Shining Force

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Shining Force
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, iOS, Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch Online, Steam
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd. (JP, EU) Sega of America (US) Sega Corporation Sega Corporation
Developer: Climax Entertainment, Sonic Co. M2
Distributor: Samsung (KR) Galaxy Group (Thailand)
Sound driver: Cube/Yasuhiro Taguchi(Douben Shibuya)
Genre: RPG, Simulation
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1992-03-20 ¥8700 G-5512 US 1993-07 $64.95 1312 US ▼ (Sega Channel) 1994-06-06 SUB EU 1993-09 1312 DE 1993-09 DM 129.95 1312 UK 1993-07 £49.99 1312 AU 1993 CA ▼ (Sega Channel) 1995 SUB KR 199x GMC035JG AS 1993 JP ▼ 2007-07-10 700pts US ▼ 2007-07-23 800pts EU ▼ 2007-08-03 800pts AU ▼ 2007-08 800pts JP ▼ 2021-10-26 SUB US ▼ 2021-10-25 SUB EU ▼ 2021-10-26 SUB UK ▼ 2021-10-26 SUB AU ▼ 2021-10-26 SUB JP ▼ 2010-07-29 ¥350 (333) US ▼ 2010-07-29 $2.99 9+ EU ▼ 2010-07-29 US ▼ 2011-01-26 $2.99 71120 EU ▼ 2011-01-26 €2.49 71120 UK ▼ 2011-01-26 £1.99 71120 AU ▼ 2011-01-26 $3.49 71120 US ▼ 2019-02-01 $0.99 71120 EU ▼ 2019-02-01 €0.99 71120 UK ▼ 2019-02-01 £0.79 71120 AU ▼ 2019-02-01 $1.35 71120 US ▼ 2019-02-01 $0.99 71120 EU ▼ 2019-02-01 €0.99 71120 UK ▼ 2019-02-01 £0.79 71120 AU ▼ 2019-02-01 $1.35 71120

Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, known in Japan as Shining Force: Legacy of the Gods (シャイニング・フォース 神々の遺産), is a turn-based tactical role-playing game developed by Climax Entertainment and Sonic Co. and published in 1992 by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive. It was the second release in the Shining series following the 1991 RPG Shining in the Darkness.

Story

“	In ages long forgotten... ... Light fought Darkness for control of the world. Dark Dragon led the evil hordes of Darkness. The Ancients fought back with the Powers of the Light. Dark Dragon was defeated and casted into another dimension. The Lord of Darkness vowed to return in 1,000 years. Time passed and Dark Dragon was forgotten by all. Ten centuries of peace ruled the land of Rune. Until the kingdom of Runefaust brought war and fear to Rune. Hordes of evil creatures ravaged every land. Here and there, strongholds of Good still held out... ... awaiting a Hero who could wield the Powers of Light!	„
— Introduction

Max is a young swordsman who trains under the wing of Lord Varios, in the Kingdom of Guardiana. One day, the King informs them that the Gate of the Ancients, which Guardiana has watched over for centuries, might have been breached by the forces of Runefaust. Max accepts the King's plea to leave with a small force assembled by the adviser Nova to investigate. The group succeeds but returns to Guardiana to find that it has been sacked by an invading Runefaust army led by the evil Kane. Lord Varios has been killed by Kane, and the King, fatally wounded, reveals that the Gate can only be opened with a key and instructs Max to find it before Runefaust.

As Max gathers allies and battles across the land of Rune, he learns that both Kane and King Ramladu of Runefaust are being manipulated by the powerful sorcerer Darksol, who intends to resurrect the ancient evil Dark Dragon.

Gameplay

Battle map and scene

Shining Force is a tactical role-playing game. It consists of turn-based battles in which the player commands an army called the Shining Force, interspersed with segments akin to a traditional JRPG in which the player enters towns to purchase items and equipment and to talk to NPCs.

Battles are fought on a square grid, with each unit occupying a single square. On each turn, the player or the enemy army gains control of a unit and can issue it a command to move a fixed number of squares, then attack an enemy unit, cast a spell, use an item, or search the area. Some commands, such as equipping or dropping an item, do not end the turn. A unit can move through friendly units but not enemies. When attacking, there is a small chance that the unit misses with the attack, lands a critical hit that does more damage, or gets to attack a second time. Enemy attacks can sometimes inflict negative status effects such as poison (which inflicts a small amount of damage on each turn) or paralysis (which makes the character unable to act for several turns). Characters gain experience points from attacking, using magical abilities, and defeating foes, which allow them to gain levels that increase their statistics and sometimes grant them new abilities. Defeated enemies drop gold, which can be used to buy weapons and other items from shops. Units are defeated when they lose all of their hit points.

The Force consists of named characters who join over the course of the game, each having their own background and personality. Some of these characters are hidden, requiring specific events to occur before they join the Force. The player can assemble an army of at most 12 members. Characters can be substituted in between battles, with the exception of Max, who must be present in every battle. Each character has a class, which defines the abilities for their combat unit, such as what types of weapons they can use to which spells they can learn. Units become stronger by gaining experience points in combat, which are given by attacking enemies or by using offensive or defensive magic. Once a unit reaches level 10, that character has the ability to advance to a more powerful class through promotion, which resets their level to 1. Promotion initially weakens the character slightly, but their stat growth increases afterwards. Each character can carry up to four items of any kind, which can include an equipped weapon, a ring, and consumable items such as healing herbs.

A battle is won if all enemies have been defeated or if the enemy commander is defeated. If Max is defeated in combat or withdraws, the battle is lost and the Force is returned to the last town. The Force loses half of the gold that the player has obtained if Max falls in battle, though the game never ends because of a defeat, as battles can always be attempted again. Characters never lose experience, so the player can replay battles to earn more experience (though the amount of experience earned diminishes when the characters surpass the enemies that they are fighting).

Command menus

The game inherits the cross-shaped menu system from the preceding Shining in the Darkness. The menus are opened with or and present the player with icons for different choices, depending on the situation. An icon is highlighted by pressing its respective direction on the D-Pad and selected with or . Menus are dismissed with .

Exploration fields

Town

Church

Headquarters

When not in battle, the player controls Max, the leader of the Shining Force, who explores towns and other locales. Max can talk with people and buy items and equipment in towns. Most of the story progression takes place in towns in between battles, and the player can find hidden treasures or interact with certain objects in the game world. Towns include shops that sell weapons and consumable items; priests that can cure or revive the Force, upgrade a character's class, or save the game; and a headquarters where the Force assembles and the player can change the active roster (by talking to Nova).

Context	Menu	Command	Description
Field		Talk	Starts a conversation when standing adjacent to someone.
		Magic	Accesses the character's magic spells, though this is never necessary in the exploration areas.
		Item	Accesses the Item menu, which contains options for managing the item inventory for any character.
		Search	Searches the area that Max is facing. This can be used to open treasure chests, read signs, or sometimes find hidden items, though nothing is found in most locations.
Item		Use	Uses a selected item from a character's inventory.
		Give	Transfers an item from one character's inventory to another's.
		Equip	Equips (or unequips) a weapon or ring for a character.
		Drop	Discards an item from a character's inventory.
Shop		Buy	Displays the items that the shop has for sale.
		Sell	Sells an item for 75% of its original purchase price.
		Deals	Accesses special items that are for sale. When the player sells unpurchasable items (such as rare weapons or rings), they appear here so that they can be purchased back if desired.
		Repair	Repairs a damaged item. Usable items have a chance of being damaged when they are used but can be repaired before they are destroyed.
Priest		Save	Saves the game to the cartridge's battery backup.
		Cure	Cures status ailments, such as poison, in exchange for a quantity of gold. Priests are the only way to remove cursed items.
		Raise	Revives characters that have fallen in battle (in exchange for a quantity of gold, which increases with the character's level).
		Promote	Promotes a character. A character can be promoted to a new class upon reaching level 10 or higher in his or her starting class. Some characters are already in their promoted class when they join.
Headquarters		Advice	Nova gives his advice for the upcoming battle.
		Join	Chooses the active party. Only 12 characters can take part in a battle.
		Item	Accesses the Item menu, which contains options for managing the item inventory for the current character. Dropping or equipping an item does not use a turn.
		Status	Accesses each character's status windows, showing his or her statistics and inventory (along with the party's gold).

Battlefields

Battlefield

During battles, the player moves the characters in turns across a scenario overlaid with a square grid, like a board game. Battles are typically won by vanquishing every enemy, defeating the boss, or moving to a certain point such as a destination town at the end of the map. Battles are lost if the leader of the Force falls, returning to the last accessible priest and losing half of the gold that the Force was carrying.

The unit menu is shown for the active unit at the start of its turn. Pressing dismisses the menu and shows a selection cursor, which can be used to select another unit (to view its statistics; the player can only control a unit when it is the unit's turn) or to pan the map to look around. When the cursor is over the active unit, pressing shows its statistics and pressing shows the unit menu. When the cursor is over a different unit (which can be a friendly or an enemy unit), pressing or shows its statistics. When the cursor is over terrain and not a unit, the options menu is shown. Holding  START  in a battle hides the status windows.

Context	Menu	Command	Description
Unit		Attack	Attacks an enemy if it is in range, which depends on the kind of weapon that the character has equipped. Characters have a chance to attack twice or miss entirely on each turn. This command is selected automatically when an enemy unit is in range.
		Magic	Accesses the magic spells for the current character, if the character knows any.
		Item	Accesses the Item menu, which contains options for managing the item inventory for the current character. Dropping or equipping an item does not use a turn.
		Stay	Holds position without performing any action.
		Search	Searches the area that the character is facing. This can be used to open treasure chests or find hidden items. The Stay icon changes to Search when the character is standing in front of something that can be searched.
Item		Use	Uses a selected item from the character's inventory. Using an item in battle ends the turn for the character.
		Give	Transfers an item to another character's inventory. Both units must be standing next to each other.
		Equip	Equips (or unequips) a weapon or ring for the character.
		Drop	Discards an item from the character's inventory.
Options		Map	Accesses the battlefield map, which displays the location of friendly units in green and enemy units in red.
		Speed	Changes the text speed.
		Message	Toggles battle messages (to make battles faster). Notifications are still displayed for leveling up and acquiring dropped items.
		Quit	Saves the battle in progress so it can be continued later and quits the game.

Unit statistics

Character status

Units have the following statistics:

• Hit Points (HP): The number of hit points that the character has, which is the amount of damage the character can take from enemies before dying. Damage can be healed by magic or consumable items. Characters start each battle with full hit points.
• Magic Points (MP): The number of magic points that the character has, which can be spent casting spells. If a character runs out of magic points, he or she cannot cast any more spells. Characters start each battle with full magic points.
• Attack: The amount of damage that the character deals to enemies. This stat is increased by the equipped weapon.
• Defense: The amount of physical damage that a character can absorb without losing hit points. Magic attacks ignore this value and always do full damage. The Land Effect of terrain also factors into damage reduction (except for flying units).
• Agility (also called Speed): The priority in which a unit takes a turn in battle (combined with a random seed). Because it is not necessary for every unit to get a turn before a unit can get another turn, a unit with high Agility can get more turns in a battle than other units.
• Movement: The number of squares that a character can move on each turn. Movement is also affected by the type of terrain (except for flying units), with rougher terrain reducing the unit's range of movement.

A character advances a level for every 100 experience points earned (and any excess experience points are lost). When a character levels up, any statistic (except for Movement) has a chance to be raised by a random amount. The stats that each character is awarded is somewhat random, which means each character's growth can vary between playthroughs. However, all characters have their independent strengths and weaknesses, which makes them unique even amongst the same classes. Character statistics stop increasing after level 20 if they are not promoted. Statistics can also be improved through the use of items.

Unit classes

Each character in the Shining Force has a particular class that defines some of his or her characteristics. There are a handful of main classes, and some classes are only used by a single character.

Swordsman

The leader of the Shining Force, Max, is a Swordsman (SDMN) who can be promoted to a Hero (HERO). He is a balanced fighter, with above-average defense and an exceptionally strong attack, but care must be taken when using him since the battle is lost if he is exhausted. He wields swords and is the only character who can equip the Sword of Light and the Chaos Breaker. He has one magical ability, Egress, which allows the Force to retreat from battle and return to the last town.

Knights

Knights (KNT) and Paladins (PLDN) are combat units with excellent mobility and good attacks but the weakest defense of the front-line combat units. As centaurs, they have large movement range, allowing them to easily intercept and surround enemy units. However, their high mobility also makes it easy for them get out too far ahead of the rest of the Force, where their soft defense leaves them vulnerable to getting picked off by the enemy before additional support can arrive. They excel in battles with spacious, open terrain, but their movement is severely hampered by rough terrain (such as mountains and forests). They can equip lances for engaging units in adjacent squares as well as spears for attacking units from a distance (and they can carry both and switch between them in battle). There are six Knights/Paladins available (more than any other class): Ken, Mae, Arthur, Pelle, Vankar, and Earnest. Arthur uniquely learns low-level offensive spells, increasing his versatility, but the other knights do not learn any magic.

In addition to the centaurs, there are two special knights who also fight with lances and spears. Guntz is a Steam Knight (SKNT) who can be promoted to a Steam Baron (SBRN). He wears heavy armor, sacrificing the mobility of the centaurs for a hardier defense. Kokichi is a Wing Knight (WKNT) who can be promoted to a Sky Lord (SKYL). He performs similarly to a Knight but can fly, allowing him to bypass rough terrain and obstructions. Two other units are functionally similar to Knights in that they have high mobility but modest defense: Zylo is a Werewolf (WRWF) and a Wolf Baron (WFBN) who does not use a weapon, and Hanzou is a Ninja (NINJ) who fights with swords (and joins with a unique sword, the Doom Blade) and learns some support spells. Both units have the special trait that they ignore rough terrain.

Warriors

Warriors (WARR) and Gladiators (GLDT) are tough units with strong defense and heavy attack damage. They have shorter movement range than Knights and Paladins, but as dwarves, they are less affected by rough terrain. They are mainly used as tanks, as they can absorb much more damage than other units. They primarily fight with axes (though some early swords can be equipped as well). There are two Warriors/Gladiators available: Luke and Gort.

Two units introduced late in the game are functionally similar to Warriors in that they have high defense: Musashi is a Samurai (SMR) who fights with swords (and joins with a unique sword, the Katana), and Adam is a Robot (RBT) and a Cyborg (CYBG) who does not use a weapon. However, both units have exceptionally poor mobility (worse than the Warriors and without the resistance to rough terrain).

Archers

Archers (ACHR) and Bowmasters (BWMS) provide support fire and can shoot enemies from a distance. They have light defense and do moderate damage, but they do not need to be on the front line to be effective and can snipe enemies safely from behind other units. They are especially useful on maps with obstructed terrain or against flying units (which can position themselves over impassable terrain, making them difficult to hit from an adjacent square with a melee weapon). However, they cannot shoot enemies that are adjacent to them and are vulnerable if isolated. As elves, they are less affected by rough terrain. They carry bows. There are two Archers/Bowmasters available: Hans and Diane.

In addition to the elves, there is a centaur archer, Lyle, who joins later in the game. He is an Assault Knight (ASKT) who can be promoted to a Buster Knight (SKNT). As a centaur, he has high mobility but struggles in rough terrain. He equips bows and does more damage overall than the elven units.

Flyers

Birdmen (BDMN) and Sky Warrior (SKYW) are flying combat units. They are lightly armored and do middling damage, but their flight gives them immense versatility as they can close in on enemies faster or from different angles from ground units. They have large movement range and ignore terrain. They wield swords. There are two Birdmen available: Balbaroy and Amon.

Bleu is a Dragon (DRGN) and a Dragon Master (GRDR) who becomes available later in the game. He has a stronger attack and defense than the Birdmen, but he has a smaller movement range. He does not use a weapon.

Mages

Mages (MAGE) and Wizardesses (WIZD) are spellcasters. They have offensive spells that can damage multiple enemies in a single turn and support spells that can buff allied units or cripple enemy units. They are limited by their magic points and have minimal utility once they run out since they have low defense and weak attacks (though, like all units, they can carry items to make them useful even without their spells). They equip rods and staves. There are three Mages/Wizardesses available: Tao, Anri, and Alef.

Domingo is a Magical Creature (MGCR) and the only spellcaster that can fly. He has higher defense than the Mages.

Healers

Healers (HEAL) and Vicars (VICR) are healers. They are invaluable support units as they can restore damage taken by allied units to increase their resilience and prevent them from being defeated by the enemy. They also have other support abilities that can boost friendly units or nullify negative status effects. However, they have poor defense and weak attacks, so they must be defended by stronger combat units. They equip rods and staves. There are three Healers/Vicars available: Lowe, Khris, and Torasu.

Gong is a Monk (MONK) and Master Monk (MMNK). He is a mix of a front-line combat unit and a healer. He does not have as many magic points as the other healers, but he has higher defense and a stronger attack, making him a versatile support unit (typically used in conjunction with a dedicated healer).

Characters

Playable

There are 30 playable characters that can join the Shining Force. Every character has their own specific class, which helps determine their stats, abilities, weapons that can be equipped, and magic that can be learnt. Some of the characters are mandatory, in that they are either required to join in order to progress through the story or join the party without player intervention. Others are merely optional, requiring the player to complete an action or a series or tasks to get the character to join. Each character in the Force is of a certain class, which gives him or her certain abilities, advantages, and disadvantages. The player may only have 12 active characters in the party at a time (and one of them must always be Max, the leader).

The spell level requirements include the level of the character at promotion. For example, if Tao is promoted at level 20, she learns Boost at level 7 after being promoted.

	Max (マックス)
	Race: Human Initial class: Swordsman (SDMN) Promoted class: Hero (HERO)
	Leader of the Shining Force. He is a young swordsman from Guardiana who was trained by Lord Varios and the game's silent protagonist. As the leader of the Force, he is the character that the player controls between battles. He is required to be in every battle, and the battle is lost if he falls. The player can give him a name at the start of the game, but his default name is Max. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Egress Initially learned — — —
	Lowe (ロウ)
	Race: Hobbit Initial class: Healer (HEAL) Promoted class: Vicar (VICR)
	A priest who is part of the starting party. He is the first healer that joins the Force and thus an invaluable support unit early in the game. In addition to Heal, he has the ability to negate poison with Detox or silence enemy spellcasters with Dispel. However, unlike later healers that join the Force, he never learns Aura. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Heal Initially learned Level 7 Level 16 Level 22 Detox Level 4 — — — Dispel Level 10 Level 19 — — Quick Level 13 Level 25 — —
	Luke (ラグ)
	Race: Dwarf Initial class: Warrior (WARR) Promoted class: GLDT (Gladiator)
	A cheerful dwarven warrior who is part of the starting party. As a dwarf, his movement is less affected by mountains and forests, and his attack power and especially defense are high, making him a strong front-liner.
	Ken (ケン)
	Race: Centaur Initial class: Knight (KNT) Promoted class: Paladin (PLDN)
	A Guardiana knight and part of the starting party. He is good-natured and has a crush on Mae. He is the first knight available to the player, and he has high hit points, good movement, and fair attack and defense. However, he is overshadowed by the faster stat growth of the other knights that are recruited into the Force later in the game.
	Tao (タオ)
	Race: Elf Initial class: Mage (MAGE) Promoted class: Wizardess (WIZD)
	An elven mage who taught herself magic. She is part of the starting party and initially the only mage available. Her Blaze spell remains strong as it is leveled up throughout the game (and it is stronger against undead enemies than Freeze). She learns Boost (though at a late level), which increases a unit's attack power. As is the case with most spellcasters, Tao suffers from low hit points and defense, so she must be protected in battle or she will easily fall to enemy attacks. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Blaze Initially learned Level 4 Level 12 Level 20 Sleep Level 8 — — — Dispel Level 16 — — — Boost Level 27 — — —
	Hans (ハンス)
	Race: Elf Initial class: Archer (ACHR) Promoted class: Bowmaster (BWMS)
	An elven archer who does not like fighting. He is part of the starting party and can shoot enemies from long range, but he is eventually outclassed by other ranged units that join the Force. As an elf, his movement is less affected by mountains and forests.
	Gong (コング)
	Race: Half-Giant Initial class: Monk (MONK) Promoted class: Master Monk (MMNK)
	A monk, which is a cross between a fighter and a healer. In battles, he can both engage the enemy and heal the party whenever necessary. He is a formidable fighter with a good attack growth, and he can also master the Heal spell and learn a single level of Aura, though he does not have as many magic points as dedicated healers. He does not use a weapon. He can be found near a cabin outside the Ancient Gate after Battle 1. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Heal Initially learned Level 8 Level 16 Level 24 Aura Level 30 — — —
	Mae (メイ)
	Race: Centaur Initial class: Knight (KNT) Promoted class: Paladin (PLDN)
	The only daughter of Lord Varios. She is initially equipped with a lance instead of a spear, so she cannot attack from a distance like Ken can until the player gives her a spear later on. She remains strong throughout the game and develops high hit points and defense in particular. She joins the Force after a cutscene following Battle 2.
	Gort (ゴート)
	Race: Dwarf Initial class: Warrior (WARR) Promoted class: Gladiator (GLDT)
	A veteran dwarven warrior. Like his fellow front-liner Luke, he is strong defensively and has a powerful attack. As a dwarf, he is less affected by bad terrain. He can be recruited in the Guardiana Pub after Battle 1.
	Khris (チップ)
	Race: Kyantol Initial class: Healer (HEAL) Promoted class: Vicar (VICR)
	A healer from Alterone who wants to be an adventurer. Her Heal spell levels up faster than the other healers, and she learns Aura relatively early, allowing her to heal multiple units in a single turn. She joins in Alterone after freeing Max from the prison cell (after searching the cell door). Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Heal Initially learned Level 5 Level 16 Level 21 Slow Level 8 — — — Quick Level 12 — — — Aura Level 20 Level 28 — —
	Anri (アンリ)
	Race: Human Initial class: Mage (MAGE) Promoted class: Wizardess (WIZD)
	The princess of Guardiana. She is a powerful mage who learns three different offensive spells, which can be chosen to exploit the elemental weaknesses of foes. She joins the party in Manarina, where she is attending the magic school. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Blaze Initially learned Level 8 — — Freeze Level 5 Level 13 Level 16 Level 23 Muddle Level 16 — — — Bolt Level 19 Level 26 — —
	Arthur (アーサー)
	Race: Centaur Initial class: Knight (KNT) Promoted class: Paladin (PLDN)
	A knight who has not seen battle in a while and wants to join the fight against Runefaust. He is initially one of the weaker knights in the game, but his stat growth increases after being promoted. Because of his time in Manarina, he is the only knight who learns magic abilities, learning the first level of each elemental damage spell. He joins the Force after talking to him in Manarina after Battle 6. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Blaze Level 15 — — — Freeze Level 20 — — — Bolt Level 25 — — —
	Balbaroy (バルバロイ)
	Race: Birdman Initial class: Birdman (BDMN) Promoted class: Sky Warrior (SKYW)
	A birdman who was turned to stone by Darksol. He is the first flying unit to join the party. His flight gives him the ability to ignore terrain and easily flank targets. He has a decent attack but poor defense. He joins the force after Battle 8.
	Amon (アモン)
	Race: Birdman Initial class: Birdman (BDMN) Promoted class: Sky Warrior (SKYW)
	A birdwoman who is married to Balbaroy. She is notably weaker than Balbaroy but still useful because of her flight. She joins the force after the Shade Abbey Chapel battle.
	Diane (ディアーネ)
	Race: Elf Initial class: Archer (ACHR) Promoted class: Bowmaster (BWMS)
	An energetic elven archer who is the elder sister of Tao. She has slightly better stats overall than Hans (and like him, moves easily through the mountainous and sylvan battles). She joins in Bustoke after talking to her.
	Zylo (ザッパ)
	Race: Wolfling Initial class: Werewolf (WRWF) Promoted class: Wolf Baron (WFBN)
	A wolfling from the mountains outside Bustoke. He was given a drug by Runefaust that made him insane, then he was locked up by the people of the town for their safety. Like Gong, he fights without a weapon, but he nonetheless possesses heavy attack power. He has high movement and ignores terrain effects, so he can travel through rough terrain much better than most other characters. He joins the Force in Bustoke after obtaining the Moon Stone and giving it to the alchemist, who creates Lunar Dew that can be used to cure Zylo.
	Pelle (ぺイル)
	Race: Centaur Initial class: Knight (KNT) Promoted class: Paladin (PLDN)
	A mercenary knight working for Runefaust who decides to defect during the Pao Bridge battle. He has strong stats when he joins and exhibits fast growth but eventually levels off. He joins the Force after completing Battle 11.
	Jogurt (ヨーグルト)
	Race: Jogurt Initial class: Jogurt (JGRT) Promoted class: Jogurt (JGRT)
	A strange, hamster-like creature. Jogurt's stats never change, meaning he can only deal 1 hit point of damage at most in battle. However, if Jogurt manages to kill an enemy, a Jogurt Ring appears in the inventory. Any character equipped with a Jogurt Ring is transformed into a Jogurt in battle, allowing the player to amass an army of Jogurts. He can initially be found in the same area as Gong. If the player talks to him, he is later found near the chapel in Pao Prairie.
	Kokichi (コーキチ)
	Race: Human Initial class: Wing Knight (WKNT) Promoted class: Sky Lord (SKYL)
	An inventor who was once a knight. He wears a winged contraption that allows him to fly, making him effectively a flying knight. Like a knight, he can equip lances and spears, and he has better stats overall than Balbaroy and Amon. He can be found in one of the homes in Bustoke testing his flight equipment. If the player talks to him, he flies off, then joins later when the Force is in Pao, after the carts have departed from Pao Prairie.
	Vankar (バンガード)
	Race: Centaur Initial class: Knight (KNT) Promoted class: Paladin (PLDN)
	A knight who is on guard at Pao. Vankar starts off with a Chrome Spear, which is more powerful weapon than the other knights at that point in the game. He is otherwise an ordinary knight. After Pao departs, he stays behind and joins the party.
	Guntz (ガンツ)
	Race: Armadillo Initial class: Steam Knight (SKNT) Promoted class: Steam Baron (SBRN)
	An armadillo steam knight. He wears an experimental steam suit invented by Dr. Crock (クロック) in Rindo. His heavy armor gives him poor movement, but he has very high defense and attack. He remains vulnerable to magic attacks. He can equip lances and spears like a knight. He joins the party after finding him in the sheep pen when visiting Pao for the second time.
	Domingo (ドミンゴ)
	Race: Magical Creature Promoted class: Magical Creature (MGCR)
	A flying, squid-like creature. He is a flying spellcaster and one of the most powerful magic users in the game. He can fly, which allows him to ignore terrain effects, though unlike other flies, he is unable to pass over mountains. He can be obtained by taking the Domingo Egg from the laboratory in Manarina. Giving the egg to one of the men in the Pao item shop results in the egg being incubated and Domingo being hatched. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Freeze Initially available Level 4 Level 13 Level 27 Muddle Level 7 — — — Desoul Level 17 — — — Boost Level 20 — — —
	Earnest (アーネスト)
	Race: Centaur Initial class: Knight (KNT) Promoted class: Paladin (PLDN)
	A knight who wants revenge against Balbazak for destroying his home town of Uranbatol. He has average stats for a knight. He joins the Force after talking to him in Uranbatol.
	Lyle (ライル)
	Race: Centaur Initial class: Assault Knight (ASKT) Promoted class: Buster Knight (SKNT)
	An assault knight, which is an archer with the increased movement of a knight and a larger range of attack than his fellow archers. He becomes the strongest archer in the game when leveled up. He can be found at the top of the tower in Rudo.
	Bleu (パリュウ)
	Race: Dragon Initial class: Dragon (DRGN) Promoted class: Dragon Master (GRDR)
	A white dragon who is initially fearful of fighting. Though he is relatively weak when he joins the party, he can quickly develop into one of the strongest characters in the game. As a dragon, he can fly, and after promotion, he occassionally attacks with lightning breath that damages opponents regardless of their defense. He joins the party after talking to him in Dragonia.
	Musashi (ムサシ)
	Race: Human Promoted class: Samurai (SMR)
	A samurai with exceptionally high attack and defense, though poor mobility and speed. He joins the party after reading a note on the wall of a building in Prompt (by searching it).
	Alef (アレフ)
	Race: Foxling Initial class: Mage (MAGE) Promoted class: Wizardess (VICR)
	A wizardess from Prompt who was sent to the Tower of the Ancients to stop Darksol. She specializes in elemental damage. She has very high magic points and the most damage potential of any of the mages in the game. However, she has low defense, even for a spellcaster, and lacks support spells. She joins the party in the Tower of the Ancients along with Torasu. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Blaze Initially available Initially available — — Freeze Initially available Initially available — — Bolt Initially available Level 17 Level 22 Level 30 Desoul Level 26 — — —
	Torasu (トーラス)
	Race: Hobbit Initial class: Healer (HEAL) Promoted class: Vicar (VICR)
	A priest from Prompt who was sent to the Tower of the Ancients to stop Darksol. He only learns two levels of Heal but masters Aura, which heals every single party member on the battlefield at its highest level. He is one of the only characters to learn Shield, which protects an ally against magic attacks. However, he is slow to level up, and his Detox spell is seldom needed by the time he joins. He joins the party in the Tower of the Ancients along with Alef. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Heal Initially available Initially available — — Detox Initially available — — — Shield Initially available — — — Aura Initially available Level 20 Level 24 Level 28
	Adam (アダム)
	Race: Robot Initial class: Robot (RBT) Promoted class: Cyborg (CYBG)
	An ancient robot who was created to assist the heroes of Light in the event that Dark Dragon reawakens. He leads the Force to Chaos, another robot who was reprogrammed by Darksol to carry out his evil designs. He is very weak when he joins the party and does little damage, but he can be leveled into a strong front-line fighter. He does not equip a weapon and does less damage against metallic enemies. He joins the party in the lost civilization of Metapha before Battle 24.
	Hanzou (ハンゾウ)
	Race: Human Promoted class: Ninja (NINJ)
	A rogue ninja. Though he is relatively weak when he first joins the party, his stat growth is rapid, turning him into one of the most deadly fighters in the game. He learns several support spells, and he has a chance of killing an enemy in a single slice of his weapon. He learns Desoul twice, but the spell only has one level. He joins the party if the player examines a bush with a yellow flower upon arriving in Runefaust. Magic spells Spell Level Acquired 1 2 3 4 Sleep Initially available — — — Dispel Initially available — — — Desoul Initially available Level 25 — — Shield Level 15 — — —

Non-playable

Friendly

	Nova (軍新ノーパ)
	Race: Dragonute
	Advisor to the Shining Force. He gives advice before each battle. He can be found in the headquarters and used to check the status of party members or add or remove members.
	Lord Varios (バリオス)
	Race: Centaur
	A veteran knight and the commander of the Guardiana army. He trains soldiers and serves as the king's chief military advisor. He is the father of Mae.
	King Guardiana (ガディアナ王)
	Race: Human
	The King of Guardiana, who sends Max and his comrades out on their quest. He is the father of Anri.
	Otrant (オトラント)
	The wise and mysterious head mage of Manarina, who provides advice to Max throughout the game.
	King Alterone (アルターン王)
	Race: Human
	The King of Alterone, who is coerced by Kane into locking Max away.
	Shell (シエル)
	Race: Mermaid
	A mermaid who guides the party to Waral in gratitude for defeating a group of sea monsters.

Enemy

	Darksol (軍師ダークソル)
	Race: Greater Devil
	A devil who commands the hordes of Runefaust. He seeks to open the Shining Path and resurrect Dark Dragon. He is a separate character from Dark Sol in Shining in the Darkness, despite being given a similar name in the English localizations. He is fought in the Castle of the Ancients in Chapter 8.
	Kane (カイン)
	Race: Human
	A Runefaust general who wears a mask and carries the Sword of Darkness. In the Japanese version, he is revealed to be the brother of Max, but this detail is omitted from the English translation. He is fought in Dragonia in Chapter 6.
	Mishaela (ミシャエラ)
	Race: Dark Elf
	A dark wizardess who serves Darksol. She possesses the Sword of Light. She is fought in the Demon Castle in Chapter 6.
	Elliot (エリオット将重)
	Race: Dragonute
	A honorable general in the Runefaust army who fights for his nation but not Darksol. He is fought on the Pao prairie in Chapter 4.
	Balbazak (バルバザーク将重)
	Race: Unknown
	A Runefaust general who is overseeing the construction of a great fortress. He is fought at the Urantanbol dock in Chapter 4.
	Chaos (ケイオス)
	Race: Robot
	An ancient robot built to prevent the revival of Dark Dragon but reprogrammed by Darksol to serve him. It is fought in Metapha in Chapter 7.
	Ramladu (皇帝ラムラドゥ)
	Race: Human
	The King of Runefaust, once known as Protectora. Ramladu was benevolent but became corrupted by Darksol and turned into his puppet. He is fought in Runefaust Castle in Chapter 8.
	Colossus (コロッサス)
	Race: Robot
	A statue with three floating heads that bars the way into the Castle of the Ancients. It is fought in the Castle of the Ancients in Chapter 8.
	Dark Dragon (ダークドラゴン)
	An ancient evil being that was defeated and sealed away by the Ancients a thousand years ago. Now Darksol seeks to resurrect it so it can fight the Forces of Light for control of the world. It is fought in the Castle of the Ancients in Chapter 8.

Items

Shop

Healing items can be bought from shops (except for the Shower of Cure, which is a special item that can only be found). They are consumable items that can be used by any character to heal another character in battle. Using an item in battle ends the turn for the character.

Stat boosting items cannot be bought but are hidden throughout the game. They are one-time use items that boost a statistic for a character, which is useful for balancing a character by mitigating a particularly weak stat.

Finally, some items only have a storyline purpose (and generally cannot be dropped or sold), and some items are merely Easter eggs with no gameplay purpose.

Category	Item	Cost (in gold)	Description
Auxiliary	Angel Wing	40	Escapes the battle and returns to the last priest.
Healing	Medical Herb	10	Restores about 10 hit points to a single ally.
	Healing Seed	200	Restores about 20 hit points to a single ally.
	Shower of Cure	10,000	Restores about 40 hit points to all allies. Found in a treasure chest in Waral in Chapter 5, a treasure chest in Dragonia in Chapter 6, and a treasure chest in the Demon Castle in Chapter 6.
	Antidote	20	Cures poison effect from an ally.
Boosting	Bread of Life	500	Increases hit points by 4-5. Found in a treasure chest in Alterone Castle in Chapter 1, a treasure chest in Pao (the first time) in Chapter 4, and a treasure chest in Waral Castle in Chapter 5.
	Power Potion	500	Increases Attack by 2-4. Found in a treasure chest in Guardiana Castle in Chapter 1, a treasure chest in Alterone in Chapter 1, and a treasure chest in the Demon Castle in Chapter 6.
	Defense Potion	500	Increases Defense by 2-4. Found in a treasure chest in Guardiana Castle in Chapter 1, a treasure chest in Alterone Castle in Chapter 1, and a treasure chest in Waral Castle in Chapter 5.
	Legs of Haste	500	Increases Agility by 2-4. Found in a treasure chest in Pao (the first time) in Chapter 4.
	Turbo Pepper	1,500	Increases Movement by 1-2. Found in a treasure chest in the Tower of the Ancients in Chapter 7.
Story	Orb of Light	—	Used to speak to the Spirit of the Holy Spring in Metapha in Chapter 7. Found in a treasure chest in the Cavern of Darkness in Chapter 2.
	Domingo Egg	2,000	Hatches Domingo so he joins the party. Found by examining a machine in Manarina in Chapter 2, then it can be hatched by an NPC in Pao in Chapter 4.
	Moon Stone	—	Can be exchanged for the Lunar Dew in Bustoke. Found in a cave in Bustoke's Quarry in Chapter 3. There is also a second Moon Stone hidden in Battle 15, but it has no apparent purpose.
	Lunar Dew	—	Cures Zylo in Bustoke so he joins the party. Acquired from an NPC in Bustoke in exchange for the Moon Stone in Chapter 3.
Miscellaneous	Sugoi Mizugi (Amazing Swimsuit)	200	Changes Tao's attire to a swimsuit. Found in the same cave as the Moon Stone in Chapter 3.
	Kitui Huku (Tight Clothes)	200	Changes Anri's attire to a dress with a miniskirt. Found during Battle 11.
	Teppou (Gun)	4	No purpose. Found during Battle 15.
	Kenji (Public Prosecutor)	4	No purpose. Found during Battle 13.
	Kaku-chan	4	No purpose. Found during Battle 28.
	Youji	4	No purpose. Found during Battle 19.
	Kindan no Hako (Forbidden Box)	65,000	No purpose. Only accessible by save state editing.

Equipment

Weapons

Weapons affect the attack damage done by a unit. A weapon can only be equipped by a character of the correct class; sometimes it is necessary to promote a character to equip a weapon. Most weapons are bought from shops, with better weapons becoming available in later shops, but there are some unique weapons hidden throughout the game that cannot be purchased. Each weapon has a particular range in which it can target enemies. Some have spells when used as an item in battle (though there is a chance that they become damaged and must be repaired in a shop before they break).

Category	Weapon	Cost (in gold)	Attack	Range	Equippable by	Notes
Arrows	Wooden Arrow	320	+8		ACHR, ASKT
	Steel Arrow	1,200	+13		ACHR, ASKT
	Elven Arrow	3,200	+18		BWMS, ASKT
	Assault Shell	4,500	+27		BWMS, SKNT
	Buster Shot	12,400	+35		BWMS, SKNT
Axes	Hand Axe	200	+7		WARR
	Middle Axe	600	+11		WARR
	Battle Axe	2,600	+16		WARR
	Heat Axe	—	+22		GLDT	Casts Blaze Level 2. Dropped by a Lizardman during Battle 12.
	Great Axe	10,000	+26		GLDT
	Atlas Axe	—	+33		GLDT	Casts Blaze Level 3. Found in a treasure chest in Runefaust Castle and dropped by an Armed Skeleton during Battle 26.
Rods and Staves	Wooden Staff	80	+4		HEAL, MAGE
	Power Staff	500	+12		HEAL, MAGE
	Guardian Staff	3,200	+18		VICR, WIZD
	Holy Staff	8,000	+26		VICR	Casts Blaze Level 2.
	Demon Rod	—	+35		WIZD	Cursed. Drains MP from an enemy when used as an item. Dropped by a Demon Master during Battle 23.
Spears and Lances	Spear	150	+8		KNTE, SKNT, WKNT
	Bronze Lance	300	+9		KNTE, SKNT, WKNT
	Power Spear	900	+15		KNTE, SKNT, WKNT
	Steel Lance	3,000	+18		PLDN, SBRN, SKYL
	Chrome Lance	4,500	+22		PLDN, SBRN, SKYL
	Halberd	—	+25		PLDN, SBRN, SKYL	Casts Bolt Level 1. Found in a treasure chest in Dragonia in Chapter 6 and in a treasure chest during Battle 26.
	Valkyrie	—	+35		PLDN, SBRN, SKYL	Found in a treasure chest during Battle 23.
	Devil Lance	—	+35		PLDN, SBRN, SKYL	Cursed. Found in a treasure chest in the Tower of the Ancients in Chapter 7.
Swords	Short Sword	100	+5		SDMN, WARR, BDMN
	Middle Sword	250	+8		SDMN, WARR, BDMN
	Long Sword	750	+12		SDMN, BDMN
	Steel Sword	2,500	+18		HERO, SKYW, NINJ, SMR
	Broad Sword	4,800	+20		HERO, SKYW, NINJ, SMR
	Doom Blade	—	+25		HERO, SKYW, NINJ, SMR	Carried by Hanzou when he joins in Chapter 8.
	Katana	—	+30		HERO, SKYW, NINJ, SMR	Carried by Musashi when he joins in Chapter 7.
	Sword of Light	—	+36		HERO	Casts Bolt Level 2. Found in the Demon Castle in Chapter 6.
	Sword of Darkness	—	+40		HERO, SKYW	Cursed. Casts Desoul. Acquired in Prompt in Chapter 7.
	Chaos Breaker	—	+40		HERO	Casts Freeze Level 3. Acquired in Metapha in Chapter 7.

Rings

Rings are valuable accessories that boost a statistic while equipped. They cannot be bought but are hidden throughout the game. Most rings can be equipped by any class. Some have spells when used as an item in battle (though there is a chance that they become damaged and must be repaired in a shop before they break).

Cursed items occasionally do a small amount of damage to the wearer and can only be removed by a priest once equipped. A cursed item can be used for its magic effect without equipping it.

Ring	Description
Power Ring	Increases Attack by 5, casts Boost. Found in a treasure chest in the Cavern of Darkness in Chapter 2.
Speed Ring	Increases Agility by 4, casts Egress. Found in a treasure chest in Rindo in Chapter 2.
Shield Ring	Increases Defense by 4. This item is possessed by some enemies but cannot be obtained by the player.
Mobility Ring	Increases Movement by 2. Found in a treasure chest in Waral Castle in Chapter 5.
White Ring	Increases Defense by 6. Can only be equipped by Heroes and Vicars. Found in a treasure chest in the Demon Castle in Chapter 6.
Jogurt Ring	Changes the appearance of the unit to that of Jogurt. Obtained whenever Jogurt defeats an enemy.
Black Ring	Cursed. Increases Attack by 6, casts Blaze Level 3. Found in a treasure chest in the Demon Castle in Chapter 6.
Evil Ring	Cursed. Increases Attack by 8, casts Bolt Level 3. Found in a treasure chest in the Demon Castle in Chapter 6.

Magic

Magic spells cost a certain amount of magic points to be cast. Some can only affect one ally or enemy, while others have an area of effect and can hit several allies or enemies in a cross-shaped formation. Spells always target only allies or only enemies, never both combined, even if units of the opposite faction are inside the target area. When a higher level of a spell is learned, the player can still choose to use a lower level (which generally costs fewer magic points).

Enemies sometimes have a weakness or a resistance to a specific kind of elemental magic. For example, undead enemies take more damage from fire magic but less damage from ice magic.

Category	Name	Level	Mana cost	Area of effect	Range	Learned by	Description
Auxiliary	Egress	1	8			Max	Escapes the battle and returns to the last priest.
Healing	Heal	1	3			Lowe, Khris, Gong, Torasu	Restores hit points to a single ally.
		2	5			Lowe, Khris, Gong, Torasu
		3	10			Lowe, Khris, Gong, Torasu
		4	20			Lowe, Khris, Gong, Torasu	Restores all hit points to a single ally.
	Aura	1	7			Gong, Khris, Torasu	Restores hit points to a group of allies.
		2	11			Khris, Torasu
		3	15			Torasu
		4	18			Torasu	Restores all hit points to all allies.
	Detox	1	3			Lowe, Torasu	Cures poison effect from an ally.
		2	6			Torasu	Cures all status ailments on an ally.
Offensive	Blaze	1	2			Tao, Anri, Arthur, Alef	Deals fire magic damage to an enemy or group or enemies.
		2	5			Tao, Anri, Alef
		3	8			Tao
		4	8			Tao
	Freeze	1	2			Anri, Arthur, Domingo, Alef	Deals ice magic damage to an enemy or group or enemies.
		2	5			Anri, Domingo, Alef
		3	7			Anri, Domingo
		4	10			Anri, Domingo
	Bolt	1	8			Anri, Arthur, Alef	Deals lightning magic damage to an enemy or group or enemies.
		2	15			Anri, Alef
		3	20			Alef
		4	20			Alef
	Desoul	1	8			Domingo, Alef, Hanzou	Small chance to kill the target.
Support	Boost	1	15			Tao, Domingo	Raises Attack of an ally.
	Quick	1	5			Lowe, Khris	Raises Defense and Agility of an ally.
		2	16			Lowe
	Shield	1	5			Torasu, Hanzou	Raises magic defense of an ally.
	Slow	1	5			Lowe, Khris	Lowers Defense and Agility of an enemy.
		2	20			Lowe
	Dispel	1	5			Tao, Hanzou	Silences target (prevents casting magic).
	Muddle	1	6			Anri, Domingo	Confuses target (chance of missing attacks or attacking allies).
	Sleep	1	6			Tao, Hanzou	Drowses target (unable to act for several turns).

Battles

The game is divided into eight chapters.

Runefaust Invasion

	Battle 1
	Map: 1️⃣
	King Guardiana reports that the forces of Runefaust have been seen at the Gate of the Ancients. Lord Varios proposes sending a small group, led by Max, to the Gate to investigate. An earthquake splits the battlefield as the Force arrives. The starting party consists of Max, Lowe, Luke, Ken, Tao, and Hans. The battle ends when the Rune Knight is defeated. As he dies, the Rune Knight gloats that Kane is attacking Guardiana. Gong, a Monk, can be found before or after this battle in a nearby cabin.
	Battle 2
	Map: 1️⃣
	Nova urges the Force to return to Guardiana, but because of the earthquake, they must take a less direct route that is guarded by Runefaust troops. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated or when Max is brought to Guardiana.
	Battle 3
	Map: 1️⃣
	The Force returns to Guardiana to find it has been sacked by a Runefaust army led by Kane. As he dies, King Guardiana asks Max that he must find the key to the Gate of the Ancients before Runefaust can obtain it. The King also asks Max to find his daughter, who is studying magic in Manarina, and urges Mae, a Knight and the daughter of Lord Varios, to join the party and help. Mae says that the Force should start its journey by traveling to the nearby town of Alterone. Gort, a Warrior, can be found in the tavern of Guardiana before departing. Runefaust forces defend the road to Alterone. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated or when Max is brought to Alterone.
	Battle 4
	Map: 1️⃣
	The Force arrives in Alterone, then finds that it has already surrendered to Runefaust. Max is thrown in a jail cell by Kane, but Khris, a Healer, helps him escape and joins the Force. A battle is fought in the streets of Alterone, but Kane departs to Runefaust under the orders of Darksol. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated.

Spirit of the Holy Spring

	Battle 5
	Map: 1️⃣
	The Shining Force has tracked Kane's trail to the seaside town of Rindo. From here, the Force travels south to Manarina and encounters hostile forces along the way. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated or when Max is brought to Manarina.
	Battle 6
	Map: 1️⃣
	In Manarina, Max and Nova find Princess Anri, a Mage, and tells her about the death of her father and the invasion of Guardiana. She joins the Force. Max can find a Domingo Egg by searching a machine in Manarina, which can be hatched later in the game. Otrant, the head mage of Manarina, tells Max that, in order to find the key to the Accursed Door, they must first reach the Pool of the Ancients underneath the door. To do so, they must obtain the Orb of Light from the nearby Cavern of Darkness. The Force enters the Cavern of Darkness and fights a squad of dangerous monsters. This battle contains a bridge in the middle that acts as a choke point where area of effect spells can be especially effective for both sides. The battle ends when the Skeleton is defeated.
	Battle 7
	Map: 1️⃣
	After obtaining the Orb of Light, Otrant tells Max that the Force must cross the sea and travel to the Eastern Continent. Arthur, a Knight, can join the Force before leaving Manarina. The Force returns to Rindo, which has one ship available. The mayor says that the Force can use it if they find his grandson, who is in the circus tent. However, Mishaela and a Runefaust force are in the tent, and a battle ensues. The battle ends when the Marionette is defeated. The Marionette can hit multiple units with its Freeze Level 3 spell, so the player should avoid approaching it with a tight unit formation.
	Battle 8
	Map: 1️⃣
	Mishaela burns the ship as revenge for defeating her forces. The mayor of Rindo tells Max that the only other town with ships is Uranbatol. The Force travels north to Shade Abbey, where they are ambushed by Darksol's minions. Max starts isolated from the rest of the party. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated. Balbaroy, a Birdman who was turned to stone by Darksol, and his wife Amon, another Birdman, join the Force after the battle. It is possible to have more than 12 characters in the Shining Force at this point, and thus the player can customize the composition of the Force in future battles.

Secret Weapon of Runefaust

	Battle 9
	Map: 1️⃣
	The Force arrives in Bustoke, a town built into a mountainside, on their way to Uranbatol. The Queen explains to Max that the Runefaust army took the town's men to dig in the quarry in search of an ancient weapon known as the Laser Eye. Diane, an Archer, joins the Force and leads them to the quarry, where a battle is fought against the Runefaust forces. The battle ends when the Master Mage is defeated. After the battle, Zylo, a Werewolf, can join the Force if the player finds the Moon Stone and gives it to the alchemist in town to produce Lunar Dew with which to cure Zylo.
	Battle 10
	Map: 1️⃣
	Runefaust was able to get away with the Laser Eye before the Shining Force could stop them, and they have set it up on the bridge on the way to the next destination of Pao. The area outside of Bustoke is heavily forested, and Runefaust units have been left behind to block the way to the bridge. This is the first of several battles in the game with very rough terrain, so units that ignore terrain effects are especially valuable here. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated or when Max is brought to the bridge.
	Battle 11
	Map: 1️⃣
	At the bridge, the Runefaust army ejects the mercenary Pelle, a Knight, for refusing to follow their orders, then engages the Shining Force. This battle takes place on a narrow bridge that is perilous to cross. The Laser Eye takes five turns to charge its beam, then it fires on the sixth turn. Its attack is very wide and covers most of the bridge, and it damages units from the Shining Force and Runefaust army indiscriminately. The battle ends when the Silver Knight that pushed Pelle off the cliff is defeated. The Silver Knight warns the Force that General Elliot awaits them in Pao. Pelle climbs back up the cliff and joins the party after the battle.

The Great Fortress of Balbazak

	Battle 12
	Map: 1️⃣
	Upon reaching the Pao prairie, the Force discovers that Pao is a town of wagons. Max meets General Elliot of Runefaust in Pao, who laments that Runefaust has been corrupted by Darksol, but he nonetheless fights for King Ramladu. Jogurt, a Jogurt, is hidden near the chapel and joins the Force if found. The wagons depart after talking to the Queen. Kokichi, a Wing Knight, flies through and joins the Force (if the player talked to him in Bustoke). Vankar, a Knight, stays behind and can join as well. The battle against General Elliot is fought on the wide open Pao prairie. Knights excel here because of the unhindered terrain. The battle ends when Elliot is defeated. A Lizardman drops a Heat Axe. Elliot asks Max to stop Darksol and liberate Runefaust.
	Battle 13
	Map: 1️⃣
	The Pao wagon train has stopped nearby. The Domingo Egg can be hatched by someone here so that Domingo, a Magical Creature, can join the Force. Guntz, a Steam Knight, can be found in the sheep pen and joins if the player talks to him. The Force proceeds north from here to Uranbatol, which is occupied by Runefaust troops. This battle takes place in a fortress where units can be positioned at different elevations, so ranged units and flyers are useful here. The battle ends when the Hellhound and the Artillery blocking the doors are defeated. After the battle, Earnest, a Knight, can join the Force if the player talks to him.
	Battle 14
	Map: 1️⃣
	With Uranbatol secured, the Force must acquire a ship and use it to sail to the Eastern Continent, but Balbazak is waiting at the dock with his forces. This battle is fought against powerful units (including several flyers and a line of artillery) in a small space. The Shining Force takes the ship after the battle.

Gateway to the Hidden Shrine

	Battle 15
	Map: 1️⃣
	After a week at sea, the Force battles against invading sea monsters on the deck of the ship. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated. The ship is damaged during the battle, but a mermaid named Shell guides the ship to Waral, where it can be repaired.
	Battle 16
	Map: 1️⃣
	In Waral, Max learns that the sea there is draining because of a hole in the Ring Reef. The friar says it has something to do with the legend of the Shining Path that leads to Metapha, the land of the Ancients. Max enters a strange structure in the middle of the Ring Reef and enters the Shining Path, where he interrupts Runefaust forces trying to find a way to Metapha. The battle ends when the Master Mage is defeated. After the battle, a voice tells Max that, to stop Darksol, he must find the key to the Accursed Door in Metapha and the Manual of the Seal in Dragonia. The Shining Path to Metapha is blocked, but another Shining Path can be found in Prompt.
	Battle 17
	Map: 1️⃣
	Returning to Waral, the ship is repaired, so the Shining Force embarks again to continue its voyage. The Force again fights an army of sea monsters on the deck of the ship. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated. The ship again takes damage, leaving the Shining Force adrift at sea.

Descendant of the Sacred Dragon

	Battle 18
	Map: 1️⃣
	The ship makes landfall at Rudo, a town full of children. Max learns that the Manual of the Seal contains a chant that breaks the seal on Dark Dragon and another chant that renews the seal. The manual has been guarded by the Sacred Dragons of Dragonia for centuries. Lyle, an Assault Knight, can be found at the top of the tower in Rudo and joins the Force if the player talks to him. The Force leaves for Dragonia and encounters Runefaust forces on the way. This battle takes place in harsh forests and mountains. The battle ends when the Durahan is defeated or when Max is brought to Dragonia.
	Battle 19
	Map: 1️⃣
	In Dragonia, Bleu the Dragon joins the Force. Kane of Runefaust attacks the town in search of the Manual of the Seal. Kane's Sword of Darkness can cast Desoul, which has a small chance of instantly killing any member of the Force. The battle ends when Kane is defeated. Kane's mask breaks, which breaks Darksol's control over him.
	Battle 20
	Map: 1️⃣
	Max finds a shrine whose door can only be opened by "two heroes." Max and Kane both open the door, but the manual is missing. Darksol appears and claims to have already have it, as well as the key. Mishaela appears and taunts Max, saying that she awaits him in the Demon Castle. The Force fights its way through another Runefaust detachment to reach the Demon Castle to the south. This battle takes place in rough mountainous terrain. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated or when Max is brought to the Demon Castle.
	Battle 21
	Map: 1️⃣
	Inside the skull-shaped Demon Castle, the Force fights Mishaela and her guardians. Mishaela possesses the Sword of Light and keeps it in one of the treasure chests in her castle. The battle ends when Mishaela is defeated.

The Lost Civilization

	Battle 22
	Map: 1️⃣
	The Force arrives in Prompt. King Kusuko informs Max that he sent troops to the Tower of the Ancients when he heard that Darksol was there. Darksol is trying to raise the Castle of the Ancients and revive Dark Dragon. Musashi the Samurai is a hidden character who can join the party if Max reads a note on the wall of a building in Prompt. The Force travels east to the Tower of the Ancients and fights a Runefaust army. This battle again takes place in forests and mountains. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated or when Max is brought to the Tower of the Ancients.
	Battle 23
	Map: 1️⃣
	Another battle takes place ascending the Tower of the Ancients. Flying units are very effective for getting around the winding battlements here. The battle ends when the Demon Master is defeated. There is a Valkyrie found in a chest, and the Demon Master drops a Demon Rod. Max meets Torasu, a Healer, and Alef, a Wizardess, who failed to stop Darksol. At the top of the tower, Max finds Darksol, who has started raising the Castle of the Ancients from the sea. Kane attempts to stop Darksol, but he is fatally injured, then Darksol vanishes. Torasu and Alef join the party.
	Battle 24
	Map: 1️⃣
	Otrant arrives in Prompt and tells Max and the King that the Sword of Light and Sword of Darkness can be combined into the Chaos Breaker sword, which can defeat Dark Dragon, in Metapha. Max uses the Orb of Light to enter the Shining Path. He finds Adam the Robot there, who offers to help Max create the Chaos Breaker. However, the cyborg Chaos, which was created by the Ancients to prevent the arrival of Dark Dragon, has been reprogrammed by Darksol to fight the Shining Force. The battle ends when Chaos is defeated.
	Battle 25
	Map: 1️⃣
	Max uses the altars in Metapha to create the Chaos Breaker from the Sword of Light and Sword of Darkness. King Kusuko explains that the Ancients created the city of Guardiana to protect the Western Gate of the Ancients and the city of Protectora (now Runefaust) to protect the Eastern Gate of the Ancients. The Shining Force must travel to Runefaust to enter the Castle of the Ancients through the Eastern Gate to defeat Darksol. Otrant tells Max to seek Mahato in Runefaust. The Force heads south and fights a Runefaust army. The battle ends when the Armed Skeleton guarding the gate is defeated.

Rise of the Ancient Castle

	Battle 26
	Map: 1️⃣
	In Runefaust, Max finds Mahato, who tells him that he must follow Darksol through the Gate of the Ancients. The passage to the gate is in Runefaust Castle, but King Ramladu will try to stop the Force. Hanzou the Ninja is a hidden character who can join the party if Max searches a yellow flower upon entering Runefaust. The group encounters heavy resistance upon entering the castle. The battle ends when all enemy units are defeated. The treasure chests contain an Atlas Axe and a Halberd. An Armed Skeleton drops an Atlas Axe.
	Battle 27
	Map: 1️⃣
	Venturing further into the castle, the Force is surrounded by Ramladu and a robot army. The battle ends when Ramladu is defeated. After the battle, Ramladu breaks from Darksol's control and tells Max to stop Darksol.
	Battle 28
	Map: 1️⃣
	Nova finds a passage in the castle that leads to the western coast, where Max uses the Chaos Breaker to raise the Castle of the Ancients from the sea. The Force enters through the Ancient Gate and must fight the three-headed Colossus. The enemy force consists mostly of flying units, and the Force must make its way through narrow corridors where it is easily flanked before entering an open area. The battle ends when the middle Colossus head is defeated.
	Battle 29
	Map: 1️⃣
	After destroying the Colossus, Max ascends the staircase into the castle and interrupt Darksol from his ceremony awakening Dark Dragon. This battle starts with a narrow hallway, and the enemy army contains numerous long-ranged Torch Eyes that can attack the Force as it attempts to move through. The battle ends when Darksol is defeated.
	Battle 30
	Map: 1️⃣
	Darksol finishes summoning Dark Dragon with his dying breaths. Dark Dragon has three heads that must all be destroyed. The black squares near the outermost heads respawn Armed Skeletons continually (unless the player moves units on top of them). The battle ends when Dark Dragon is defeated. If the player casts Egress or uses an Angel Wing or Max is defeated in this battle, the previous battle against Darksol must be played again.

History

Development

Takahashi began thinking of ideas for a new game in November of 1990 while Shining in the Darkness was still in development. He wanted to develop an RPG with a Dragon Quest-style progression system and strategy-oriented battle. Initially, Tagawa and Tamaki were the only other people on the team who were interested in making a tactical RPG. Takahashi did not want to tell the team what kind of game to create so they had several meetings about the design of the game before they all reached an agreement.

Takahashi believed that most RPGs of the time only focused on telling an interesting story, treating battles and the combat system as a tacked-on extra rather than a core part of the experience. He wanted to challenge that notion, making a game with an engaging battle system. Shining Force was inspired primarily by Kure Software Koubou's Silver Ghost, a RPG for the PC-88 line of computers released in 1988. The battle system of Silver Ghost consists of real-time actions and a multi-character system in which the player controls the leader of a "force" and attacks enemies by running into them, with the rest of the force following and engaging in combat with anything that comes close to them.

Takahashi had worked on Dragon Quest previously, and had wondered how the battle system could be improved. Silver Ghost and the tiled chess-like movement of units typical of tactical RPGs provided the answer, as it introduced the concepts of distance and range.

Legacy

Shining Force was followed by Shining Force II for the Mega Drive in 1993 and Shining Force III in 1997 for the Saturn. It also received a series of portable games for the Game Gear, starting with Shining Force Gaiden: Ensei Jashin no Kuni e in 1992. The first two of these games were remade for the Mega-CD as Shining Force CD.

It was remade as Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon, developed by Amusement Vision and released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004.

The original Mega Drive game has appeared in numerous compilations, including Sega Archives from USA Vol.3, Sega Smash Pack 2, Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection Volume 4 and Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection. It was also released for the Wii's Virtual Console service in 2008. An iOS version was released in 2010 but removed from sale in 2015. In October 2018, an emulated version of the game would become available again on iOS and Android via the Sega Forever release of the Shining Force Classics compilation.

Other media associated with this game include an encyclopedia, several game guides, a soundtrack release, a manga series (3 volumes), and The Curse of Zeon, a six-part story published in Sonic the Comic (issues #73-78).

Sega Channel broadcast history

North America

•  – 1994-07-06
•  – 1995-01-01
•  – 1995-02-01
•  – 1995-09-01
•  – 1995-11-01
•  – 1996-02-01
•  – 1996-03-01
•  – 1996-11-01
•  – 1996-12-01
•  – 1997-04-25
•  – 1997-05-09

Versions

Localised names

Also known as

Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	Shining Force	Shining Force
Japanese	シャイニング・フォース 神々の遺産	Shining Force: Legacy of the Gods

Version history

Main article: Shining Force/Changelog.

System	Version	Size	Date	Comment	Ref	Icon
	0000020000000000000000000000002.0.0	7.3MB	201212012012-12-01	iOS 6 support.
	0000010000000000000000000000001.0.0	6.2MB	201007292010-07-29

Comparisons

Main article: Shining Force/Comparisons.

Production credits

• Game Design: Hiroyuki Takahashi
• Scenario: Masaki Wachi, Yoshitaka Tamaki, Hiroyuki Takahashi
• Subscript: Masaki Wachi, Kenji Orimo, Haruki Kodera, Hiroyuki Takahashi
• Scenario Assistant: Ritsuko Hisasue, Tadashi Iwase
• Programmers: Yasuhiro Taguchi, Yoshinori Tagawa, "Okochama" Naitoh, Haruki Kodera
• Technical Support: Masumi Takimoto, Kiyoaki Matsumoto
• Character Design by: Yoshitaka Tamaki
• Graphics Directed by: Hidehiro Yoshida, Yoshitaka Tamaki
• Graphic Design: Hidehiro Yoshida, Yoshitaka Tamaki, Ryushiro Miyazaki, 1610. Nakashima, Hirotada Kakusaka, Mizuho Mochizuki, Yojiro Hirashita, Ryutaro Ishimatu
• Music Composed by: Masahiko Yoshimura
• Sound Effects: Dogen Shibuya, Enzan Shibuya
• Special Thanks to: Naoki Aoki, Kotaro Hayashida, Shiro Tsuchiya
• Directed by: Yasuhiro Taguchi, Kenji Orimo
• Promotion Directed by: Shinya Nishigaki
• Produced by: Hiroyuki Takahashi
• Created by: Sonic Co., Ltd.; Climax Co., Ltd.
• Presented by: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

Source:

In-game credits

---

• Japanese cover & manual artist: Yoshitaka Tamaki

Source:

Sega TV Game Genga Gallery

Digital manuals

• 

  Steam manual

• 

  Mega Drive Mini US manual

• 

  Mega Drive Mini EU manual

• 

  Mega Drive Mini JP manual

Magazine articles

Main article: Shining Force/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Shining Force/Promotional material.

Artwork

• 

  Khris

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source GamesMaster (UK) 88

	88
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score (JP) NTSC-J 78 (IT) 89 digitiser PAL 90 (RU) 70 (UK) 91 (JP) NTSC-J 73 (US) NTSC-U 87 (US) NTSC-U 78 (DE) 87 (US) NTSC-U 78 (JP) NTSC-J 80 (FR) PAL 92 (DE) PAL 86 (UK) PAL 92 (JP) NTSC-J 85 (UK) PAL 92 (DE) 77 (FR) 95 (DE) NTSC-U 87 (US) NTSC-U 74 (UK) PAL 90 (UK) PAL 90 (FR) 94 (DE) PAL 90 (UK) 92 (DE) 89 (NL) 89 (DE) 86 (UK) PAL 89 (UK) NTSC-J 92 (UK) PAL 92 (UK) PAL 93 (UK) PAL 86 (SE) 84 (JP) NTSC-J 88 (FR) 93 (RU) 85 (DE) 88

	87
Based on 38 reviews

Shining Force

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual Reg card Map

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US (alt)
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, US (?)
PCB

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, Asia
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, KR
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Shining Force/Technical information.

External links

• Official website on Sega.com
• Shining Force on iTunes: US, UK (offline)
• Sega of Japan Virtual Console pages: Mega Drive
• Nintendo catalogue pages: US, AU
• Shining Force on Steam
• Shining Force Central, SFC Guide, Guide 2, Gamefaqs (complementary data)
• GamesTM Interview with Hiroyuki Takahashi