Abadox Summary
Sometimes, to destroy a beast, you have to kill it from the inside.
Abadox: The Deadly Inner War, or just Adadox, is a 1989 shoot ’em up game. Think of it like Contra, but in space, and the depths of a giant super organism. Developed by Natsume, and published by Milton Bradly, this side-scrolling game sees the player take control of a single soldier as they fight their way through a hostile organism’s body. As in, you play a character who is currently fighting the inside of another, much, much larger being. The gameplay is simple: move and shoot your way to the right-hand side of the stage, avoiding traps, hazards, and enemy fire along the way.
Upon release, it saw praise for its gameplay design and level mechanics. However, it also generated negative comments due to the high difficulty.
Abadox Premise
In the year 5012, the planet, Adadox, has been eaten. No, this is not a joke. The planet as a whole has been devoured by the giant alien organism known only as Parasitis. Having devoured the planet, the creature takes the form of a planet and now seeks to eat others. The galactic military launches a futile attack on the creature but fails. What’s more, it eats the hospital ship which carries Princess Maria. You play as Second Lieutenant Nazal, who pilots the last known ship. Bravely, he flies into Parasitis itself in an attempt to destroy it from the inside.
At least, that’s the U.S. version. The Japanese version has a much darker plot. In that version, Parasitis is more than just an extremely large creature, it is also a parasite that meshes and fuses to form its larger self. Nazal was sent, along with a team of the best and brightest, to destroy the beast. They failed. Already in grief due to his lover, Maria, who was already infected with Parasitis and died from it. Nazal doesn’t know what to do. But then, he spots a “mother alien” in the center of Parasitis, its core, in other words. This restores his resolve to fight, as now he has a way to kill it. But to him, it is like fighting the great devil Abaddon…
Main Characters
- Nazal. The player character. A remarkably stubborn man who aims to kill Parasitis from the inside.
- Princess Maria. A woman who was either swallowed by Parasitis or infected by it depending on the version.
- Parasitis. The “thing” that eats planets. Also large enough to house its internal ecosystem.
Abadox Titles of Video Games in the Series
This is the only title in the series.
- Adadox (1989)
Abadox Cheat Codes
All Power-ups
At the “Push Start” screen, press Up, Down, Right, Right, Up, Left, Right, Down, Left, Up, Start.
Simply pause and unpause the game at any time to gain all power-ups.
Invincibility
At the title screen press: A, A, Up, B, B, Down, A, B, Start. When you start the game press pause to become invincible.
Stage Select, Invincibility, and All Power-ups
At the “Push Start” screen, press A, A, Up, B, B, Down, A, B, followed by one of the following combinations:
(Simply pause and unpause the game to gain all power-ups.)
| Effect | Code |
|---|---|
| Credits | B, A, Start |
| Stage 1 | Start |
| Stage 2 | Up, Start |
| Stage 2, Second Half | Up, A, Start |
| Stage 3 | Left, Start |
| Stage 3, Second Half | Left, A, Start |
| Stage 4 | Down, Start |
| Stage 4, Second Half | Down, A, Start |
| Stage 5 | Right, Start |
| Stage 5, Second Half | Right, A, Start |
| Stage 6 | Select, Start |
| Stage 6, Second Half | Select, A, Start |
| Stage 7 | B, Start |
Stage Selection
On the ”Press Start” screen, press L, U, R, D, U, R, L, D, and then one of the following:
| Effect | Code |
|---|---|
| Credits | B, A, Start |
| Stage 2 | Up |
| Stage 2, Second Half | Up, A, Start |
| Stage 3 | Left |
| Stage 3, Second Half | Left, A, Start |
| Stage 4 | Down |
| Stage 4, Second Half | Down, A, Start |
| Stage 5 | Right |
| Stage 5, Second Half | Right, A, Start |
| Stage 6 | Select |
| Stage 6, Second Half | Select, A, Start |
| Stage 7 | B |
View the Ending
On the title screen press: A, A, Up, B, B, Down, A, B, B, Start.
Alternative Invincibility
There is an alternative way to become invincible. Beat the game and let the credits end. You are taken back to the Title Screen. When you start your next game, you will be invincible until you Reset your NES.
Abadox Cheat Code FAQ
How many levels are there in Abadox? Six in total!
What is the cheat code for Abadox? There are multiple, and you can find them up above! But, my personal favorite would be the invincible code. At the title screen press: A, A, Up, B, B, Down, A, B, Start. When you start the game press pause to become invincible.
What is the plot of the story of Abadox? Basically, in both versions, a pilot/soldier named Nazal aims to kill the super monster Parasitis from the inside.
And that’s all for now folks, stay safe!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Natsume.