Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon (GBA)

I have not regreted that decision since as this is a fantastic game. When i heard that it was similar to Advance Wars i was expecting a good game but with not real story (as i have not played the original shining force!!).

Yet this was a fantastic experience. The game takes the usual fantasy role playing fare and puts a new spin on it. The battles are excellent and really seem to put you into the action as the tactician.

The different character classes are different enough to make each character fun to use and also to make you seriously think about which characters to use.

Also, many fantasy games simply have you take as many mighty sword-wielding barbarians as possible with a few powerful mages and simply plow your way through the enemy until they are all dead without even damaging your group of (over-)powerful characters. Yet this game makes you tactically advacne using fast and slow moving fighters, scouts, mages and (most importantly) healers. Your party would simply be destroyed if you make a headlong charge into the enemy.

A lot of reviews on other websites say this game is not that good. Yet i think it is brilliant and would recommend it to anyone. Having a bit of fantasy role playing experience does help to keep you alive but this game is easily accessible even to the most recent convert to the way of the mage.

The story really keeps you going and there are very few games that have stories to rival this. I would really reccommend getting it to anyone who has a gba.

The game does have replay feature but i think its only downside is its shortness. This is not through lack of content (there is loads to do!!) but due to its lack of difficulty. In a lot of the battles your party always seems to be able to defeat the enemy with just a bit of planning. The harder difficulty in the replay mode should have been included from the start. But this is a minor problem and does not lessen an overwise enjoyable game.


One of the best ever   February 21, 2004
J. Green (Matlock, Derbyshire, UK)
2 out of 13 found this review helpful

I could hardly believe it when I heard Shining Force was coming to the GBA.It was easily my favourite Megadrive game (along with Shining Force 2).I have heard from people in the know that some small alterations have been made to the battle system (I hope they havn't messed around too much) but early news sounds positive.After hearing this great news I have had to dig my faithful old Megadrive out of the loft and give SF another airing.When the GBA game is released you owe it to yourself to have a go at this great game.


Now Your Talkin!   February 16, 2004
Rob Jones
6 out of 12 found this review helpful

Here goes. Shining Force was perhaps the best RPG game in the history of the gaming console. The atmosphere was incredible, the game was awesome. The small black cartridge provided me with what could almost be called a life force. Loved it. Since my Mega Drive got sold, I have been confined to a rom (I still have the cartridge). Now, I here the remake is coming to GBA. I assumed this was a straight port, but was I shocked when I read more.

On a website/community called 'Shining Force Central', Moogie is the webmistress, and got sent a preview cart by Camelot. After reading her info posts, I am drooling at the mouth. I stronlgy intend to go and buy myself a Game Boy Advance with this game, and a refill of batteries, seen as I'll be playing the poor thing to death.

The original games was a top down strat/RPG game. You started with your troops, the shining force. I wont reveal the story too heavily, but the troops join up in your hometown and you canr ecruit more as you wander round the planet. In battle, you have your troops, as I said, and you move them round in a turn based combat scenario. You can of course level up your troof, equip them up, use magic spells, egress out of the battle to explore the surrounding area.

The characters are a strong area of Shining Force, with some rather unique characters. When you find Gong (if you find him) you will of course notice a small hamster called Yoghurt. He is a hopeless fighter, but I tried and I tried to finish out the final battle with him delivering the final blow. He got whipped everywhere.

You feel compelled to play this game, the game is straight forward, and being honest the only non-linearities are the sidequests, levelling and recruiting extra members. And the side quests are few and far between.

On the updated version, there are some quite large changes. The way you recruit your first members has been changed, so it is a lot more plausible. There is supposedly a card system, Music has changed for the better. Screenshots can not yet be released, but according to Moogie the portraits have changed, and some other stuff has differed aswell. Yoghurt now looks much cuter. The dialogue has been changed dramatically, now being more insightful and useful. The stroy is fundamentally the same, but there are enhancements.

That is all for now, but when the day of release comes, I expect my game to be sitting on my doorstep


It's aboot time   December 31, 2003
Yes, this is indeed the one from the mega drive and yes, every gba owner should buy this when it is released. It really should have come out a long time ago on the advance, I know i would have bought one sooner if it had. Quite simply this is one of my favorite RPGs of all time (bettered only by it's sequel,) topped not even by the likes of final fantasy 7. This could be because it is the only game i remember from so i get a little nostalgic; even so i still play it today and will definately be buying it when it comes out.

The battle layout is similar to Advance Wars, with an overhead view of the battlefield, but rather than a group of tanks, you will have one archer (with a name and unique appearance and everything!) There are also fighting classes, Mages, Priests, Monks, and even birdmen and dragons.

The wonderful thing about this game is the fact that you can explore towns and a world map in between battles, as opposed to the likes of advance wars and final fantasy tactics. You can buy weapons and items and chat with various people in the town, which all adds to the story and the entire role-play element of the game.

Basically, it's lovely. buy it. buy it now. ....or.... when its out...


It's aboot time   December 31, 2003
6 out of 9 found this review helpful

Yes, this is indeed the one from the mega drive and yes, every gba owner should buy this when it is released. Quite simply this is one of my favorite RPGs of all time (bettered only by it's sequel,) topped not even by the likes of final fantasy 7. This could be because it is the only game i remember from so i get a little nostalgic; even so i still play it today and will definately be buying it when it comes out.

The battle layout is similar to Advance Wars, with an overhead view of the battlefield, but rather than a group of tanks, you will have one archer (with a name and unique appearance and everything!) There are also fighting classes, Mages, Priests, Monks, and even birdmen and dragons.

The wonderful thing about this game is the fact that you can explore towns and a world map in between battles, as opposed to the likes of advance wars and final fantasy tactics. You can buy weapons and items and chat with various people in the town, which all adds to the story and the entire role-play element of the game.

Basically, it's lovely. buy it. buy it now. ....or.... when its out...