The Legend of Dark Witch Episode 3: Wisdom and Lunacy

The Legend of Dark Witch 3: Wisdom and Lunacy (魔神少女 エピソード3 -勇者と愚者-, Majin Shoujo Episode 3: Yūsha to Gusha) is the third mainline game in the Legend of Dark Witch series.

In March 2023, it will be impossible to buy this game following the 3DS eShop closure.

Gameplay
The Legend of Dark Witch 3 focuses on refining the Dark Witch series' gameplay mechanics, removing many features present in The Legend of Dark Witch and The Legend of Dark Witch 2 while modifying others to create a more streamlined game.

Dark Witch 3 does not feature Technical Skills or player-available Revenge Magics. Additionally, the Enhancement Gauge has been simplified to Speed, Wing, and Width, with Width functioning as a combination of the Liner and Power slots in previous games. The Enhancement Gauge is now filled by collecting Syega pieces during gameplay, while Tres merely serves as currency for Papelne's shop.

Story
On the Old Islands (where the first game, The Legend of Dark Witch, takes place), humans and Fae are locked in combat. The Magic Lion Corps, an elite group of magic-wielding humans, poses a significant threat to the Fae. That is, until a sudden betrayal forces Magic Lion Corps member Day to be exiled from the Old Islands and ultimately results in the group being disbanded.

Day, bent on revenge, returns to the Old Islands. Her intentions are noted by Zizou Olympia, who descends upon Folkstone to stop her. Zizou's encounter with Day initially seems routine, but takes a sudden turn when Day activates "Capacity Zero" to drain Zizou of her powers. It is then that Zizou's sister Mati Olympia enters the fray and uses her powers to nullify Capacity Zero, resulting in Day's retreat.

Looking to gain more knowledge of the situation, Zizou seeks out the former members of the Magic Lion Corps: a familiar treasure fighter, a cynical shut-in, the newest librarian of Heavens Gardens, a motor-mouthed flower decorator, a mechanic currently working on a clock tower, a crafts director disguising herself as a Fae, a chivalrous thief, and a girl who fancies herself as a super hero. After defeating them, she then looks toward the Fae, and encounters a small witch with a big attitude, a strong but ditzy feline woman, a seductive woman with a pet snake, and a draconic soldier with a strong sense of honor.

As Zizou battles the Fae, Day sets Folkstone on fire. Zizou returns and avenges her previous loss to Day. After Day has been defeated, the Fae mastermind Simeone appears and attacks Zizou. After a climactic battle, Simeone is defeated and the conflict seemingly averted. Back home, Zizou and Mati reflect on their duties as goddesses.

Opening Boss

 * Day (Lunacy) - A woman whose desire for revenge prompts Zizou to intervene.

Former Magic Lion Corps

 * Al (Treasure Fighter) - The well-renowned "Grim Reaper" who enjoys searching for treasure.
 * Cholesy (Neek) - A cynical girl who fights using dark energy.
 * Neville (Librarian) - A gothic-styled librarian wielding a large magic book.
 * Rio (Flower Decorer) - A flower-loving girl wielding a magical yo-yo.
 * Seama (Machinery) - A small girl wielding two mechanical hands.
 * Teddy (Crafts Director) - A Capoeira-practicing crafts director wearing a bear suit.
 * Miah (Chivalrous Thief) - A thief who steals from the rich with help from her pet Campbell.
 * Wonder Girl (Hero) - A heroine who carries around an alleged magical pig.

Beast Men

 * Brujita (Trickster) - A witch-like Fae whose demeanor appears to belie a more vicious side.
 * Patty (Herculean) - A beastman-like Fae with incredible strength.
 * Claudia (Enchanter) - An enchantress with succubi-like beauty.
 * Zanetti (Dragoon) - A draconic Fae with an intimidating, toothy grin.

Other Bosses

 * Shimeone (Mastermind) - A sinister Fae with a demonic right arm and leg. She manipulated Day into destroying the Magic Lion Corps and engages Zizou in the game's final battle.
 * Mati Olympia (Life Witch) - Zizou's older sister, wielding a scimitar-like sword. In Day's story, she steps in to serve as Day's final opponent once Zizou is defeated.

Development
Dark Witch 3 was originally going to be based on Dark Witch 2's engine. NAN-A had shown off a couple videos on Twitter of him playing one of the bosses in late 2016. This version re-used Dark Witch 2 sprites. The boss is seemingly an early version of Cholesy, who uses concept art as her sprites. The boss is seemingly functional, however, due to unknown reasons, this was changed during development. This is likely due to the massive changes in the game-play.

A Dark Witch 3 demo was never available to the public, however Twitter user @irumn39 showed off two videos of a prototype of Dark Witch 3. According to the menu screen, only Teddy's stage is playable. Compared to the final product, many UI changes are made.

The Legend of Dark Witch 3 has never been ported to any other console besides the 3DS. Fans have clamored for a PC or Switch port, however the reason why this hasn't happened is the lack of a publisher. NAN-A has confirmed this in an unofficial Dark Witch Discord server. NAN-A has also stated that after Brave Dungeon 2 finished development, a potential Dark Witch 3 re-release may see the light of day.

Reception
The Legend of Dark Witch 3 recieved extremely mixed reviews from players, however fans still consider the game good. Criticism was thrown at the over the top difficulty, changes and removals. It is considered to be the worst in the entire franchise.

Trivia

 * This is the only game in the franchise to use a swear word. Day says “Damnit…” in the intro, which is considered a minor swear word.