Dark Wizard - Sega CD

Dark Wizard for the Sega CD is one of the deepest and most ambitious strategy RPGs ever released on a Sega platform — described by TV Tropes as Sega's own in-house attempt at a Fire Emblem game. The kingdom of Cheshire has fallen to Velonese, a former wizard apprentice corrupted by the power of a dark god, and the last stronghold of Quentin stands on the edge of collapse. Players choose one of four rulers to lead the resistance: Prince Armer IX, the rightful heir; Robin, Cheshire's greatest warrior; Amon, a vampire ruler commanding the undead; and a fourth character whose campaign takes a darker path entirely. Each ruler has their own story, their own units, and their own route through the conflict.

Battles play out on hex-tile maps — an unusual choice for the genre that adds a distinct feel compared to standard grid-based strategy games. Each turn, units can be assigned up to two actions: movement, attacking, casting spells, or summoning creatures. Terrain type affects how far different unit classes can travel, and parties are composed of warriors, priests, mages, and summoned monsters. Towns and villages can be explored between missions for side content, items, and recruitable "Famous Players" — named characters who join the party under specific conditions.

The game features fully voiced anime-style cutscenes, an orchestral soundtrack, and branching mission paths that give each playthrough genuine replay value across all four campaigns. Battle animations can be toggled off to speed up play — a useful option for veteran players who have already seen them.

Developed by Sega with scenario direction by Kenji Terada — writer of the original Final Fantasy I, II, and III — Dark Wizard released in Japan in November 1993 and in North America in 1994. GamePro called it "an essential CD game of substance and depth, detail and nuance, beauty and beasts" and praised it for avoiding the Sega CD's reputation for style over substance. Game Informer rated it 8/10. With an average playthrough clocking in at 54 hours across all four campaigns, it remains one of the most content-rich titles in the Sega CD library.

Japanese Title: ダークウィザード 蘇りし闇の魔導士 (Dark Wizard: Yomigaerishi Yami no Madoushi)
Language: English
Rating: N/A (pre-ESRB release)
Platform: Sega CD
Genre: Tactical RPG / Strategy
Players: 1 player
Developer: Sega / H.I.C.
Publisher: Sega
Release Year: 1994 (North American release: 1994)