Up to date with Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana and EGGCONSOLE Ys II MSX2. Take pleasure in!
What’s one of the best Ys recreation on Swap? Falcom’s long-running motion RPG collection has been going for longer than Last Fantasy, and it is a genre-defining franchise, however it’s not essentially the most well-known collection on the planet. However those that find it irresistible, completely adore it
With the discharge of Ys X: Nordics in 2024 and Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana this yr, we have compiled a listing of all Ys video games accessible on Nintendo consoles, together with Swap. Nonetheless, we have excluded import-only titles similar to Ys V — someday, maybe, Falcom will remake that one…
If you happen to’re all on deck and able to sail via a sea of Ys, then let’s take a look on the Ys collection on Nintendo, ranked worst to greatest.
There are only a few variations within the MSX2 model of Ys 1 in comparison with the unique PC-88 one. A handful of recent musical tracks, new visuals, and modifications to boss assaults make this the simplest “retro” model of the sport to get into, a minimum of.
Nonetheless, as with all EGGCONSOLE releases, the sport is barely accessible in Japanese, so if you would like the Ys 1 expertise, you then in all probability want to choose up the PC launch. In any other case, the MSX2 model here’s a fairly strong recreation.
The second Ys launch of 2025, the MSX2 model of Ys II is essentially the identical as the unique PC Engine model, however it boasts a brighter, broader color palette and rebalanced problem.
This one is barely accessible in Japanese on Swap, and you may completely need to play Ys I first, however it’s a wonderfully acceptable technique to play the second Ys recreation. A minimum of till Chronicles will get a port. Please, Falcom.
Whilst a spin-off with no bearing on the canon, Ys Technique is berated by collection followers. Gradual gameplay, overly-easy encounters, and an overabundance of tutorials wreck what may’ve been a incredible facet entry within the Ys collection.
Even should you’re not an Ys fan or are on the lookout for technique and RTS video games on the DS, Ys Technique is the final recreation it’s best to choose up to your library. However hey, a minimum of the music is nice…?
Wanderers from Ys marked a quick departure from the bump fight system in earlier Ys video games, and for a lot of followers, that is largely a draw back. Adol might transfer lots sooner, however enemies do a whole lot of harm, and it takes time to adapt to the side-scrolling Zelda II-style perspective. Total, it simply feels extra generic that the primary two video games.
Usually thought-about the outsider of the collection, Wanderers from Ys, whereas an attention-grabbing piece of historical past, could be essentially the most troublesome recreation to suggest. The Eggconsole model comes with the handbook and a gallery, so should you’re a die-hard fan, this one could be value testing.
From its epic opening montage to it is bigger story, Ys II is a transparent step-up in narrative. Whereas it is largely the identical when it comes to fight and presentation, Ys II does make just a few minor modifications to make the expertise just a little smoother. Separate gear and merchandise menus assist declutter the stock screens, whereas Adol now has entry to magic.
As it is a direct continuation of Ys I, nonetheless, you actually cannot play Ys II with out playings its predecessor. And, on condition that each Ys I and Ys II are solely Eggconsole releases on Swap, you could be higher off enjoying this duo elsewhere. If you cannot, there’s completely nothing fallacious with these Eggconsole variations, so have at it.
By in the present day’s requirements the primary Ys recreation is fairly primitive, however this one of the influential motion RPGs of all time. The bump fight system is intelligent and addictive, placing its friends to disgrace, and it poses a wholesome problem within the later levels.
Like all different Eggconsole releases, Ys is hampered by a language barrier, however the D$ re-release does clarify issues the place it issues, and it is greater than doable to make your approach via the sport with out understanding a lick of Japanese. Some bonus hints to assist grind and get higher weapons and cash, and this is not a nasty technique to expertise the origin of this collection in any respect
Similar to the PC Engine model, the SNES launch of Wanderers from Ys is taken into account a little bit of an outlier. There are only a few issues that differentiate it from the unique launch, apart from just a few title modifications and a few beautiful new visuals.
Sadly, it additionally comes with the entire caveats of the unique and is probably essentially the most troublesome model of Wanderers to play via. Get used to grinding. With The Oath in Felghana coming to Swap in 2025, there are few causes to choose up this model of Ys III apart from as a curio.
If you happen to’re restricted to Nintendo platforms in your Ys adventures, then Legacy of Ys is a pleasant little compilation of Adol’s first two adventures. Ported by Atlus, you both want to make use of the stylus to assault or stumble upon enemies and time your button presses completely, leading to a clunky-feeling journey with out the simplicity of the unique.
Legacy of Ys is not the greatest technique to play them, however it’s a approach. In case you have a PSP or PC, then Chronicles is definitely one of the best model of Ys I & II on the market. In any other case, we would suggest a budget Eggconsole variations over this.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox isn’t a large step up over its tropical predecessor, Ys VIII, however it hits all the best beats it must make for an addictive and fascinating motion RPG. Had been it not for the efficiency points, we would even be inclined to say that is one of the best instance of the style on the Swap but. Given these issues, nonetheless, we urge just a little little bit of warning with Monstrum Nox on the console.
Nonetheless, fast-paced fight, a memorable setting, and a surprisingly content-rich open world make up for many of the points and ship a tremendous expertise for motion RPG followers. Whereas the sport is reportedly higher on PS4 and PS5, we will assure that you simply’re nonetheless in for a great time on Swap — simply brace your self for these body drops.
The story in Ys Origin takes a again seat to the good and compulsive dungeon crawling gameplay, which ought to enchantment even to those that do not are inclined to take pleasure in motion RPGs. No puzzle, no battle and no single room ever outstays its welcome in Ys Origin, leading to one of the easy-going and brisk motion RPGs on Swap.
Positive, the visuals may very well be higher, the general size could be too quick for hardcore RPG followers and there is a whole lot of grinding afoot, however this stays a strong selection should you’re a fan of this kind of factor. Ys Origin is ideal even should you’ve by no means touched a recreation within the collection earlier than.
Adol’s latest journey — Ys X: Nordics — stands as one other nice entry on this long-running motion collection, bringing in some cool concepts of its personal with out straying too removed from what made its predecessors so beloved.
Gratifying fight, one other wonderful soundtrack, and a fascinating world to discover all make this straightforward to suggest to each long-time followers and newcomers, even when a few of the new concepts do not completely stick the touchdown. And, as with the opposite Ys entries on Swap, it stumbles a bit with its efficiency. If you happen to’re on the lookout for one other strong motion RPG on Swap, then look no additional than Ys X.
Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is hardly a revolutionary RPG, however it stands as a superb reminder that generally much less is extra. The brisk pacing, thrilling fight, and cutesy visuals all come collectively in a splendidly pleasant and easy motion RPG.
That is an expertise that makes no compromises and holds nothing again, and even when it’s clearly much less bold and expansive than most of the later entries within the collection, there’s additionally one thing very satisfying about enjoying via a recreation the place its attain didn’t exceed its grasp.
With enjoyable, fast-paced fight, likeable characters, and an pleasant story that takes full benefit of its stunning shipwrecked setting, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a top-shelf motion RPG.
Exploring the Isle of Seiren is as rewarding as mastering the character-swapping and hack-and-slash battle system, and each match into an addictive suggestions loop of adventuring that retains every little thing shifting at a fast clip.
The inconsistent picture high quality in handheld mode is a small blemish on an in any other case polished manufacturing, however this can be a incredible technique to play Ys VIII, one of many best motion RPGs on the Swap and a real gem.
And that is each single Ys recreation accessible on the Swap, ranked.
Finest Ys Video games FAQs
Shipwrecked into the Ys collection and need to get to know extra? We have some solutions for you that will help you perceive this long-running collection.
What was the primary Ys recreation?
Ys began all the way in which again on twenty first June 1987 — that is earlier than even Last Fantasy existed — with the discharge of Ys I: Historical Ys Vanished for the NEC PC-8801.
That specific recreation has been ported and remade a number of occasions over time, and in the present day, is usually generally paired with its direct sequel, Ys II: Historical Ys Vanished – The Last Chapter. In case you have a DS, then you’ll be able to choose up Legacy of Ys Books I & II
It is truly accessible on Swap through the Eggconsole launch, titled Ys PC-8801mkIISR.
What number of Ys video games are on Swap?
At present, there are ten Ys video games accessible to play on Nintendo Swap. 5 of those are retro releases because of the Eggconsole variations, whereas the opposite 5 are new entries or ports.
Of those seven video games, six are presently a part of the primary canon. Wanderers from Ys, the unique launch of Ys III, has since been remade and is now often known as The Oath in Felghana, which acquired a Swap remake in 2025.
What is the newest Ys recreation?
The newest launch within the Ys collection Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, a remaster of the remake of Ys III. The sport launched on Swap on seventh January 2025.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for the “latest” recreation within the collection, then Ys X: Nordics is the sport you need.
What number of Ys video games are there?
There are 11 important “canon” Ys video games, and one other three video games that are not thought-about part of the canon. In any other case, listed below are all eleven canon Ys video games:
If you wish to play the Ys video games in chronological order, they go — Origin, I, II, X, Celceta, Felghana, V, VIII, VI, Seven, and IX. Ys V is the one recreation to not be formally localised within the West.
Do it’s essential to play the Ys video games so as?
Nope, in no way. Whereas there is a clear timeline for Adol’s journey, the story of each single entry is extra like a standalone journey.
There are some callbacks to Adol’s earlier adventures in later Ys video games, however these are largely inconsequential and easily act as little nods for followers.
The one exceptions to this are the primary two numbered entries — Ys I and Ys II. There is a motive each of those video games get repackaged collectively in rereleases, and it is as a result of their tales are intrinsically linked.
What are the EGGCONSOLE video games?
The Eggconsole video games are a part of D4’s Mission EGG collection, which is an emulation-based distribution service on PC. Eggconsole refers to video games which were ported to Swap which are a part of that service.
The three Ys video games launched within the Eggconsole collection — I, II, and Wanderers from Ys — are all solely accessible in Japanese, regardless of being on the Western eShop storefront. They’re straightforward sufficient to navigate in Japanese, luckily, with many weapon names showing in English, however you may miss out on some dialogue.
We have a whole checklist of each single Eggconsole launch on Swap for you — there are some actual retro delights right here, and the collection is a incredible have a look at the previous.
Which Ys recreation ought to I begin with?
Whereas solely a handful of Ys video games can be found on Swap, and most of them have totally different playstyles, we predict essentially the most accessible recreation within the collection is Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana.
That is the preferred entry within the collection, and for good motive — it is acquired a incredible story with a lovable forged of characters. Plus, the fight is completely divine. the Swap model has been fastened up since its preliminary launch, too, that means it runs fairly effectively and there aren’t any translation errors in sight.
Nonetheless, Ys X: Nordics can be a reasonably good place to start out, because it takes place close to the start of Adol’s adventuring timeline. Which means there aren’t a ton of callbacks that you simply could be lacking out on, both.
Why are there so many variations of Ys IV?
With Ys IV, Falcom initially outsourced the sport to 2 totally different builders — Tonkin Home (the studio behind the Tremendous Famicom launch of Ys III) and Hudson Delicate (which ported the primary three video games to the TurboGrafx-16).
Tonkin developed Ys IV: Masks of the Solar for the Tremendous Famicom, whereas Hudson Delicate delivered The Daybreak of Ys for the TurboGrafx-16. Daybreak of Ys was initially thought-about canon, however after the PS2 launch of Ark of Napishtim, Masks of the Solar grew to become the canon model of Ys IV. It even acquired a reimagined PS2 remake from Taito and Arc System Works titled Ys IV: Masks of the Solar: A New Concept
As of 2012, nonetheless, the canon launch of Ys IV is the Falcom-developed Reminiscences of Celceta, which is obtainable on PC, PS4, and PS Vita.
Will Ys V ever get an English launch?
We do not know but. At present, Ys V: Misplaced Kefin, Kingdom of Sand is the one mainline Ys recreation to by no means get an official English localisation. It is a Tremendous Famicom recreation with a PS2 reimagining that was launched in Japan in 2006.
All we will do is hope that Ys V will get the remake remedy — Falcom has already given most of these older video games some love, so why not V?
Wait, so what’s Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana?
Yep, it is one other rerelease! Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a remaster of the PC (and later PSP) recreation The Oath in Felghana, which is a remake and the canon model of Ys III.
The remaster is out now on Nintendo Swap.
How can I modify the rating on this article?
It is fairly straightforward! We get you beautiful Nintendo Life readers to assist us fee the entire Ys video games. The checklist above, that you have simply learn, is decided by every recreation’s Consumer Ranking in our database, and is subsequently topic to alter after publication, whilst you are studying this!
It is an ever-evolving, ‘definitive’ Ys rating that we’ll maintain up to date with new entries. And look, should you disagree with the rating, do not fret — you’ll be able to seek for your favorite Ys recreation within the field beneath and fee them to affect the order.
Are you an Ys fan? Are you hoping to see extra Ys video games on Swap, or a possible future console? As all the time, tell us within the feedback, and be happy to tell us if we have missed one thing!
And remember, the rankings on this checklist can and can change. If you have not rated those you have performed, be happy to get ranking.
