The Magic of Scheherazade/Getting Started

Action mode

 * : Use the direction pad to guide the player across the screen. You can walk in any one of the four cardinal directions.
 * : The A button is primarily used to cast spells, but it can also be assigned as a jump button. If set to a spell, every press of the A button will cast that spell, provided you have enough magic points to cast it.  If set to jump, press the A button to jump in the air.  You can jump in any one of four directions.
 * : The B button is primarily used to operate items in your inventory. However, it too may be set for jumping, and it may also be set for speaking.  You you wish to speak to villagers, be sure to set B to Speak before walking up to them and pressing B.
 * : Press the Start button to pause the game and call up the operation assignment screen. On the operation assignment screen, you can choose which commands to assign to the A and B buttons.  When you are finished, press Start to return to the game.
 * : Press the Select button to pause the game and call up the status subscreen. On the status subscreen, you can see which characters have joined your team, which spells you have learned, and which items you possess.  If you purchased a map, you can also see a rough layout of the final dungeon for each chapter.

Command mode

 * : Use the direction pad to move the cursor through the different menu selections
 * : Press the A button to select the command currently indicated by the cursor. The A button is also used to advance the text during the battle.
 * : Press the B button to cancel a selected command.

Player
Throughout the game, you are in control of this Arabian character, descendant of the great magician Isfa. To complete the game, you must successfully accomplish all of the tasks laid out for you in five chapters which occur in five different lands. At the end of each chapter, you must invade a final fortress and defeat the boss creature of that land.

At the beginning of the game, and then whenever you have the opportunity to visit a mosque in particular towns, you can choose one of three particular classes for your character, either a Fighter, a Saint, or a Magician. Each class has it's strengths and weaknesses, and you must wisely choose the best class for each situation.

Your character has a set number of hit points and magic points. The maximum values for these are predetermined by your character's level. Your level can be increase by defeating enemies and earning experience points. When the right number of experience points have been earned, your character will rise in level, and several of his attributes will increase. He may even learn a new spell, or increase his fighting ability with one of the two primary weapons. See the Level progression chart below. Each chapter has a minimum and maximum level. You may not advance beyond any given chapter's maximum level cap. However, if you begin a new chapter at a lower level than the minimum, you will automatically advance to the minimum level at the start of the chapter.

You character also has a set number of lives. You start each game with two lives, whether you are starting from the beginning, or continuing with a password. You will lose one life if you allow your hit points to reach zero, or if you fall in the water. Once all of your lives are depleted, the game is over.

Class selection
At the beginning of the game, you are asked to choose from three different classes. Throughout the game, you have the opportunity to change your class at any time by visiting a mosque in a town, and paying a donation of 100 Rupias. The class you select determines your offensive and defensive capabilities.
 * Fighter: A fighter's primary weapon is the sword. In his hands, the sword is far more effective and has twice the range of any other character.  In addition, enemy projectiles can be reflected away with a properly timed swing of the sword.  His ability to use rods is comparatively weak, and he can't use shields.
 * Saint: The saint is not a very offensive class, but rather a defensive class. Swords and rods are always their least effective in a saint's hands, but the saint can make use of the shield, which increases defensive power and automatically reflects projectiles.
 * Magician: At the beginning of the game, the magician is a weak class to select. However, as you collect more powerful rods, magicians become a force to be reckoned with.  They prefer to fight enemies at a distance by firing off bolts of magic.  By comparison, their sword skills are poor, and they can't use shields.