Ragnarok DS

Game Details:

"Ragnarok DS" (originally titled "Ragnarok Online DS" in Japanese) was co-developed by Gravity and Japanese developer GungHo Works. It was released in Japan in 2008 and later in North America in 2009. The game is derived from the famous Korean MMORPG "Ragnarok Online," but it's a single-player RPG, placing a greater emphasis on story progression and dungeon challenges.

Players will take on the role of the original protagonist "Ales," embarking on a journey to find "World Tree Fragments" alongside mercenary companions. The game utilizes a touch-based control scheme and recreates the classic job system (Swordsman, Mage, Archer, Thief, etc.), with each job having promotion paths and skill trees, allowing for the creation of personalized characters. The map includes many classic "RO" towns, such as Prontera and Morroc, and features the original 40-floor "Mirage Tower," providing rich content for high-difficulty challenges.

Editor's Recommendation:

"Ragnarok DS" is a love letter to old players and a great entry point for new players. It retains the core settings of "RO" – familiar towns, cute monsters, and a rich job growth system – while telling a brand new story in a single-player RPG format. You can experience the charm of the "Ragnarok" world without needing to be online. The game's pace is moderate, and the battle system, although simplified, retains the characteristics of the jobs. The 40-floor Mirage Tower, in particular, offers great challenge and replay value. If you are an RO veteran, you'll smile when you see the familiar Baphomet and Goblin. If you're a DS RPG enthusiast, it's also a deep and enjoyable masterpiece.

Game Guide:

I. Job Recommendations and Growth Advice

You can choose basic jobs in the early game, and then you can promote once:

• Swordsman → Knight / Crusader: Recommended for beginners, strong defense, low skill consumption, suitable for close-range sustained output.
• Mage → Wizard / Priest: Powerful ranged output job, outstanding AOE damage, but pay attention to casting distance and positioning.
• Thief → Assassin / Rogue: Speed-type job, suitable for quickly killing enemies and has a steal skill.
• Archer → Hunter / Bard/ Dancer: Excellent mid-to-long-range attacker, suitable for hit-and-run tactics.

It is recommended to use the mercenary card system reasonably in battle, complementing your own job's shortcomings, for example, Swordsmen can bring healing mercenary cards, and Mages can equip shield cards to increase survivability.

II. Mirage Tower Completion Advice

• A total of 40 floors, with a powerful Boss every 10 floors. It is recommended to save every 5 floors to prevent accidental death.
• The later floors have a significant increase in enemy strength, you need to prepare status recovery items (such as antidote, confusion removal, etc.).
• Boss battles require choosing mercenary combinations based on enemy characteristics. For example, when fighting a dark attribute Boss, using holy attribute attack characters is effective.

III. Mercenary Card System Explanation

• Mercenary cards are divided into attack, defense, support, and other categories, obtained through quests and treasure chests.
• You can carry one mercenary card each time you go into battle. After consuming "mercenary value" to summon, the mercenary will accompany you for a few minutes and can be used repeatedly.

IV. Skill Point Planning Advice

• Each job has limited skill points. It is recommended to prioritize core active skills and commonly used passive skills.
• Example: Wizard is recommended to prioritize "Fire Wall" + "Meteor Storm"; Assassin prioritizes the dual-wield and critical hit path.

V. Side Quests and Monster Hunting Tips

• There are a large number of side quests in each main city, rewarding experience and rare items, it is recommended to complete them in each chapter.
• When experience is insufficient, you can repeatedly level up in the "Snake Cave" or "Dark Forest" for higher efficiency.