Magic Sword

Overview

The player controls an unnamed character - referred to as the "brave one" - through 51 levels to the top of the Dragon's Tower. At the top of the tower, the dark lord Drokmar possesses the Black Orb. The goal is to traverse the tower and stop Drokmar's plan to rule the world with the power of the magic crystal. There are two endings to the game - the ending depends on whether the player embraces or destroys the Black Orb.

Gameplay

The game is primarily a hack and slash sidescroller but also includes platforming in the form of parallel paths of travel and avoiding ground hazards. As the player progresses, they'll encounter new swords that cause increased damage and have different magic attacks. Most swords are acquired immediately after a boss battle at the end of certain levels. Chests and doors can be opened to reveal items and allies respectively. However, some chests and doors are traps that release enemies or other hazards. Doors also require keys to open, which are collected and stored by the player. Only one ally can travel with the player character at a time, and has its own health and level associated with it. Allies level up with items or by passing over the same type of ally again. The game also features a level select option, allowing the player to skip to level 5, 9, 13, 22, 26, 30, or 33.

Secrets

Most levels have at least one hidden chest. A secret chest is invisible unless the player character has the Thief ally, crystal ball item, or they strike it with their sword to open it. Some levels have secret doors that warp the player one or more floors ahead when used. These doors can never be seen until activated.

Version Differences

The SNES version of the game removed some enemies from the game and moves one of the bosses to a different floor. The version of Magic Sword in Final Fight: Double Impact follows the arcade version.

Weapons & Items

Swords

• Falchion - Level 0
• Samurai Sword - Level 4
• Broad Sword - Level 12
• Flame Sword - Level 24
• Great Sword - Level 36
• Sword of Thunder - Level 43

Single-Use Items

• Food - Adds various amounts of health
• Coins - Adds to score depending on size
• Keys - Stored until used on doors
• Red Heart - Raises ally's level
• Blue Heart - Refills ally's health
• Glowing Coal - Lowers ally's level
• Mushroom - Disables player attack for a short time (same as scorpion enemy). Ally may still attack.
• Fairy Egg - Causes a fairy to appear (drops three food items)
• Jewels & Other Items - Add various amounts to score

Inventory Items

Last two floors or until replaced.

• Gauntlet - Increases sword damage
• King's Crown - Reduces damage
• Magic Potion - Reduces magic recharge time
• Pendant - Double score obtained
• Golden Pot - Ally heals faster
• Scroll - Makes more items appear
• Crystal Ball - Reveals secret chests
• Diamond Ring - Allows Lizardman and Thief to be recruited.

Bosses

• Entrance - Chimera
• Level 4 - Dragon
• Level 12 - Chimera 2
• Level 17 - Dragon 2
• Level 24 - Twin Worms
• Level 36 - Hydra
• Level 49 - Chimera 3
• Level 50 - Lord Drokmar

Allies

• Amazon - Fast but low firepower. Fires two consecutive crossbow bolts in a straight line. Leveling up increases firepower.
• Bigman - Tough and very powerful but very slow. Throws a large axe that automatically returns in a boomerang fashion. Leveling up increases damage and speed.
• Knight - Very tough and very powerful. Throws multiple spears in a spreading, forward path. Leveling up increases damage and number of spears thrown.
• Lizardman - Tough and powerful. Throws multiple swords in a straight line. Leveling up increases damage and number of swords thrown. Can only be recruited when holding a diamond ring; otherwise, he attacks the party.
• Ninja - Fast but weak and low firepower. Throws multiple throwing stars in a spreading, forward path. His throwing stars ricochet off of surfaces. Leveling up increases firepower and number of throwing stars.
• Priest - Average with slow recharge. Fires three homing magical orbs and casts a protective barrier around himself. His attack does increased damage against undead enemies. Leveling up increases damage and protective barrier.
• Thief - Weak with average firepower. Throws one or more bombs in a short, forward arc. Can detect hidden chests and traps. Requires the diamond ring to recruit. Leveling up increases firepower and the number of bombs thrown.
• Wizard - Very high firepower but very slow recharge. Fires two or four magical orbs (depending on recharge time) in a forward spiral. Orbs also create a circling barrier when charge. Leveling up increases damage and orb size.