Magic Knight Rayearth (video game)
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Products | Action role-playing game |
| Parent | Sega |
Magic Knight Rayearth is an action role-playing game launched in 1995 by Sega for the Sega Saturn. Drawing inspiration from the anime series bearing the same name, the narrative centers on three protagonists journeying through Cephiro to save Princess Emerald. Initially announced early in the Saturn's lifecycle, it ultimately became the final Saturn title released in North America, arriving in 1998 after a prolonged localization process handled by Working Designs.
In addition to this title, at least five other games based on the anime have been published: two for the Game Boy (with the latter titled Magic Knight Rayearth 2nd: The Missing Colors), one for the Super Famicom, and two for the Sega Game Gear (the second called "Making of Magic Knight"). Each of these six games is a unique release rather than a port.
Plot
While incorporating exclusive content,[1] the storyline largely adheres to the initial arc of the Magic Knight Rayearth manga and anime. Three eighth-grade girls—Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji—are transported from their Tokyo Tower school trip into the magical world of Cephiro.[2] There, they receive a mission from Master Mage Clef to become Magic Knights and save Cephiro’s Pillar, Princess Emeraude (known as Princess Emerald in English), who has been kidnapped by high priest Zagato (called Zagat in English).
The game features all principal characters from the first manga arc along with Inouva, an anime-exclusive character, introducing new areas and figures that broaden the plot. Players can review each heroine’s personal journals, which are updated following significant events to offer deeper character perspectives.
A notable divergence from both manga and anime is that during gameplay, all of Zagato’s followers—including Ascot, Caldina, and Rafarga—are defeated.
Gameplay
Players command a trio of characters but engage in combat with only one at any given moment; the remaining two accompany but cannot attack or be injured. Switching between active characters occurs instantly, allowing strategic tag-team tactics against foes and in puzzle-solving.
Contrary to conventional RPG mechanics, character enhancements and magic abilities in Magic Knight Rayearth are predominantly unlocked at designated points within the game rather than through individual accomplishments. Increases to maximum HP and MP come from discovering special items, while weapons and armor improve through overall level advancement.
Although the anime assigns color-themed swords to each character, the game equips Hikaru with a sword, Umi with a foil, and Fuu with a bow and arrow—each offering unique combat benefits. The bow provides long-distance attacks that require accuracy but gains an auto-targeting feature upon upgrade; however, unlike the sword or foil, its power does not amplify when charged.
Development
The game is an adaptation of Clamp’s anime series Magic Knight Rayearth and was among twelve Sega Saturn titles unveiled at the Tokyo Toy Show in June 1994.
Localization
The localization was undertaken by Working Designs, who described it as one of their most ambitious projects due to extensive voice recording and large text content. Initially planned for a July 1996 North American release, it was postponed for over two years.
To enhance difficulty, Working Designs improved enemy AI behavior and increased their speed. The opening animation was modified to display an English logo created by Media Blasters instead of duplicating the Japanese original. Voice acting was limited exclusively to diary entries of main characters rather than town conversations; these diary texts were presented in a handwritten style.
A hard drive failure led to loss of some original Japanese source code, which had to be reconstructed for the US edition.
Three versions of the opening theme were recorded; since rights to use Naomi Tamura’s original Japanese song "Yuzurenai Negai" could not be obtained, Working Designs retained its melody while adding new English lyrics performed by Jennifer Stigile ("Daring Dreams"). The original Japanese theme was made available solely through Working Designs’ website.
The game discs featured three separate cover designs—one showcasing each heroine—to appeal to collectors.
Reception
The title has an average rating of 70.03% on GameRankings.
When it debuted in Japan in 1995, Famitsu awarded it a score of 26 out of 40. The North American version, released in 1998, received generally moderate to favorable critiques. Andrew Vestal from GameSpot assigned a 5.1 rating, noting the graphics were outdated and describing the launch as "too little, too late," despite the gameplay remaining solid. Game Informer rated it 7 out of 10, describing the game as somewhat antiquated, while Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a 7.12 out of 10.
Included among ten must-have Saturn imports by Retro Gamer, the game was commended for its enjoyable localization by Working Designs, engaging combat mechanics that utilized tag-team character switching, and its attractive 2D art style.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1995 video games
- Action role-playing video games
- Magic Knight Rayearth
- Magical girl video games
- Science fantasy role-playing video games
- Sega Saturn-only games
- Single-player video games
- Video games about mecha
- Video games developed in Japan
- Working Designs
- Pages with script errors