Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure/Gameplay

Version Differences
The PlayStation and DS versions of this game have some significant differences. The most noticeable of these is the battle system. The PlayStation version uses a simplified strategy/tactical style battle system, where characters are moved around the screen to get into position to attack. The DS version uses a more standard RPG style battle system, where the characters are lined up on either side of the screen and attack each other.

PlayStation
Battles in this version are fought in a fashion similar to tactical or strategy RPGs. However, most battles tend to last only a few minutes at most, and require little in the way of tactics (with the exception of some boss battles).

Cornet does very little of the fighting, and Kururu does not participate in battles at all.

Nintendo DS
The DS version does not have a difficulty selection when starting a new game. The choice of Japanese audio is also not available in the North American version, though the songs remain in Japanese (English versions recorded for the original localization were not available due to this localization being done by NIS America, rather than Atlus USA).

The battle system has changed dramatically, offering a fairly standard turn-based system similar to most standard RPGs, and similar to those found in the Japanese sequels to the game. Kururu also engages in battles in this version.

Battle System
Cornet gains special abilities by using her horn in battle. A special rewards gauge will fill up each time she uses her horn, allowing her to use special skills as the gauge reaches subsequent levels (up to 5). Each skill is named after a food (sugar candy, flan, cake, pancake in the DS version), and the final skill is named Heart. Each food performs an attack, with each level being more powerful than the last. Heart, though, restores the full SP and HP of every member of Cornet's current battle party.

Each character (and enemy) has an element (thunder, wind, earth, fire, water, dark, holy), and a weakness to the opposing element. Each element has its own set of spells, and using the right combination of characters to gain these spells and exploit the weaknesses in the enemy can make victory easier in some cases.