puzzles, and assorted threats of the game in a tag team fashion. Unlike most RPGs, character upgrades and magic spells are mostly acquired upon progressing to certain points in the game, rather than by independent accomplishments(The exceptions are maximum HP and maximum MP, which are increased by finding special items). This is much like the Saturn's first RPG, Virtual Hydlide, with the important difference that weapons and armor in Magic Knight Rayearth are upgraded as part of general level ups and do not exist as distinct gameplay elements. While the anime and manga both have the Magic Knights using color-coordinated swords, in the game only Hikaru uses a sword, while Umi uses a foil and Fuu a bow and arrow. Each of the three weapons has its own advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the bow works long range but requires precise aim, whereas the sword slices with broad strokes that make it easy to hit enemies but is short range only. The need to aim the bow is mostly removed once it is upgraded, since Fuu can then charge the weapon to make it "lock on" to the nearest target. However, unlike the sword and foil, the bow's attack power does not increase when it is charged up. Development Magic Knight Rayearth is based on the manga by Clamp of the same name. The game was one of 12 Sega Saturn games announced when the system was first unveiled at the June 1994 Tokyo Toy Show. Localization The localization of the game was handled by Working Designs. In an interview published in June 1996, the company said that the game was one of the biggest localization projects the company had ever undertaken. They pointed to the audio and dubbing alone taking up to several months alone to complete, and the game being heavily in text as reasons for why the project was so big. At the time, they said they were aiming for a late summer 1996 release date. The North American release was originally slated for July 1996, but was delayed more than two years. As noted in the instruction booklet, Working Designs' opening animation would have mimicked the Japanese version of the game (gems morphing into the logo) but once Working Designs "were made aware of a logo created for the English Rayearth" by Media Blasters, they decided to change the opening to incorporate the new logo. As