History VideoGame / Arcana

An RPG released for the UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem by HAL Laboratory. Known as ''Card Master: Seal of Rimsalia'' in Japan, ''Arcana'' is the story of a young warrior named Rooks and his attempt to fulfill his destiny as the last of the Card Masters.

The game is known for its immersive atmosphere, a unique elemental system, and CrowningMusicOfAwesome.

An RPG released for the SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem by HAL Laboratory. Known as ''Card Master: Seal of Rimsalia'' in Japan, ''Arcana'' is the story of a young warrior named Rooks and his attempt to fulfill his destiny as the last of the Card Masters.

The game is known for itsan immersive atmosphere, a unique elemental system, and CrowningMusicOfAwesome.

While this game wasn't all that original or innovative, it made up for it with an immersive atmosphere, a unique elemental system, and CrowningMusicOfAwesome. While it never reached the heights of the Franchise/FinalFantasy or VideoGame/DragonQuest series, ''Arcana'' nonetheless has an impressive cult following even today.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: SALAH. Yes, that's certainly a name without more logical ways of spelling it, especially when the kana are サラ.

* ShesAManInJapan: Although his gender doesn't change, Ariel has the more masculine name of "Alan" in the Japanese version.

* AnAxeToGrind: [[CaptainObvious Axs, of course]].

* OneHitKill: Each spirit learns a party-wide instakill spell near the end of the game (though it costs a ton of MP and isn't the most accurate spell.) Dao's Petrify is effectively the same thing, although it's more of a two-hit kill since the petrified enemy needs to be hit one more time to finish it off.

* LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards: Spellcasters are ''always'' more dangerous than purely physical enemies, since most spells hit the entire party all at once, while physical attacks can only hit one enemy at a time.

* DishingOutDirt: Dao, the Earth Spirit, can cast spells to throw deadly rocks at enemies and bury them alive.

* MakingASplash: Marid, the Water Spirit, can control water and [[KillItWithWater use it to drown her enemies.]]

* PlayingWithFire: Efrite, the Fire Spirit, casts deadly flames to incinerate his enemies.

* ShockAndAwe: Sylph, the Wind Spirit, attacks with lightning bolts to destroy her enemies. She can also [[BlowYouAway control the winds to blow her enemies away]].

* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler: After stealing the Crystal Sword right out from under you, Rooks tries to fight back against Ariel and Teefa, only to find out that Teefa stuck him with a slow-acting paralyzing agent before they entered the room. Cue Ariel and Teefa beating the living hell out of the helpless Rooks until Axs and his sorceror companion intervene.]]

* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts: Surprisingly averted. The quality of equipment and the prices at the inns increase with every chapter, but that's due in part to the fact that you go from the small village of Galia to the larger town of Doraf to the HiddenElfVillage and finally to the royal capital of Lexford over the course of the game.

* HypnoticEyes: Teefa's eyes glow with a reddish tint in the first chapter. This goes away after [[spoiler:Rooks and Darwin free her from Galneon's mind control]].
* HeroesPreferSwords: This applies to both Rooks and Darwin.

* ShockAndAwe: Sylph, the Wind Spirit, attacks with lightning bolts to destroy her enemies. She can also [[BlowYouAway control the winds to blow her enemies away]].

* WutaiTheft: Completely averted. Whenever another party member joins Rooks, they ''have no equipment at all'' and you have to go back to the shops to get their gear. On the other hand, whenever they leave all their equipment remains in your inventory, so you can then sell it in the next chapter.

* FightLikeACardPlayer: The cards are actually the end all be all but are pretty useful for most of the game and Rooks is the last person who can really make use of them.

* KilledOffForReal: If one of your human party members die, you can't bring them back and it's GameOver. This doesn't apply to the elemental spirits, which you ''can'' revive if they're destroyed.

* MultipleHeadCase: Rimsala again, though the heada don't all serve the same purpose.

The island of Elemen is home to six kingdoms, which have frequently engaged in war and bloodshed. But these wars were not the greatest threat the land faced, as the evil goddess Rimsalia attempted to destroy the entire island and claim it as her own. She was thwarted by the Card Masters, an order of wizards who wielded tremendous magical power in the form of the playing cards they carried. Rimsalia was sealed by the Card Masters, and peace returned to Elemen for a time. Ten years ago, however, the darkness returned in the form of Galneon, the court magician of the kingdom of Lexford, whFo murdered King Wagnall and seized power for himself. When the Card Masters opposed him, Galneon murdered as many of them as he could find, until a young man named Rooks was the only Card Master remaining. At the same time, Galneon prepared to undo the seal that bound Rimsalia, and return her to the world. Now, Rooks sets out on a desperate quest to stop Galneon before he can fulfill his goals and bring ruin to the world.

The island of Elemen is home to six kingdoms, which have frequently engaged in war and bloodshed. But these wars were not the greatest threat the land faced, as the evil goddess Rimsalia attempted to destroy the entire island and claim it as her own. She was thwarted by the Card Masters, an order of wizards who wielded tremendous magical power in the form of the playing cards they carried. Rimsalia was sealed by the Card Masters, and peace returned to Elemen for a time. Ten years ago, however, the darkness returned in the form of Galneon, the court magician of the kingdom of Lexford, who murdered King Wagnall and seized power for himself. When the Card Masters opposed him, Galneon murdered as many of them as he could find, until a young man named Rooks was the only Card Master remaining. At the same time, Galneon prepared to undo the seal that bound Rimsalia, and return her to the world. Now, Rooks sets out on a desperate quest to stop Galneon before he can fulfill his goals and bring ruin to the world.

* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Teefa accompanies Rooks on the first part of his journey before betraying him. Then, after Rooks and Darwin are forced to fight her, it's revealed that she was [[spoiler:in fact {{Brainwashed}} by Galneon and Ariel]]. She then joins them for good.

----

[[redirect:{{Arcana}}]]