Ravensburger had one of the most popular booths at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, thanks in no small part to the craze surrounding the trading card game Disney Lorcana and the well-established board game Disney Villainous. But they also brought something new to the event – Chronicles of Light. My colleagues Kyle and Bekah got to preview the game last month at Gen Con (check out their review and interview), but D23 was my introduction to the game, and I got a quick tutorial on the show floor. I was instantly hooked, and I already wanted more. But before we get to what I’d like to see in future expansions, I should probably give you some more information about the game.
(Disney/Ravensburger)
Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls (Disney Edition) is set in a new illustrated world of light that has darkened the shadows of Disney Villains. And so, radiant crystal versions of four heroines have been summoned to help drive the shadows away and restore the Realm of Light. With a board that can be reconfigured so it’s never the same game twice, and with each heroine containing their own unique story-driven goals, it’s never the same game twice, in the same way that Disney Villainous always feels fresh because you can mix and match characters from so many different expansions.
The introductory game of Chronicles of Light includes four heroines: Moana, Belle (from Beauty and the Beast), Maid Marian (from Robin Hood), and Violet (from Pixar’s The Incredibles). Part of my instant draw to the game was its use of a character like Maid Marian, who you don’t often see in a lineup like this. With a theme of light and radiance, I instantly began to think of the future possibilities for the games. And so, here are the 10 Disney and Pixar heroines that I’d like to see added to future expansions if we should be so lucky.
Snow White
Having taken refuge with the Seven Dwarfs in the forest near the Seven Jeweled Hills where they mine, Snow White seems like a character who would come to the Realm of Light with an immediate understanding of the power of refraction. Surely, she learned a lot about gems and crystals while she took shelter with Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey. Not to mention that Snow White’s goodness shone so brightly that the Magic Mirror (another reflective source) easily identified her as the fairest in the land for her beauty both inside and out. Who better to help banish away the darkness with her own light?
Cinderella
Like Snow White, Cinderella has a light that shines so brightly from within that she attracts her own Fairy Godmother (See Asha below) in her hour of greatest need. It’s likely no coincidence that she was outfitted for the ball in a gemstone-colored silver gown, an ensemble that was eclipsed only by her footwear – glass slippers. Were Cinderella to be summoned into the Realm of Light, a pair of glass slippers seem like they’d come in handy, no?
Tinker Bell
I have faith and trust that Tinker Bell can light the way through the Realm of Light, no matter how dark times may seem. In Peter Pan, Tinker Bell bestows Pixie Dust upon children in need of flight, but her skills and abilities have extended far beyond that animated feature. As a mainstay of Disney’s television serials, Tinker Bell often appeared with a magic wand to add a splash of magic to every presentation, a theme that carried into her theme park flights to light up the nighttime skies with fireworks. And through the Disney Fairies film series, she has routinely used gems in her tinkering to create things to help the residents of Pixie Hollow.
Bianca
As a member of the Rescue Aid Society, Bianca answers the call to rescue children in need. In The Rescuers, she and new recruit Bernard journey to Devil's Bayou to save an orphan named Penny, who was abducted because her small size would help procure the rare and lucrative Devil’s Eye diamond. Bianca (and Bernard) helped Penny get the diamond but also charted a path to her freedom, and then they did it again in Australia for Cody in The Rescuers Down Under. If the Realm of Light is in trouble. Bianca is undoubtedly up to the challenge of saving the day.
Jasmine
Born the Princess of Agrabah, Jasmine has spent her entire life surrounded by luxurious gemstones. In fact, she is rarely seen without one as an accessory. But more importantly, she can seek and find the most precious types of stones – diamonds in the rough – through her ability to sense a person’s finer qualities. She didn’t need sorcery to recognize that a humble street urchin named Aladdin was more than what he seemed. So, in a Realm of Light where shadows are hiding things, Jasmine seems like a natural to take on forces of darkness.
Jane Porter
As a scientific researcher and explorer, Jane Porter travels with a toolkit that contains things like magnifying glasses, spyglasses, projectors, and lanterns. She’s always eager to find new species and cultures to examine. Always thinking outside the box, Jane was willing to give up the life she knew to stay in the jungles of Africa with Tarzan. But if she were to receive an invitation to help the Realm of Light, the endless possibilities to discover would be too great for her to resist the adventure.
Kida
As the princess of Atlantis, Kida was young when the kingdom’s heart (a giant floating crystal) absorbed her mother to protect her world, shielding it under a dome at the bottom of the sea. In Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Kida and her fellow Atlanteans wear crystal shards around their necks, which power everything in the technologically advanced ancient city and also extend each wearer’s lifespan. In the story’s climax, Kida even becomes part of the Heart of Atlantis for a brief time. In other words, nobody is more prepared to protect the Realm of Light than Kida.
Elsa
Born with the ability to create frozen fractals from her fingertips, Elsa can harness the Frozen powers of nature at will. Now in control of her abilities, thanks to the loving support of her sister, Queen Anna of Arendelle, Elsa brings harmony to the Enchanted Forest as its fifth spirit. Could the Enchanted Forest spare her for a spell so Elsa can journey to the Realm of Light to use her icy powers to refract light and drive out the shadows? I sure hope so, because that sounds like a lot of fun.
Asha
Hailing from the Kingdom of Rosas, Asha got a sprinkle of stardust when a literal Star answered her Wish and helped her protect the wishes that were being hoarded by the kingdom’s sorcerer ruler, King Magnifico. By the end of the film, Asha was given the gift of a magic wand, one that will come in handy in the future as Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother. As the future inventor of glass slippers, the Realm of Light seems like a great place for Asha to begin practicing her magic, even if she will forever be lovably clumsy and a bit absent-minded.
Ember
Fire is an important part of the creation of gemstones and crystals. In fact, certain types of stones can be altered physically under extreme heat. So from Element City, the setting of Pixar’s Elemental, Ember seems like the type of character who would really be able to shake things up in the Realm of Light. One of the coolest moments of the Pixar film is the scene where Ember steps on giant crystals, which alter the colors of her flame. And since characters in the game often have skills and abilities that become more powerful when working together with other players, Ember seems like she could be an essential character when playing Chronicles of Light as a group. In particular, an Ember/Elsa combo seems like it could be indestructible.
For now, Disney fans can check out Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls (Disney Edition) from Ravensburger, which introduces the Realm of Light and the first four heroines summoned to protect it – Moana, Belle, Maid Marian, and Violet. I’m hopeful that future expansions will be able to include some of the characters that I feel lend themselves best to this story.
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