Magical Vacation: 5 Hoshi ga Narabu Toki is the latest RPG from Japanese developer Brownie Brown, the company behind Mother 3 (also known as Earthbound) and Seiken no Densetsu (Secret of Mana). It’s been over 4 years since the first Magical Vacation game was released for the GBA in Japan back in 2001 and it was a great success. With DS in hand we're set to go off on another magical adventure.

The story once again, begins in the Magical Academy of Will-o-Wisp where a group of student mages await their teacher for class. She's running late and the students aren’t surprised. Soon, the teacher Madeline arrives in a rush, apologizing for being late and class begins. After class some of the students follow her to the headmaster’s office thinking that she is in trouble, but it turns out he was actually planning to send her off to another planet!

To the people of Kovamaka, planets existing outside of their own planet were believed to be a legend. Curious to know more, the students burst into Headmaster Dragee’s office, swarming over their teacher Madeline. Madeline assures them everything was all right and for the next few months she disappears from the academy. Worried that their teacher was in trouble, her students go off to search for the rumoured spaceships that are hidden on the academy grounds.
Graphics:
As with the previous game, the graphics are all rendered beautifully and detailed in 2D. However, thanks to the DS’ LCD screen, they look much sharper and vibrant than before. Evidently, a lot of attention has been paid to detail as you can see little wires trailing from machines, tiny tools scattered on floors and shelves, flickering candles, small little dents on surfaces and even screws!

Environments very as you visit the different planets. You’ll notice how different each new area is in appearance and culture such as the cool blue Planet of Water with its seashell shaped houses and otter residents. Then there is the lush green Planet of Wood filled with its thick dangerous jungles and its cat-like residents living in wooden huts while, another tribe living on the same planet, the Salamanders live underground in their simple brown little holes.