Madō Monogatari

Madō Monogatari,^[a] known in the American release version as Sorcery Saga, is a series of first-person dungeon crawler role-playing video games by Compile. The first game was released in 1990 for MSX2. Sega published the Game Gear remakes based on 1-2-3. The characters of this series would later be used in the puzzle game Puyo Puyo.

Madō Monogatari
Genre(s)	Dungeon crawl
Developer(s)	Compile (1989-1998) D4 Enterprise (2005-present) Compile Heart (2013-present) ZeroDiv (2013)
Publisher(s)	Compile (1989-1998) Sega (1993-1994) NEC Avenue (PCE) D4 Enterprise (2005-present) Compile Heart (2013-present)
First release	Madō Monogatari Episode II: Carbuncle December 10, 1989
Latest release	Madō Monogatari: Fia and the Mysterious School November 28, 2024
Spin-offs	Puyo Puyo

The plot of the first game consists of a six-year-old named Arle Nadja, who has passed the written test and she needs to scale a giant tower to pass the actual test. In the second game, ten years later, Arle Nadja encounters Schezo Wegey, and also Satan (Dark Prince outside of Japan), and in the end Carbuncle joins Arle Nadja.

Characters

• Arle Nadja – the main protagonist of the series.
• Monsters – the main antagonists of the series.

Gameplay

Gameplay combines role-playing elements with some unique twists. For example, there are no numeric stats; instead, everything is represented by character facial expressions and sprites. Another is the complete lack of physical attacks. Everything utilizes one of four magical elements: Fire, Ice Storm, Thunder, and Bayoen. Some enemies are weaker against one particular magic attack than another.

Games in the series

Title	Details
Madō Monogatari 1-2-3 Original release date(s):[1][2] JP: June 15, 1990 (MSX) JP: November 23, 1991 (PC-9801) JP: June 26, 2025 (Nintendo Switch)	Release years by system: 1990 – MSX 1991 – PC-9801 2025 – Nintendo Switch
Madō Monogatari A-R-S Original release date(s):[2] JP: December 10, 1993	Release years by system: 1993 – PC-9801
Madō Monogatari: Hanamaru Daiyōchienji Original release date(s):[3] JP: January 12, 1996	Release years by system: 1996 – Super Famicom
	Notes: Japanese: (はなまる大幼稚園児, Kids of Hanamaru Big Kindergarten), another episode of Madō Monogatari I. Released on Project EGG in March 2024 as Madō Monogatari Hanamaru dai youchienji, despite no in-game English translation available.
Madō Monogatari Original release date(s):[4] JP: July 23, 1998	Release years by system: 1998 – Sega Saturn
Madō Monogatari Original release date(s): JP: 2005	Release years by system: 2005 – i-mode
	Notes: Developed and published by D4 Enterprise.
Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God Original release dates: JP: March 28, 2013 NA: December 10, 2013 EU: February 21, 2014	Release years by system: 2013 – PlayStation Vita 2018 – Windows
	Notes: Known in Japan as Sei Madou Monogatari (聖魔導物語, Sei Madō Monogatari, Story of Holy Sorcery). Developed and published by Compile Heart in cooperation with D4 Enterprise and ZeroDiv. First game in the series to receive an English-language release.
Mado Monogatari: Fia and the Wondrous Academy Original release date(s):[5] JP: November 28, 2024 NA: 2025 EU: 2025	Release years by system: 2024 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
	Notes: Developed by Sting Entertainment and published by Compile Heart in cooperation with D4 Enterprise. Published in the West by Idea Factory International.[6]

Remakes

Title	Details
Madō Monogatari I: Mittsu no Madō-kyū Original release date(s):[7] JP: December 3, 1993	Release years by system: 1993 – Game Gear
	Notes: Japanese: (3つの魔導球, The Three Magic Spheres), remake of the first part of 1-2-3 Published by Sega. Released on Project EGG in November 2023 as Madō Monogatari I The Three Magic Spheres, despite no in-game English translation available.
Madō Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai Original release date(s):[7] JP: May 20, 1994	Release years by system: 1994 – Game Gear
	Notes: Japanese: (アルル16才, 16-year-old Arle), remake of the second part of 1-2-3. Published by Sega. Released on Project EGG in December 2023 as Madō Monogatari II 16-year-old Arle, despite no in-game English translation available.
Madō Monogatari III: Kyūkyoku Joō-sama Original release date(s):[8] JP: November 25, 1994	Release years by system: 1994 – Game Gear
	Notes: Japanese: (究極女王様, The Ultimate Queen), remake of the third part of 1-2-3 Published by Sega. Released on Project EGG in January 2024 as Madō Monogatari III The Ultimate Queen, despite no in-game English translation available.
Madō Monogatari A: Dokidoki Vacation Original release date(s):[7] JP: November 24, 1995	Release years by system: 1995 – Game Gear
	Notes: Japanese: (ドキドキばけ～しょん, Excited Vacation), remake of the first part of A-R-S. Released on Project EGG in February 2024 as Madō Monogatari A, despite no in-game English translation available.
Madō Monogatari I Original release date(s):[9] JP: March 22, 1996	Release years by system: 1996 – Mega Drive
	Notes: Remake of the first part of 1-2-3. Released on Project EGG in January 2024 as Madō Monogatari I, despite no in-game English translation available.
Madō Monogatari: Honō no Sotsuenji Original release date(s): JP: December 13, 1996	Release years by system: 1996 – PC Engine CD-ROM²
	Notes: Japanese: (炎の卒園児, Graduate Child of Flame), remake of the first part of 1-2-3 published by NEC Avenue.

Disc Station

Title	Details
Madō Monogatari Episode II: Carbuncle Original release date(s):[1] JP: December 10, 1989	Release years by system: 1989 – MSX
	Notes: Found in Disc Station Special: Christmas Edition; prototype of the second part of 1-2-3.
Madō Monogatari: Michikusa Ibun Original release date(s):[2] JP: July 15, 1994	Release years by system: 1994 – PC-9801
	Notes: Japanese: (道草異聞, lit. 'Loitering around and the rumor'); found in Disc Station Vol. 3.
Madō Monogatari: Hachamecha Kimatsu Shiken Original release date(s):[10] JP: September 6, 1996	Release years by system: 1996 – Windows
	Notes: Japanese: (はちゃめちゃ期末試験, lit. 'Confused final exam'); found in Disc Station Vol. 12.
Madō Monogatari: Madōshi no Tō Original release date(s):[10] JP: September 6, 1997	Release years by system: 1997 – Windows
	Notes: Japanese: (魔導師の塔, lit. 'Magician's Tower'); found in Disc Station Vol. 16.
Mado Jeongi: Elysion e Bimil Original release date(s): KO: 1997	Release years by system: 1997 – Windows
	Notes: Korean: (엘리시온의 비밀, lit. 'Secret of Elysion'); found in the Korean version of Disc Station Vol. 5.

Notes

1. 魔導物語 (lit. 'A tale of sorcery' or 'A story of sorcery') romanized as Madou Monogatari or Madoh Monogatari in some versions.