Magical Vacation

Magical Vacation (マジカルバケーション, Majikaru Bakēshon) is a self-proclaimed "connection role-playing game" developed by Brownie Brown (now 1-UP Studio) as their first original game. It was released for the Game Boy Advance on December 7, 2001 in Japan, and has never been released outside of the country. It is the first game in the Magical Vacation duology and the prequel to Magical Starsign on the DS. The game was also ported to the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015, but still remained Japan-exclusive.

The story follows a group of sixteen students who attend Will-o'-Wisp Academy; a school where youths are trained to master their magical talents. Over the summer, they are sent out to the Valencia Beach Seaside School with their teacher chaperone, Miss Madeleine. Players take on the role of a silent protagonist, whose gender and spirit are chosen at the start of the game. 13 of the 16 elements are available to begin with, while the remaining 3 (Love, Darkness, and Light) are unlocked through multiplayer functionality.

Magical Vacation features extremely detailed environments and unique character designs from Shinichi Kameoka, whose previous works include various titles in the Mana/Seiken Densetsu series and SaGa Frontier. The game's soundtrack was written by early Megami Tensei series composer Tsukasa Masuko.

Battle system
The combat of Magical Vacation is turn-based and relies on exploiting enemies' elemental weaknesses. The game also features a unique Spirit Combo system, wherein the damage output of magic attacks is amplified by spirits that have been called to the field. Characters can add stickers to their equipment as well, which improves their resistance to magic attacks and increases the growth of their own magic.

Setting
Magical Vacation's plot and setting exhibit fantasy traits from other games in the classic RPG genre. The world of Kovomaka is made up of infinite elemental planes (known as realms in the English fan translation), all of which overlap the same space in their own self-contained dimensions. Each realm is drastically different from one another, as their landscapes are reflective of the element or concept they represent. The only way to shift between realms is by slipping through a natural disturbance in reality, using realm-shifting technology, or by mastering Warp Magic. In the game, the realms of Material, Light, Darkness, and Death are explored. Other realms such as Water, Fire, and Wind are mentioned, though none of them can be accessed in-game.

Backstory


Long ago, a destructive war broke out in the Kingdom of Kovomaka. Countless swordsmen and wizards were killed, and the nation was dealt a heavy blow. To cover up the events of the war, a lie was spread amongst the townspeople, and they were told that thousands of soldiers had died because of an experiment gone awry. The battle lasted for three days and a long peace followed, but a man named Biscotti chose to keep a watchful eye.

Roughly a decade after the war, the protagonist is introduced. Raised in a village on the kingdom's edge, they were born with the ability to communicate with elemental spirits hiding inside artifacts of nature. Unfortunately, others did not see their power as a blessing and became fearful of what it could bring. The townspeople called the child a misfit and had them exiled from the village. Shortly after their exultation, the child encountered Principal Biscotti and was asked if they liked spirits, to which a multitude of them appeared behind the great wizard. Thrilled to meet someone who could also see spirits, the child answered yes. Biscotti then invited them to enroll in his school of magic with the promise of meeting even more spirits, and the two departed for Will-o'-Wisp Academy.

Prologue: Camp


One August evening in present time, the protagonist and their classmate Pistachio Maplewood are alone in the school's Zen Room. Pistachio worryingly kicks at a Magic Doll named Calamari, but he is interrupted when Kirsche Pintail and Sesame Ashpot run inside. The boys tell their friends that the Magic Bus has arrived on campus and will be leaving for the campgrounds soon. Pistachio is not as enthusiastic, whimpering about the likeliness of him getting held back a grade if he attends the Seaside School. Kirsche tries motivating the anxious canin, then a group of girls enters the room; Blueberry Lakeside, Lemon Airsupply, and Candy Mintblue.

Candy attempts to lift Pistachio's hopes up, telling him to train non-stop at camp until he can defeat Ganache Nighthawk in a duel. Each student in the Zen Room makes their own resolutions for the Seaside School, and Candy reveals that her goal is to ask out a mystery boy, causing Kirsche's heartbeat to spike. The Wind mage misunderstands the boy's excitement and assumes he wants to ask Arancia Scorenote out, as they have been friends since childhood. Overwhelmed with frustration, Kirsche leaves for the bus in a huff and Sesame follows.

The protagonist walks out into the academy's entrance hall, seeing Peche Farmer scurrying back and forth in a panic as she tries to muster all the students. As Peche tells her classmate of the Magic Bus's brilliance, Latte Rustynail bursts out of the Music Room upstairs, runs down to the kids, and begins whirling around like a propeller. When the Envoy of Love asks what made Latte so disturbed, he says the students upstairs were telling scary stories, then bolts out of the front entrance. Mildly irritated, Peche instructs the protagonist to go to the Music Room while she rounds up those waiting in the Zen Room.

In the east wing, Principal Biscotti is seen having a serious chat with Miss Madeleine. The topic of their conversation is not very clear, but Madeleine appears to be worrisome about her ability to take care of the sixteen students. Biscotti assures the young teacher that she is capable, but their discussion is cut short when the protagonist enters the room. Madeleine politely asks her pupil to get on the bus, and Biscotti prays that the kids' summer is filled with everlasting joy.

The protagonist then steps inside a study hall in the west wing where Cabernet Cheaptrick sits alone. He reflects on the words of his deceased brother, Chardonnay, who tragically died in a war 1 year ago. Cabernet recalls something which was told to him by Chardonnay; a warning that Valencia Beach hid a dark secret. Resuming Peche's request, the protagonist enters the Music Room upstairs and finds most of the remaining students. Among them are Cassis Lumberyard, Cider Rainbow, Olive Tearclown, and Arancia Scorenote. Cider argues with Cassis about the alleged disappearances of students at Valencia Beach, some of whom returned to the academy and threatened to cause chaos. While Cassis is in full belief of these allegations, Cider denies their legitimacy, saying the academy would not allow annual trips to Valencia Beach if they put students in danger.

When Cider asks his classmate for an example of a student who disappeared at camp, Olive timidly budges in by bringing up Ganache Nighthawk's sister, a girl named Vanilla. Three years ago, she was one of many students who vanished at camp, then briefly returned to the academy before running away, never to be seen again. Cider thinks Vanilla's departure and Valencia Beach are unrelated, to which Cassis scoffs at his lack of imagination. Curious of Vanilla's story, Cider wonders if the students can convince Ganache to provide his account on what happened, but Cassis feels that he may not be willing to reveal details about his family. Arancia, calmly playing the harp, is impartial to either opinion.

The group of students join up with the protagonist and head downstairs to the west wing, spotting Cabernet still sulking at his desk. Cassis asks the lonely puppet if he is thinking about his brother, and Cabernet recounts one of the last times Chardonnay and Vanilla were together as a couple. In a flashback sequence, Chardonnay follows Vanilla through the west wing study hall, while Cabernet watches from a distance. Chardonnay asks Vanilla to explain where she has been, and also says her behavior is making people worried. Vanilla vehemently rejects the idea of anybody feeling concern towards her, then Chardonnay wonders if his father said something bad about their relationship. The pink-haired mage exclaims that she could sense his hatred, as well as the hatred of everyone she has ever known. The puppet promises to protect his girlfriend from any threat, be it a person or the entire world, but Vanilla says her power is her way of coping with peoples' hateful emotions. She bids the Cheaptrick brothers farewell and leaves the room, causing Chardonnay to break down in tears. Cabernet tells his brother to leave her be, except Chardonnay knows that something seriously bad happened to Vanilla at Valencia Beach. The flashback ends when both puppets flee the classroom and go after the disturbed girl.

Arancia notices tears falling down Cabernet's face, but he plays it off by saying a spec of dust flew into his eye. Cassis convinces his classmate that he can let go of his worries at the beach, so the Poison-elemental puppet tags along with the rest of the kids. With no one else to look for, the protagonist leads their friends out of the school and onto the Magic Bus. Instead of finding their teacher on board, Principal Biscotti spooks the kids by showing up out of nowhere. He declares that the Seaside School vacation is a test of endurance, and anyone who returns to the academy will face immediate expulsion, even if Miss Madeleine wishes for them to leave camp. As he delivers his speech, Madeleine slowly makes her way to the Magic Bus as she struggles to push Chocolat Cracks, the half-ton mudman, on board. Biscotti asks the students to keep his lecture a secret from their teacher, then he joyfully skips out of the bus.

Perplexed by the strange headmaster, Madeleine hands her students their own Magic Notebooks; special journals which automatically record important information. She begins taking attendance once all the notebooks are distributed, and Candy announces Ganache's absence. Olive volunteers to look for him and rushes out of the bus, as does Candy, but Madeleine only allows the former girl to go. Not too far from the academy, Olive finds Ganache sitting alone with his ocarina, perched against the trunk of a riverside tree. His music echoes through the forest, eyes closed as he plays a song of melancholy. Ganache abruptly stops when he hears Olive shout, "So you were here!" and believes it to be the voice of Vanilla. This misunderstanding sets off his paranoia, so he turns around to see who it was that spoke. Expecting to see Vanilla waiting in the grass, the 11-year-old Beast mage stands in her place.

With her telepathic powers, Olive senses that Ganache was in deep thought about Vanilla's disappearance, then says they should work together to unravel the secrets of the Seaside School. The teenage warlock, dubious of her offer, does not believe the beach to be the cause of Vanilla's insanity; however, he changes his mind after Olive suddenly has a premonition of everyone vanishing at camp, much like his sister. They run back to the school's courtyard and board the Magic Bus, receiving a brief scolding from Madeleine upon their arrival.

Finally prepared to leave for the beach, Balsamico the Wander Bus Driver proudly introduces himself to the students, revving up the bus with a thrilling countdown. He is too deep in his adrenaline rush to give the road any attention, accidentally ramming his vehicle straight into the school gates. Nobody comments, so Balsamico drives off like nothing ever happened.



The students make small talk on their drive to camp, with the first topic of discussion being Chocolat's enrollment into Will-o'-Wisp. Peche is astonished to hear what Blueberry has to say about the mudman, as he was hand-picked by Biscotti two decades ago. Latte infiltrates the conversation by proudly stating that Biscotti personally invited him to Will-o'-Wisp as well, but Blueberry puts him on blast by saying he was found at an antique store with a price tag of 200 bira. The robot does not take offence to her words and voices his self-worth.

Candy strikes up a conversation with Arancia, wondering what sort of relationship she has with Kirsche. Arancia mentions the childhood they shared, though she does not believe it to be anything special. An astounded Candy tries to get more information out of the musician, only to be interrupted by Sesame, who almost exposes Kirsche's feelings towards her. The Fire mage shuts his friend up before his secret is revealed, then awkwardly attempts to make their discussion about the beach. Cider joins in by improvising a poem about their summer vacation, poetically telling of the youthful freedom that is to come. Lemon asks whose words Cider was parroting, but the conceited artist says the poem is his own. Among the students' overlapping exchanges, Balsamico alerts them of Valencia Beach along the sunlit horizon.

Some time following their arrival at the campgrounds, the students go play in a palm tree forest south of the shore. Ganache, accompanied by Olive, secludes himself while playing his ocarina, then Arancia shows up to chide her classmates. She says that Madeleine would get angry if she caught them playing before free time, but Kirsche says she is too busy staring into space to care.



Shortly thereafter, ten of the sixteen students join their teacher near the beach cabins, and she dismisses them until the campfire at nightfall. With a few hours to spare before the fire, the protagonist walks around the beach and hears what their classmates have to say.

Cabernet looks out to the shining ocean and reminisces about Chardonnay, finding himself unable to shake the feeling of guilt that is weighing him down. From a nearby rock, Cassis observes the puppet and wishes to cheer him up, though he too holds sad memories of losing a member of his family. Back near the cabins, the protagonist sees Miss Madeleine standing in the foamy waters, weirdly fixated on the seaweed wrapping around her ankles.

Returning to the campgrounds' eastern regions, the protagonist notices Sesame investigating a boulder lodged within a stone arch. He claims to see a cave on the other side, so he invites his classmate to go on an adventure with him. Delighted to explore the beach, the protagonist agrees and teams up with Sesame. The duo then takes a trip around the campgrounds in hopes of recruiting more adventurers.

With a sizeable party, the students push the boulder away and find themselves in a new area of the beach. To their surprise, they spot Olive and Ganache staring into the cave's entrance, and Ganache warns that only endless void lingers within. Sesame, inattentive to the Dark mage's caution, tells him to leave so his group can explore. Ganache does not object to his classmate's curiosity and advises everyone to be careful, then walks back to the cabins with Olive.

Setting foot inside the cave, the party grows somewhat fearful of its dense atmosphere, feeling as though the air is constricting them. As they voice their concerns, Sesame points to a translucent bearded man walking through the watery caverns, constantly flickering in and out of the darkness. The protagonist approaches the man, to which he asks if the kids can see him. He then goes on to apprise them of the cave's history, explaining how pirates buried their treasure in this cave and murdered their underlings to keep the location a secret. 200 years later, the treasure was uncovered, and those who found it killed each other for the wellspring of riches. The spirits of the dead underlings and explorers never found peace, and their lingering presence distorts the very fabric of reality. Before the students can ask any questions, the bearded man tells them to be careful, lest they slip into another realm, then warps out of sight.



Recommencing their adventure, the group finds nothing but cobwebs in every treasure chest they open. At the end of the cave, amidst the tattered flags and broken crates, is a single unopened chest. The students look inside and encounter a hostile Poptail, but they manage to subdue it with their magic skills. All that remains inside the chest are some pinecones, which makes Sesame disappointed. Once the party exits the cave, Peche says the campfire will be starting soon, so they all walk back and reunite with the rest of the class.



Nine of the students get comfortable around the warm flames, then Miss Madeleine begins to lecture them on what may happen during their time at Valencia Beach. She expects everyone to adapt to their new life within the first couple of days, but also believes the kids will feel more emotionally restless as the summer progresses. Nevertheless, she hopes their interpersonal experiences help them grow as individuals. Pistachio whimpers to himself, rambling about his inability to take down opponents as weak as Calamari, as well as his inevitable expulsion from the academy. In response, Madeleine reassures the canin that even if he is forced to return home, his heart will always be connected to his friends. The strength of his companionship vastly outweighs what the school teaches, and he is more than capable of mastering magic without the academy's guidance.

When everything is said and done, Miss Madeleine dismisses her class for an hour of free time, then leaves for the shore. Cassis questions the absence of nearly half the class, but Cabernet says Madeleine did not notice because she hardly ever pays attention to things. In fact, she left to play with sea creatures in the shallow water. As free time finally commences, Arancia walks up to Kirsche and asks if he wants to catch Gummy Frogs in the nearby forest, which he eagerly accepts.

The protagonist stands up to venture the beach yet again, this time with more areas to freely explore. On their way to the cabins, they see Ganache and Candy having an awkward conversation. Candy shyly gives Ganache a late birthday gift, saying she had no time to deliver it on his actual birthday, then uses the opportunity as a segue for confessing her love. Before Candy can construct her sentence, Ganache thanks her for the present and asks when her birthday is. Candy, flustered, trips over her words to tell him that her birthday is next month. The reserved warlock promises to give her a present when that time comes and walks away, but Candy desperately tries to declare her romantic interest. She is left heartbroken when Ganache asks if she can finish her sentence when they return to the academy, and before leaving the cabin grounds, tells the protagonist to meet him at the shore.

Upon rendezvousing with Ganache, he tells the protagonist that something bad is drawing near, so he briefs them on how to fight back against potential threats. Cassis is present too, providing more detailed explanations on the effects of stats, as well as the proficiencies of each student. The protagonist returns to the campfire and obtains some new Magic Notebooks entries from their classmates, then walks down to the forest where Arancia and Kirsche went earlier. Determined to catch a nimble Gummy Frog, Kirsche tells his classmate to chase after a slower one in the distance.

Once Kirsche and the protagonist catch their respective Gummy Frogs, their celebration is interrupted by the terrified shrieking of Blueberry. She runs into the forest with Lemon, who collapses in pain as a ghastly blue creature enters the scene. Kirsche orders Arancia and Blueberry to treat Lemon's wounds while he fights back against the monster. The protagonist helps too, letting Lemon eat the Gummy Frog they had just captured. With her health moderately restored, Lemon returns the favor by giving her classmate a Spiny Leaf. As the protagonist returns to the upper areas of Valencia Beach, they watch in horror as each classmate is abducted one by one, vanishing along with the monsters. Cassis and Ganache manage to stand their ground, but no matter how many monsters they kill, even more show up out of nowhere. At the cabin grounds, Candy is ambushed by two of the creatures, and Ganache runs in just as she is taken away. Unfortunately, he is too late, and kills one of the two creatures with a Mijote spell before it can reach the protagonist. Just then, Miss Madeleine joins her two pupils, to which Ganache asks where everyone went. The teacher dolefully states that everyone has disappeared, and they were taken away by the creatures known as Enigmas; however, she seems troubled on how they can set foot in the Material Realm.

When Madeleine says running away may not be an option, Ganache declares his unwillingness to hide from the Enigmas, then accuses his teacher of knowing that their arrival was planned from the very beginning. He walks down to the shore where a bunch of creatures are gathered, and the two other survivors follow. There, the Dark mage is stands in front of an Enigma and vows to bring everyone back. Before Madeleine can talk him out of taking on such a dangerous task, the Enigma behind Ganache warps him out of sight. Madeleine stares at the sand where her pupil stood mere seconds ago, reflecting on the conversation she had with Biscotti back at the academy.

In another flashback sequence, Biscotti tells Madeleine that not all the students have to make it back to Will-o'-Wisp alive; even half would suffice. Madeleine heavily objects to this, but the principal reminds her that the royal army is incapable of fighting back against Kovomaka's greatest threats, which was how they almost lost the Three Day War 15 years ago. Somewhat understanding of her superior's viewpoint, the teacher vows to keep her pupils alive at all costs.

Irritated by Ganache's kidnapper calling her a weakling, Madeleine fires off multiple Spacelight spells and kills most of the surrounding Enigmas, commanding the two remaining creatures to take her away as well. One of the Engimas reveals that the abducted students were sent to another plane of existence called the Light Realm, which will hinder an Enigma's strength since they are entities born of darkness. To prevent getting handicapped by the Light Realm's energy, the two Engimas charge at Madeleine and take her to a different realm.



There is no one in sight; all that remains are the protagonist and the sound of crashing waves. The lone student looks around the beach, devastated when they realize everyone, including Miss Madeleine, is truly gone. However, one part of the beach has not yet been investigated. The protagonist returns to the pirate's cave where Sesame was last seen, and to their surprise, he survived the mass abduction. They reunite with the curious Insect mage and assure him that all the Enigmas are gone. Sesame adds his side of the story, claiming the creatures came out of a strange portal-like distortion in the ground, which is where the chest full of pinecones was earlier that night. Sensing a strange energy coming from the distortion, the protagonist believes it may lead to the realm where their classmates were taken. They step inside the portal, instantly warping them to the world on the other side.

Sesame, now all alone in the pirate's cave, calls his classmate stupid for mindlessly walking into the portal. He tries returning to the beach, but an Enigma comes out of the portal and sends him to the other world.

Act 1: The Light Realm
On a mountain trail, Cassis kills an Enigma with his Batonnet spell while Cider lies unconscious on the ground. The Beauty mage opens his eyes and tries to figure out where he ended up following his abduction, taking notice of Cassis standing next to him. Suddenly, the two boys hear Chocolat crying for help, so Cassis runs off to save him. Cider begs his classmate to stay, but Cassis tells him to try and survive on his own, then resumes his search for the mudman. As Cider looks off into the distance, he is startled when a Gummy Worm slithers under his feet and retreats into a hole.

Elsewhere, the protagonist descends into the Light Realm by themself, gracefully landing in the wooded meadow of Mimolette Forest. They find a pair of healing pots and a Depoison Tail huddled next to a fallen log, as well as a strange artifact in the ground. This artifact turns out to be an elemental spirit, who befriends the protagonist after being given a Gummy Frog. Following a nearby pathway brings the lone student to a hilly riverbank, and they spot Pistachio frantically looking around for help. Pistachio yelps with relief when he sees that one of his classmates is alive, then goes on to explain what happened to him before arriving in the Light Realm. As he does this, an Enigma from the beach ambushes the kids, and the fearful canin runs down to the river. Fortunately for the protagonist, they use their new spirit-summoning magic to destroy the Enigma in an instant.



Pistachio, in an attempt to escape the Enigma, runs onto a log bridge and accidentally crosses paths with a giant rodent names Demice. The protagonist sees their classmate playing dead to keep Demice from hurting him, but the two students band together to take down the enemy. Once Demice is defeated, Pistachio shouts with joy and uses his nose to detect Arancia's scent in the west. He also picks up the smell of trees, which is actually a Wood Spirit resting on an islet in the river. At the end of Mimolette Forest, the students stumble upon a large tree with a cave opening under its roots, and also become friends with a peculiar entity named Pizza. The canin sniffs the area again, alerting his classmate that Arancia walked into the Forest Cave.

Commercials


Gameplay of Magical Vacation was first revealed for the Game Boy Advance on August 23rd, 2001, at a Nintendo Space World event. It was presented in a 30-second-long trailer with the planned release date being December 7th. Journalists were quick to praise its detailed environments and visual homages to 16-bit console RPGs, as well as its Mana series heritage. Hopeful for an overseas release, they assumed the game would not leave Japan until 2002, but their anticipation was in vain.

The first commercials to advertise Magical Vacation featured Japanese singer, model, and actress Mika Nakashima. In the commercials, Nakashima runs to the shore of a beach at sunset and cries out a promise to save her friends (in reference to the game's events), followed by the slogan, "The mightiest weapon of all... is Friendship!"

Public events


Two events were held shortly after Magical Vacation's release in Japan. They would act as large get-togethers for owners of the game, who could meet up and use the Let's Amigo feature to unlock special content in their own copies of Magical Vacation. Casual fans, superfans, cosplayers, and Brownie Brown staff alike appeared for both venues.

The first venue was held in Osaka on January 26th, 2002, with around 300 participating players. The second one took place in Tokyo on January 27th, 2002, with a much higher turnout of around 900 players.

Reception
Famitsu magazine gave Magical Vacation a score of 35/40 on release.

Sword of Mana


Sword of Mana is a 2003 action RPG codeveloped by Square Enix and Brownie Brown for the Game Boy Advance, and is the fifth release in the Seiken Densetsu series. Shinichi Kameoka was involved with this game as its character designer. In the heroine's route, she visits a boy in the town of Topple and offers to help him find his missing book. By retrieving the book and returning it to the boy, he will reveal that it is titled Magical Vacation.

"Wow! Thanks a lot! Sweet! My book! It's a weird story called "Magical Vacation." Kids at a magic school do all sorts of stuff! They beat up enemies with fire, lightning, poison and stuff! Bam! Pow! BOOM! Giant acorns!"

Super Smash Bros.
Characters from Magical Vacation appear in the Super Smash Bros. series as collectibles. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Latte (as Mokka), a traveling putty, and a pyrite appear as trophies. Additionally, the male and female heroes, Kirsche (spelled as Kirsh), an HP pot, a sparrow, and a traveling putty can be collected as stat-buffing stickers.

Egglia: Legend of the Redcap


Egglia: Legend of the Redcap is a role-playing simulation game developed by Brownies for iOS and Android devices. It was released in Japan on April 30th, 2017, but its servers were shut down on August 30th, 2018, with the game subsequently being retitled to Egglia: Offline. In February of 2022, Brownies released an enhanced port of the game for the Nintendo Switch, naming it Egglia Rebirth.

Many elements of Egglia can be considered direct callbacks to Magical Vacation, and even Shinichi Kameoka's history with game production as a whole. Some notable examples of these callbacks include, but are not limited to; a baby Pooka Enigma, a wolks with pants for a hat, and recruitable elemental spirits.