New Lufia Remake Announced for Nintendo DS

Thanks to this week's Famitsu we now know that Square Enix is doing a remake of the classic SNES game, Lufia II, for the Nintendo DS. The game will be titled Estpolis in Japan.

In addition to 3D visuals and a full voice cast, the basic gameplay is seeing some major changes. Instead of the encounter-based RPG of the original, the game is now an action RPG. For the most part, the action takes place on the top screen. The bottom screen shows a map of the current area along with face panels for members of your party. Tap a face panel, and you can swap your current character out with a party member. It's possible to swap out in mid combo.

Boss fights change the formula a bit. When facing off against the game's massive boss characters, the action expands to fill both screens. You control your character on the bottom screen.

Japan will get Estpolis in its new DS form on February 25. There's no word yet on an international release.

Latest Comments

Adrian Ling

November 25, 2009, 04:46 AM

So the first trailer of the game was released today:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeYscQUHWnc" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeYscQUHWnc</a>

Along with some new details:

- Square-Enix requested the game
- dev team says it's not a port or direct remake
- different world from the SNES version
- Wave Device is a key element
- expect to use the dpad more than the stylus
- tough, but not too tough bosses
- 'growth of the RPG'
- scenario is based on Lufia II, will have lines that are the same as Lufia II, but overall the game is being rewritten
- town number differs from first and second game
- returning music from first and second game
- improved sound quality
- once again, original staff reconfirmed
- retaining "xxx of Magic" and "Magical xxx"

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