The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road Play Online

Summary

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road (sometimes just called Beyond the Yellow Brick Road) turns the classic Oz tale into a DS‑only touch‑screen RPG. I love how the stylus becomes a green trackball on the bottom screen, letting you guide Dorothy through the Land of Oz with a simple swipe. Battles unfold in a first‑person view that feels like a handheld Dragon Quest, and every encounter is driven by a quirky slot system: each turn you have four slots, Dorothy and the Scarecrow each consume one, the Lion takes two, and the Tin Man uses three, forcing you to decide who attacks and who stays safe.

Spells don’t trickle down from leveling; you must hunt down the dragon masters to earn new abilities, while elemental spirits act as keys to hidden doors and treasure, a mechanic that echoes the Tools system from Wild Arms. Each companion also has a natural enemy type—Dorothy excels against ghosts, the Lion against beasts—adding another layer of strategy.

The game was crafted by Media.Vision, the studio behind Wild Arms, with veteran designer Tetsuya Okubo producing and Nobuo Nakazawa directing. Its Japanese title, RIZ‑ZOAWD, is a playful anagram of “Wizard” and “Oz,” reflecting the developers’ love of quirky wordplay. The original Japanese release even bundled a limited‑edition CD featuring six tracks composed by Michiko Naruke and performed by Kaori Asoh, adding a melodic touch to the adventure.

Storyline

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road follows Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto as they are drawn into Oz by a tornado and tasked by the Wizard to defeat four witches. Completing this quest is the only way to have the Wizard grant each companion’s wish, including Dorothy’s hope of returning home.

Each witch—Flora the Spring Witch, Delphi the Summer Witch, Holly the Autumn Witch, and Protea the Winter Witch—guards magical eggs: three in the spring, summer, and fall levels and one in the winter level, for a total of ten. Collecting all the eggs triggers Oz’s betrayal, forcing the party to travel the Yellow Brick Road toward Oz Castle.

In the castle the group—Dorothy, Scarecrow, the mute Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion—must battle Oz, who serves as both healer and merchant, to find the single exit and finally defeat him.

Edited by Maya Carter