Yaoxi Dao (China)

Whether you’re playing Yaoxi Dao for the first time or revisiting this retro GBA gem, these tips and walkthrough hints will help you get the best experience. First, master the basic GBA controls: use the D-pad to move your character across the overworld and in menus, press the A button to confirm selections and talk to NPCs, press B to cancel and exit menus, and use L and R shoulder buttons to quickly swap between equipped items and skills during combat. Early game, your first priority after leaving your starting village is to grind 2 levels fighting wild wolves just outside the village gates before heading to the Yaoxi Mountain entrance. This will give you enough HP and attack damage to beat the first boss, the forest wild boar, without wasting all your healing herbs. When you reach the first cave system, take the hidden lower path at the second intersection to find a secret chest that contains the Jade Attack Amulet, which gives you a 15% damage boost that lasts through the entire game. For the final boss, the corrupted mountain demon, make sure you reach level 7 before confronting him, stock at least 5 healing herbs, and prioritize using your healing skill every other turn to avoid being one-shot by his heavy attack. One of the best-kept secrets of Yaoxi Dao is its hidden true ending: collect three scattered jade pendant fragments from three optional side quests given by NPCs in the three villages you visit. Turning all three fragments in to the elder at the starting village unlocks the true ending with an extended cutscene and extra lore that you won’t see in the default ending. Always remember to save your progress at the village altar save points—there is no auto-save in the game, so you’ll lose all progress if you close the game without saving manually.