What classic JRPGs are stranded on old consoles? (e.g. FFTactics, Valkyrie Profile, Tactics Ogre LUCL, etc.)

[Samiya]

I have been in the mood for some old school JRPG action and I *really* wanted to play Tactics Ogre LUCL, but unfortunately it's stuck on the PSP and it is pretty low-res. So a lot of the cool art by Akihiko Yoshida could really benefit from a modern port with some of the visuals in proper resolution. With other classic JRPGs like Chrono Trigger, Legend of Mana and Persona 4 Golden receiving PC versions on Steam, thereby allowing the preservation of classics by making them available to everyone with a PC, I really feel like some of the stranded classics would benefit tremendously from a PC and modern console port.

I really wish we could have some form of access to other JRPGs that are now derelict on older hardware and not supported by e.g. Sony, due to their lack of backwards compatibility for PS1 to PS2 to PS3. For instance, I looked at all the amazing PSP JRPGs that cannot be played on any modern hardware (beyond emulating them on PC). Classic games like

• Valkyrie Profile (mobile version exists!)
• Tactics Ogre Let Us Cling Together
• Final Fantasy Tactics HD (mobile version exists!)
• Star Ocean 2: Second Departure (JPN only release)
• Persona 3 Portable
• Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
• Breath of Fire series
• Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core
• Jeanne d'Arc
• All the PS1 JRPGs like Suikoden 1+2, Xenogears, Legend of Dragoon, Vagrant Story, Wild Arms, Chrono Cross, Arc the Lad

I can go on Steam or PSN right now and get JRPGs like the Legend of Heroes series, a majority of the Final Fantasy series, Star Ocean 1+3+4+5, Chrono Trigger, Resonance of Fate, Valkyria Chronicles 1+4, Digimon Cyber Sleuth, Grandia 1+2, The Last Remnant, the Tales series, the Ys series, Langrisser, Alliance Alive HD, Romancing Saga, Saga Scarlet Grace, the Disgea series, and so on. But somehow a lot of what people consider to be absolute classics are stuck on older, abandoned hardware, or somehow received a decent mobile port, but no console port (such as Valkyrie Profile, Final Fantasy Tactics HD).

What JRPGs are abandoned and stranded? And what's keeping some of these games away from some simple PC and console versions? It's especially frustrating when Tactics and Valkyrie Profile have decent mobile ports, but somehow not a console and PC version :'(

 

[tucah]

Suikoden.

You're never going to make a new one, Konami, and that's fine, I've come to terms with it. At least port the existing games somewhere.

 

[IAMtheFMan]

Skies of Arcadia

And although it doesn't fully fit the criteria, I really loved the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King/My life as a Darklord series.

 

[NattyBo]

AFAIK, Breath of Fire, especially IV. That game needs porting like, today. You've named a bunch of good ones.

Honestly, the best reason to keep a vita with a big memory card lying around is when you get the urge to play one of these.

 

[Deleted member 6263]

Thousand Arms

I've been thinking about that game a lot recently, never had the chance to beat it on the OG PS1.

Edit: Maybe Thousand Arms was hot garbage.

In any case, I forgot to mention Brave Fencer Musashi.

 

[Aurica]

It's gotta be only a matter of time before Skies of Arcadia gets a port, right?

Of the ones mentioned in the OP, I'm most annoyed that FF Tactics and Tactics Ogre LUCT aren't on modern consoles or PC.

 

[Samiya]

Suikoden.

You're never going to make a new one, Konami, and that's fine, I've come to terms with it. At least port the existing games somewhere.

Click to shrink...

I remember the campaign to get them on PSN and how much effort those Suikoden fans went through to push employees at Konami to get it through. I don't see that amount of organized campaign happening again to convince Konami :(

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Chrono Cross

Didn't even come out in Europe

 

[Vault]

 

[Morrigan]

Panzer Dragoon Saga

Edit: I was actually talking about this with folks on Discord the other day, but that Squeenix didn't do a console/PC port of FFTactics War of the Lions and Tactics Ogre LuCT is just criminal, honestly.

I'd throw all of my money at this... -_-

 

[AnimaRize]

Xenosaga

 

[Samiya]

Click to shrink...

I still haven't played any of the Shadow Hearts games! I've heard some good things about SH3: Covenant. Who owns the IP and games? What's keeping us from getting a modern port of them?

 

[Human Resources]

the android version of FF Tactics:wotl is pretty good, good enough to get you through an airport layover or whatever. i still have my PSPgo with the speed patched version though, if i want a serious playthrough

 

[cubicle47b]

Most of the Dragon Quest and Fire Emblem series is stuck on old consoles or handhelds.

 

[Perkin_Warbeck]

I started trying to play the iOS version of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth on my phone, but was dismayed to see it doesn't support gamepads. It might be ok if that game didn't require some platforming. It's really disappointing to me that Sony never brought forward the catalogue of PS1 games they put out on PS3. That's the only official way for things like Xenogears and Vagrant Story.

 

[Vault]

I still haven't played any of the Shadow Hearts games! I've heard some good things about SH3: Covenant. Who owns the IP and games? What's keeping us from getting a modern port of them?

Click to shrink...

The dev shut down and the rights are owned by a Pachinko company

 

[The Praiseworthy]

Why Sony... just WHY ;_;

Also:

WHY NAMCO WHHHHYYYYY;_____;

 

[EntelechyFuff]

I'd add Final Fantasy 3 to this list, of all things.

I'm aware it's on PC, but it's just not the same, man.

 

[Petruccis Biceps]

Terranigma and Skies of Arcadia

Especially Terranigma as it wasn't even released in US markets.

 

[Perkin_Warbeck]

This is actually a pretty decently built out list of PS1 games. Bring it forward, Sony!

List of PS one Classics (North America) - Wikipedia

If they put these out on PS5, I could play Vagrant Story on my phone with real buttons.

 

[Joltik]

I haven't played Legend of Legaia in over 20 years, but I remember loving it. Too bad I can't play it on a modern system since it's been stuck as a PS1 game and never been ported as a PS1 Classic.

 

[Josh5890]

One bright side is that Square seems to be interested in bringing back some of their PS1 library to modern consoles. This year we are getting Legend of Mana and Saga Frontier.

Obviously there are a billion more gems missing but hopefully the sales numbers gives Square and others incentive to bring out their older catalogs.

 

[Redcrayon]

There's a ton of stuff on handhelds. GBA, DS, PSP, 3DS and Vita all have loads, with only a comparative handful getting carried forward.

Even if we discount the 3DS/Vita as being relatively recent, and the PSP stuff has been mentioned already, but there's stuff like

GBA: The Golden Sun games
DS: Etrian Odyssey III (which didn't get either an EU release, or a remake on 3DS).
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
Dragon Quest IX
Phantasy Star Zero.
SMT: Devil Survivor 1/2

Going forward there's going to be a ton of stuff left behind on portables, including almost the whole history of Monster Hunter prior to MHW. Not to mention a huge portion of 3DS RPGs like SMTIV, SMTIV:A, Fantasy Life, Fire Emblem: Awakening/Fates , Persona Q/Q2.
Also the DS RPGs remade for 3DS, like Radiant Historia, Strange Journey, EO Untold 1/2.

At least a lot of the later stuff is still available digitally. DS games in particular will just disappear.

 

[Deleted member 19702]

Sega Saturn, the thread

 

[Lowblood]

Still want to see Persona 1 and 2s get ported to PC and/or modern consoles. Should be able to use the PSP versions as a base. Add in a soundtrack choice for P1, and actually localize the PSP version of Eternal Punishment as well.

Obviously Persona 3 is another thing, but I feel like it'd be better served by an actual remake at this point, if only to create an actual definitive edition. At the same time I don't really want Atlus to take up their time with that when they could be doing P6 or other Megaten content, so...

 

[Samiya]

The dev shut down and the rights are owned by a Pachinko company

Click to shrink...

:'(

What's their name? They don't do anything in the console space?

 

[Biske]

You can play Tactics Ogre on the Vita or Vita TV. Sony's modern handheld lol. It's criminal that it's not on Switch, PC and PS4/5 though

 

[Lowblood]

One bright side is that Square seems to be interested in bringing back some of their PS1 library to modern consoles. This year we are getting Legend of Mana and Saga Frontier.

Obviously there are a billion more gems missing but hopefully the sales numbers gives Square and others incentive to bring out their older catalogs.

Click to shrink...

I do think Square deserves a lot of respect for that initiative, though they could stand to do a few more "common sense" moves, like getting everything available on iOS/Android onto PC/Switch/Etc. No reason why I shouldn't be able to play DQ4/5/6 and FF 1-6 everywhere right now.

Longer term, I do worry about the disparity in some of their ports/remakes. Obviously people have talked about the gulf in quality between FF5 and 6 compared to the Mana and SaGa remakes, but the recent FF7 Ever Crisis thing worries me too. I feel like they might decide that whatever they do there for Before Crisis, Crisis Core, and Dirge of Cerberus will be "enough," and they'll ignore the originals.

 

[Boclfon479]

I would love a port of Star Ocean: second departure.

I'm Hoping it eventually goes to switch like the first one.

 

[Deleted member 18400]

I'd trade my soul for someone to release Secret of Evermore with widescreen support.

 

[Worldshaker]

I would love a port of Star Ocean: second departure.

I'm Hoping it eventually goes to switch like the first one.

Click to shrink...

I'm surprised it's on the Japanese PSN and not the NA/EU. You would think Star Ocean is big enough especially with 2 being the most popular in the series. Hopefully Square brings it over like the first.

I'd love a Switch port while they're at it.

 

[Qwark]

The Shining Force 3 series :'(
Also Legend of Legaia.
Those and Final Fantasy Tactics would make me so happy.

 

[Josh5890]

I do think Square deserves a lot of respect for that initiative, though they could stand to do a few more "common sense" moves, like getting everything available on iOS/Android onto PC/Switch/Etc. No reason why I shouldn't be able to play DQ4/5/6 and FF 1-6 everywhere right now.

Longer term, I do worry about the disparity in some of their ports/remakes. Obviously people have talked about the gulf in quality between FF5 and 6 compared to the Mana and SaGa remakes, but the recent FF7 Ever Crisis thing worries me too. I feel like they might decide that whatever they do there for Before Crisis, Crisis Core, and Dirge of Cerberus will be "enough," and they'll ignore the originals.

Click to shrink...

Yea, FF7 is an interesting case study of how to modernize a classic. Part of me thinks they are just making things up as they go along and there is no real plan.

The other FF and DQ games you mentioned seem like no brainers. I still don't get why they are missing.

 

[Allard]

The original Brave Fencer Mushashiden (PS1) and Skies of Arcadia Legends (with Dreamcast or remastered audio). Those are the two desperately want to see available again PC and current gen consoles.

 

[Boclfon479]

The original Brave Fencer Mushashiden (PS1) and Skies of Arcadia Legends (with Dreamcast or remastered audio). Those are the two desperately want to see available again PC and current gen consoles.

Click to shrink...

Oh my GOD I forgot about Brave Fencer Musashi. I would love to play it again.

Musashi assimilated sleep!

 

[Bish_Bosch]

I still haven't played any of the Shadow Hearts games! I've heard some good things about SH3: Covenant. Who owns the IP and games? What's keeping us from getting a modern port of them?

Click to shrink...

They were a small publisher and last I heard the rights are held by some Japanese investment group so sadly we will never get these. Covenant is a great game though.

 

[Bish_Bosch]

Persona 2 Duology is the big one for me I love that narrative.

 

[Chief Malik]

This is why I LOVE emulation

 

[Ferrio]

Thousand Arms

I've been thinking about that game a lot recently, never had the chance to beat it on the OG PS1.

Click to shrink...

Wait, someone wants to voluntarily play that game? Even as a horny neckbeard I shelved that PoS so quickly.

 

[BassForever]

There's a crap load of Japanese only 8/16 bit jrpgs that are probably lost to time forever.

 

[Deleted member 6263]

Wait, someone wants to voluntarily play that game? Even as a neckbeard I shelved that PoS so quickly.

Click to shrink...

Wait, was it no good? I played the game when I was a little kid and don't remember much about it other than the battle system and the art style.

 

[Ferrio]

Wait, was it no good? I played the game when I was a little kid and don't remember much about it other than the battle system and the art style.

Click to shrink...

IMO it was a really shitty JRPG/dating sim with some embarrassingly bad dialogue. That was back then, it's probably aged so badly too.

 

[Deleted member 6263]

It was a really really shitty JRPG/dating sim with some embarrassingly bad dialogue.

Click to shrink...

Okay I must have been really young then because I don't remember any of that lol I might need to watch a playthrough or something online.

 

[Samiya]

Terranigma and Skies of Arcadia

Especially Terranigma as it wasn't even released in US markets.

Click to shrink...

Didn't even know about Terranigma and reading up on it sounds like a blast. Thanks for bringing it up! I guess I'll add it to my backlog if I can find a copy somewhere.

 

[Truno]

Dragon Quest 9, Paper Mario TTYD and Golden Sun

 

[TinTuba47]

Shining Force III is the biggest one I think. My favorite SRPG ever, and used Saturn copies sell for $500

 

[Cubs017]

This is very frustrating. I feel like a lot of companies are leaving money on the table when it comes to these games. Sure, you can't release them all at once or it'll flood the market, but there's no reason for it to be so hard to play games like Final Fantasy VI or even Suikoden.

 

[EggmaniMN]

Wait, was it no good? I played the game when I was a little kid and don't remember much about it other than the battle system and the art style.

Click to shrink...

It's one of the funniest rpgs on PS1 and the battle system is really fun.

 

[Ouroboros]

Legend of Dragoooooooon

I think it's on PS classic on ps3?

 

[Nanashrew]

Ooops. Still tired and misread the OP haha.