Lord Monarch

About

Lord Monarch drops you into a chaotic real-time strategy RPG where time moves only when you tell it to. As Prince Alfred, you juggle kingdom-building, unit management, and tactical combat across themes ranging from medieval knights to robot wars and fast-food battles. The Super Famicom version lets you freeze the action indefinitely by holding the Start button giving you breathing room to form alliances or plan attacks. Each scenario throws together bizarre factions like greasy French fries clashing with salads or fairy-tale creatures squabbling over thrones. The game stands out for its weirdly specific settings and the Super Famicom mouse support letting you click and drag through maps. A later Satellaview edition added broadcast-exclusive content but kept the same quirky charm. Despite its age, the mix of real-time mechanics with turn-based pauses creates a rhythm that feels oddly modern. It’s a forgotten oddball with enough thematic randomness to stand out even today.

Storyline

You are prince Alfred, the son of the great king of Monarch. Since you have been a rather fresh and lazy boy, the king decides to strengthen you by sending you to battle. You are now sixteen, and you must prove you are worthy of being the prince of Monarch!