Grandia: Parallel Trippers
Grandia: Parallel Trippers is a role-playing game developed by Game Arts and published by Hudson Soft for the Game Boy Color in 2000. An alternate-world spin-off of the original Grandia, it follows Japanese schoolboy Yuuhi and his friends Mizuki and Shirou, who are suddenly transported to the world of Grandia. Separated upon arrival, Yuuhi must team up with familiar faces like Feena and Sue to find his classmates, collect three mysterious keys, and uncover the secrets of the White Tower in order to return home.
Game Controls
About This Retro Game
Released exclusively in Japan on December 22, 2000, Grandia: Parallel Trippers was designed by Game Arts as an accessible handheld entry for both series veterans and newcomers. Game Arts president Hirokazu Miyazaki stated the goal was to create a portable RPG that captured the spirit of Grandia while being easy to pick up and play on the go. The game's soundtrack consists of Noriyuki Iwadare's iconic compositions from the original Grandia, expertly downsampled to fit a 32 MB Game Boy Color cartridge.
The game boasts an impressive roster of 29 playable characters, all returning from the original Grandia—from mainstays like Justin, Gadwin, and Rapp to fan-favorite side characters like Milda, Guido, and even Sergeant Saki. Combat utilizes a streamlined version of the series' IP Gauge system, viewed from a first-person perspective. Actions are executed via Synthesis Cards that combine magic, skills, and items into one flexible deck-building mechanic; players can combine cards to unleash special attacks or exploit enemy weaknesses.
Exploration mixes traditional top-down RPG navigation with light platforming elements—Yuuhi can jump over ledges and pits, and his companion Pinky can manipulate distant objects. Character progression is streamlined: leveling up only increases HP, while stat growth comes from equipping accessories, reducing grind across the large cast. In March 2012, fan translation group Adventurous Translations released a full English patch, finally making this hidden gem accessible to Western audiences.
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