![Breath of Fire - Ryuu no Senshi [Model SHVC-BF-JPN] screenshot](images/game/61112_2.png "Breath of Fire - Ryuu no Senshi [Model SHVC-BF-JPN]")
ăăŹăčăȘăăăĄă€ăą ïœç«ăźæŠćŁ«ïœ © 1993 Capcom Company, Limited.
(Breath of Fire - Ryuu no Senshi)
Breath of Fire is a deep role-playing game designed to test the adventuring skills of even the most experienced gamer. Breath of Fire has an automatic battle command fighting system and some of the best spells effects ever seen on a 16-bit system. For example, the Hero can learn to transform into nine different types of dragons, and the Thief can create super-characters by fusing different party members together.
Like any great RPG, Breath of Fire has an intriguing storyline. An evil sorceress brings two competing dragon clans under her diabolical spell. Capable of transforming themselves into savage monsters with awesome powers of destruction, the clan members are bent on destroying the world. A young adventurer and seven warriors are awakened from an eternal slumber to wage war against the shape-changing enemies and save the world.
![Goodies for Breath of Fire - Ryuu no Senshi [Model SHVC-BF-JPN]](images/covermini160/61112_1.jpg)
GAME ID: SHVC-BF-JPN
Released on April 3, 1993 (Saturday) in Japan at a retail price of 9,800 JPY.
Capcomâs RPG Pivot: At the time, Capcom was synonymous with arcade intensity. Breath of Fire was a massive statement of intent, proving they could compete with giants like Enix and Square. The game successfully adopted the standard JRPG tropes of the era while infusing them with the vibrant, expressive art style that Capcomâs arcade artists were famous for.
The Transformation Mechanic: The Dragon transformation is the gameâs defining hook. By spending AP, Ryu can shift into different dragon forms, fundamentally changing the player's combat capabilities. This gave the turn-based battles a dynamic "resource management" element that felt more tactical and impactful than just choosing Attack or "Magic."
Field Abilities: A notable innovation was the unique field ability each party member possessed (such as Ninaâs wings, Karnâs lockpicking, or Gobiâs swimming). This encouraged players to rotate their party composition not just for combat stats, but for exploration, making the world feel like it was designed to be traversed in specific, clever ways.
A "Global" Cultural Mix: While the fantasy setting is standard, the gameâs aesthetic feels like a bridge between the high-fantasy of Dragon Quest and the more "character-driven" action of 90s anime. The diverse character designsâranging from a fish-man to a martial arts-trained moleâgave the game a distinct personality that felt fresh compared to the more "human-centric" parties of other RPGs.
The Fishing Minigame: Breath of Fire was one of the early pioneers of the "relaxing side-activity" in an RPG. The fishing mechanic was surprisingly robust, offering players a break from the high-stakes narrative to hunt for rare items and powerful recovery goods, a feature that would become a staple of the entire series.
Collectorâs Significance: As the inaugural entry in one of Capcomâs most enduring franchises, the original 1993 cartridge is a cornerstone of any Super Famicom RPG collection. It represents the start of a legendary series and captures a unique moment in 16-bit history where the "Arcade King" successfully redefined itself as an RPG developer.
