Long, long ago, our world and the Elemental world existed as one, but for reasons unknown, they were separated, and if they were to now rejoin, the results would be catastrophic for humanity. In the sky above Tokyo, events are transpiring to lead to just such an event. The only ones who can stop this from happening are the Maidens, young girls with the ability to communicate with beings from the Elemental world known as Arcana Heart .
The gameplay in Arcana Heart is similar to other fighting games like the Guilty Gear series. Eleven Maidens can be chosen, each paired with eleven Arcanas that have unique abilities. This leads to complicated high-speed battles with advanced techniques such as air dashing and dash cancels.
The game includes standard story, arcade, and versus modes, along with a training mode and an unlockable illustration gallery. Players can choose between the original version of the characters or the rebalanced versions from the Arcana Heart FULL! update.