Follow TV Tropes

Following

Video Game / Magical Chase

Go To

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Magical_Chase_coverart_7582.jpg
Magical Chase is a very obscure Cute 'em Up that once graced The 16-bit Era of Console Video Games in 1991 developed by Palsoft for TurboGrafx-16 and published by Quest. The game is a horizontal shooter in the veins of the Gradius series and Cotton: Fantasic Night Dreams, but has some unique gameplay elements of its own to make stand out from other shooters. Unlike most shooters, your protagonist isn't a One-Hit-Point Wonder as she has a Life Meter to withstand against some attacks.

The story is centered around a Cute Witch named Ripple who's now afraid of her teacher for breaking a promise with her by accidentally releasing six devils sealed in a forbidden book. If Ripple doesn't fix this problem soon, her teacher will turn her into a frog as her punishment. With the help of two Elf-Stars, Topsy and Turvy, she sets out to seal the devils from whence they came before she spends the rest of years on a lilipad.

The game consist of six stages (three if you play it on "Easy"), and players can collect crystals to earn gold and points, which can be spent to buy up power-ups and recovery items at certain parts of the stage.

Due to its obscurity, the game has become something of a very rare gem among shoot 'em ups, fetching very high prices in auctions. The game has also seen an overseas release 1993, as well as a handheld port on the Game Boy Color and a port on Windows 95 in Japan, but since then, not much else.

See also Trouble Witches, which is more-or-less a doujin successor to this game. More about this game can be found on That Other Wiki.


This game features examples of:

  • Adam Smith Hates Your Guts: As you progress through the game and buy more items from Halloween Jack, the price of them will steadily increase.
  • Arms Dealer: Halloween Jack, who sells Ripple various Power-Ups that can change her shot type, power-up the Star Elves, spells that can recover HP or help against enemies, as well as recovery items and change her movement speed.
  • Attack Drone: Topsy and Turvy, they can shoot enemies and protect Ripple from some enemy fire at any angle.
  • Auto-Revive: Elixirs will fully replenish Ripple's HP if her life meter reaches zero. You can only hold one at a time.
  • Boss Subtitles: The intro of each level shows the name of the devil you'll be facing.
  • Child Mage: Ripple.
  • Classic Cheat Code: In the TurboGrafx-16 version, entering Left, Down, Right, Up, Select three times, Left, Right, and I at the difficulty select screen will give you 60,000 crystals. Entering the same code but ending II instead will unlock a Music Test.
  • Collision Damage: Running into enemies or obstacles will hurt you.
  • Continuing is Painful: If you resume a game after your HP hits zero, your score will be wiped.
  • Cultural Translation: While most of the cute-em-up elements are retained in the official English release, there are still a few changes made to appeal more to a western audience:
    • The first level is redesigned from a castle made of colorful blocks to a more realistic western-style fortress.
    • The stump enemies are replaced with more western-friendly goblin enemies that behave identically.
    • Ripple is given a more detailed, slightly older-looking sprite that makes her look more similar to a preteen.
  • Cute Witch: Again, Ripple.
  • Cute 'em Up: Cute and adorable protagonist? Equally cute and sometimes odd enemies? Bright and cheery colors? Upbeat and catchy music? Magical Chase qualifies.
  • Denial of Diagonal Attack: Ripple by herself can only shoot in front of although are power-ups like the 3-Way that gives her more coverage.
  • Easy-Mode Mockery: Play the game on Easy and you only get half of the game.
  • Emergency Energy Tank: The Heart spell replenishes 2 HP.
  • Excuse Plot: You screwed up by releasing the sealed devils and your angry teacher is gonna turn your into a frog if you don't fix it.
  • Flying Broomstick: Ripple flies across the land on a broomstick. She can change her broomstick with a different one that affects her mobility.
  • Heart Container: The Heart Fruits raises Ripple's life meter by 1.
  • Hyperactive Metabolism: Ripple can recover HP from candy and sweets.
  • Idiosyncratic Difficulty Levels: From easiest to hardest — Breeze, Bumpy, and Rough.
  • Let's Play: One has been done by Naka Teleeli. Watch Part 1 here.
  • Life Meter: Represented by hearts.
  • The Lost Woods: The second stage takes place in a forest.
  • Multiple Endings: Depending on the difficulty.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Thanks, Ripple.
  • Non-Human Sidekick: Topsy and Turvy, who are Elf Stars.
  • Shout-Out: The intro of "Waltz of Meditation, Part 1" interpolates the descending minor chords from "Echoes" by Pink Floyd.
  • Scoring Points: Typically went you shoot down enemies, you gain points from it.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: The forbidden book sealing the six devils that Ripple accidentally set free.
  • Spread Shot: The 3-Way and Wave shot, which turns Ripple's shots into way its name suggests.
  • Toy Time: Stage 4 takes place in a toy land with hazardous traps.

Top