'Waltz of the Wizard' is a Virtual Reality simulation game available on all major VR hardware. Created by Aldin Dynamics, an early access version now called the legacy edition was released on May 31st, 2016 while the updated "extended edition" was released on July 10th, 2019.
The game places the player in the top floor of a wizard tower, decorated to the nines with magical artifacts for them to experiment with while a skull berates everything they do. In the center of the room, where the player begins, is a cauldron next to three plates, each containing various ingredients. These ingredients can be combined to give the player access to various magical spells to mess around with. In addition to this, the player can move around the room and interact with many different objects.
In addition to the main gameplay set in the tower, the player can also find their way into short scenarios and trials, such as standing on a bridge suspended over a deep cavern or standing in a dark hallway as a monster approaches.
On July 6, 2021, the free Natural Magic update was released, which added a new magic casting mechanic, a courtyard, and a location called The Fortress. On November 21, 2022, the Change the World update was released, which added the ability to use voice commands, Infinite mode to The Fortress, and various tweaks and redesigns.
''Waltz of the Wizard" contains examples of:
- Awesome, but Impractical: One of the three starting weapons in the "maze" trial is a cutlass, and the player can also pick up a sword a little bit into the labyrinth. While it feels cool to swing these blades around, they're not much help against the enemies with ranged attacks.
- Checkpoint Starvation: If you are slain at any point in the maze trial, you are warped back to the start. However, enemies that are killed along the way remain dead.
- First-Person Ghost: As is common with virtual reality games without full-body tracking, the player is unable to see anything of themselves other than their hands.
- Genre Shift: While the main tower's gameplay is fun and carefree, entering pretty much any of the hidden "trials" will put the player in a more uneasy environment.
- Magical Gesture: How Natural Magic spells are cast.
- Mini-Game: Two of them. Picking up the laser sword on the main table will have a nearby gargoyle head spit up an apple at you. Cutting it in half will result in it shooting more, getting faster as time goes on and marking hits/misses with green/red dots around the gargoyle's section of the wall. The other is a target shooting minigame, and is activated by firing the crossbow at the target above the window.
- Rhymes on a Dime: Skully, the passive-aggressive skull guide, speaks in rhymes when describing any spell or trial.
- Ring of Power: Two. One allows you to use voice commands and talk with Skully, the other gives you telekenesis (see the Shout Out entry below).
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Scattered around the tower are small stone statues that Skully says "Host the minds of creatures too terrifying to roam free". Using the magical Ear Trumpet allows you to hear them when you hold one.
- Shout-Out
- In the Prison memory, a hole in the wall has a golden ring. If you put it on, you'll take it with you back to the tower, and it gives you telekinetic powers.
- If you complete the Scavenger Hunt and unlock the cabinet, a couple reference items wait inside.
- One item is a purple top hat. When placed on Skully, he will speak an H. G. Wells quote with emphasis on the word 'time'
- Similar to above is a Spartan Helmet. When places on Skully, he'll say "What is this, Sparta?"
- Spell Construction: All spells (outside Natural Magic) are made and discovered by putting ingredients in a pot.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: As you get near to the final level of the Fortress, the Overlord becomes increasingly furious with his underling's failed attempts to stop you, and kills them as they beg mercy.
