Wizardry Empire

Wizardry Empire is a Japanese Game Boy Color entry in the Wizardry dungeon-RPG tradition, released by Starfish on October 29, 1999. Its Japanese title is ウィザードリィ エンパイア. Starfish both developed and published the game, presenting an original Empire scenario rather than a port of an earlier Wizardry adventure. It is a single-player fantasy role-playing game built around the series’ familiar first-person, grid-based descent into dangerous underground territory.

The journey begins with a player-made party of up to six adventurers. Choosing a group is central to Wizardry Empire, because every trip into the dungeon depends on how its members complement one another. Different professions provide different capabilities, while character sex is also an attribute with its own small bonuses and links to certain exclusive professions. The result is a game that asks players to think about the party as a whole before taking the first steps beyond town.

Exploration follows the deliberate rhythm associated with classic Wizardry. Players navigate a 16-by-16 dungeon map one square at a time, manage the resources they have brought along, and decide when to press farther into the maze or retreat. The main descent reaches twenty basement floors, and clearing it opens additional bonus dungeons. That structure gives progress a practical shape: knowledge of routes and hazards matters alongside the strength of the party.

Battles are turn-based and played from a first-person dungeon-crawling perspective. Encounters draw from a large bestiary of 170 monster types, making the underground journey a continuing test of party preparation. Winning fights earns experience and items, allowing adventurers to become stronger and take on deeper levels. The game’s appeal lies in that cycle of cautious exploration, hard-won rewards, and gradual growth rather than in fast action.

Wizardry Empire also expands its character options with classes beyond the basic starting selection. An Archer is available from the outset, while advanced choices include Valiant, Avenger, Musashi, Kunoichi, and Summoner. These options encourage different party roles and give later character development more variety. Gender-specific class access is part of that design, with the Ninja and Kunoichi serving as an example of how character creation affects possible paths.

Equipment and magic add further decisions to each expedition. Characters can use two equipment slots per hand instead of being limited to the usual weapon-and-shield arrangement, enabling dual-wielding. Magic is divided into eight categories, and some spells are restricted to particular classes. Wizardry Empire also allows characters of opposing alignments to travel together, removing a party limitation found in some earlier Wizardry games and giving players more freedom when assembling their adventurers.

For players interested in Game Boy Color role-playing games or the Japanese side of the Wizardry series, Wizardry Empire is a compact but demanding dungeon crawler. Its original scenario, six-member party building, first-person labyrinths, class progression, and bonus areas all serve the same goal: making each return to the dungeon feel like a calculated expedition. It was followed on Game Boy Color by Wizardry Empire: Fukkatsu no Tsue, released in 2000.