbing — that open previously unreachable areas, an early ability-gated exploration structure that makes it a foundational portable Metroidvania. It's the prequel to the SNES classic Demon's Crest.