Mystic Defender is a side-scrolling platform game somewhat similar to those of the Shinobi series. The main difference here is that you're a "mystic defender," and not a ninja warrior. You, disciple of the mystic arts, are equipped with a variety of projectile weapons which you acquire along the way: energy balls, the ability to shoot mystic fire like a flamethrower, mystic bullets, etc. The idea is that your mystic powers are developing as you progress through each level, so that you aren't finding different weapons but rather they are coming from within you. Does that make sense? It's like you're like some sort of wizard, or super Jedi, or something. Your enemies consist of David Caradine's Kung Fu character and 8-month-old baby fetuses. No, I'm not making this up.

What I didn't like about Mystic Defender was the frustration of playing "oh no--I missed that platform I was trying to jump onto, and now I have to climb all the way back up there and try again." Yes, Mystic Defender is very focused on percise platform jumping, so if you're more into shooting at crap and less into making percise jumps you might get more than a little annoyed. Still, if you like games about lone wolf, mystical, Asian karate-types, this might be your cup of tea.