Set in a fantasy reimagining of Earth, the game's plot centers on a boy named Will who is chosen to save the world from an impending disaster.

Enemies' health bars are displayed upon attacking, appearing as a series of red spheres that represent hit points.

Illusion of Gaia does not employ experience points; instead, when the player defeats all enemies in a room, Will receives a jewel that grants a permanent increase in attack, defense, or health power.

The game features several real-world locations, such as Incan ruins, the Nazca Lines, Angkor Wat, the Great Wall of China, and the Egyptian pyramids.

When the game begins, Will stumbles into a "Dark Space", where he encounters a being named Gaia, who possesses a human face and a tentacled body.

As he journeys onward, Will gains the ability to transform into two additional forms, each with unique powers: Freedan, a dark knight, and Shadow, a solid manifestation of energy.

[citation needed] The game is often regarded as part of an unofficial trilogy alongside two other Quintet titles, Soul Blazer (1992) and Terranigma (1995).

The game was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, debuting in Japan on November 27, 1993, and in North America on September 26, 1994.

[citation needed] A pre-release English-language version of Illusion of Gaia was leaked onto the internet as a ROM file.

[citation needed] Some of the script in the English-language prototype varied from the final version, with one example being the character "Jeweler Gem", who was portrayed as more "sinister".

It is believed that the prototype was developed before Nintendo of America decided to publish and market the game in the United States.

[citation needed] In accordance with Nintendo of America's censorship policies at the time of publication, several changes were made to the game to mitigate certain darker story elements.

Most notably, the native tribe encountered near Angkor Wat was originally depicted as cannibals, with skeletal remains scattered around the village representing the remnants of their own tribesmen whom they had consumed to survive.

A translation error in a sequence near the middle of the game suggests that Seth's consciousness has been absorbed into a sea monster named "Riverson".

[7] Additionally, a line from the game's climax, where Will and Kara remark, upon seeing Earth from outer space, that this must be what it feels like to be God, was also removed.

In the Japanese version, the boss is depicted as a giant bird, while in the American release, it is a winged Babylonian statue with talons.

Of these, only the French version underwent significant changes, incorporating references to existing people or myths, such as Edgar Degas, Franz Kafka, Chrysaor, and Nosferatu.

[8] Nintendo released a bundle pack in the United States that, while supplies lasted, included a "one size fits all" T-shirt featuring the game's logo alongside characters Freedan and Shadow.

[22] GamePro praised the game's puzzle-solving elements, effect-heavy graphics, eclectic soundtrack and gentle difficulty slope.