Oh, and that 2nd magic spell, the one that fills the screen with blasts. Owns everything.
Makes the game kind of boring if you use that.
Actually, the game is way too easy even without it. Half the bosses can be beat with battles of attrition (they hit you once, you stand still and let yourself get hit while you just whack away at it).
So in the end, it's the strategy section of the game that makes it good. Without it, it wouldn't be that good of a game.