Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom (SNES)

Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom is a unique scenario where you can buy a drink for the tipsy Ruby Warlock, or practice swimming with Rubberducky.

In this installment, when attempting a Riddle, players enter text in much the same way as in the PC version (although the input method has been simplified here). Meanwhile, interactions with NPCs use the same system as the SNES version of Bane of the Cosmic Forge: speaking to an NPC advances the conversation, and new dialogue events are unlocked by fulfilling specific conditions.

Graphics/Music Test#

After beating the game (denoted by your characters getting an "@" next to their name), after resetting or turning on the SNES hold any button except X, A, L, or R at the copyright screen until the Capcom logo disappears.

Press Up or Down to cycle through the graphics. Press Select to switch from Music to Sound Effects, and press A to listen.

Developer Credits#

A small credit for a programmer is hidden in the Japanese version at 0x4BE:

Written by Keios

Also present in the ROM is this string, which is repeated as filler:

Game Studi Inc.

Regional Differences#

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

Support for Turbo File Devices#

The Japanese version supports saving via the Turbo File Twin (TFII mode only), or a Famicom Turbo File device connected to a special adapter. The latter also allows importing party members from the Famicom titles, though their levels are forcibly reset to 1.

The US version simply removes an RTS opcode from the Turbo File detection routine (called when accessing the Edge of Town, as shown above) to always return as if no devices were connected.

Language Switches#

The Japanese version of the game has language switches for various aspects of the game, which were removed in the US version.

Localisation Changes#

Wizardry V was subject to the typical Nintendo of America censorship, which might come off as even more blatant than usual considering the Japanese version has a full English option.

• Most item and class names of a religious nature are, predictably, renamed.
• The nude angels on the title screen are clothed up.
• The Ruby Wizard on Dungeon Level 2, a very blatant drunk, changed from asking for alcohol to asking for "gifts".
• Female enemies with skimpy clothes are clothed up.

References#