In a spin-off from one the most popular cartoon franchises of the day, the evil Skeletor has captured the magic-giving Ilearth Stone. This allows him to take control of Castle Grayskull, kidnap the Sorceress, and create a horde of fighters to attack He-Man's palace. He-Man must first rescue Orko from an 'imprison' spell (by collecting the right ingredients to cast a counter-spell), before taking on the full horror of the defences Skeletor has placed around the Ilearth stone. He Man must use the Sword of Power to destroy the foes he faces throughout his journey, which is horizontally-scrolling. He-Man has a limited amount of time to complete his task, and a limited Body Shield to protect him for combat harm.