Remember long ago, when Nintendo said that they would never release mobile smartphone games? Oh yes, those were good times, weren't they?
Yet here we are, with four games based off of previous Nintendo IPs: Miitomo (discontinued May 2018), Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
Today, we're here to talk about a Nintendo game that has nothing to do with a previous IP: Dragalia Lost. It's a new game that's been developed with Cygames, and it's an action RPG with heavy anime influences. Now that it's available in more regions, like Canada, and the UK, you may be wondering more about it.
If that sounds right up your alley, then it's definitely worth checking out, especially since it's coming from Nintendo. We also have some beginner's tips for you, so let's get started!
- Master those controls for movement and combat
- Make use of your Dragon forms
- Understand your foes
- Learn the elements
- Upgrade your own characters
- Summon new allies
- Log in daily
- Check your Endeavors for useful rewards
Master those controls for movement and combat
Even though Dragalia Lost is an action RPG, Nintendo designed it with mobile in mind.
To move, all you need to do is drag your finger around anywhere on the screen to move your character around on the overworld. It even tells you that you should start this at the bottom of the screen, so your hand doesn't obstruct your view.
Your team consists of four total party members, but you control one while the AI handles the rest. You can switch characters at any time by tapping on their portrait, or this happens automatically once the character you're controlling falls in battle.
To attack, just tap anywhere on the screen. You'll automatically go towards the nearest enemy, and tapping repeatedly performs combo attacks. Each character also has a special attack that has a gauge to fill up, but once it's ready, these abilities can dish out more damage to foes.
Swiping your thumb twice quickly has your character performing an evasive dodge, which can get you out of sticky situations. Watch out for red target zones, as that indicates where the enemy attacks are going to land.
Make use of your Dragon forms
A big part of the game revolves around you meeting powerful dragons and bonding with them as you form a pact. Doing this allows you to transform into an almighty dragon while in battle, which can definitely turn the tide in your favor.
In order to transform, you need to fill up the gauge first. This is done by collecting those shiny blue crystals from fallen foes. You should have enough crystals by the end of each level, just in time for the boss battles.
Even if your gauge is full, I highly recommend conserving that Dragon form until the boss battle. This is because while you're a dragon, you're invincible and can deal so much more damage than your human form. So save the big guns for when you really need it.
Understand your foes
As mentioned earlier, you'll see red zones appear on the battlefield as you're in battle. Always keep an eye out for these, since that tells you where the enemy's attack is going to land. This telltale sign gives you plenty of time to react, such as running out of the way or dodging it if you can't get out.
Bosses can also enter "Overdrive" mode after taking so much damage. Once they're in this state, they'll end up attacking faster and with more fury than before, making them a dangerous foe.
But similar to your Dragon forms, they remain in Overdrive for a limited time. Once that time runs out, they revert back into a "Break" state, where they're somewhat dormant, giving you ample time to pile on many attacks. This is a perfect time to turn into a Dragon and finish them off.
Learn the elements
Like most other mobile RPGs, there's an elemental system in place for Dragalia Lost. You can tell the element of your party members by the icon next to their stats. This determines how much damage that character can do to enemies, as well as how much damage they'll take from foes, all depending on what they're up against.
In Dragalia Lost, there are five elements: Water, Fire, Wind, Light, and Dark. Water beats Fire, Fire beats Wind, and Wind beats Water. Light and Dark are polar opposites of each other, so they're only strong against one another.
If you fail a level, it may be due to the elements of your heroes. Double check what you're up against, and make adjustments to your team accordingly.
Upgrade your own characters
You know the drill—the more you use your characters, the more experience points they gain from battle. This is the most straightforward way to make your characters stronger in Dragalia Lost, so make sure to take your favorites with you often.
Other ways to upgrade characters involve giving them medals or just equipping specific weapon types on them. The equipment comes later, as you venture out and explore the land for chests and other treasure-holding objects. A Blacksmith becomes available at some point in the game, but of course, you won't get access to it right away—you'll need to earn your way there.
Each character also has a specific weapon type that they can use. For example, magic users need staves and rods that benefit their magical attacks, and warriors need swords and other melee weapons.
Mana is also an important resource to collect in the game. With Mana, you'll unlock nodes on each character's mana circle, which can boost individual stats like HP or damage output, have them gain new skills, or even opening up new chapters in the story relating to them.
Another way to upgrade characters is through Wyrmprints. Every character has their own Wyrmprint that tells them about their history with dragons. These objects have magical properties that can boost character stats or grant them unique effects to help them out in battle. Wyrmprints can also be leveled up with Holy Water, becoming even more potent.
Summon new allies
As you play, you'll earn Wyrmite and Diamantium throughout as rewards, or you can purchase these premium currencies through in-app purchases. They're important to have around though since this is what gets you the new heroes to add to your team.
Through Dragalia Lost's Summoning feature, you can spend Wyrmite or Diamantium to purchase new Adventurers, Dragons, and even Wyrmprints. However, like most other mobile RPGs, your summon is always going to be randomly determined by appearance rates.
The game is fairly generous in the beginning and you start out with a handful of Wyrmite, so naturally, you'll want to spend it right away. But keep in mind that you should check the Showcase for newly added characters, as well as the Appearance Rate chart, to get an idea of your odds of pulling an Adventurer or Dragon that you want.
If you have enough Wyrmite, you should also consider doing Tenfold Summons, which guarantee at least one 4-star or higher level summon.
Log in daily
Speaking of things like Wyrmite and Diamantium, you'll want to check in to the game daily. It's the easiest way to earn free loot, including Wyrmite and Diamantium.
You also get a free daily item summon in the shop every day. Take advantage of this, because you're bound to get some useful items that help your adventurers get stronger.
Check your Endeavors for useful rewards too
In Dragalia Lost, Endeavors are like goals that you want to strive for. Completing them earns you valuable rewards, such as gold, Mana, Wyrmite, upgrade materials, and much more.
You'll want to check it often to know what kind of actions you'll need to do in order to obtain these rewards. The game does let you know when you've completed some Endeavors, and you can collect multiple rewards at once so it's less tedious. After all, there are a lot of endeavors to do.
Show those baddies what you've got!
There's a lot of content to go through in Dragalia Lost, as it's a nice and lengthy social RPG from Nintendo. This guide is just to help you get started in the game, but believe me, there's plenty more to cover! Since the game just came out, we're going to dive further into the world of Dragalia Lost for more tips and tricks for you guys, so stay tuned!
