Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King - Gameplay

Gameplay

My Life as a King is a fantasy city-building simulator in which the player creates a kingdom from the ground up. Starting with a barren town consisting of a lone castle and a large power crystal, by using the crystal's power the player can magically place a variety of buildings to populate the settlement and draw in residents. The game makes limited use of the Wiimote's motion-sensing abilities and can be played one handed. Each "day" lasts approximately 10 minutes (depending on kingdom morale) and players are given an increasing amount of options and as to what to do that day as the game progresses.

To continue using the crystal to build up the settlement, the player must accumulate elementite which must be obtained from the dungeons and caves that surround the town. Instead of actually gathering the crystals first hand, the game prompts the player to recruit young citizens to do so. These "adventurers" are paid via taxes the player collects from the residents of the town, as well as from treasures found during their quest. The player can follow their progress by reading message boards placed around town, as well as by talking to their penguin assistant, Pavlov.

The player must also tend to the needs of their residents by building amenities such as a bakery to increase their happiness, or a weapons shop to better equip their adventurers. As the game advances and the number of quests increases for the player, their adventurers will be able to gain experience and new aspiring adventurers will also appear, asking to be recruited. Players are also rewarded for repeatedly talking to their citizens.

My Life as a King also includes a New Game Plus feature, available upon completion of the storyline. It offers higher difficulties for subsequent playthroughs which retain the adventurers, with their statistics and equipment, from the previous playthrough.