Magical Starsign

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Magical Starsign
North American box art
DeveloperBrownie Brown
PublisherNintendo
DirectorNobuyuki Inoue
ProducersShinichi Kameoka
Kensuke Tanabe
ArtistKouji Tsuda
WriterNobuyuki Inoue
ComposerTsukasa Masuko
PlatformNintendo DS
Release
  • JP: June 22, 2006
  • NA: October 23, 2006
  • EU: February 9, 2007
GenreRole-playing
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Magical Starsign, originally released in Japan as Magical Vacation: When the Five Planets Align,[a] is a role-playing video game for the Nintendo DS developed by Brownie Brown. It is the sequel to the Japan-exclusive Game Boy Advance title, Magical Vacation. It was released in Japan and the United States in 2006 and was released in Europe the next year. Nintendo Australia did not publish the game in Australia and New Zealand as it expected low sales of the game.[citation needed]

Gameplay

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The player uses the Nintendo DS's touch screen for character control and interaction, while the top screen displays maps and other general information. The battle system is turn-based, and the position of the planets within the game affects the amount of damage wielded or received by each character. All characters in the game are associated with a specific planet, and their magic attack power is boosted when a character's planet is positioned favorably. Players can also boost their attack power by tapping their character when the circle of symbols has disappeared around them during a battle. This is known as a "Spell Strike", and a large flash of color (the same color assigned to the character's element) appears prior to the attack. The player may also tap their character right before they are hit with an attack to receive less damage. This is known as a "Reflex Guard" and puts the character into a guard stance and causes them to glow with blue light. However, some attacks cannot be guarded against in this way.

Astrolog

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There are 7 different elements in the game (light, darkness, fire, water, wood, earth, and wind) which each correspond to a planet in the game's planetary system. The Astrolog tracks the movement of these planets, which move clockwise around a central point as time passes within the game. The orbital velocity of each planet varies according to their size and location. Magic spells of certain elements are twice as effective while a planet is orbiting within the area assigned to its corresponding element. This bonus applies for both the player's magic spells and enemy spells. The light and dark elements are instead affected by solar activity: light magic is more powerful during the daytime, and dark magic is more powerful during the night (in-game time is viewable as an animated hourglass). A certain spell acquired later in the game allows the player to move the planets to an advantageous position; or potentially align the 5 planets in a straight line (as indicated in the Japanese version's subtitle), which causes far more damage than the standard elemental bonus. The planets may also happen to align without using the spell, but this causes damage to both the player and the enemy.

Multiplayer

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Up to six players may connect locally (a game card is required for each player), taking their characters into a dungeon where they work together to defeat monsters while racing to collect treasure. Points are awarded for damage done to enemies and treasure collected from chests, and the player with the most points at the end wins the multiplayer mode. Experience points and treasures gained in this mode are applied to the main game.

Tag mode allows players to exchange game data to gain new items. Up to 100 players are recorded on the game's friend list, and the item gained will vary depending on in-game progress or the main character's element. There is also an option to create a short message displayed when tag mode is used, allowing players to exchange messages with each other. Using the tag mode frequently will create an "egg character", which becomes stronger each time tag mode is used successfully. The player can use the egg character in the main game, but it will not gain levels with experience like other characters.

Synopsis

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Plot

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The planetary system of Magical Starsign consists of 6 planets: the planets of fire, wood, wind, water, earth, and another small planet on the fringes of the planetary system called Kovomaka. Kovomaka houses the Will-O-Wisp academy of magic, where 6 aspiring magicians are studying in the same class under the guidance of their teacher, Miss Madeleine. One day, Principal Biscotti receives word that Master Kale, a graduate of the academy, has become the leader of the space pirates, and is planning to destroy the planetary system. He sends Miss Madeleine out into space on a mission to prevent Master Kale from achieving his evil plans, but loses all contact with her shortly afterwards. 3 months later, Lassi, one of the current students in the academy, discovers a small spaceship hidden on the roof of the academy building, and goes off into space in search of Miss Madeleine. The hero of the story pursues Lassi in another spaceship, but is forced to crash land on another planet. The player must reunite with the other 5 classmates, rescue Miss Madeleine, and derail Master Kale's evil plans in a wild journey across outer-space.

Setting

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The story takes place within the seven planets of the Baklava planetary system. Transportation between planets is made possible by using a magical spaceship, and players may freely visit other planets as the story progresses. The planets also play an important role in the game's battle system.

The first planet, Kovomaka, is an obscure magic planet located on the fringe of the planetary system, which houses the Will-O-Wisp academy of magic. It is not listed on Astrologs because of its small size and location, and the people living on the planet are unaware of the presence of other planets, as other planets are unaware of Kovomaka's existence for the same reason.

Erd (Hikarabita (ヒカラビータ, hikarabīta) in the Japanese version) is the earth planet, where the player makes a crash landing at the beginning of the game. The planet is covered with stone mountains and desert, and is mostly populated by ancient robots and spiny mole people. Ancient ruins are located all across the planet. The ancient Espresso people lived on this planet before becoming extinct by "gummification" to power the robot power cells. There were also nine Stone Giants who once roamed the planet, the last one being Tektos, who was killed in an attack against Magnus Muzzleflash and gave the Earth Millennium Gummy to the children as a parting gift.

Cassia (Rig Maha (リグ・マハ, rigu maha)) is the water planet, which consists of two large islands. The planet is mainly populated by otter people, and another magic academy, Ambergis Prep, established prior to Will-O-Wisp is located on Granule Island. Cassia is frozen cold when the player first arrives. The planet is home to the Aquarino, a water particle that neither freezes or evaporates as a side effect of being set on fire by the "Fire Otter". The planet is also home to the Holy Water Pyramid, home to the Water Millennium Gummy and the ancient race of water people.

Puffoon (Cotton (コットン, kotton)) is the wind planet, where the headquarters of the Space Police are located. This was the player's intended destination prior to the crash-landing, and endless barren land stretches out beyond highly developed cities, leading to various odd areas such as the rabbit-populated town of Honey Mint White Caramel Fudgeflake with Melty Butter and Syrup and Whipped Cream on Top and the Couscous Ruins, a strange area home to the Wind Millennium Gummy where "time just piles up like snow".

Gren (Kaopiter (カオピター, kaopitā)) is the wood planet, which is mostly covered with jungle terrain. The planet is populated with Felin and Salamander people, and the space pirate base is also located here. The giant tree Yggsalad soars above the deepest parts of the jungle. The salamanders used to live in Yggsalad, but the pirates evicted them five years ago. The heroes obtained the Wood Millennium Gummy here, after a Felin named Semolina sacrificed herself to the anthropophagus, a man-eating flower within Yggsalad. The planet was at one point set on fire.

Razen (Raguafor (ラグアフォー, raguafō)) is the fire planet, which cannot be entered by normal spaceships because of its extreme heat. Rivers of lava flow on the planet's surface, and the central mountain houses many dwarves. A stone stage deep in the cave called World's Seam acts as a portal to Nova. Another cave, called Capscium Caverns is home to a (nonexistent) dragon called Scargot and the Fire Millennium Gummy. Two different species live here, living pots and dwarves. Dragons used to live on the planets (as evidenced by skeletons in Capscium Caverns), but became extinct for unknown reasons (a dwarf believes Scargot killed them all, suggesting that at one point Scargot was an actual dragon).

Nova is the light planet and one of two planets within the Baklava system's star. It is populated by odd creatures called Dancing Fruit and the people of the light, the Luminites, whose queen dies and lives under mysterious circumstances. The Luminite palace holds a Starway to the other planet in the star, Shadra. A dungeon called Glissini Caves lies hidden under the planet's surface, holding a powerful version of Shadra called Umbra.

Shadra is the dark planet and one of two planets within the star. The mountainous planet is populated by enigmas, physical embodiments of darkness, varieties including Piskpooka, Dab Hasnel, and Equillekrew (all featured in Magical Vacation). A massive worm, Shadra, that is destined to eat the star, lives in massive caverns called Chromagar Caves, which turns any living thing that lingers there into a gummy to be eaten by Shadra.

Reception

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Magical Starsign received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[1] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of three eights and one seven,[5] while Famitsu DS + Cube & Advance gave it all four eights.[4]

Eurogamer said that it was "something which is well worth a look for any RPG fan who's in the market for a handheld adventure".[3] GameRevolution called Magical Starsign a "solid old-school RPG" with good localization and audiovisuals, but disliked the limited number of spells, lack of innovative gameplay, and the overuse of stylus controls.[7] GameSpot praised the humorous, wholesome script with a diverse cast of characters but thought the bland storyline, basic battle system, and high random encounter rate held the game back.[8] Pocket Gamer similarly acknowledged the game's issues.[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ マジカルバケーション 5つの星がならぶとき, Majikaru Bakēshon Itsutsu no Hoshi ga Narabu Toki

References

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  1. ^ a b "Magical Starsign for DS Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  2. ^ EGM staff (November 2006). "Magical Starsign". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 209. Ziff Davis. p. 140.
  3. ^ a b Fahey, Rob (March 1, 2007). "Magical Starsign". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Gantayat, Anoop (June 23, 2006). "Gaming Life in Japan". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "NEW GAME CROSS REVIEW - マジカルバケーション 5つの星がならぶとき". Famitsu (in Japanese). Vol. 915. Enterbrain. June 30, 2006. p. 59. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "Magical Starsign". Game Informer. No. 163. GameStop. November 2006. p. 142.
  7. ^ a b Djamgarov, V (November 20, 2006). "Magical Starsign Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Massimilla, Bethany (November 1, 2006). "Magical Starsign Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  9. ^ Bozon, Mark (October 26, 2006). "Magical Starsign Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  10. ^ "Magical Starsign". Nintendo Power. Vol. 210. Nintendo of America. December 2006. p. 104.
  11. ^ a b Fear, Ed (January 9, 2007). "Magical Starsign [US Import]". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media Ltd. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  12. ^ Beckett, Michael (November 14, 2006). "Magical Starsign - Staff Review". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  13. ^ Gann, Patrick (November 26, 2006). "Magical Starsign". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media LLC. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  14. ^ McCabe, Sean (December 6, 2006). "Magical Starsign (DS) Review". 411Mania. Archived from the original on March 29, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
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