History VideoGame / TroubleWitches

* HeartContainer: Subverted due to using a lives system, instead buying magic potions raises your character's maximum MP for the playthrough.

* SealedEvilInACan: The Draupnir was sealed away in a ring by Arlia prior the events of the game, but was later used by Amalgam who kickstarted the game's play by stealing the ring and giving its fragments to her children.

A home console version of game, ''Trouble Witches NEO!'', was published by [[Creator/{{SNK}} SNK Playmore]] and released worldwide for the Platform/Xbox360 through Platform/XboxLive on April 27, 2011. It is an enhanced version of ''Trouble Witches AC'' while featuring the return of the original game's Story Mode, a new BossRush and Score Attack mode, introduces two more characters (one of which is [=DLC=]), co-op multiplayer, updated widescreen visuals and redrawn character art, online leaderboards with sharable replays, {{Achievement|System}}s, and the original arcade version of ''Trouble Witches AC'' as an added bonus. The two new witches introduced are Sakurako Kujo, an otaku astrologist who wants to become a witch like in her favorite magical girl anime shows; and Luca Yurievna Vinakol, a devil princess with LightningBruiser-like qualities who's also madly in-love with the Draupnir. Along with the Story Mode, it also features an English audio track that, as the developers puts it, "offers a full-voice dubbing in English and in Japanese to enjoy twice the game!" The English dubbing however has been compared to the likes ''[[VideoGame/CastleOfShikigami Castle Shikigami II]]'' and ''VideoGame/ChaosWars'' in terms of voice-acting quality (or lack thereof). Despite the new additions, it also lacks the personal score rankings, the ability to revisit past stages, Sies Fabric Tinydream is missing from the roster again, and the ability to switch Magic Cards on the fly of the original game, and the storylines are cutdown compared to the original PC game. Unfortunately, this version of the game and its DLC were [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes delisted]] from the Xbox Live around mid-late 2015.

* TwoAndAHalfD: The earlier versions of the first game used simple 2D backgrounds with parallax layers to create depth for its scenery, but this game would later zig-zag between using 3D- and 2D-based graphics for the background between ''NEO!'', ''Origin'', and ''FINAL!'' versions while gameplay remained strictly 2D.

* {{Funny Animal}}s: Some of the familiars are this.

** ''FINAL!'' expands on ''Origin'', remastering both the character art with new 3D backgrounds, bundles all previously released [=DLCs=] from ''Origin'', features Cotton and introduces a new character, Remiel, adds new unlockable EX versions of many characters with alternate properties, revised game modes, further gameplay rebalancing and quality-of-life updates, and post-launch updates has also brought back the Boss Attack mode as well as online co-op multiplayer. This release unfortunately is released only in Japan, but the game does support English text for menus and subtitles.

* VideoGamePerversityPotential: The Pumpkin Shop uses a cursor based on the player character's wand to interact with the menus, but in earlier versions of the game, they can also use their cursor to poke whichever shopkeeper is present on their head, around their ears, or their chest to get a reaction out of them. Some of the versions however removed the Pumpkin Sisters' chest area from being clickable.

A sequel titled ''Trouble Witches Episode 2 ~With Descendants of Ancient Dragon the Souless~'' was in the works, and from what was shown on circle's website, the game will be set in a different country with four new witches. The game has became VaporWare as nothing as been mentioned from Studio [=SiestA=] outside of a small screenshot of the game presumably running on Xbox 360 hardware since 2012 and the circle's website no longer lists the game among their other works.

** ''NEO!'' introduces a caravan-styled Score Attack mode where the player must score as much points as possible within either a 3-minute or 5-minute time limit and raises the Star Coin cap to 5,000.

* CapcomSequelStagnation: The first game has been re-released no less than five times between different platforms with different content and features between releases, meanwhile its sequel is nowhere to be found.

* DownloadableContent: The later versions of the game starting from ''NEO!'' features paid downloadable content that add new characters or additional modes.

* HarderThanHard: The unlockable fourth difficulty level across each version of the first game, where bullets are faster and more numerous.

* IdiosyncraticDifficultyLevels: In ''Trouble Witches NEO!'', the difficulty levels (from easiest to hardest) are No Problem, Heart-Pounding, High-Anxiety, and Mind Blowing.

* ShoutOut: At one point, Sakurako insists that her [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha Katana is a Device, and that her Miko vestments are a Barrier Jacket]].

[[caption-width-right:300:Which witch do you wish to be? [[labelnote:Who?]]From bottom to top: [[HunterOfMonsters Fuminoimiki Kozakura]], [[IneptMage Pril Patowle]], [[FieryRedhead Yuki Longate]], [[MagicIdolSinger Aqua Seep Seal]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Cynfi Porat]], [[BrattyHalfPint Conon Mildiazzhe Krakow]], [[MobDebt Louis Leondyke]], [[TheEeyore Raya Arcturus]], [[TheAtoner Peropero]], [[WellDoneSonGuy Yoko Redstar]], and [[CuteButPsycho Sies Fabric Tinydream]]. Not shown: [[{{Miko}} Sakurako Kujo]], [[StalkerWithACrush Luca Yurievna Vinakol]], [[FallenAngel Remiel]], [[GuestFighter and]] VideoGame/{{Cotton}}.[[/labelnote]]]]

''Trouble Witches'' is a series of BulletHell CuteEmUp DoujinSoft developed by Studio [=SiestA=]. The series consists of two games, one of which has been subsequently re-released across various platforms.

The original game, ''Trouble Witches Episode 1 ~Daughters of Amalgam~'', debuted as a doujin PC game in 2007. Its story is set in the MagicalLand of Eihemland where a great witch named Amalgam has stolen a ring sealing away a powerful devil known as the Draupnir, and divided the pieces of said ring amongst her children where they cause havoc and mischief as they see fit. In response to the chaos being created by Amalgam and her children, the King of Eihemland has spread flyers all across the country with a award to anyone who can stop Amalgam with any wish they desire.

The game features three playable witches and their own familiars to chose from: Pril Patowle, a witch-in-training who wants to become a great witch like her mother; Aqua Seep Seal, an idol singer with a short fuse from the undersea land of Tio Ferris; and Yuki Longate, a descendant of the Longate clan from a mysterious floating island seeking to take her parental frustration out on Amalgam's family. Sies Fabric Tinydream, a reoccurring mid-boss in the game, can be unlocked as a bonus character but would become immediately playable after the "Ver.2" update. Each witch have her own shot type, stats, and perspective of the storyline in a fully-voiced Story Mode. One of the unique aspects of the game is the risk-and-reward mechanics that can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced players alike. The Magic Barrier system serves as the crux of the game's scoring hooks; each witch can use their partner to summon a [[InstantRunes magic barrier]] that slows down most enemy fire when captured and converts them into coins of varying size and value by destroying the enemy that originally fired those shots to accumulate Gold. This could work against the player however if the enemies escapes offscreen with their shots trapped in the barrier, the bullets will then home-in on the player, or get blown away from the bullets if their MP runs out. Gold collected from defeated enemies and bullet conversion not only go towards scoring points, players can also spend their Gold at the Pumpkin Sisters' shop (which usually appears twice during each stage) to purchase [[PowerUp Magic Cards]] and other goods such as [[OneUp Heart Lives]] and [[HeartContainer Magic-boosting Potions]]. Each Magic Card not only can grant different power-ups for a brief period of time, destroying enemies while it is active will also yield score-boosting Star Coins, but taking a hit will knock the card out of you instead to save you from losing a life, which results in losing a fraction of Star Coins collected.

Studio [=SiestA=] had originally planned to release an updated re-release of the game for PC as ''Trouble Witches AC'', however the updated PC version was canceled when the game was picked up for an arcade release instead in 2009 by Creator/{{Taito}}. The game ran on the Taito Type X arcade hardware and it featured some aspects that were originally planned for the PC version, such as introducing new playable characters -- Louis Leondyke, a vagabond witch who's trying to pay off a massive debt passed onto by her parents; Cynfi Porat, a catgirl fairy queen searching for her lost crown; Conon Mildiazzhe Krakow, an archbishop of a struggling church within a poor village; and Raya Arctauras, the third princess of the dessert country with self-doubt issues -- into ''Episode 1''[='=]s storyline, along with new content and gameplay adjustments. As an arcade game, it also lacks many of the features the original doujin release had, such as the fully-voiced Story Mode. ''Trouble Witches AC'' was later re-released on the [=NESiCAxLive=] arcade service in Japan in 2012, which also brought back Sies Fabric Tinydream into the game's roster. At the time ''Trouble Witches AC'' was being produced, Studio [=SiestA=] was also in production of a self-made English release of the first game under the title ''The Tomboyish Witches ~With Amalgam's Cutie Girls~'', but it was also eventually canceled.

[[caption-width-right:300:Which witch do you wish to be? [[labelnote:Who?]]From bottom to top: [[HunterOfMonsters Fuminoimiki Kozakura]], [[IneptMage Pril Patowle]], [[FieryRedhead Yuki Longate]], [[MagicIdolSinger Aqua Seep Seal]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Cynfi Porat]], [[BrattyHalfPint Conon Mildiazzhe Krakow]], [[MobDebt Louis Leondyke]], [[TheEeyore Raya Arcturus]], [[BlackMage Peropero]], [[WellDoneSonGuy Yoko Redstar]], and [[CuteButPsycho Sies Fabric Tinydream]]. Not shown: [[{{Miko}} Sakurako Kujo]], [[StalkerWithACrush Luca Yurievna Vinakol]], [[FallenAngel Remiel]], [[GuestFighter and]] VideoGame/{{Cotton}}.[[/labelnote]]]]

The game features three playable witches and their own familiars to chose from: Pril Patowle, a witch-in-training who wants to become a great witch like her mother; Aqua Seep Seal, an idol singer with a short fuse from the undersea land of Tio Ferris; and Yuki Longate, a descendant of the Longate clan from a mysterious floating island seeking to take her parental frustration out on Amalgam's family. Sies Fabric Tinydream, a reoccurring mid-boss in the game, can be unlocked as a bonus character but would become immediately playable after the "Ver.2" update. Each witch have her own shot type, stats, and perspective of the storyline in a fully-voiced Story Mode. One of the unique aspects of the game is the risk-and-reward mechanics that can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced players alike. The Magic Barrier system serves as the crux of the game's scoring hooks; each witch can use their partner to summon a [[InstantRunes magic barrier]] that slows down most enemy fire when captured and converts them into coins of varying size and value by destroying the enemy that originally fired those shots to accumulate Gold. This could work against the player however if the enemies escapes offscreen with their shots trapped in the barrier, the bullets will then home-in on the player, or get blown away from the bullets if their MP runs out. Gold collected from defeated enemies and bullet conversion not only go towards scoring points, players can also spend their Gold at the Pumpkin Sisters' shop (which usually appears twice during each stage) to purchase [[PowerUp Magic Cards]] and other goods such as [[OneUp 1-Ups]] and [[HeartContainer MP-boosting potions]]. Each Magic Card not only can grant different power-ups for a brief period of time, destroying enemies while it is active will also yield score-boosting Star Coins, but taking a hit will knock the card out of you instead to save you from losing a life, which results in losing a fraction of Star Coins collected.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: In the original PC (as well as ''Origin'') and arcade versions of ''Trouble Witches'', the players can poke the Pumpkin Girls' pumpkin, ears, and even their chest. Poking the Pumpkin Girls' chest was cut from ''Troubles Witches NEO!'', [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools which was a good move on their part]] since any implications of inappropriately touching a young girl ([[ValuesDissonance even if it's]] PlayedForLaughs [[PedoHunt with the player being condemnation for it]]) would have meant jail time for the developers in these times.

* {{Familiar}}: Just about every main character has one, and some of them relatives to the heroine's family.

* SuperTitle64Advance: The arcade game, as ''Trouble Witches AC''.

[[quoteright:279:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/key_visual2_sm_6458.png]]
[[caption-width-right:279:So many [[MagicalGirl magical girls]] to choose from... [[note]]From top to bottom: Luca, Conon, Lyla, Louis, Symphony, Aqua, Yuki, Sakurako, and Pril[[/note]]]]
-> ''Cute shooter with a Hard challenge!!''
-->-- {{Tagline}} of [[Creator/{{SNK}} SNK Playmore]]'s English trailer for ''Trouble Witches NEO!''

''Trouble Witches'' is a series of [[DoujinSoft doujin]] BulletHell CuteEmUp games by Studio [=SiestA=]. The series consist of two games, one of which has been re-released three times already with an "English" version of the PC game canceled sometime during its production, with a sequel currently under development.

''Trouble Witches Episode 1 ~Daughters of Amalgam~'' (2007) is the first game of the series and debuted as a doujin PC game. The story is set in the [[MagicalLand magical country]] of Eihemland where a great witch named Amalgam has stolen a ring sealing away a powerful devil known as the Draupnir, and divided the pieces of said ring among her children where they cause havoc and mischief as they see fit. In response to the chaos being created by Amalgam and her children, the King of Eihemland spread flyers all across the country with a award to anyone who can stop Amalgam and her daughters with any wish they desire.

The original PC game featured three witches to chose from: Pril Patowle, Aqua Seep Seal, and Yuki Longate, with Sies Fabric Tinydream, a reoccurring mid-boss that can be unlocked as a bonus character but has became immediately playable after the "Ver.2" update. Each character have their own shot type, strengths, and their own take on the storyline in a fully-voiced Story Mode. One of the unique aspects of the game is the risk-and-reward mechanics of the game, of which is the Magic Barrier system where each witch can summon [[InstantRunes a barrier]] to slow down enemy fire and convert them into gold by destroying the enemy that originally fired those shots. However, this could work against the player if the enemies flees from the screen with their shots trapped in the barrier, which the bullets will home-in on the player, or get blown away from the bullets if their MP runs out. The gold earned not only go towards ScoringPoints, but it can be used at the Pumpkin Sisters' shop (which usually appears twice during each stage) to spend your gold on [[PowerUp Magic Cards]] and other goods such as [[OneUp 1-Ups]] and [[HeartContainer MP-boosting potions]]. The Magic Cards would give the user a different shot-type for brief periods of time, but destroying enemies under this effect would yield for score-boosting Star Coins, although taking a hit will knock the card out of you but saves you from losing a life, which results in losing a fraction of Star Coins collected.

The developers originally had planned an updated version of the game for PC titled ''Trouble Witches AC'', however it was scrapped when the game got picked up for an arcade release instead in 2009 by Creator/{{Taito}}. The game ran on the Taito Type X arcade hardware and it featured some aspects that was originally planned for the PC version, such as introducing new characters -- Louis Leondyke, Symphony Porlatt, Conon Mildiazzhe Krakow, and Lyla Arctauras -- into ''Episode 1''[='=]s storyline, along with some changes made to the core gameplay. Being an arcade game, it also lacks much of the features the original PC game had, namely the fully-voiced Story Mode. The game later made it's way into the [=NESiCAxLive=] arcade service in Japan in 2012, which also brought back Fabric Tinydream into the game's roster of magical girls. At the time ''Trouble Witches AC'' was being produced, Studio [=SiestA=] were also in production of a self-made English release of the first game as ''The Tomboyish Witches ~With Amalgam's Cutie Girls~'', but like the originally planned ''AC'' re-release for PC, it was also scrapped.

''Trouble Witches NEO!'' was the game's first-time venture into the mainstream market. Published by [[Creator/{{SNK}} SNK Playmore]] and released world-wide for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} via UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade on April 27th, 2011. It is essentially an enhanced remake of ''Trouble Witches AC'' while featuring the return of the original game's Story Mode, a BossRush and Score Attack mode, introducing two more characters into ''Episode 1'' (one of which is [=DLC=]), co-op multiplayer, updated visuals for widescreen presentation, [[ArtEvolution new character artwork]], online leaderboards with sharable replays, {{Achievement|System}}s, and the original arcade version of ''Trouble Witches AC'' as an added bonus. The two new witches introduced that are Sakurako Kujo, an otaku astrologist who wants to become a witch like in her favorite magical girl anime shows; and Luca Yurievna Vinakol, a devil princess with LightningBruiser-like qualities who's also madly in-love with the Draupnir.

Along with the return of the Story Mode, it also featured an option for English voice-overs as the developers puts it, "offers a full-voice dubbing in English and in Japanese to enjoy twice the game!", although its English localization is something this side of ''[[VideoGame/ShikigamiNoShiro Castle Shikigami II]]'' and ''VideoGame/ChaosWars'', with a heavily abridged story from its original PC counterpart, lots of [[DubNameChange name]] [[SpellMyNameWithAnS changes]] for the characters (for better or worse). It also lacks the personal score rankings, the ability to revisit past stages, and the ability to switch Magic Cards on the fly of the original game. Unfortunately, the game and its [=DLCs=] were [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes delisted from the Xbox Live marketplace]] in mid-late 2015.

Another re-release, ''Trouble Witches Origin'', was released on November 21, 2016 through Steam. This version based around the original ''Trouble Witches'' with some small changes added for this version, while incorporating mechanics from ''NEO!'' and two new spell cards, with a new character by the name of Fuminoimiki Kozakura, who wears similar clothing to Sakurako Kujo. ''Origin'' also brings back Sies Fabric Tinydream as a playable character since the original PC and [=NESiCAxLive=] versions of ''Trouble Witches''. Also guest stars the titular Cotton from the ''VideoGame/FantasticNightDreamsCotton'' series, and the return of the ''AC''/''NEO!'' cast (Louis, Symphony, Conan, Lyla) as DLC. 2 new additional (DLC) characters (Yoko Redster and Peropero) has since been added in a late Feburary 2020 update along with additional (DLC) modes.

Yet, another re-release 'Trouble Witches Final', will be released on July 6, 2023 in Japan for the Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Switch. Essentially a port of 'Origin' with all of its DLC (characters and modes) included from the PC/Steam version with additional contents exclusive to this version.

A sequel titled ''Trouble Witches Episode 2 ~With Decendents of Ancient Dragon the Souless~'' was in the works, and from what was shown on circle's website, the game will be set in a different country with four new witches. The game however seems to be heading into VaporWare territory as nothing as been mentioned from Studio [=SiestA=] outside of a small screenshot of the game presumably running on Xbox 360 hardware and the developer's website no longer list the game among their other works.

* AprilFools: In 2012, Studio [=SiestA=] made an update to their website featuring a "patch" for the PC game that would allow players to play as four of Amalgam's children instead of the main characters. It turned out to be a joke.
* ArtEvolution: The character artworks in ''Trouble Witches NEO!'' is a huge improvement from the original ''Trouble Witches'' and ''Trouble Witches AC'', although the artist also took a lazier approach when it came making the character portraits of the Story Mode with how they show emotions during cutscenes.
* ArtifactOfDoom and SealedEvilInACan: The Ring of the Draupnir, which possesses anyone holding a piece of the ring with the Draupnir's influence. Assembling all pieces of the ring frees him from his imprisonment.

* BellyDancer: Lyla wears this costume, fitting her role as the princess of a desert kingdom.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: In the original PC (plus steam version) and arcade versions of ''Trouble Witches'', the players can poke the Pumpkin Girls' pumpkin, ears, and even their chest. Poking the Pumpkin Girls' chest was cut from ''Troubles Witches NEO!'', [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools which was a good move on their part]] since any implications of [[DudeNotFunny inappropriately touching a 10-year-old girl]] ([[ValuesDissonance even if it's]] PlayedForLaughs) would have meant jail time for the developers in these times.

* CuteWitch: The younger witches.
* DubNameChange and SpellMyNameWithAnS: Both are all over the place in the English localization of ''Trouble Witches NEO!''. Same with ''Trouble Witches Origin''.

* {{Engrish}}: ''Trouble Witches NEO!'' is full of it, especially Sakurako.
* EveryTenThousandPoints: You gain extra lives for scoring points.

* {{Funny Animal}}s: Some of the familiars are.

* GuestFighter: Cotton and her fairy side-kick Silk from the ''VideoGame/FantasticNightDreamsCotton'' series joins in the cute witches of ''Trouble Witches Origin'' as a DLC character.
* HarderThanHard: The unlockable [[NintendoHard Mind]]-[[BulletHell Blowing]] in ''NEO!'' difficulty, where bullets are faster and more numerous.

* HotWitch: The older witches.
** Peropero is revealed to be quite good looking beneath that cloak in her ending [[spoiler:in spite of how old she actually is]].

* ImprobablyFemaleCast: Especially in ''Trouble Witches NEO!''.

* LuckyCharmsTitle: The series as "''Trouble☆Witches''".
* MagicWand: And a wide assortment of different wands ranging from a PaperFanOfDoom (Louis) to a microphone (Aqua).

* ManaMeter: The MP meter. 10 MP is roughly equals to 1 sec for your character's barrier.
* MoreDakka: You shoot a lot, and your enemies shoot a lot too.
* MsFanservice: Many of the older witches are, but special mention goes to Amalgam for being a mom with '''[[ThickerThanWater SIX]]''' kids.
* NintendoHard:
** The original PC game, which has finite continues and the characters must manually summon their barrier to a desired size, which takes time and more MP.
** The unlockable fourth difficulty takes it even further.

* ScoringPoints: You shoot enemies down for points, but you also get points from picking up gold dropped by enemies or bullets converted by your magic barrier. By using a Magic Card, defeated enemies drop Star Coins worth lots of points and their value increases as you gain more.
* SequelHook: Peropero's ending.

* TurnsRed: Guaranteed to happen in a boss fight.
* UpdatedRerelease: ''Origin'' is one to the original ''Trouble Witches'', and ''AC'' could have been one up until it was picked up for an arcade release instead. However, it does add some features the latter, a few new spell cards, and introduces another new character in the roster, plus Cotton and the rest of the ''AC''/''NEO!'' cast (sans Sakurako and Luca) as DLC. 2 new (DLC) characters has since also been added in a late Feburary 2020 update. ''Final'', however, is a console port of Origin with all of its DLC (characters and modes) included.
* VideoGameLives: You start with 3 by default although you can change that in the options menu.
* VideoGameRemake: ''Trouble Witches NEO!'' being a remake of ''Trouble Witches AC'' for arcades in Japan, which was also originally planned as an enhanced version of the original doujin PC game.