Madō Monogatari

{{Infobox video game series

|title = Madō Monogatari

|image =

|caption =

|developer = Compile (1989-1998)
D4 Enterprise (2005-present)
Compile Heart (2013-present)
ZeroDiv (2013)

|publisher = Compile (1989-1998)
Sega (1993-1994)
NEC Avenue (PCE)
D4 Enterprise (2005-present)
Compile Heart (2013-present)

|genre = Dungeon crawl

|spinoffs = Puyo Puyo

|creator =

|first release version = Madō Monogatari Episode II: Carbuncle

|first release date = December 10, 1989

|latest release version = Madō Monogatari: Fia and the Mysterious School

|latest release date = November 28, 2024

}}

Madō Monogatari,{{efn|{{nihongo|魔導物語||{{lit|A tale of sorcery}} or 'A story of sorcery'}} romanized as Madou Monogatari or Madoh Monogatari in some versions.}} known in the American release version as Sorcery Saga, is a series of first-person dungeon crawler role-playing video games by Compile. The first game was released in 1990 for MSX2. Sega published the Game Gear remakes based on 1-2-3. The characters of this series would later be used in the puzzle game Puyo Puyo.

The plot of the first game consists of a six-year-old named Arle Nadja, who has passed the written test and she needs to scale a giant tower to pass the actual test. In the second game, ten years later, Arle Nadja encounters Schezo Wegey, and also Satan (Dark Prince outside of Japan), and in the end Carbuncle joins Arle Nadja.

Characters

Arle Nadja – the main protagonist of the series.
Monsters – the main antagonists of the series.

Gameplay

Gameplay combines role-playing elements with some unique twists. For example, there are no numeric stats; instead, everything is represented by character facial expressions and sprites. Another is the complete lack of physical attacks. Everything utilizes one of four magical elements: Fire, Ice Storm, Thunder, and Bayoen. Some enemies are weaker against one particular magic attack than another.

Games in the series

{{Video game titles|

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari 1-2-3

|date={{vgrelease|JP|June 15, 1990 (MSX)}}{{vgrelease|JP|November 23, 1991 (PC-9801)}}{{vgrelease|JP|June 26, 2025 (Nintendo Switch)}}

|refs={{cite web|url=http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/msx2.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021003184737/http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/msx2.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-03|title=COMPILE GAME HISTORY -MSX2-|publisher=Compile|accessdate=2018-10-19}}{{cite web|url=http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/9801.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021003171644/http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/9801.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-03|title=COMPILE GAME HISTORY -PC-9801-|publisher=Compile|accessdate=2018-10-19}}

|release=1990 – MSX
1991 – PC-9801
2025 – Nintendo Switch

|notes=

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari A-R-S

|date={{vgrelease|JP|December 10, 1993}}

|refs=

|release=1993 – PC-9801

|notes=

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari: Hanamaru Daiyōchienji

|date={{vgrelease|JP|January 12, 1996}}

|refs={{cite web|url=http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/sfc.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021003185418/http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/sfc.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-03|title=COMPILE GAME HISTORY -スーパーファミコン-|publisher=Compile|accessdate=2018-10-19}}

|release=1996 – Super Famicom

|notes= * Japanese: (はなまる大幼稚園児, Kids of Hanamaru Big Kindergarten), another episode of Madō Monogatari I.

Released on Project EGG in March 2024 as Madō Monogatari Hanamaru dai youchienji, despite no in-game English translation available.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari

|date={{vgrelease|JP|July 23, 1998}}

|refs={{cite web|url=http://www.compile.co.jp/game/ss/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020818081839/http://www.compile.co.jp/game/ss/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-08-18|title=COMPILE GAME HISTORY -セガサターン-|publisher=Compile|accessdate=2018-10-20}}

|release=1998 – Sega Saturn

|notes=

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari

|date={{vgrelease|JP|2005}}

|refs=

|release=2005 – i-mode

|notes= * Developed and published by D4 Enterprise.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

| article= Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God

| title= Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God

| date={{vgrelease|JP|March 28, 2013|NA|December 10, 2013|EU|February 21, 2014}}

| multiplereleasedates= yes

| refs=

| release=2013 – PlayStation Vita
2018 – Windows

| notes= * Known in Japan as Sei Madou Monogatari (聖魔導物語, Sei Madō Monogatari, Story of Holy Sorcery).

Developed and published by Compile Heart in cooperation with D4 Enterprise and ZeroDiv.
First game in the series to receive an English-language release.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Mado Monogatari: Fia and the Wondrous Academy

|date={{vgrelease|JP|November 28, 2024|NA|2025|EU|2025}}

|refs={{cite web|last=Romano|first=Sal|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2024/07/madou-monogatari-fia-and-the-mysterious-school-launches-november-28-in-japan|title=Madou Monogatari: Fia and the Mysterious School launches November 28 in Japan|website=Gematsu|date=2024-07-10|access-date=2024-07-10}}

|release=2024 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

|notes= * Developed by Sting Entertainment and published by Compile Heart in cooperation with D4 Enterprise. Published in the West by Idea Factory International.https://www.gematsu.com/2025/02/mado-monogatari-fia-and-the-wondrous-academy-coming-west-in-2025

}}

=Remakes=

{{Video game titles|

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari I: Mittsu no Madō-kyū

|date={{vgrelease|JP|December 3, 1993}}

|refs={{cite web|url=http://www.compile.co.jp:80/game/other/gg.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021003182629/http://www.compile.co.jp:80/game/other/gg.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-03|title=COMPILE GAME HISTORY -ゲームギア-|publisher=Compile|accessdate=2018-10-19}}

|release=1993 – Game Gear

|notes= * Japanese: (3つの魔導球, The Three Magic Spheres), remake of the first part of 1-2-3

Published by Sega.
Released on Project EGG in November 2023 as Madō Monogatari I The Three Magic Spheres, despite no in-game English translation available.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai

|date={{vgrelease|JP|May 20, 1994}}

|refs=

|release=1994 – Game Gear

|notes= * Japanese: (アルル16才, 16-year-old Arle), remake of the second part of 1-2-3.

Published by Sega.
Released on Project EGG in December 2023 as Madō Monogatari II 16-year-old Arle, despite no in-game English translation available.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari III: Kyūkyoku Joō-sama

|date={{vgrelease|JP|November 25, 1994}}

|refs={{cite web |title=Software List (Released by Sega)|url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/gamegear/software.html |website=セガ製品情報サイト |publisher=Sega |access-date=May 15, 2023 |language=ja}}

|release=1994 – Game Gear

|notes= * Japanese: (究極女王様, The Ultimate Queen), remake of the third part of 1-2-3

Published by Sega.
Released on Project EGG in January 2024 as Madō Monogatari III The Ultimate Queen, despite no in-game English translation available.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari A: Dokidoki Vacation

|date={{vgrelease|JP|November 24, 1995}}

|refs=

|release=1995 – Game Gear

|notes= * Japanese: (ドキドキばけ～しょん, Excited Vacation), remake of the first part of A-R-S.

Released on Project EGG in February 2024 as Madō Monogatari A, despite no in-game English translation available.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=Madō Monogatari I

|title=Madō Monogatari I

|date={{vgrelease|JP|March 22, 1996}}

|refs={{cite web|url=http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/md.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021003184712/http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/md.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-03|title=COMPILE GAME HISTORY -メガドライブ-|publisher=Compile|accessdate=2018-10-20}}

|release=1996 – Mega Drive

|notes= * Remake of the first part of 1-2-3.

Released on Project EGG in January 2024 as Madō Monogatari I, despite no in-game English translation available.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari: Honō no Sotsuenji

|date={{vgrelease|JP|December 13, 1996}}

|refs=

|release=1996 – PC Engine CD-ROM²

|notes= * Japanese: (炎の卒園児, Graduate Child of Flame), remake of the first part of 1-2-3 published by NEC Avenue.

}}

=Disc Station=

{{Video game titles|

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari Episode II: Carbuncle

|date={{vgrelease|JP|December 10, 1989}}

|refs=

|release=1989 – MSX

|notes= * Found in Disc Station Special: Christmas Edition; prototype of the second part of 1-2-3.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari: Michikusa Ibun

|date={{vgrelease|JP|July 15, 1994}}

|refs=

|release=1994 – PC-9801

|notes= * Japanese: (道草異聞, {{lit|Loitering around and the rumor}}); found in Disc Station Vol. 3.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari: Hachamecha Kimatsu Shiken

|date={{vgrelease|JP|September 6, 1996}}

|refs={{cite web|url=http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/win95.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021003190552/http://www.compile.co.jp/game/other/win95.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-03|title=COMPILE GAME HISTORY –Windows95/98–|publisher=Compile|accessdate=2018-10-20}}

|release=1996 – Windows

|notes= * Japanese: (はちゃめちゃ期末試験, {{lit|Confused final exam}}); found in Disc Station Vol. 12.

}}

{{Video game titles/item

|article=

|title=Madō Monogatari: Madōshi no Tō

|date={{vgrelease|JP|September 6, 1997}}

|refs=

|release=1997 – Windows

|notes= * Japanese: (魔導師の塔, {{lit|Magician's Tower}}); found in Disc Station Vol. 16.

}}

{{Video game titles/item