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This article is about the game Phantasy Star.
For information about the Original Series in general, see Phantasy Star (Original Series).
For information about all series in the Phantasy Star franchise in general, see Phantasy Star (Franchise).

Phantasy Star (ファンタシースター Fantashī Sutā) is a Japanese role-playing game originally released in 1987 for the Sega Master System. It is the first game of the Phantasy Star original series, and of the Phantasy Star franchise.

Story Synopsis[]

Main article: Story of Phantasy Star

The game introduces the star system of Algo, and its three planets Palma, Motavia and Dezoris. The system is in the grip of its evil ruler, King Lassic. A young girl, Alis, sees her brother die whilst trying to investigate King Lassic, and swears to avenge his death by ridding the system of the evil influence of Lassic.

Alis is soon joined on her quest by Myau - a cat-like creature, Odin - a legendary fighter, and Noah, an Esper. Together they explore the planets of Algo, gathering mystical weapons and armour, battling with Lassic in his castle in the sky, and finally discovering the hidden darkness behind it all.

Gameplay[]

Psi title

The title screen.

Interface[]

As with almost all RPGs, the main character, Alis, and her party are moved around the game world with the directional controller, and commands are given by accessing a menu system.

Combat[]

Combat is turn-based, with each combatant completing one attack or casting one magical spell during each combat round.

Dungeons[]

Dungeons in Phantasy Star are 3-dimensional, a revolutionary and impressive feature at the time. Most dungeons have multiple levels, and contain obstacles such as pit-traps and locked doors, as well as rewards such as treasure chests, unique items, or essential help from NPCs located in the dungeon.

Characters[]

There are four playable characters in the game; Alis, Myau, Odin, and Noah. They are controlled as one when navigating the surface or a dungeon, and individually during battle.

Items[]

The items in Phantasy Star can generally be classified into 2 groups, combat-related (which are further divided into weapons, armour, and shields) and non-combat-related.

Of the combat Items, those made of Laconia are the strongest and therefore most useful and highly-prized. Laconian items are not available in any shop, and must be claimed from their hiding place or current owner.

Weapons[]

There are two main types of weapon in Phantasy Star, which function quite differently in combat. Bladed weapons can make a single strike on a single enemy per combat round, whereas guns will hit every enemy once per round. Guns hit with a consistant power, but while the damage done by blades can vary, they tend to wound a single enemy more severely.

There are three weapons which cannot be bought in a store. The Iron Fang is guarded by skeletons at the bottom of the Iala Cave, the Laconian Sword is gaurded by a dragon at the top of a small island west of Bortevo, and Medusa has the Laconian Axe.

Cost Shop Attack Alis Myau Odin Noah
Wood Cane Woodcane
(ウッドケイン)
25 Abion 3 *
Short Sword Short Sword
(ショートソード)
30 Paseo 4 * * *
Iron Axe Iron Axe
(アイアンアクス)
64 Eppi 10 *
Silver Tusk Iron Fang
(シルバータスク, Silver Tusk)
- - 10 *
Psycho Wand Wand
(サイコウォンド, Psycho Wand)
1200 Skure 10 * * *
Iron Sword Iron Sword
(アイアンソード)
75 Parolit 12 * *
Needle Gun Needle Gun
(ニードルガン)
400 Eppi 18 *
Titanium Sword Titanium Sword
(チタニウムソード)
380 Parolit 21 * *
Heat Gun Heat Gun
(ヒートガン)
1540 Uzo 30 *
Saber Claw Silver Fang
(サーベルクロー, Saber Claw)
1620 Loar 30 *
Ceramic Sword Ceramic Sword
(セラミックソード)
1120 Parolit 31 * *
Lightsaber Light Saber
(ライトセイバー)
2980 Uzo 46 * *
Laser Gun Laser Gun
(レーザーガン)
4120 Skure 50 *
Laconian Sword Laconian Sword
(ラコニアンソード)
- - 60 *
Laconian Axe Laconian Axe
(ラコニアンアクス)
- - 80 *

Armour[]

There are 2 armours that cannot be bought in a shop. The Frad Mantle is given to Noah by his master as a reward for defeating him in combat, and the Laconian Armour is locked away inside the Guaron Morgue on Dezoris.

Cost Shop Defense Alis Myau Odin Noah
Cloth Leather Armour
(レザークロス, "Leather Cloth")
28 Scion 5 * *
Mantle White Mantle
(ホワイトマント)
78 Loar 5 *
Suit Light Suit
(ライトスーツ)
290 Scion 15 * *
Armor Iron Armour
(アイアンアーマー)
84 Abion 20 *
Fur Thick Fur
(トゲリスのケガワ Togerisu no Kegawa)
630 Paseo 30 *
Zircon Armor Zircon Armour
(ジルコニアメイル, "Zirconia Mail")
1000 Scion 30 * *
Frad Mantle Frad Mantle
(フラードマント)
- - 40 *
Daiya no Yoroi Diamond Armour
(ダイヤのヨロイ)
15000   Paseo 60 * *
Laconian Armor Laconian Armour
(ラコニアンアーマー)
- - 80 *

Shields[]

There are also two shields which cannot be bought. The Mirror Shield is found on the small island in the inland sea of Motavia after learning of its being buried there, while the Laconian Shield can be found inside a chest deep in the Dezoris Cave.

Cost Shop Defense Alis Myau Odin Noah
Shield Leather Shield
(レザーシールド)
30 Camineet 3 * *
Shield Bronze Shield
(ボロンシールド, "Boron Shield")
310 Eppi 8 *
Shield Iron Shield
(アイアンシールド)
520 Camineet 15 * *
Seramikku no Tate Ceramic Shield
(セラミックの盾)
1400 Camineet 23 * *
Laser Laser Shield
(レーザーバリア, "Laser Barrier")
4800 Abion 30 * * *
Glove Gloves
(アニマルグラブ, "Animal Glove")
3300 Skure 40 *
Shield of Perseus Mirror Shield
(ペルセウスの盾, "Perseus' Shield")
-- -- 40 *
Shield Laconian Shield
(ラコニアンシールド)
-- -- 50 * *

Other[]

- Meseta (メセタ) Meseta, abbreviated as MST, is Algo's monetary unit.
Medicine
Cola
Perorīmate
Cola
(ペロリーメイト, Pelorie Mate)
Cola can be purchased from any fast food shop for 10 MST. It heals 10 hit points.
Burger
Ruoginin
Burger
(ルオギニン, Ruoginine)
Burgers are the other healing item available at any fast food shop. They cost 40 meseta each and heal 40 HP. Sells for 20 MST. In the Japanese version this item is a liquid medicine named Ruoginine.
Tools
Searchlight Flash
(サーチライト, Searchlight)
Some dungeons in Phantasy Star are pitch dark, and cannot be navigated without a light source. A flashlight is the cheapest at 20 meseta each, and lasts until the dungeon is exited. Flash is also dropped by certain enemies. Sells for 10 MST.
Escape Cloth Escaper
(エスケープクロス, Escape Cloth)
An escaper costs 10 meseta at many second-hand stores, and using it will successfully allow the party to run from a fight. It DOES NOT escape the dungeon. It only works in battle.
Tran Carpet Transer
(トランカーペット, TranCarpet)
A transer is useful for teleporting the party back from wherever they are to the most recently visited church. It can be bought at many second-hand stores for 48 meseta. It cannot be used in dungeons or during a fight.
Soothe Flute Flute
(スーズフルート, Soothe Flute)
The flute teleports the party back to the entrance of the dungeon. It can be found in Gothic.
Alshline Alsulin
(アルシュリン)
Alsulin is a magical liquid able to turn stone back into flesh. Myau has a bottle of it around his neck when he is first encountered.
Polymetryl Polymetryl
(ポリメテラール)
Polymetryl can only be bought in the town of Abion for 1000 meseta. A very powerful solvent, only laconia will not react with it.
Dungeon Key Dungeon Key
(ダンジョンキー)
The dungeon key is necessary for opening locked doors. It can be found in the warehouse in Camineet, once you have knowledge of its having been hidden there.
Magic Hat Magic Hat
(マジックハット)
A hat that allows the user to understand the language of some enemies. It can be bought by 20 MST.
Telepathy Ball Sphere
(テレパシーボール, Telepathy Ball)
Communication item more effective than the Magic Hat. It can be bought by 30 MST.
Hapsby Hapsby
(ハプスビー)
Hapsby is a useful robot made of laconia. He is particularly useful for his ability to fly a starship.
Baggage
Road Pass Road Pass
(ロードパス)
A road pass is needed to access Palma's spaceport. It can be bought from the second-hand goods shop in Scion for 200 meseta, although it's listed as 'secrets'. The clerk isn't very keen on selling this item, persistence is the key.
Passport Passport
(パスポート)
The passport is needed before ships to Paseo can be ridden. It's inexpensive (100 meseta) and easy to obtain.
Compass Compass
(コンパス)
The compass is needed to pass through the Eppi forest in order to reach the town within. Odin has one, and will tell you where it is once you've rescued him.
Laconian Pot Laconian Pot
(ラコニアンポット)
The Laconian Pot is a valuable artifact with many important uses. First bequeathed to Alis by her brother, it is soon traded for a cool cat (Myau) and later re-obtained.
Light Pendant Magic Lamp
(ライトペンダント, Light Pendant)
The magic lamp costs 1400 meseta, and works as a permanent light source, effectively replacing the flashlights.
Gas Clear Gas Shield
(ガスクリア,
Gas Clear)
There is an area of Motavia surrounded by poisonous gas, and a gas shield is necessary for reaching the village at its centre. It's sold for 1000 meseta inside a warehouse in the floating town of Drasgow.
Vehicles
Land Rover
(ランドマスター, Land Master)
The land rover offers much faster travel over any flat terrain. Also, it is the only way to cross the ant-lion fields of Motavia.
Hovercraft
(フロームーバー, Flow Mover)
The hovercraft is the only option available for travelling across water, but can also be used to cross lava without taking any damage.
Ice Digger
(アイスデッカー,
Ice Decker)
The ice digger is the only machine capable of cutting through certain icy areas of Dezoris, allow access to vital areas.
Other items
- Cake
(ショートケーキ, Shortcake)
This will make a good gift if Alis ever need to visit a government official, but finding the store that sells it can be tricky as it's in a cave.
- Letter
(ソウトクノテガミ, "Governor's Letter")
This is given to Alis by the governor of Motavia. It is necessary to have this when meeting Noah, or else Noah will not join the party.
Amber Eye Amber Eye
(カーバンクルアイ, Carbuncle Eye)
The amber eye is guarded by the Casba Dragon. It's not much use for anything, but being extremely rare, it can be used to trade with someone for something useful.
Torch Torch
(イクリプストーチ, Eclipse Torch)
The holy torch is used in Dezorian ceremonies. The Dezorian at the top of the Corona Tower has one, but he won't part with it for nothing.
- Nuts
(ラエルマベリー, Laerma Berry)
Laerma nuts can be obtained only from a particular tree, which grows on the Altiplano Plateau of Dezoris. They will shrivel soon after being picked if not placed inside a laconian pot.
Prism Prism
(エアロプリズム, Aeroprism)
The aeroprism is guarded by a pair of titans inside a cave deep in the ice of Dezoris. It allows an invisible world to be seen.
Crystal Crystal
(ダモアクリスタル, Damoa Crystal)
This crystal contains a powerful magic which King Lassic fears. It's rumoured to be in the possession of Damor, a soothsayer in Baya Malay Tower.
Miracle Key Miracle Key
(ミラクルキー)
This magical key can open any door, even those locked by magic.

Magic[]

Magic can be used by Alis, Myau, and Noah, and are learned as each of them advance in level. Some magic can be used only during combat, some can be used only outside combat, and a few can be used at anytime. Techniques take the place of magic in Phantasy Star's sequels, though a few of Phantasy Star's magic spells appear as skills in Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.

  • BYE can only be cast in battle. It costs 2 MP, and causes the party to flee. Alis learns this at level 5.
  • CHAT can only be cast in battle. It costs 2 MP, and lets you communicate with certain foes (all foes that respond to TALK, as well as Tarantulas, Manticores and Sphinxes). Alis learns this at level 6.
  • CURE can be cast at any time by Myau, but only out of battle by Noah. It costs 6 MP, and restores 80 HP to one ally. Myau learns this at level 6, and Noah starts with it.
  • EXIT can only be cast in a dungeon. It costs 4 MP, and warps the party out of the current dungeon. Myau learns this at level 17, and Noah learns it at level 6.
  • FIRE can only be cast in battle. It costs 4 MP, and shoots a fireball at two random enemies in the selected group (or damaging a single enemy twice). Alis learns this at level 12, and Noah starts with it.
  • FLY can only be cast out of battle. It costs 8 MP, and returns the party to the last church they visited. Alis learns this at level 16.
  • HEAL can be cast at any time. It costs 2 MP, and restores 20 HP to one ally. Alis learns this at level 4.
  • HELP can only be cast in battle. It costs 10 MP, and increases the attack power of one ally. Myau learns this at level 20.
  • OPEN can only be cast out of battle. It costs 4 MP, and opens magically-sealed doors. Noah learns this at level 17.
  • PROT(ect) can only be cast in battle. It costs 10 MP, and creates a magical barrier that negates physical attacks. Noah learns this at level 14. This spell is identical to Myau's WALL in function.
  • RISE can be cast at any time. It costs 12 MP, and revives a fallen ally without having to visit a church. Noah learns this at level 20.
  • ROPE can only be cast in battle. It costs 4 MP, and binds an enemy, preventing them from acting. Alis learns this at level 14.
  • TELE(pathy) can only be cast in battle. It costs 4 MP, and allows communication with certain intelligent monsters (all those eligible for CHAT, as well as the Evilhead, Horseman, Centaur, Green Dragon, Red Dragon, White Dragon, and Black Dragon foes). Noah learns this at level 9.
  • TERR(or) can only be cast in battle. It costs 2 MP, and weakens enemies. Myau learns this at level 9.
  • THUN(der) can only be cast in battle. It costs 16 MP, and summons lightning to strike every enemy. Noah learns this at level 18.
  • TRAP can only be cast out of battle. It costs 3 MP, and inspects the space in front of you (including treasure chests) for any traps, and disables them if they are present. Myau learns this at level 15.
  • WALL can only be cast in battle. It costs 10 MP, and protects the party from physical attacks by creating a magical force field. Myau learns this at level 12. The spell is identical to Noah's PROT(ect).
  • WIND can only be cast in battle. It costs 12 MP, and sends miniature cyclones to damage three random enemies in the chosen group (or damaging a single enemy thrice). Noah learns this at level 12.

Enemies[]

Random Encounters[]

Main article: Random Encounters in Phantasy Star

Monsters are encountered randomly while exploring the planets' surfaces, and their dungeons and towers. Many can be communicated with in order to avoid a fight, though often a spell or item is necessary. Some monsters drop items such as flashlights, and a few are also able to use offensive magic or even healing spells.

Unique Encounters[]

In addition to the random encounters faced while exploring the surface of the worlds of Algo and the dungeons beneath, there are a few points in the game where a unique enemy must be faced.

Saccubus[]

Saccubus
Main article: Saccubus

After visiting the governor of Motavia for the first time, he bids you take a rest before continuing on your journey to seek out Noah. Succubus picks this moment to attack. A disembodied, demonic head, his attacks are devastating to Alis and her party, making for a very short battle. This fight is essentially unwinnable, but as it turns out it was only a dream. ...Or was it a premonition?

Dr. Mad[]

Drmad
Main article: Dr. Mad

Dr. Mad is encountered in Abion. He posseses a laconian pot, which must be claimed (or reclaimed?) for use in an essential later stage of the game. Upon entering his dwelling, he orders you to give him Myau. Be sure to refuse! Myau's WALL magic is very effective at repelling his attacks, which can hit very hard.

Casba Dragon[]

Casbadragon
Main article: Casba Dragon

The Casba (or Blue) Dragon is encountered by venturing down a side-path of the passage that leads to the town of Casba. It guards the Amber Eye, which is a valuable item to trade with.

Tarzimal[]

Tarzimal
Main article: Tarzimal

Tarzimal (or Master Tajima) is encountered in the cave south of the lake on Motavia, where he lives. Noah is his student, and he challenges Noah to single combat as his final test. Tarzimal rewards Noah's victory with a Frad Mantle.

Medusa[]

Medusa
Main article: Medusa

Medusa is encountered in her tower at the end of the mountain pass just south of Gothic on Palma. She appears just as she is described in Greek myth - with snakes for hair and the ability to turn people to stone with her gaze. She has the Laconian Axe, a powerful weapon which will surely be necessary in the fight against Lassic, but first a defense against her paralysing glare must be obtained. The battle should not be too difficult unless you hurry to face her at an early stage of the game.

Gold Dragon[]

Gddragn
Main article: Gold Dragon

The gold dragon guards Lassic's castle from invaders, and must be defeated before continuing on to the castle grounds. This is the only battle of the game which takes place in the air.

Shadow[]

Shadow
Main article: Shadow

Shadow must be fought at the exact mid-point of the path towards the final encounter with Lassic. The fight can be quite draining, and serves only to weaken Lassic's adversaries, as Shadow himself comment: "Even if you defeat me you have achieved nothing, for I am only Lassic's Shadow!"

Lassic[]

Main article: Lassic

King Lassic is encountered in his castle above Baya Malay. He attacks purely with the use of THUN magic.


Dark Falz (Dark Force)[]

Main article: Dark Force

The mainifestation of evil in the Algol Star System. Dark Falz/Dark Force is a recurring villain in the series.

Music[]

See also: Phantasy Star I Music for a listing of the complete soundtrack

Phantasy Star was composed by Tokuhiko Uwabo credited under the moniker BO. The Japanese version of the game is additionally compatible with the FM Sound Unit enhancement add-on. Unfortunately, FM sound is unsupported in international versions due to the limited space being dedicated to translated text.[4]

Epilogue[]

The events of Phantasy Star signal the end of the first millennium, and a long period of peace reigns. The story of the Algo star system continues in Phantasy Star II.

Walkthrough[]

Main article: Walkthrough for Phantasy Star

Re-releases[]

Phantasy Star has been remade and ported to various platforms. The PS2 game Phantasy Star Generation 1 is a vastly overhauled remake of Phantasy Star, prominently featuring updated graphics, story, dialogue, and gameplay with a variety of balance, aesthetic, and quality-of-life changes. The game also features arrangements of the original soundtrack as well as several bonus features, such as a sound test and the "Atlas" item, which automatically maps dungeons for a limited time. Generation 1 has only ever been released in Japan, but English fan translations have been released on the internet.

The game was re-released thrice as a port on the Sega Saturn, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation 2 as a title in the Phantasy Star Collection compilation release. The Sega Saturn version included a hiragana text option not available in the original release, while the PlayStation 2 version, due to being emulated, allows for various aesthetic and gameplay tweaks such as adjustments to the graphics and changing Meseta and EXP drops from enemies.

Phantasy Star was later released as an unlockable game on the PlayStation 3 compilation Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. To unlock Phantasy Star, you must defeat the first boss of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Drill Eggman) in 2-Player Mode.

An enhanced port of Phantasy Star was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2018, entitled Sega Ages Phantasy Star. This version of the game includes multiple additional features not seen in other versions of the game, including an Easy difficulty, a toggleable Auto-Map feature for dungeons, a bestiary called the Monster Codex that gives stat and drop info for all monsters, and a built-in pause screen that gives information on all items, equipment, and abilities in the game. The game also features an FM Sound Unit with 19 tracks for the player to listen to, as well as the hiragana text option from the Sega Saturn version of Phantasy Star Collection.

Videos[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sega Retro. Phantasy Star. Retrieved from https://segaretro.org/Phantasy_Star
  2. Wikipedia. ファンタシースター. Retrieved from https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ファンタシースター
  3. 3.0 3.1 Wikipedia. Phantasy Star (video game). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantasy_Star_(video_game)
  4. Sega Retro. FM Sound Unit. Retrieved from https://segaretro.org/FM_Sound_Unit#Compatibility
Phantasy Star
Playable Characters Alis Landale - Myau - Odin - Noah
Antagonists Dr. Mad - Medusa - King Lassic - Dark Falz
Planets Palma - Motavia - Dezoris
Locations Camineet - Parolit - Scion - Palma Spaceport - Eppi - Gothic - Bortevo - Loar - Abion - Drasgow
Motavia Spaceport - Paseo - Uzo - Casba - Sopia - Skure - Twintown
Dungeons Camineet Warehouse - Medusa Cave - Naula Cave - Iala Cave - Paseo Palace Passage - Maharu Cave
Gothic-Spaceport Passage - Triada Prison - Bortevo Cave - Abion Warehouse - Dr. Mad's House
Casba Cave - Drasgow Warehouse - Forgotten Island Tower - Medusa's Tower - Baya Malay Gate
Baya Malay Passage - Baya Malay Tower - Lassic's Castle - Tarzimal's Cave
First Ice Passage - Second Ice Passage - Third Ice Passage - Ice Passage to Twintown
Guaron Morgue - Aeroprism Cave - Fourth Ice Passage - Dezoris Cave
Database Characters - Monsters - Music - Locations - Story - Walkthrough
Printed Media Gamebook - Phantasy Star: Phantom Cities - Phantasy Star Collection
Soundtracks Phantasy Star Collection: Sound Collection I - SEGAROCK Vol.01 - Phantasy Star 1st Series Complete Album
Phantasy Star Series 25th Anniversary Concert Sympathy 2013 Live Memorial Album
Phantasy Star Music Collection 2000-2007
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