《巫術：狂王的試煉場》是Wizardry系列的第一部完整作品，也是後世無數角色扮演遊戲的原點，被視為「地城探索式RPG」的始祖之一。無論是隊伍編成、冒險者屬性、職業組合、迷宮探索、回合制指令戰鬥、陷阱與寶箱系統，甚至「死亡即失去角色」的高風險規則，都深深影響之後的《勇者鬥惡龍》《最終幻想》《世界樹迷宮》等龐大RPG系譜。

在本作中，玩家從城堡出發，前往名為「狂王的試煉場」的十層迷宮。故事圍繞瘋狂國王特雷博（Trebor）與黑暗魔術師沃德納（Werdna）的對立而展開。沃德納從國王手中偷走象徵權力的「護符」，並躲入自己創造的巨大地下迷宮深處。國王懸賞天下，號召冒險者奪回護符，但多數前往的戰士皆死於陷阱、迷宮構造與兇暴怪物之手，因而讓整座迷宮成為真正的「試煉場」。

玩家所率領的隊伍由一至六名冒險者組成，可選擇五種種族及八種職業，包括戰士、魔法師、僧侶、盜賊等，各有優勢與限制。透過戰鬥累積經驗、獲得金錢與寶物，冒險者會逐漸成長，能探索迷宮更深層的危險地帶。迷宮本身充滿高難度挑戰，包括具有魔法能力的多種怪物、陷阱、旋轉房間、隱藏通道、落穴、傳送區與特殊機關，每一次探索都充滿未知與高度風險。

主要核心魅力來自「探索、戰鬥、收集、培育」的完整循環。在「吉爾伽美什的酒館」組成隊伍，進入迷宮尋找戰利品，再回到城堡休整、復活倒下的隊員、購買裝備或培養角色。超過一百二十種不同效果的道具與裝備，使尋寶成為高度令人上癮的核心樂趣，許多玩家為了追求稀有聖劍或強力魔法物品而反覆深入迷宮。

WonderSwan版本在保留原作精神的前提下做出許多提升。迷宮以彩色與黑白兩套圖像呈現，可依喜好切換風格，甚至能使用最早期PC版風格的「線框迷宮」模式，連英文訊息顯示都可復刻，讓老玩家能重溫最原汁原味的感受。迷宮仍維持原作的20×20格設計，忠實重現初代那種緊張、幽閉且充滿未知的探索氛圍。

此外，提供原作所沒有的「自動地圖」功能，一旦走過的區域會自動記錄在地圖上；玩家也能選擇關閉此功能，像初代玩家那樣用紙筆手繪地圖。還加入道具與怪物圖鑑，方便記錄收集進度與研究敵人特性。透過WonderGate與通信線，更可下載追加迷宮、交換角色與道具，讓遊戲體驗進一步擴展。

戰鬥採回合制指令方式，隊員職業與能力組合決定策略的深度。魔法師的強力咒文、僧侶的治療與驅魔、盜賊解陷阱的專業技能，都是團隊能否深入地底的關鍵。魔物的設計由《BAROQUE》的角色設計師冰樹むう繪製，超過百種帶有奇幻與詭異氛圍的怪物插畫，使迷宮探索擁有濃厚的黑暗幻想風格。

在劇情呈現上，本作反而以「極簡」而著稱。除了奪回護符的主線外，並無大量劇情對話或情節鋪陳，反而讓玩家的冒險想像填補整個世界觀。這種留白設計反而成為魅力之一，強化迷宮探險的神秘感。也因為系統成熟、節奏緊湊、難度偏高，本作被視為Wizardry歷代中最經典、最純粹的作品之一。

在市場評價方面，初代《狂王的試煉場》被認為是日式RPG與地城探索類型的基礎。許多遊戲研究者稱其與《創世紀（Ultima）》與《Rogue》並列為現代RPG的三大源流。即便在WonderSwan時代的復刻版本，仍因忠實呈現原作高難度迷宮與嚴謹機制而廣受系列粉絲讚譽。玩家普遍認為本作在「冒險感」「危險感」「成就感」三者之間取得難得的平衡，其深度遠超當代許多掌機RPG，是值得收藏的經典之作。

“Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord” is the first complete entry in the Wizardry series and the origin point of countless RPGs that followed. It is widely regarded as one of the founding works of “dungeon-crawling RPGs.” Elements such as party formation, adventurer attributes, class combinations, maze exploration, turn-based command battles, trap and treasure chest systems, and even the high-risk rule of “death means losing a character forever” deeply influenced RPG franchises like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Etrian Odyssey, and many more.

In this game, players depart from a castle and venture into a ten-floor labyrinth known as the Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. The story revolves around the conflict between the mad king Trebor and the dark sorcerer Werdna. Werdna steals a powerful “amulet” symbolizing royal authority and hides deep within the vast underground maze he created. The king issues a bounty, calling adventurers to retrieve the amulet—but most who enter fall prey to traps, maze mechanisms, and brutal monsters. Thus, the labyrinth truly becomes a “proving ground” for survival.

Players command a party of one to six adventurers and may choose from five races and eight classes, including fighters, mages, priests, and thieves—each with strengths and limitations. By battling enemies to gain experience, money, and treasure, adventurers grow stronger and are able to explore deeper, more dangerous layers of the labyrinth. The maze is filled with high-level challenges such as spell-casting monsters, traps, rotating rooms, hidden passages, pits, teleport zones, and special contraptions. Every expedition is full of uncertainty and significant risk.

The game’s core appeal lies in its complete loop of exploration, combat, loot, and growth. Players assemble a party in Gilgamesh’s Tavern, enter the labyrinth in search of treasure, then return to the castle to rest, resurrect fallen allies, buy equipment, or develop their characters. With over 120 different items and pieces of equipment, treasure hunting becomes a highly addictive element of the game—many players repeatedly descend into the maze in pursuit of rare holy swords or powerful magical artifacts.

The WonderSwan version preserves the spirit of the original while adding numerous improvements. The maze can be displayed in both color and monochrome styles, and players can even switch to the earliest PC-style “wireframe dungeon” mode, complete with retro English text. The maze retains its original 20×20 floor layout, faithfully recreating the tension, claustrophobia, and sense of mystery that defined the first game.

Additionally, the version offers an auto-map function unavailable in the original. Areas the player has traveled through are mapped automatically, though players may disable the feature and draw maps by hand for an authentic old-school experience. A new item and monster compendium helps players track their collection progress and study enemy traits. Through WonderGate and link-cable communication, players can even download additional dungeons or exchange characters and items, expanding the overall gameplay experience.

Combat remains turn-based, with party composition and class abilities shaping strategic depth. The mage’s destructive spells, the priest’s healing and exorcism abilities, and the thief’s trap-disarming skills are all essential for survival. Monster artwork—drawn by Baroque character designer Mu Icingtree—features over a hundred creatures with a dark, eerie fantasy style that greatly enhances the sense of danger within the labyrinth.

Narratively, the game is known for its minimalism. Aside from the main objective of recovering the amulet, there are few story scenes or dialogues; instead, players fill in the worldbuilding through their own imagination. This “blank space” design becomes part of the game’s charm, strengthening the sense of mystery during exploration. Thanks to its polished systems, tight pacing, and high difficulty, this title is often regarded as one of the most classic and pure entries in the Wizardry series.

In terms of market reception, the original Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is considered foundational to both Japanese RPGs and the dungeon-crawl genre. Many game historians classify it—alongside Ultima and Rogue—as one of the three major roots of the modern RPG. Even in its WonderSwan remake, the game is praised for faithfully presenting the original’s harsh labyrinth and rigorous mechanics. Players widely agree that the game maintains a rare balance of “adventure,” “danger,” and “reward,” offering a level of depth that surpasses many handheld RPGs of its era. It is regarded as a classic well worth collecting.