GOTD 5/11/2016: Wizard Fire (Wii)

[celerystalker]

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that Data East Arcade Classics for Nintendo's Wii included their classic overhead beat 'em up, Wizard Fire (also known in other regions as Dark Seal II or Gate of Doom II). It supports two player simultaneous brawling action with characters based on typical fantasy tropes. A dwarf, knight, elf, wizard, and thief must find a way to defeat the evil wizard Volov in his floating castle and save the world.

Wizard Fire employs an overhead, 3/4 perspective and simple two button controls. Button 1 attacks with each character's basic unique weapon, and button 2 unleashes a powerful magic attack in which your character transforms into various creatures to attack, such as an angel, thunder cloud, or a harmless little piggy if you aren't careful. Your magic meter fills as you kill monsters and collect items, and which spell is cast is determined by which page of the magic book by the meter is on display, so it isn't random. Usong these forms at the right time is a key strategic element for minimizing credits. I personally like to play as the knight, with his powerful flail that can be swung straight forward with a tap of the button or whirled by holding it.

The game is fairly brief, and can be beaten in around 20 minutes, which is pretty typical for a 1992 arcade game. Each stage is loaded with unique enemies and background elements, though, and has a large, cool boss to fight. You're a pretty big target, but the challenge is more fair than a lot of beat 'em ups out there, and its overhead view is pretty different as well. The bosses are huge and detailed, and control is very responsive. The music is pretty good, but the voice acting in the prologue and between-stage cutscenes is hilariously atrocious.

What Wizard Fire is is a fun, brief fantasy romp that may be filled with fantasy stereotypes, but presents its mechanics in a less conventional way. I really dig it quite a bit, especially as a co-op experience.

Played this one? Anybody play the original in the arcades and have a story?

[Edmond Dantes]

So what did Gate of Doom 1 play like?

I'm imagining it was *not* a first person shooter with cacodemons

[celerystalker]

So what did Gate of Doom 1 play like?

I'm imagining it was *not* a first person shooter with cacodemons

Ha! No, no, it was not.

It's extremely similar to the second, with similar graphics, art, and perspective, and some assets are shared between them, being only 2 years apart (and Data East has always loved re-using art assets). There are only four selectable characters, and one is an out of place ninja shoehorned in like Cadash.