Phantasy Star for Nintendo Switch set to release on December 13

Update:  Sega PR Manager Jacob Nahin has confirmed that Phantasy Star will not release worldwide simultaneously, so those of us in the West will have to wait a bit longer.

Update 2 (October 31): According to Game Watch, it looks like the western version of Phantasy Star will be available on the eShop on November 15.

Update 3 (November 1):  Nahin has clarified once again that Phantasy Star will not release on November 15 in the west, and we'll have to wait for more information.

Update 4 (November 20): Sarah Wellock of Sega Europe has confirmed Phantasy Star will launch in North America and Europe on December 13. In Europe, it will be priced at £5.99.

-Original-

After a delay from its original planned release in September, Sega has announced that Phantasy Star for Nintendo Switch eShop will be available in just a few days on October 31. It will cost 925 yen in Japan.

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This is an interesting and notable release for the classic RPG, because, besides the original Master System release, a bonus game in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and a Gameboy Advance collection, Phantasy Star is not currently available in English on any current platform. It was previously available on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console, although you can no longer add points to that service to make purchases.

The Sega Ages version also has a few enhancements, as previously detailed, including:

  • A lower difficulty setting
  • A new Monster Codex detailing every creature encountered in the game
  • An item guide detailing every consumable and piece of equipment
  • An auto-mapping feature to make dungeon navigation simpler
  • FM music with a music player to listen to the game's soundtrack (19 tracks in both FM and PSG).

The inclusion of FM music would also be a first for a localized release.

Sega Ages releases are planned to be released simultaneously worldwide, so we should see both the Japanese and Western release this week. Find a new set of screenshots in the gallery below.

Sega Ages Phantasy Star Screenshots