The Dark World Beneath the Closet
It begins with a closet. After a school day gone wrong, Kris and Susie find themselves falling into a Dark World hidden beneath the school's supply closet, a realm made entirely of the dark beneath the light.
This Dark World takes the form of a vast, card-themed kingdom ruled by King, a tyrant who seeks to open the Dark Fountain and plunge both worlds into perpetual darkness. His son, Lancer, is brash, mischievous, and secretly kindhearted, and he serves as the first face of opposition the player encounters.
Guided by Ralsei, the Prince of the Dark World, Kris and Susie travel across The Field toward Card Castle. Along the way, Susie slowly transforms from an antagonist into a genuine ally, while Lancer's relationship with the heroes grows complicated.
The chapter ends with a confrontation against King himself, a battle that tests not just power but mercy, the core mechanic of the DELTARUNE combat system. After the battle, the Dark Fountain is sealed, and the heroes return home.
But Kris is not alone at night. Something else is awake inside them.
Chapter 1 in DRTD
Chapter 1 introduces DRTD's core tower defense loop. Players unlock their first units, common Field enemies turned playable through the gacha system, then face escalating waves across two distinct maps.
The chapter teaches resource management through Lancer's erratic attack patterns, teaches boss targeting with the King encounter, and introduces the concept of secret bosses hidden behind specific conditions.
Units from Chapter 1 span the Card Castle aesthetics: spade soldiers, club knights, heart wizards, and diamond archers. Each rarity tier from Common to Legendary has a Chapter 1 representative, making this the most beginner-accessible chapter in the game.
MAPS