Bahamut Lagoon

Bahamut Lagoon combines traditional role-playing mechanics with turn-based, squad-based strategy combat. Characters gain experience, equip weapons and items, develop stats, and use class-specific abilities that consume MP or SP.

Grid-Based Battles

Combat takes place on a 2D grid. Characters are arranged into parties of four, with up to six parties available to the player. Parties take alternating turns, moving and attacking once per turn.

• Distant combat: Uses abilities such as elemental attacks and healing from a distance. Effects can vary in range and area, and environmental features such as forests and ice can be changed by fire or ice attacks.
• Close-up combat: Allows individual units in adjacent opposing parties to attack, use items or abilities, or defend.

Dragons

Each party is accompanied by a dragon that has its own statistics and experience. Dragons act autonomously in battle and can provide a major source of a party's strength. If a dragon is defeated, that party loses access to special attacks and class-specific abilities for the rest of the map.

Outside battle, dragons can be raised by feeding them items. Their growth can improve their statistics, influence their behavior, and lead to new forms.

Exploration and Party Management

Between battles, players can explore limited areas, speak with people, and visit shops. Characters, party formations, and assigned dragons can be changed as needed.

Originally released for the Super Famicom on February 9, 1996, Bahamut Lagoon was developed and published by Squaresoft. It is also listed for Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii, and Wii U.