Lost Kingdom will probably lock in as one of the lost surprises of the Gamecube.
Lost Kingdoms is a real time card-based rpg, that revolves around the story of a girl (whose name escapes me at this point, but it doesn't really matter anyway) who is trying to figure out the sudden appearance of a purple mist that is threatening to engulf the land. She is, of course, also trying to destroy its source. With that said, you spend almost all your time traversing the countryside in an assortment of locales. This is where the combat comes into play. The combat of Lost Kingdoms involves constant movement while finding the right opportunity to use the appropriate cards. There are an assortment of card types that fall into the attack, decoy, defense, and card retrieval categories. Combat usually can occur randomly, while others can be avoided; the enemies can be seen on screen at times. This can be somewhat of a nuisance due to the inconsistency.
Each level, or location, pretty much has you going from one end to the other. It may sound boring to some, but the developers do a good job at making each level fully explorable. There are plenty of hidden chests littered across each level. Most levels end with a boss fight of sorts followed by a card lottery. Each lottery involves the choosing of a number of cards, depending on how well you did during the level. Of the five cards, one of them will usually be a rare and ultimately useful card. Sadly, that pretty much sums up the game.
Lost Kingdoms is in every sense a rigid experience. There are no town, and no NPCs to talk to. People who are looking for an rpg experience like that of the Final Fantasy series, you're going to be vastly disappointed. Aside from one establishment where you can gamble to get new cards, there's nothing in the game aside from going from level to level until the end.
In terms of presentation. Lost Kingdoms won't win any awards. The sound and graphic quality are pretty subpar and aren't memorable. There is a multiplayer mode, but it's so shattered and bent that it's unplayable at best.
Overall, Lost Kingdoms is a game that's solely built upon its rather unique combat system. While it may keep players going for a while, the absence of extras will make this a one play and done venture. Lost Kingdoms is best used as a rental for anyone looking for an rpg of any sorts.