One SNES title that fell under the radar despite being excellent was 1992’s Arcana, or as it was known in Japan, Card Master: Rimsalia no Fuuin. The game was a first-person, turn-based dungeon crawler developed by HAL Laboratory, inspired by titles like Dungeon Master, Wizardry and Shining in the Darkness among others. The game did get a release in the west, but as stated, it was largely overlooked and received middling reviews at the time, despite the game’s charm and quality.
In the years since, fans have discovered the game, and it has developed a cult following. Now, fan developer Sarah Shinespark has released the ultimate version of the game through a fan-made patch.
“Seal of Rimsala is a labour of love and was designed as the definitive version of Arcana. Arcana is Hal Labs’ forgotten JRPG, a first-person dungeon crawler with a card theme and killer music. Please enjoy this modernized take on an underrated title!”
The patch contains a brand-new English translation, that “offers a clearer and more descriptive” take on the plot, and “boasts an improved map with symbols for doors, treasure chests and more,” along with “faster gameplay with anti-frustration features galore”. The patch also brings a new status screen with icons and damage bonuses, whereas in the original, it was hard to see what each character has equipped, as well as hidden extras and bug fixes.
Those interested can find the patch here.
