Realm Souls

***Soul Gate*** (ソウルゲート) is a 2014 action role-playing video game developed and published by Burst Arts for the Nintendo Wii U. It is the first game in the series, as well as the result of Burst Arts' collaboration with Nintendo. Basing itself off of Burst Arts' scrapped project, it combines the settings and characters from Nintendo's franchises. It follows Cyrus, Linus, and Sue, three children who were separated from their home world and now fight against evil forces alongside Nintendo characters. A rerelease was made for the Nintendo Switch in June 2017 titled ***Soul Gate Complete Edition***, featuring all DLC content.

## Gameplay

As an action role-playing game, the player controls a party of three characters. The player can controls the main character, while the other two are computer-controlled. Normally a fourth party member, exclusive to a specific world, can join the player in combat.

As in every RPG game, characters gain experience points (EXP) by defeating enemies or unlocking crates. Doing this can help the character grow stronger and upgrade their abilities. Items found during gameplay can also be equipped to further enhance a character's abilities. Characters can combine attacks to create a combo, in which two or more players use their powers on a single enemy at the same time. This is known as a "Soul Combo."

Most of the gameplay occurs on linked field areas where battles take place. Combat in Soul Gate occurs in real time and involves pressing certain buttons to initiate attacks by the on-screen character. An action tree, which links certain commands into each other, provides other combat options such as the use of magic and items, although players can also assign some magic spells that can be used while holding the L or R button. As players progress through the game, they can receive certain Nintendo characters as summons, such as Mr. Game and Watch from the Game & Watch series and Jill from Drill Dozer, each with their own unique abilities.

## Plot

Cyrus, Linus, and Sue are close friends who reside on the serene Fortune County. Cyrus proposed an idea on building an airplane to search for other worlds, as well as help Sue, who claims to not remember their past or where they both came from. But one night, an army of monsters known as Rends invade their home. Before the creatures could destroy the world, Cyrus awakens to the ancient power of the Nexogear, a familiar that is one's soul in weaponized form, and tries to find his friends before he ends up being teleported away as his world falls. Reawakening in Cross City, a haven for those whose worlds fell to these Rends, Cyrus teams up with Luigi and Yoshi, who have received a letter from Mario about multiple worlds disappearing. Meanwhile, Linus falls under the clutches of a group of villains led by Bowser, who plans on using the Rends for their bidding. As for Sue, she would end up in their clutches...

But the paths of these friends will cross once the true mCyrusmind is revealed.

## Characters

Cyrus – One of the three protagonists of the series. Cyrus is a 13-year-old boy who is courageous and fun-loving and is always there to protect his friends. Throughout his travels, he writes his information about people, places, and events in his Game-Book. Using his Nexoear, the Soul Nexus, he fights the Rends and save the souls of other worlds.

Luigi – Mario's younger brother, sidekick, ghostbuster and second hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as one of Cyrus's first partners throughout the series.  Luigi is timid and a bit of a coward. He also worries and is considerably self-conscious. However, he overcomes his fears and acts like a hero when necessary. He thinks that Mario is much cooler than he is, but he adores his brother because of this trait, which is why he joins Cyrus in search of him.

Yoshi – The gluttonous dinosaur friend and loyal steed of Mario, and one of Cyrus's first partners throughout the series. Yoshi is simple-minded but very optimistic, often seeing the bright side of even the worst situations. When he learned that Mario left to find the source of the disappearing worlds, Yoshi decides to go look for him alongside Luigi, which was how they encountered Cyrus in Cross City.

Linus – One of the three protagonists of the game. Linus is a 15-year-old boy who is one of Rook's friends. He sided with Bowser and his Finale Club after he lost his home, as he was motivated by his wish to protect Sue and gain strength on his own. As a result, he is now sent to do errands in other worlds, often aiding the local villains, fighting off the heroes or killing Rends that have grown beyond the Finale Club’s control. He does this with his Nexogear, the Black Tomb.

Sue – One of the three protagonists of the game. Sue is a 13-year-old girl who is also one of Rook's friends. Soft-spoken and polite, she is also witty and a quick learner, above even Linus at times. When she lost her home to the Rends, her soul resides inside of Cyrus while her body has been held captive by the Nintendo villains.

### Antagonists

Finale Club – A group of video game villains led by MCyrus Hand. He supplies them with Anti-Souls and they aid him in plans to locate Gate Spheres and any Pure Soul Maidens that are there. Some of the members here assist Len in their respective worlds.

* Bowser – The ruler of the Koopa Kingdom and nemesis of Mario.
* Giovanni – The leader of Team Rocket. He joined Bowser when the Rends began their attack, and he manipulated a fighter named Brendan to his advantage, but Cyrus's interference results with Giovanni and Bowser going their separate ways. Giovanni planned on using the Rends to claim every Pokémon, only to lose against Cyrus's team.
* Ridley – The leader of a notorious gang of space pirates who has been a thorn on Samus Aran's side.
* Ganondorf – The evil Gerudo king who allied himself with Bowser to rule Hyrule with Anti-Souls while he captures Princess Zelda. During this time, Link was sealed in the Temple of Light for seven years. Ganondorf used the Triforce of Power to transform into Ganon, but he was stopped by Cyrus and his teammates.
* Black Shadow – The cold-blooded criminal and Captain Falcon's adversary.
* King K. Rool – The ruler of the Kremlings, who are the rivals of the Kongs.
* Validar – An evil warlock who plans on resurrecting the fell dragon Grima.

Fault – the main antagonist of the game. Fault is a Rend spirit who is the true leader of the Finale Club. She took it upon herself to train Linus, teaching him how to use dark magic and granting him the Nexogear, Black Tomb. In the final battle, Cyrus, who became an Anti-Soul after sacrificing his humanity to save Sue, links with her and Len to drive Fault out. Although her goal of discovering the Soul Gate was realized, Mario dealt the finishing blow, defeating her for good.

### Misc.

Mario – Known as the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. When he learned of the worlds falling under the Rends' control, he left his world to find the cause, leaving a message to his brother Luigi and friend Yoshi to find the one capable of defeating them all.

## Worlds

Fortune County:

* Cyrus (original) (Protagonist)
* Linus (original) (Protagonist)
* Sue (original) (Protagonist)
* Bartz Judge (Dimension Phasers)
* Marie Tsumono (Dimension Phasers)
* Blaze Higgins (Battle World: Fallen Rule)

Mushroom Kingdom (cutscenes only):

* Luigi (Mario Bros.) (Protagonist)
* Yoshi (Super Mario World) (Protagonist)
* Princess Peach (Super Mario Bros.)
* Princess Daisy (Super Mario Land)
* Toadette (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)
* Toadsworth (Super Mario Sunshine)
* Isabelle (Animal Crossing: New Leaf)

Cross City:

* Luka Kohler (Dimension Phasers)
* Satsuki Kishimoto (Grand Star Crashers)
* Chie Phillips (Revenger Strike)
* Max Watts (Revenger Strike)
* Tom Nook (Animal Crossing)
* Timmy & Tommy (Animal Crossing)
* Captain Olimar (Pikmin)
* Louie (Pikmin)
* Kraden (Golden Sun)
* Mia (Golden Sun)

Zebes:

* Samus Aran (Metroid) (Companion)
* Mother Brain (Metroid) (Boss)
* Ridley (Metroid)

Pokémon Coliseum:

* Pikachu (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue)
* Professor Oak (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue)
* Red (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue) (Boss)
* Blue (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue)
* Brandon York (Revenger Strike) (Boss)
* Entei (Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal)
* Giovanni (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue)
* Jessie (Pokémon Yellow)
* James (Pokémon Yellow)
* Meowth (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue)
* Mewtwo (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue) (Boss)
* Mew (Pokémon Red/Green/Blue)
* Vile (Revenger Strike: Elite Coliseum) (Secret Boss)
* Deoxys (Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald) (Secret Boss)

Kong Island:

* Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong Country) (Companion)
* Diddy Kong (Donkey Kong Country)
* Dixie Kong (Donkey Kong Country)
* Cranky Kong (Donkey Kong Country)
* Funky Kong (Donkey Kong Country)
* King K. Rool (Donkey Kong Country) (Boss)

Hyrule:

* Link (Legend of Zelda) (Companion)
* Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
* Sheik (Legend of Zelda)
* Impa (Legend of Zelda)
* Rauru (Legend of Zelda)
* Saria (Legend of Zelda)
* Ruto (Legend of Zelda)
* Darunia (Legend of Zelda)
* Nabooru (Legend of Zelda)
* Koume (Legend of Zelda)
* Kotake (Legend of Zelda)
* Twinrova (Legend of Zelda)
* Ganondorf (Legend of Zelda) (Boss)

Tortimer Island:

* Kapp'n (Animal Crossing)
* Leilani (Animal Crossing)
* Leila (Animal Crossing)
* Grams (Animal Crossing)
* Tortimer (Animal Crossing)
* Digby (Animal Crossing)

Mute City:

* Captain Falcon (F-Zero) (Companion)
* Samurai Goroh (F-Zero)
* Pico (F-Zero)
* Jody Summer (F-Zero)
* John Tanaka (F-Zero)
* Mr. Zero (F-Zero)
* Blood Falcon (F-Zero) (Boss)
* Black Shadow (F-Zero) (Boss)

Dreamland:

* Kirby (Companion)
* King Dedede (Kirby's Adventure) (Boss)
* Bandana Dee (Kirby Super Star)
* Meta Knight (Kirby's Adventure) (Boss)
* Javelin Knight (Kirby's Adventure)
* Mace Knight (Kirby's Adventure)
* Axe Knight (Kirby's Adventure)
* Trident Knight (Kirby's Adventure)
* Whispy Woods (Kirby's Dream Land)
* Nightmare (Kirby's Adventure) (Boss)

Ylisse:

* Robin (Fire Emblem Awakening) (Companion)
* Chrom (Fire Emblem Awakening)
* Lucina (Fire Emblem Awakening)
* Frederick (Fire Emblem Awakening)
* Lissa (Fire Emblem Awakening)
* Naga (Fire Emblem Awakening)
* Validar (Fire Emblem Awakening) (Boss)

Spectral Citadel:

* Fox (Star Fox) (Companion)
* Bowser (Super Mario Bros.) (Boss)
* Krystal (Star Fox)
* Zelda (The Legend of Zelda)
* Samus Aran (Metroid)
* Jenna (Golden Sun)
* Lyn (Fire Emblem)
* Peach (Super Mario Bros.)

Finale's Road:

* Master Hand (Super Smash Bros.) (boss)
* Fault (original) (Main Antagonist/Final Boss)

## Summons

* Ness (EarthBound)
* Mr. Game & Watch (Game & Watch)
* Takamaru (The Mysterious Murasame Castle)
* Jill (Drill Dozer)
* Riki (Xenoblade Chronicles)

## Nexogears

* Soul Nexus: Default for Cyrus. An all-rounder in strength, defense, and skills. Capable of learning any elemental skill.
* Chozo Edge: This Nexogear has the speed and flexibility of a bounty hunter. Specializes in Electric and Ranged skills. Unlocked by completing Zebes.
* Banana Slammer: Strong as an ape, but also slow and vulnerable. Uses Earth and Physical skills. Unlocked by completing Kong Island.
* Master Knight: A Nexogear with sturdy armor and the mightiest sword. Specializes in Natura and Physical skills. Unlocked by completing Hyrule.
* Ultraboost: A super-fast and super-strong Nexogear. Adept in Fire and Physical skills. Unlocked by completing Mute City.
* Spring Breeze: A Nexogear as jolly as a certain pink hero. Can use Light, Physical and Ranged skills. Unlocked by completing Dreamland.
* Lucky Raccoon: This Nexogear can help locate items. Only uses Natura skills. Can be found in the chest in Tom Nook's shop.
* Dragon Emblem: Powerful and mighty as the divine dragons. Utilizes Wind and Natura skills. Unlocked by completing Ylisse.
* Blackjackal: From a long time ago, this Nexogear can grant the user high defense and Spirit skills. Unlocked by completing Spectral Citadel and talking to Krystal.
* Skillset: Mastering all 9 skills will grant you this Nexogear. Talk to Kraden to obtain it.
* Ghost Dog: A Nexogear designed after a long-deceased friend. Performs Spirit and Ranged skills. Unlocked by defeating Luka and Brandon in the Rocket Tourney.
* Swamp Salamander: A Nexogear resembling a water spirit. Specializes in Water skills. Unlocked by defeating Brandon in the Dragon Tourney.
* Monster Champion: Capable of Fire, Water, Natura, and Thunder skills. Unlocked by completing all rounds (excluding the DLC rounds) in Pokémon Coliseum.
* Morph Module: Greatly enhanced Ranged skills. Unlocked by defeating Deoxys in the Ultra Rounds.
* Infinity: Has little power, but sometimes deals extremely powerful critical hits. Unlocked by defeating Vile in the Power Rounds.
* Black Tomb: The Nexogear Linus uses bestowed upon him by Bowser.
* Paradise: A Nexogear as golden as the sun. Master of Fire and Light skills. Unlocked after saving Sue.
* Paradox: A Nexogear that shines silver like the moon. Capable of Water and Dark skills. Its cartridge is found somewhere in the room where you fight Linus.
* Mythos Machine: The legendary Nexogear! Every stat is at maximum. The result of crafting with all 30 special materials.

## Paradox Tower

*Soul Gate: Paradox Tower* is a Campaign mode that acts as an extension to the original game's story. Released as DLC content in February 2016 before being included in *Soul Gate Complete Edition* for the Nintendo Switch in June 2017.

### Plot

A meeting is held among fourteen individuals wearing masks: the League that Fault mentioned in the final battle with Cyrus. The League's headmaster laments the fact that Fault has been destroyed, causing a major setback for their plans. Yet the headmaster is barely disturbed, as he already has a plan in place for moving forward. The first part of the plan is to capture the Nexogear user, Cyrus, and Fault's apprentice, Linus. The headmaster commands two groups of four of the League to apprehend them respectively, using whatever methods they wish to accomplish their goal.

After the defeat of Fault, Cyrus and his friends were able to close the Soul Gate, causing all the worlds return to normal. Meanwhile, Cyrus once again separates from Sue, leaving him with Luigi and Yoshi as they continue to find Mario. As they do, a man in a mask encounters them, beckoning the trio to a mysterious tower, the Paradox Tower. The masked man reappears as they enter the tower and states that in order to ascend the tower, Cyrus has to use the "mementos of his friends," which turn out to be the cartridges he uses for his Nexogear, and visit the memories of the worlds they represent.

Meanwhile, Linus awakens in the hidden basement of Paradox Tower, having been separated from Mario after an ambush by one of the League. Trapped inside of a cryogenic tube, he tries to free himself until Fault, whose soul now rests within Linus, helps him out by using her dark powers, much to his dismay. Now with the help of Fault, Linus fights his way up Paradox Tower, venturing through the worlds Cyrus has created.

### Characters

The League – a group of Voids, powerful Rends with masks who seek to discover the mysteries that lie within the soul and use the power of Realm Souls to become complete humans again. Each member is numbered in the order in which they joined and has the letter “Z” replacing another letter somewhere in their name, with some of their names being an anagram of their name before their lives as Voids.

* Kiza, #08: A foul-mouthed Void known as the "Sentient Blade" for how she uses her saws. She acts as a double agent under orders to dispatch the traitorous members at Paradox Tower.
* Nyzl, #09: A cute yet bratty Void whose otherwise graceful dancing gave her the title the "Dancer of Predator Greens." She was chosen by her master to aid Zyakuya in the Silent Dimension.
* Sazcu, #12: A stoic Void who can manipulate light to faze his enemies. He was given the nickname "Lethal Flash" as his light abilities are reminiscent to that of a camera.
* Zott, #10: A rotund Void who is known for his rank as the "Judge of Destiny." He is the steward of Paradox Tower, leading the heroes there in hopes of them being silenced forever.
* Velez, #05: a sadistic Void who is known as the "Nurse of Death." She is one of the Voids sent to capture Linus, but she uses her battle against him as a means to record data for another member of the League.
* Zyat, #06: A laid-back Void nicknamed the "Breakthrough Engineer" for his immediate invention of weapons. While he may not be combat-experienced as others, he can create illusions.
* Chadirz, #03: A muscular Void whose strength lead him to earning the title "Brutish Grappler." The strongest of the League, his weapons are "Ogre Gloves", large combatant gloves capable of shattering solid material.
* #13: A master shapeshifter the League managed to include as a member. Thanks to Velez's data, it takes the form of Linus and terrorizes him at almost every world.