Some of the best RPGs ever made came out on the Super Nintendo, yet they did not receive proper recognition until much later. Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, and Tactics Ogre were mostly ignored at the time. It was not until file sharing sites and the passage of time gave people a chance to discover them again that these games finally got their flowers.
PC Gamer has announced that the first two Lufia games will be officially re-released on Steam. The announcement was made during the Tokyo Game Show, where it was the top highlight of the closing direct.
A Fortress in the Sky
The setup of Lufia is straightforward, a design that shaped the games to follow. A fortress rose into the sky and cast its shadow over the world below. To stand against a race of ill-intent demigods known as Sinistrals, the toughest heroes gathered. They were successful in battle, but they failed to escape the crumbling floating island. A century later, their descendants must raise their arms as the Sinistrals reemerge and the prophecy begins anew.
“A century later their descendants must raise their arms as the Sinistrals reemerge and the prophecy begins anew.”
Lufia’s Early Years
Taito released Lufia in 1993, a game that appeared plain against what else was out at the time. Yet players who took the trouble to look past its appearance found a game rich in ornate writing, bold combat and a mountain of side quests. It proved a worthy adventure, yet its sequel, released two years later, is where things really began to cook. The story of the raid on the Sinistral fortress is told here again, and the images have been touched up to look painterly. The fighting has been honed so that its oddities feel pleasing rather than vexing. The music is a standout.
Among the best JRPGs of the era, some critics count the underdog sequel, which is incredibly rare to find.
A Long Line of Spinoffs
The game Lufia got several sequels, particularly for portable systems. Neverland, the studio behind the original, later produced the very successful Harvest Moon spinoff series Rune Factory. History matters here because it demonstrates how much the studio built beyond Lufia. The spinoff series Rune Factory grew into a major franchise of its own, following Harvest Moon.
A Late Entry in the Genre
Among late entry SNES classics, Lufia’s sequel ranks as a game that is incredibly hard to track down. Both Lufia titles carry a reputation for fetching huge figures among collectors. That has kept them on the minds of fans who know what they are, since neither game has been easy to find.
The Dual Re-Release
A few weeks after Clear River Games announced a port for the similarly sought after cult classic Terranigma, the original presentation’s creators came forward with a dual re-release of the first two Lufia titles. A faithful return to two overlooked classics is promised in the upcoming re-release, titled Lufia I & II The Sinistrals Saga. The pixel faithful re-release is set to arrive next year.
The TGS Direct
The closing TGS direct topped its list of highlights with an announcement, and it also rolled out a new game from the Lornâs Lure team. The direct was also home to a stronger anti-AI stance than what was on display elsewhere at the expo. One presentation carried a great deal inside it. The Lornâs Lure game and the anti-AI message both appeared in the same broadcast, along with the Lufia announcement.
Comparing the Two Games
| Game | Publisher | Year | Notable Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lufia I | Taito | 1993 | Ornate writing, mountain of side quests |
| Lufia II | Taito | 1995 | Painterly visuals, tightened combat, all-time score |
The table tracks how the two games drifted apart over time. Lufia I established the style with its writing and its side content. Lufia II built on that foundation, delivering stronger visuals and combat that felt new.
The Sequel’s Legacy
For years Lufia II has been a rare find, and that scarcity has made it a prized possession among collectors. The package that puts both games back together lets players experience the original title and its sequel as a matched pair once more.
Source material: “Beloved Super Nintendo JRPG Receives Its First Re-Release But It’s The Sequel You Gotta Get Excited For,” Kotaku.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.