Shining Force - Resurrection of the Dark Dragon (USA)
Game Boy Advance
🇬🇧
Reviewed in 2004
78
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✪ Reviewed on May 26, 2026
72
Shining Force Resurrection of the Dark Dragon on GBA, Western version. Classic Sega tactical RPG, hexagonal turn-based combat. A welcome franchise return for SRPG fans.
Your verdict
Category
Tactics1 player12+
Description
Remake of the Shining Force strategy RPG developed by Camelot and published by Sega in the United States in June 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 enriched content compared to the Mega Drive original. American version of the remake.
Shining Force - Resurrection of the Dark Dragon review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Guiding Max and the Shining Force against the dark army lines up long grid-based turn-based battles where you patiently grow each fighter, class by class, up to promotion. Assembling a team of Warriors, Mages, Priests and Centaurs, optimizing placements and exploring the content added over the Mega Drive original fuels an ample campaign, which is why this remake stays praised by tactics fans.
Technical info
💾4,5 MB📅08/06/2004
Published by Sega
Shining Force - Resurrection of the Dark Dragon (GBA) price, value & rarity
North American NTSC version of Camelot's Shining Force remake, with an English-only box. On the North American market, a tighter print run than the multilingual PAL edition translates into notably higher loose and complete prices than its European twin. With the Shining franchise long enjoying a devoted following across the Atlantic, complete copies in good shape stay actively pursued there by Sega tactical RPG fans.
Is Shining Force - Resurrection of the Dark Dragon 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.
