Shining Force Gaiden

Shining Force Gaiden
Cover art
Developer(s)	Sonic! Software Planning
Publisher(s)	Sega
Director(s)	Shugo Takahashi
Producer(s)	Hiroyuki Takahashi
Artist(s)	Tomonori Shinjo Kensuke Suzuki
Writer(s)	Hiroyuki Takahashi
Composer(s)	Motoaki Takenouchi
Series	Shining
Platform(s)	Sega Game Gear, Virtual Console
Release	JP: 25 December 1992 JP: 2 October 2013 (3DS Virtual Console)
Genre(s)	Tactical role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single-player

Shining Force Gaiden: Ensei – Jashin no Kuni he (シャイニング・フォース外伝 ～遠征・邪神の国へ～) is a 1992 tactical role-playing game released only in Japan for the Sega Game Gear. It takes place 20 years after the Shining Force, and is the first game in the Shining Force Gaiden series.

In 1994, a remake of Gaiden and the sequel Gaiden II was released for the Mega CD, titled Shining Force CD; unlike the originals, this version was released in Japan, North America, and Europe. CD also contains two new scenarios that continue the story of these two Gaiden games.

Gameplay

The game consists of a series of turn-based tactical battles interspersed with short cutscenes. Between cutscenes the player is allowed to save the game, promote characters, resurrect fallen characters, and sometimes buy and sell weapons and healing items. The combat and leveling mechanics are identical to those of Shining Force.

Plot

The player controls Nick, a visitor to Guardiana, who is chosen to be the new leader of the Guardiana Shining Force. The party must travel to the Kingdom of Cypress to rescue Guardiana's captive soldiers and find a way to cure Queen Anri, who was placed under a sleep spell by the ambassador of Cypress, Woldol.

The game takes place 20 years after the events of Shining Force, and is in effect a "story sequel" to it. The story continues the history of Guardiana and centers on a new threat to the nation. Anri, Ken, Lug (called "Luke" in Shining Force and its Resurrection of the Dark Dragon remake), and Lowe, who were playable characters in Shining Force, are all major characters, and one of them briefly serves as a playable character. Domingo, another Shining Force playable character, appears as a hidden character in this game. The initial party members include the sons of Lug, Ken, and Hans, the sister of Tao, and the nephew of Gong.

Shining Force Gaiden is also the beginning of the Cypress saga, which is continued in the Sega Game Gear game Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya and the Sega CD game Shining Force CD. Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya is a direct continuation of the story of Shining Force Gaiden; it takes place just two months after and covers the resolution of the war between the forces of Cypress and the worshipers of Iom.