Shining Force Kuroki Ryuu no Fukkatsu on GBA, Japanese version of Sega's tactical RPG. Classic hexagonal combat, epic story, endearing characters. A solid entry in the Shining Force saga.
Your verdict
Category
Tactics1 player12+
Description
Remake of the Shining Force strategy RPG developed by Camelot and published by Sega in Japan in March 2004. Max and the Shining Force battle General Darksol to protect the kingdom of Guardiana against the dark army. Grid-based turn-by-turn strategic combat, varied classes including Warrior, Mage, Priest and Centaur, class promotion and improved dialogue. Remake of the Mega Drive classic with enriched graphics and content. Japanese version.
Shining Force - Kuroki Ryuu no Fukkatsu review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
The Japanese remake entirely redraws a home console game more than ten years old: character portraits taken up in a contemporary line, battle sprites animated over more frames, battle maps with more legible relief. The newcomers to the cast are drawn in the same style as the older ones, with no perceptible break.
The original version's themes are re-orchestrated with the handheld's means: synthetic brass and strings replace the square timbres of old, and the battle marches gain accompaniment lines absent from the model. Recognising an old motif under this new dress is part of the pleasure for anyone who knew the home version.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Leading the Shining Force against Darksol chains dozens of grid-based tactical battles where each unit patiently levels up, and class promotion pushes you to take heroes ever further. Recruiting a varied troop of Warriors, Mages and Centaurs, tending your formations and enjoying the remake's enriched content stretches the adventure well beyond the original. That tactical generosity earns this Camelot title its lasting reputation.
Technical info
💾4,5 MB📅18/03/2004
Published by Sega
Shining Force - Kuroki Ryuu no Fukkatsu (GBA) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
Compare prices
Loading eBay listings…
Alert active — budget
$
Is Shining Force - Kuroki Ryuu no Fukkatsu still worth playing in 2026?
A GBA remake of the first Shining Force, Resurrection of the Dark Dragon revives Sega's tactical RPG with added characters, content and reworked dialogue. The grid-based turn-based combat, the recruiting of an endearing troop and the progression stay rewarding and accessible, faithful to the founding spirit of the genre at Sega. The presentation has aged a little and the balance stays gentle. An excellent gateway to tactical RPG, worth recommending to fans of the genre and Shining Force nostalgics.
