Magical Vacation

Determined to prove that there is room for something new in the RPG genre, developer Brownie Brown prepares to unleash its debut game on the Game Boy Advance. Dubbed a "communication RPG" by its creators, Magical Vacation places an emphasis on interaction between the game's characters as well as between players over a link cable. Given that many of the game's staff members also worked on Square games such as Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy Adventure, expectations are running high in the RPG community.

At the outset of the game you will choose a male or female protagonist, pile into the magical school bus with classmates, and journey to a seaside magic school. However, upon your arrival the group is attacked by a demon and is scattered about a strange new world called the Plane of Light. You'll explore this new world in search of your companions. The story will advance as each new companion is found, and a larger adventure will unfold accordingly. With 15 supporting characters and a lot of promised interaction between them, variety and quantity look to be important aspects of the game.

An extensive magic system will be available to complement the large spell-using cast. Sixteen elemental affiliations exist, and each student and monster in the game is aligned with one. Supplementing the standard elements like earth, wind, water, and fire are affinities like time, sound, metal, and insect. Each element has a patron spirit, which can be called on during battle to affect the potency of spells for both you and the enemy. It appears that spirits might also be called on outside of battle to aid your advance.

Battles themselves are fought on a 3x5 grid and take place in pseudo real time. Depending on where characters are placed, attack and defense values will vary. Elemental affiliation and the relationship between classmates affect the dynamics of battle as well, as the strength and type of spells will be influenced. For example, if a student focused on the art of water is aided by his peer who specializes in ice, a strong spell can be cast that will affect multiple enemies.

The battle system in Magical Vacation focuses on sorcery rather than swords. Each of the mini-magi has his or her specialty, and the members you choose to include in your party and the formations you use are of the utmost importance. Up to six members can participate in each battle. Fortunately, the enchanted school bus survived the trip to the other dimension and serves as a headquarters for fine-tuning your party. In addition you'll be able to create a potentially powerful magic doll to aid you in battle as well. Depending on the materials used to construct the doll and the effects of various elemental forces, the efficiency and powers of your creation will change.

While the gameplay has yet to be tested, the artwork and screenshots released so far give a clear picture of the game's aesthetics. The 2D graphics themselves seem to be among the best that Nintendo's handheld has to offer, but it's the whimsical character designs reminiscent of Legend of Mana that are truly eye-catching.

A wealth of original art has been created for the game (make sure to browse the screens), and the onscreen characters are very close to their conceptual portraits. The colorful diminutive human and demihuman child mages are highly stylized and decked out in outlandish attire. The scholarly robes and capes, oversized hats and platform shoes, and bizarre physical forms are all markedly different from one another. The saccharine and sometimes just plain odd art style won't appeal to everyone, but credit should be given for creativity.

The extent of Magical Vacation's multiplayer capability is not yet known. Brownie Brown has mentioned that you will be able to use the link cable to exchange information and customize your characters, but whether or not two players will be able to adventure side by side is still unconfirmed. These questions should be answered soon, though, as the Japanese launch date is rapidly approaching.

At the 2001 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Nintendo of America made clear its intention to publish Magical Vacation. So far no specific date has been announced, but it is likely the game will be released sometime in 2002. Expect more information on Brownie Brown's debut game as it becomes available.