Digimon Crusader
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| Name | Digimon Crusader  Digital Treasures: Holy Crusaders  Digimon Heroes!
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| System | Smart Phone |
| Release Date |  December 3, 2012 (iOS) July 29, 2013 (Android) October 28, 2014  June 28, 2015 January 27, 2016
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| Language | Japanese Chinese English |
Digimon Crusader (デジモンクルセイダー, Dejimon Kuruseidā) is a video game.
It was a free-to-play card RPG developed and published by Bandai Namco Games for smartphones. The Japanese iOS version was released on December 3, 2012, followed by an Android version on July 29, 2013.
It serves as a continuation of Digimon Jintrix, and the game combines card collection and raising with a match-three battle system. Players form teams of Digimon cards and command them by selecting combinations of colored cards. It also introduced Aegiomon and its evolutions, the five forms of Aegiochusmon and Jupitermon, as well as Plutomon and Cerberumon: Werewolf Mode.
The Japanese service ended on November 26, 2014. Localized versions were subsequently released in Asian territories under the title Digital Treasures: Holy Crusaders, while an altered worldwide version titled Digimon Heroes! was released in January 2016.
Story[edit]
The Digital World is plunged into an unprecedented conflict when Yggdrasill, the host computer responsible for maintaining its order, suddenly disappears. In the absence of its rule, Digimon throughout the world begin fighting to gain power and become the "Next Ruler of the Digital World". To restore the proper course of events, Angewomon summons Tamers from the Real World who possess the ability to command Digimon cards.
Far from the fighting, Aegiomon lives peacefully in a forest alongside its friends. This peace ends when Titamon and its army of Orgemon invade the forest. Drawn into the wider conflict, Aegiomon enters the battlefield and begins a journey that will determine both its own fate and the future of the Digital World.
During its journey, Aegiomon acquires the ability to evolve into five forms of Aegiochusmon, each embodying a different power. It ultimately evolves into Jupitermon. Its adversaries include Titamon and Plutomon, the latter of whom is preceded by Cerberumon and Cerberumon: Werewolf Mode.
Gameplay[edit]
Digimon Crusader is a card-based RPG in which the player assembles a party of Digimon and progresses through a series of dungeons and quests. Battles are controlled by selecting groups of cards from a hand displayed at the bottom of the screen. Clearing a level rewards the player with Bits, experience, items, and any Digitama or other materials dropped by defeated Digimon.
Digimon cards[edit]
Each Digimon is represented by a card with its own level, rarity, statistics, cost, Leader Skill and, where applicable, an active Skill. The total cost of the Digimon assigned to a party cannot exceed the player's available capacity.
Cards are divided into five principal elemental colors:
- Red: Primarily associated with Dragon- and reptile-like Digimon, such as Greymon and V-mon.
- Blue: Primarily associated with Machine- and knight-like Digimon, such as Hagurumon and Craniummon.
- Green: Primarily associated with Plant-, Insect- and Beast-like Digimon, such as Lilimon, Kuwagamon and Unimon.
- Yellow: Primarily associated with Holy Digimon, such as Angewomon.
- Purple: Primarily associated with Virus-attribute and demon-themed Digimon, such as Devimon and Vamdemon.
Two additional card types have distinct effects during battle:
- Vaccine cards restore the player's HP rather than causing a Digimon to attack.
- Wild Cards can substitute for any of the five elemental colors. Selecting three Wild Cards activates a Wild Attack, causing the entire party to attack with a guaranteed critical-hit bonus.
A card's elemental color is a gameplay classification and does not necessarily correspond to the Digimon's Vaccine, Data, Virus or Free attribute.
Party formation[edit]
The player forms a party from the Digimon in their collection and designates one as its leader. The leader's passive ability applies to the party when its activation conditions are fulfilled. Since cards of every color can appear during battle, forming a party containing four or five different colors allows the player to take advantage of a greater proportion of the available combinations.
Upon entering a dungeon, the player selects another Tamer as a Partner. That player's leader Digimon temporarily joins the party for one level and may provide an additional Leader Skill. Befriending and assisting other players also awards points that can be used to obtain more Digimon.
Battle Mode[edit]
Dungeons generally consist of approximately three consecutive levels. At the beginning of a turn, the player is presented with ten randomly selected cards, usually including at least one valid set of three. Each card has a color and a numerical value representing its power; higher values produce more powerful attacks.
The player selects three cards of the same color. Every Digimon in the party whose color matches the selected cards then attacks a random opponent, with the values of the cards influencing the resulting damage. The player may also designate a specific enemy as the primary target.
Above the player's hand, the "NEXT" display previews the cards that will replace those selected. As each card is removed, the corresponding upcoming card enters the hand. Up to four forthcoming cards can be previewed, allowing the player to plan combinations involving both the current hand and the cards that will subsequently appear.
Chains[edit]
After the first three cards are selected, the game automatically searches for another valid set of three and, if one is available, begins a Chain. Further valid combinations continue the Chain, allowing multiple Digimon to attack during the same turn.
Wild Cards substitute for whichever color permits a Chain to continue. If no valid set of three can be formed using a Wild Card, the Chain ends. Selecting three Wild Cards together instead activates a Wild Attack.
If only one card remains after a sequence of Chains, a Finely occurs. The game automatically deals nine new cards and continues the Chain until no further combination can be formed.
Enemies that survive the player's action subsequently attack according to their individual turn countdowns. A level is cleared once all opposing Digimon have been defeated.
Digimon Power-Up[edit]
Digimon obtained through dungeons and other activities can be consumed as Level Up material to strengthen another card. The player selects the Digimon to be raised and then assigns up to five other Digimon as materials. The process costs Bits, with the required amount increasing as the target Digimon's level rises.
Using cards of a suitable color or dedicated strengthening materials provides additional experience. Because the player's card storage is limited, surplus Digimon must either be used as Power-Up materials or sold. The number of Bits obtained by selling a Digimon varies according to its level and rarity.
Once a Digimon reaches its maximum level, it may evolve if the appropriate requirements are fulfilled.
Evolution[edit]
Evolution requires the target Digimon to have reached its maximum level. The player must also possess one or more Digimon of specified colors and levels, a required quantity of Evolution Data corresponding to a particular color and evolutionary level, and enough Bits to complete the process. The Digimon being evolved must first be removed from the active party.
Some Digimon have multiple possible evolutions, each with its own material requirements. For example, evolving a Level 20 Greymon into Metal Greymon requires ten pieces of Red Perfect-level Evolution Data, a Level 8 Red Digimon, a Level 3 Blue Digimon, a Level 3 Purple Digimon, and the specified number of Bits.
Aegiomon has five parallel evolutionary forms corresponding to the game's principal colors:
These forms can ultimately evolve into Jupitermon.
Skills[edit]
Some Digimon possess active Skills that can be used after their Skill gauge has been charged. Their effects include inflicting damage, recovering HP, changing the cards in the player's hand, delaying enemy attacks, or strengthening cards of particular colors.
Leader Skills are passive effects provided by the Digimon assigned as party leader. A Partner Digimon selected before entering a dungeon can provide a second Leader Skill.
Digimon Gacha[edit]
Additional Digimon can be obtained through the Digimon Gacha. Befriending or assisting other players, receiving assists, logging in, and participating in events award points or tickets that can be exchanged for a randomly selected Digimon.
Digimon obtained through the standard point-based Gacha are typically of the Child level, while special event tickets may provide Digimon of higher evolutionary levels or rarities. Limited-time Gacha were regularly introduced alongside events and often featured newly added or exclusive Digimon.
Events[edit]
Limited-time events offered exclusive quests, bosses, rewards and Digimon cards. Event formats included special quest chains, ranking competitions and battles against powerful Digimon. Certain events also contained original story chapters expanding upon the conflict surrounding Aegiomon and the struggle for control of the Digital World.
Development and release[edit]
Digimon Crusader was announced in August 2012 as a free-to-play iOS card battle game scheduled for release that autumn. Its battle system was publicly demonstrated before launch, highlighting the use of matching three cards of the same color and creating consecutive Chains.
The iOS version was released in Japan on December 3, 2012. After it exceeded 300,000 downloads, an Android version was released on July 29, 2013. To commemorate the milestone and the Android launch, Aegiomon was distributed to players on both platforms.
A major renewal was implemented to commemorate the game's first anniversary. It changed the application icon, improved its interface and battle presentation, and introduced a new scenario and additional characters. A campaign accompanying the renewal granted new players increased experience gains.
The Japanese version ceased service on November 26, 2014.
Localized versions[edit]
Digital Treasures: Holy Crusaders[edit]
The game was localized for parts of Asia as Digital Treasures: Holy Crusaders. These releases retained the fundamental card-based gameplay of Digimon Crusader while translating and adapting its content for their respective markets.
The Asian services ended on November 30, 2016.
Digimon Heroes![edit]
A worldwide adaptation titled Digimon Heroes! was released for iOS and Android on January 27, 2016. It retained the basic match-three card battle system and much of the artwork from Digimon Crusader, but altered its interface, progression systems, terminology and available content. It was published and translated by Bandai Romania, and used original names rather than existing localized English names.
Digimon Heroes! featured more than 1,000 Digimon cards and was set primarily on File Island. It included new cards and Digimon that had never existed in the original Japanese version. Its worldwide service ended on December 31, 2017.
Characters[edit]
Allies[edit]
- Angewomon — The player's principal guide, who summons Tamers from the Real World to restore order to the Digital World.
- Aegiomon
Antagonists[edit]
Locations[edit]
Image Gallery[edit]
Trivia[edit]
- According to Digimon Story: Time Stranger chief producer Hara Ryōsuke, that game has no direct narrative connection to Digimon Crusader, although it follows up on some of its lore and worldbuilding.
External Links[edit]
- Digimon Game Portal (JP)
- Official website (JP) (Archive)
- Digivice Medal Collection Gashapon website (JP) (Archive)
- Digimon Crusader opening (YouTube)
- Digimon Heroes! website (EN) (Archive)
