Brave Dungeon is an RPG spinoff of The Legend of Dark Witch series for the Nintendo 3DS. In this game, Al is the main character who is off to explore several dungeons. She can recruit two from a handful of returning Dark Witch characters into her party. The game was ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2017, packaged alongside a card-battle game titled Dark Witch's Story: COMBAT, which was then eventually brought to Steam in August 2021.
A sequel
, Brave Dungeon: The Meaning of Justice, was announced for release in 2019; however, it was delayed to 2020 with The Legend of Dark Witch Renovation releasing in its place before being delayed again to an unspecified date. The game was finally made available via Steam's Early Access in February 2022.
Brave Dungeon contains examples of:
- Absurdly High Level Cap: Though the player characters can go up to Level 100, one option allows them to go up to Level 200. Keep in mind that even at Level 100, the only boss that can even challenge you is Zizou.
- Achievement System: Much like the main 2 games, Playing Levels can be earned through various means.
- Actually Four Mooks: On various parts of each dungeon are symbols that must be touched to enter battle. The regular ones and minibosses can be avoided once they've been defeated, via an item.
- Autobots, Rock Out!: Nightmare's dungeon theme is a dark rock theme, befitting of it's motif. Zizou herself has a battle theme that combines this with Ominous Pipe Organ.
- Another Side, Another Story: Zizou's Solitary Journey allows the player to play the game as Zizou. Though you have to unlock it first.
- Art Shift: The Dark Witch series employs a new lead artist starting with this game. Most immediately noticeable with Al, who got a whole lot sexier.
- Bonus Dungeon: Nightmare Interestingly enough, the game doesn't keep it a secret since one of the hints you can get states that a secret dungeon exists.
- Can't Drop the Hero: Al cannot leave the party since she's the main character. Unlock Party can be bought from the Syega shop which will in turn allow you to remove her from the party.
- Cheat Code: You can select Zizou for Al's party by holding L + R at the Inn Menu, going on the Change Party icon and pressing A. Granted, you do need to do some stuff first; see below.
- Double Unlock: Unlocking Zizou for play requires you to defeat her in battle and then buy Zizou's Solitary Journey from the Syega Shop.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Neville was first announced as a boss for The Legend of Dark Witch 3, but makes a surprise debut in the Switch version of this game. Additionally, Combat's menu theme debuts here before appearing as Dark Witch 3's stage select theme.
- Hard Mode Perks: The higher the difficulty, the better tres/exp gain.
- Harder Than Hard: Unlike the other entries in the Dark Witch series, you have to buy the Lunatic Difficulty in order to play it.
- Hopeless Boss Fight: The player's first fight in Godshill is this, setting up the game. This ends up being averted in New Game Plus should you choose to carry everything over. As the game points out in the sound test, the player can immediately exit Godshill without trying to fight an enemy, though they miss the first conversation with Lugli if they do so.
- Infinity +1 Sword: The game has one accessory for each character that serves as this. The Perfect Armour (occasionally nullifies all damage taken) is also one of these and can be equipped by anyone.
- Interface Spoiler: The game's Playing Level menu spoils the identity of the game's secret boss. It's Zizou, the main character of the Legend of Dark Witch series.
- Marathon Boss: Considering this game's high HP for enemies, Zizou has them all beat by boasting 3500000Hp. Yeah, no exaggeration there. You're gonna be there for a while even at Level 100.
- New Game Plus: Like most RPGs, this game has one. The series's knack for customization allows the player to pick several choices which allows for different playthroughs.
- No-Damage Run: The game has several Playing Levels that require none of your party members to die during the game's boss fights.
- Palette Swap: A few of the main enemies in the story are different colours. All of the enemies in Nightmare and the minibosses are red and black palette swaps.
- Peninsula of Power Leveling: Though difficult at first, Nightmare is the best place in the game for level grinding.
- Purposefully Overpowered: Playable Zizou, in her solo journey the downside of being alone is largely minimized while only having one allows quicker exp gain and raising her already impressive stats. And once you're able to put her in a normal party with the cheat, her presence will tip the scales in your favor.
- Randomly Generated Levels: Nightmare averts this by randomizing the order of the floors but not the floors themselves.
- Red and Black, Keep Back: All of the enemies in Nightmare are red and black palette swaps, despite the dungeon's Colour Motif being purple. This makes them seem more in place in an obscure Horror game.
- Sad Battle Music: In stark contrast to Or Not to Break and Fight For Your Wish, this game's final boss theme: Surpassing Longing and Desire takes on a more melancholy tone.
- Sequel Hook: In the game's ending, Lugli mentions that Al is rumored to be a member of the Magic Lion Corps. We learn more about said group in The Legend of Dark Witch 3.
- Sudden Name Change: Zigzagged with the title of the Switch port, Brave Dungeon + Dark Witch's Story: COMBAT. Dark Witch's Story was the prototype English name for the first game before The Legend of Dark Witch was used by its publisher Circle Entertainment.
- Superboss: Zizou returns as one of these. Aside from Nightmare's main boss, it also has several minibosses and stronger versions of the main bosses.
- Updated Re-release: Brave Dungeon was ported to the Nintendo Switch with Klinsy (from the first two games) and Neville (from The Legend of Dark Witch 3) as playable characters, billed alongside a new card battle game titled Dark Witch's Story: Combat.
Brave Dungeon: The Meaning of Justice contains examples of:
- Eldritch Abomination: Unlike other final bosses in the either the mainline or spinoff games, the final boss Hampden Tower seems to be a monstrous fusion of the Big Bad and the final dungeon itself.
- Superboss: At the end of the Bonus Dungeon is a Dual Boss against Zizou and her sister Mari.
