The game notably uses a hex-map instead of a grid map like most other games in its genre.
Dark Wizard contains examples of:
- Back from the Brink: The player, as the latest successor to King Armer VIII, starts with the tiniest, most-defeated remnant of the Holy Army (three unnamed units) that's been squirreled away in the far-off wastelands of Quentin. While a professional army made up of the much-stronger equipment-wearing, magic-using units is impossibly expensive for your tiny starting tax base, you can still fight using a never-ending stream of summoned Mon, just like all of your opponents. Extra points because the first enemy you fight is a glorified warrior unit called "Warlord," who is the weakest spell-caster and summoner out of all the enemy generals.
- For Want of a Nail: Who you choose to play as, affects who takes up leadership of the kingdom from Armer VIII, as well as how he dies.
- Armer IX, the crown prince, obviously becomes king upon his father's peaceful passing. Robin, similarly, is told that the king's last words were for her to be a just a loyal ruler in his place.
- Amon and Krystal both murder the king, the former pulling a Twin Switch of sorts by disguising himself as Armer, while the latter is tricked into killing him and tries to right her wrong by leading the kingdom against the enemy.
- Medusa: The game has the Medusa Head as an item that can be used to petrify enemies. There's also Gorgon's Tails, which are the antidote to petrification.
- Our Dragons Are Different: Each of the four main characters, have these.
