Koei recently unveiled its new Game Boy Advance RPG, Houshin, and like most games developed by the company it is based heavily on Chinese mythology. Specifically, the epic Fengshen Yanyi is the primary inspiration for the story. In Houshin the player assumes the role of Sky, who is charged by God to defeat monsters and devils that are infringing on a once-peaceful human world. There are, of course, insidious machinations that must be thwarted, in this case the devils' plan to compound ancient treasures in order to revive the evil queen Tengei. If reconstituted in the human world, she will lead the dark forces to ultimate conquest.

Treasure hunting is paramount in Houshin, as items found throughout the game's world can be synthesized into powerful treasures used for casting magic and summoning gods. The game is said to contain myriad secrets, and up to four players can link-up and scour the world for treasure simultaneously. The game also has link-up features with a GameCube version of Houshin, Battle Fengshen, which is said to emphasize the action elements to the GBA's more traditional RPG gameplay. Linking allows the player to engage a scenario in connection with the hero of the GameCube version and possibly receive a rare, hidden item that can be used to further power-up accumulated treasures.