The Lost Vikings arrived on the SNES in 1992 — developed by Silicon & Synapse, the studio that would later rename itself Blizzard Entertainment — placing it in the middle of the console's commercial prime, when the platform was competing fiercely with the Sega Genesis for action and puzzle-platformer audiences. The game was published by Interplay and stood out immediately from its contemporaries by fusing the precision of a platformer with the logic demands of a puzzle game, all built around a three-character cooperative structure that was genuinely novel for a home console title of that era. The three protagonists — Erik the Swift, Baleog the Fierce, and Olaf the Stout — each possess a fixed, non-transferable set of abilities. Erik can run faster than the others, jump, and bash through certain walls with his helmet. Baleog wields a sword for close combat and a bow for ranged attacks, able to hit switches and enemies from a distance. Olaf carries a large shield that can block projectiles when held in front of him and act as a gliding platform when held overhead, slowing his descent and allowing other Vikings to ride him downward. No single Viking can complete a level alone; every stage is designed so that all three must reach the exit door simultaneously, meaning the player must constantly switch between characters, position them strategically, and solve environmental puzzles that demand each ability be used in the correct sequence. Controls are handled with the SNES face buttons and d-pad, with character switching mapped to the shoulder buttons, giving the game a clean, responsive feel despite the complexity of managing three independent units. Levels are organized into themed worlds — including a spaceship, an Egyptian pyramid complex, and prehistoric environments — each introducing new hazards, enemy types, and mechanical gimmicks that build on the core trio's abilities. Lives are shared across all three characters, and losing any one Viking to a hazard or enemy forces a level restart, which gives the game a meaningful tension that keeps players deliberate rather than reckless. In its era, the game earned praise for its humor — the Vikings deliver wry one-liners and the scenario of Norse warriors abducted by an alien collector was played for comedy — as well as for its inventive level design that rewarded lateral thinking. The SNES version supported two players simultaneously, with one player controlling Erik and Baleog while the second controlled Olaf, making cooperative play a genuinely different and often more chaotic experience than the solo game. The title was ported to numerous platforms including the Amiga, DOS, and Mega Drive, and a sequel, The Lost Vikings 2, was released in 1997, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the formula Blizzard had established.
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The Lost Vikings
失落的维京人
The Lost Vikings is a puzzle-action platformer developed by Blizzard Entertainment, released in 1997 for the SNES. Players control three Vikings—Baleog, Erik, and Olaf—each equipped with distinct combat and movement abilities. Baleog shoots arrows to attack enemies and solve range-based puzzles; Erik excels at jumping and head-butting obstacles; Olaf can freeze water surfaces and lift heavy objects. The core gameplay requires strategic character-switching to solve environmental puzzles and navigate level obstacles. Every stage demands players utilize each Viking's unique strengths, combining platforming skills with tactical thinking to reach the exit. The level design introduces progressively more complex challenges that test both reflexes and logical reasoning. With its innovative multi-character puzzle-solving mechanic, the game offers a distinctive gameplay experience that sets it apart from traditional platformers of its era.
- Developer
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Released
- 1997
- Platform
- SNES
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 2P
- Rating
- 4.4 / 5 (2.2K)
- Last updated
About The Lost Vikings
What makes it special
The Lost Vikings pioneered a specific sub-genre sometimes called the "ability-partitioned co-op platformer," in which no single character is self-sufficient and every puzzle is a lock requiring all available keys. This design philosophy — where cooperation is not optional but structurally enforced by the level architecture itself — predates many celebrated co-op puzzle games by years. The game also achieved this without any networked or asynchronous play, relying entirely on tight single-screen design and careful character-switching logic that holds up as a masterclass in constrained, purposeful game design.
Pro tips
- Switch characters frequently and plan your path for all three Vikings before committing any one of them to a dangerous section — losing one forces a full level restart.
- Olaf's shield held overhead slows his fall and lets other Vikings stand on it; use this to ferry Erik or Baleog across gaps they cannot otherwise cross.
- Baleog's arrow travels in a straight horizontal line and can activate distant switches — look for arrow-triggered mechanisms before assuming a puzzle requires physical contact.
- Erik's wall-bash ability destroys specific crumbling brick sections; if you feel stuck, run Erik along every wall in the area to check for hidden passages.
- In two-player mode, communicate constantly about character positioning — the second player controls Olaf, whose shield is critical for protecting both other Vikings from projectile-heavy rooms.
The Lost Vikings Controls — SNES Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for The Lost Vikings on our in-browser SNES emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | D-Pad Up | Move up |
| ↓ | D-Pad Down | Move down |
| ← | D-Pad Left | Move left |
| → | D-Pad Right | Move right |
| X | A | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | B | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | X | Tertiary action |
| A | Y | Quaternary action |
| Q | L | Left shoulder |
| W | R | Right shoulder |
| Enter | Start | Start / Pause |
| Shift | Select | Select / Mode |
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
The Lost Vikings Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of The Lost Vikings on SNES before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"The Lost Vikings" SNES longplay 1997
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was The Lost Vikings released?
The Lost Vikings was released in 1997 for the SNES.
Who developed The Lost Vikings?
The Lost Vikings was developed by Blizzard Entertainment, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does The Lost Vikings support?
The Lost Vikings supports up to 2 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the SNES.
What type of game is The Lost Vikings?
The Lost Vikings is a Action game for the SNES, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play The Lost Vikings for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — The Lost Vikings runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play The Lost Vikings in the browser?
No. The Lost Vikings streams from a public archive into a browser-side SNES emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in The Lost Vikings?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original SNES cartridge supported.
Does The Lost Vikings work on mobile devices?
Yes — the SNES emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play The Lost Vikings this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of The Lost Vikings. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
How long does it take to beat The Lost Vikings?
A first playthrough typically takes between 4 and 8 hours depending on how quickly puzzles click. The game has 37 levels, and later stages can stall players for significant stretches. Experienced players familiar with the solutions can complete it in under 2 hours.
Is the game better in two-player co-op or solo?
Solo play gives one person full control and is generally easier to coordinate, since all three Vikings respond to a single decision-maker. Two-player co-op is entertaining but requires strong communication, as the second player controls only Olaf and must anticipate what the first player needs from the shield at any moment.
What is the best strategy for new players starting out?
Focus on learning each Viking's abilities in isolation during the early tutorial-style levels before trying to chain actions together. Always locate the exit door first, then work backward to figure out which abilities are needed to reach it. Never rush Erik into unknown terrain without Olaf's shield nearby.
Is The Lost Vikings worth playing today?
The core puzzle design remains inventive and the controls are crisp by any era's standards. Players who enjoy methodical puzzle-platformers will find the ability-partitioning mechanic as satisfying now as it was on release. The humor and visual style have aged well, and the difficulty curve is fair if occasionally steep in the final worlds.
