WiZmans World Re;Try is a long-overdue localization of a cult classic 2010 Nintendo DS title (albeit for Japanese audiences), now polished up for a modern audience. As a remaster of a Jaleco gem, it brings a specific brand of old-school charm and experimental customization to the Nintendo Switch that feels both nostalgic and refreshing in 2026.
The story in this game is really good, but also very slow. The story takes place in the isolated city of Wizarest, a town shrouded in a perpetual fog of amnesia. For a century, the citizens have been trapped by shifting, labyrinthine dungeons, losing all memories of the world beyond the walls. You play as Claus, a young mage-in-training who ventures into these dangerous wilds alongside three fairy girls created by his missing mentor. While the amnesia trope is a JRPG staple, Re;Try handles it with a moody, introspective atmosphere. The stakes feel personal because your dialogue choices actually influence your relationships with your companions and can gently nudge the story toward different conclusions, giving the world a sense of reactivity that was ahead of its time on the DS.
Gameplay is defined by the brilliant, albeit grindy, Anima Fusion system. Unlike Claus, who follows a traditional leveling path, your three fairy companions grow by “eating” the souls of defeated monsters. Fusing a soul into a companion completely transforms her stats, elemental affinities, and physical appearance, turning party management into a rewarding, puzzle-like experience. Combat utilizes a Timeline Battle System where you can see the turn order at the top of the screen; exploiting elemental weaknesses (the classic Wind > Earth > Water > Fire cycle) allows you to delay enemies and rack up massive Chain Attack bonuses. This is a mechanic that you really need to master as the difficulty can spike if you’re not prepared.
After some time with this title on the Switch, I went back and took a look at some gameplay of the original DS release. The Switch version has some noticeable quality of life improvements, like the map being in the lower right hand corner due to lack of a second screen, but the main improvement is with the audio, while some of the graphics are improved.
On the Nintendo Switch, the visual experience is a bit of a mixed bag. The backgrounds and character portraits have been beautifully upscaled or redrawn, looking sharp and vibrant. However, the character sprites themselves remain very much in their original low resolution pixel-art style. While this looks phenomenal in handheld mode, it doesn’t bode so well when playing in docked mode. The low resolution of the pixels that make up the character sprites becomes quite noticeable when playing on a large TV. This creates a slight visual disconnect between the low resolution of the character sprites and having everything else be high resolution.
When it comes to performance, the game runs flawlessly at a stable frame rate, and the new additions to the game like the ability to save anywhere and a “Monster Encyclopedia” make navigating the dungeons significantly less tedious than the original release.
The audio is headlined by a stellar rearranged soundtrack from the instrumental unit soLi (featuring ISAO and Saori Hoshino). The new arrangements breathe life into the dungeon themes, making them feel atmospheric and tense, while the boss tracks are energetic standouts that keep the repetitive combat encounters feeling fresh. When not in a dungeon, the music in the town and in the church sound really well done, almost movie quality; yet not quite.
The major disappointment here is the complete lack of voice acting. In a game with such a heavy focus on character interaction and dialogue choices, the silence can make the world feel a bit more clinical than it should. Lack of voice acting is really the only thing that kills the game for me. If the game had voice acting, it would make the story feel more alive and might make it worth sitting through.
WiZmans World Re;Try is a successful revival of a hidden gem that finally gives Western players a chance to see why it was so highly regarded in Japan. It isn’t a flashy, cinematic epic, but it wins points for its incredibly deep customization and thoughtful combat mechanics. If you can look past the low resolution sprites and the lack of voice acting, you’ll find a rewarding, strategic RPG that respects your intelligence. It’s a perfect fit for the Switch and despite i’s issues, really is a must play for those that are fans of unique RPG games.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
Wizmans World Re:Try is also available on PS5 and Steam
In addition to writing articles, Ryan Byers also creates content for his YouTube channel called "Obscure Games and Consoles", collects video games, and dabbles in video game development.