Summon Night
Encyclopedia
is a series of RPGs The series is developed by Flight-Plan
, published by Banpresto
and with character design by Izuka Takeshi
, spanning many different systems including the PlayStation
, PlayStation 2
, Game Boy Advance
and its latest game on the Nintendo DS
. A popular series in Japan
, the series has never officially been brought to the United States
until the release of Summon Night: Swordcraft Story for the GBA on July 26, 2006, much like another Banpresto series—Super Robot Wars
. Its popularity in Japan has also spawned novels and drama CDs.
setting. Lyndbaum is surrounded by four other worlds: Loreilal, the land from where mechanical creatures come; Silturn, the land of yokai
; Sapureth, where angels and demons live; and Maetropa, from where half-humans, magical beasts, fairies and other mythical creatures hail. Besides those four there are also countless other worlds, including our world (the "real" world) where the main characters of the first game are transported from.
Certain boundaries separate the worlds from each other, making the various summoning techniques the only way to transport things between them.
. They take place on the same world and in the same continuity, but the stories don't have much connection.
The following games are action-RPGs in the style of Ys or Seiken Densetsu
.
The following three games are action-RPGs with battles in the style of the Tales
series.
The following game is a RPG with turn-based battles in the style of the Final Fantasy
series.
Flight-Plan
was a Japanese video game developer perhaps best known for the Summon Night series of role-playing games published by Banpresto. Founded in 1989, Flight-Plan began by developing the Black/Matrix series of tactical role-playing games, published by NEC Interchannel in Japan...
, published by Banpresto
Banpresto
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for...
and with character design by Izuka Takeshi
Kohaku Kuroboshi
, also known as , is a Japanese illustrator and character designer. He is from Kanagawa Prefecture and currently lives in Fukuoka Prefecture. He is probably best known for his frequent collaborations with writer Keiichi Sigsawa as the illustrator/character designer for the Kino's Journey and...
, spanning many different systems including the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
and its latest game on the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
. A popular series in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the series has never officially been brought to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
until the release of Summon Night: Swordcraft Story for the GBA on July 26, 2006, much like another Banpresto series—Super Robot Wars
Super Robot Wars
is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
. Its popularity in Japan has also spawned novels and drama CDs.
The World
All of the Summon Night games takes place in Lyndbaum, a world similar to medieval Europe with the inclusion of modern factories and railroads, placing Summon Nights in a steampunkSteampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
setting. Lyndbaum is surrounded by four other worlds: Loreilal, the land from where mechanical creatures come; Silturn, the land of yokai
Yokai
are a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
; Sapureth, where angels and demons live; and Maetropa, from where half-humans, magical beasts, fairies and other mythical creatures hail. Besides those four there are also countless other worlds, including our world (the "real" world) where the main characters of the first game are transported from.
Certain boundaries separate the worlds from each other, making the various summoning techniques the only way to transport things between them.
Games
The games from the main series are all strategy RPGsTactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
. They take place on the same world and in the same continuity, but the stories don't have much connection.
- Summon Night (January 6, 2000)
Released for the PlayStation/remade for Nintendo DS.
- Summon Night 2 (August 2, 2001)
Released for the PlayStation/remade for Nintendo DS.
- Summon Night 3 (August 7, 2003)
Released for the PlayStation 2.
- Summon Night 4 (November 30, 2006)
Released for the PlayStation 2.
The following games are action-RPGs in the style of Ys or Seiken Densetsu
Final Fantasy Adventure
Final Fantasy Adventure, known as Mystic Quest in Europe and as in Japan, is a Final Fantasy spinoff and the first game in the Mana series. Published by Square in 1991 on the original Game Boy, it later saw a North American re-release by Sunsoft in April 1998...
.
- Summon Night EX-Thesis: Yoake no Tsubasa (August 4, 2005)
Released for the PlayStation 2.
- Summon Night Twin Age: Seireitachi no Kyoumei (Koe)Summon Night: Twin AgeSummon Night: Twin Age is an action role-playing game in the Summon Night series for the Nintendo DS. The game is developed by Flight-Plan and published by Atlus...
(August 30, 2007; USA: July 3, 2008)
Released for the Nintendo DS, translated and published by AtlusAtlusis a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
in the USA as Summon Night: Twin Age.
- Summon Night Gran-These: Horobi no Tsurugi to Yakusoku no Kishi (March 23, 2010)
Released for the Playstation 2.
The following three games are action-RPGs with battles in the style of the Tales
Tales (role-playing game series)
The series is a franchise of fantasy console role-playing games published by Namco Bandai Games , and primarily developed by its subsidiary, Namco Tales Studio. Created in 1994, the series now spans over twelve flagship titles, over fifteen side games, and four animated productions, into several...
series.
- Summon Night: Swordcraft StorySummon Night: Swordcraft Storyis an action role-playing game by Banpresto for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system. It is part of the Summon Night series of games. Atlus handled the English translation of the game.-Story:...
(Japan: April 25, 2003; USA: July 26, 2006)
Released for the Game Boy Advance, translated and published by AtlusAtlusis a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
in the USA.
- Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2is an action role-playing game by Banpresto for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system. It is part of the Summon Night series of games and the sequel to Summon Night: Swordcraft Story. Atlus handled the English translation of the game.-Field:...
(Japan: August 20, 2004; USA: October 17, 2006)
Released for the Game Boy Advance; also translated and published by Atlus.
- Summon Night Craft Sword Monogatari: Hajimari no IshiSummon Night Craft Sword Monogatari: Hajimari no Ishiis an action role-playing game by Banpresto for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system. Atlus USA, publisher of the first two Summon Night Game Boy Advance in North America, did not announce any plans of localizing the title...
(August 12, 2005)
Released for the Game Boy Advance.
The following game is a RPG with turn-based battles in the style of the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series.
- Summon Night X: Tears CrownSummon Night X: Tears Crownis a fantasy role-playing game in the Summon Night series for the Nintendo DS. It is developed by Flight-Plan and Think & Feel and is published by Namco Bandai in Japan on November 5....
(November 5, 2009)
External links
- Summon Night Series Official Site (Japanese)
- Flight-Plan Official Site (Japanese)
- Hardcore Gaming 101 - Summon Night