Shining Force Gaiden

About Shining Force Gaiden

Shining Force Gaiden (1992) is Sonic! Software Planning's Japan-only Game Gear tactical RPG, set 20 years after Shining Force, in which Nick leads a new Shining Force into the Kingdom of Cypress.

Shining Force Gaiden in Depth

Twenty years after Shining Force, the player controls Nick, a visitor to Guardiana chosen as the new leader of its Shining Force. The party travels to the Kingdom of Cypress to rescue Guardiana's captured soldiers and find a cure for Queen Anri, put under a sleeping spell by Cypress's ambassador, Woldol. In effect a story sequel to Shining Force, it continues Guardiana's history: Anri, Ken, Lug, called Luke in Shining Force, and Lowe are major characters, Lug is briefly playable, and Domingo appears as a hidden character. The starting party includes the sons of Lug, Ken and Hans, the sister of Tao and the nephew of Gong.

The game is a series of turn-based tactical battles separated by short cut-scenes, between which the player can save, promote characters, revive fallen allies and sometimes buy and sell weapons and healing items. Combat and levelling work exactly as in Shining Force. It begins the Cypress saga, continued directly in the Game Gear's Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya, set just two months later, which resolves the war between Cypress and the worshippers of Iom, and in Shining Force CD.

Making Shining Force Gaiden

Sonic! Software Planning developed it and Sega released it only in Japan for the Game Gear in 1992. Its story and that of its sequel later reached Western players through Shining Force CD, which remade both and added scenarios continuing their story.