Card Master: Rimsalia no Fūin (known as Arcana in North America) is a first-person dungeon crawler released on 27 March 1992. Developed by HAL Laboratory, it is famous for its unique "Card" aesthetic.
Key Features
Visual Theme: While the gameplay is a traditional dungeon crawler, every character, enemy, and item is represented as a beautifully illustrated card.
Elemental Spirit System: The protagonist, Rooks, can summon four elemental spirits (Sylph, Efrite, Dao, and Marid) to fill the fourth slot in his party.
Pseudo-3D Exploration: The game uses "Mode 7" style scrolling to simulate 3D movement through its many maze-like corridors.
Epic Soundtrack: Composed by Jun Ishikawa (of Kirby fame), the game features a highly praised, orchestral-style score that is considered one of the best on the system.
Language and Availability
Official Status: This game was officially localized in North America under the title Arcana.
Regional Differences: The Japanese version (Card Master) is generally easier to find and much cheaper than the North American version, though it requires Japanese knowledge to follow the plot.
