A few weeks ago I reviewed the Johnny Turbo’s Arcade release of Gate of Doom and now has come the release of the sequel Wizard Fire. Wizard Fire feels very similar to the first game but with multiple refinements. Gone are the static images between stages, and instead are animated cut scenes with voice acting that embodies the era of the game’s release.
In terms of gameplay, the game plays like a much more refined version of Gate of Doom. The attacks are handled better and the magic system has been changed slightly to allow more special attacks and transformations. Characters who were not that good to use in the first game are much better used here, but sadly the reverse is true as well. To give an example, the knight is a much better character here, whereas the bard no longer has the same status as in Gate of Doom.
Overall, the look and feel are just better here. The animation is more refined and the graphics are some of the best from Data East. Wizard Fire genuinely feels like an upgrade in almost every way. I say almost, because there is one area where it falls short of Gate of Doom. That area is the music of the game, because Wizard Fire’s soundtrack just doesn’t have the same epic feel that Gate of Doom had to it. It isn’t bad by any means, but does feel a bit generic when compared to what came before. One other point of interest is that the levels seem less cramped than in Gate of Doom, and therefore multiplayer just feels better here. The characters are better grouped and you feel a genuine sense of comradery, whereas in Gate of Doom, you were fighting each other for the screen on the TV.
Wizard Fire just has a sense of improvement all around, besides the flaws with the music. It is an ideal example of taking a game that was good already, and making enough changes to improve the experience. yes some characters aren’t as good, but other characters are now worth playing. I played through this game a few times on Switch and tested out the different display options made available by the Johnny Turbo’s Arcade Release. Every one of them just made the game look good in a different way, and the ease of use thanks to the simple menu means no one will have any issue finding the look they want to experience the game in. This is another masterful port for FTE Games and Johnny Turbo’s Arcade and my hat goes off to them again. This is indeed a highly recommended purchase/
Disclaimer: A review key was provided