Best Ys Games Of All Time – Switch And Nintendo Systems
What’s the best Ys game on Switch? Falcom’s long-running action RPG series has been going for longer than Final Fantasy, and it’s a genre-defining franchise, but it’s not the most well-known series in the world. But those who love it, absolutely adore it
With the release of Ys X: Nordics last week, we’ve compiled a list of all Ys games available on Nintendo consoles, including Switch. However, we’ve excluded import-only titles such as Ys V — one day, perhaps, Falcom will remake that one. One day…
If you’re all on deck and ready to sail through a sea of Ys, then let’s have a look at the Ys series on Nintendo, ranked worst to best.
Even as a spin-off with no bearing on the canon, Ys Strategy is berated by series fans. Slow gameplay, overly-easy encounters, and an overabundance of tutorials ruin what could’ve been a fantastic side entry in the Ys series.
Even if you’re not an Ys fan or are looking for strategy and RTS games on the DS, Ys Strategy is the last game you should pick up for your library. But hey, at least the music is great…?
Wanderers from Ys marked a brief departure from the bump combat system in previous Ys games, and for many fans, that’s mostly a downside. Adol may move a lot faster, but enemies do a lot of damage, and it takes time to adapt to the side-scrolling Zelda II-style perspective. Overall, it just feels more generic that the first two games.
Often considered the outsider of the series, Wanderers from Ys, while an interesting piece of history, might be the most difficult game to recommend. The Eggconsole version comes with the manual and a gallery, so if you’re a die-hard fan, this one might be worth checking out.
By today’s standards the first Ys game is pretty primitive, but this one of the most influential action RPGs of all time. The bump combat system is clever and addictive, putting its peers to shame, and it poses a healthy challenge in the later stages.
Like all other Eggconsole releases, Ys is hampered by a language barrier, but the D$ re-release does explain things where it matters, and it’s more than possible to make your way through the game without knowing a lick of Japanese. Some bonus hints to help grind and get better weapons and money, and this isn’t a bad way to experience the origin of this series at all
From its epic opening montage to it’s larger story, Ys II is a clear step-up in narrative. While it’s largely the same in terms of combat and presentation, Ys II does make a few minor changes to make the experience a little smoother. Separate equipment and item menus help declutter the inventory screens, while Adol now has access to magic.
As it’s a direct continuation of Ys I, however, you really can’t play Ys II without playings its predecessor. And, given that both Ys I and Ys II are only Eggconsole releases on Switch, you might be better off playing this duo elsewhere. If you can’t, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with these Eggconsole versions, so have at it.
Just like the PC Engine version, the SNES release of Wanderers from Ys is considered a bit of an outlier. There are very few things that differentiate it from the original release, except for a few name changes and some lovely new visuals.
Unfortunately, it also comes with all of the caveats of the original and is perhaps the most difficult version of Wanderers to play through. Get used to grinding. With The Oath in Felghana coming to Switch in 2025, there are few reasons to pick up this version of Ys III besides as a curio.
If you’re limited to Nintendo platforms on your Ys adventures, then Legacy of Ys is a nice little compilation of Adol’s first two adventures. Ported by Atlus, you either need to use the stylus to attack or bump into enemies and time your button presses perfectly, resulting in a clunky-feeling adventure without the simplicity of the original.
Legacy of Ys isn’t the best way to play them, but it is a way. If you have a PSP or PC, then Chronicles is easily the best version of Ys I & II out there. Otherwise, we might recommend the cheap Eggconsole versions over this.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox isn’t a massive step up over its tropical predecessor, Ys VIII, but it hits all the right beats it needs to make for an addictive and engaging action RPG. Were it not for the performance issues, we might even be inclined to say this is the best example of the genre on the Switch yet. Given those problems, however, we urge a little bit of caution with Monstrum Nox on the console.
However, fast-paced combat, a memorable setting, and a surprisingly content-rich open world make up for most of the issues and deliver an amazing experience for action RPG fans. While the game is reportedly better on PS4 and PS5, we can guarantee that you’re still in for a good time on Switch — just brace yourself for those frame drops.
The story in Ys Origin takes a back seat to the brilliant and compulsive dungeon crawling gameplay, which should appeal even to those who don’t tend to enjoy action RPGs. No puzzle, no battle and no single room ever outstays its welcome in Ys Origin, resulting in one of the most easy-going and brisk action RPGs on Switch.
Sure, the visuals could be better, the overall length might be too short for hardcore RPG fans and there’s a lot of grinding afoot, but this remains a solid choice if you’re a fan of this sort of thing. Ys Origin is perfect even if you’ve never touched a game in the series before.
Adol’s newest adventure — Ys X: Nordics — stands as another great entry in this long-running action series, bringing in some cool ideas of its own without straying too far from what made its predecessors so beloved.
Enjoyable combat, another excellent soundtrack, and an engaging world to explore all make this easy to recommend to both long-time fans and newcomers, even when some of the new ideas don’t totally stick the landing. And, as with the other Ys entries on Switch, it stumbles a bit with its performance. If you’re looking for another solid action RPG on Switch, then look no further than Ys X.
With fun, fast-paced combat, likable characters, and an enjoyable story that takes full advantage of its beautiful shipwrecked setting, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a top-shelf action RPG. Exploring the Isle of Seiren is as rewarding as mastering the character-swapping, hack-and-slash battle system, and both fit into an addictive feedback loop of adventuring that keeps everything moving at a quick clip.
The inconsistent image quality in handheld mode is a small blemish on an otherwise polished production, but this is a fantastic way to play Ys VIII, one of the very best action RPGs on the Switch and a true gem.
And that’s every single Ys game available on the Switch, ranked.
Best Ys Games FAQs
Shipwrecked into the Ys series and want to get to know more? We’ve got some answers for you to help you understand this long-running series.
What was the first Ys game?
Ys started all the way back on 21st June 1987 — that’s before even Final Fantasy existed — with the release of Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished for the NEC PC-8801.
That particular game has been ported and remade multiple times over the years, and today, is often commonly paired with its direct sequel, Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter. If you have a DS, then you can pick up Legacy of Ys Books I & II
It’s actually available on Switch via the Eggconsole release, titled Ys PC-8801mkIISR.
How many Ys games are on Switch?
Currently, there are seven Ys games available to play on Nintendo Switch. Three of these are retro releases thanks to the Eggconsole versions, while the other four are new entries or ports.
Of these seven games, six are currently part of the main canon. Wanderers from Ys, the original release of Ys III, has since been remade and is now known as The Oath in Felghana, which is getting a Switch remake in 2025.
What’s the latest Ys game?
The newest game in the series is Ys X: Nordics, which launched on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and PC on 25th October 2024.
How many Ys games are there?
There are 11 main “canon” Ys games, and another three games which are no longer considered a part of the canon. Otherwise, here are all eleven canon Ys games:
If you want to play the Ys games in chronological order, they go — Origin, I, II, X, Celceta, Felghana, V, VIII, VI, Seven, and IX. Ys V is the only game to not be officially localised in the West.
Do you need to play the Ys games in order?
Nope, not at all. While there’s a clear timeline for Adol’s journey, the story of every single entry is more like a standalone adventure.
There are some callbacks to Adol’s previous adventures in later Ys games, but these are largely inconsequential and simply act as little nods for fans.
The only exceptions to this are the first two numbered entries — Ys I and Ys II. There’s a reason both of these games get repackaged together in rereleases, and it’s because their stories are intrinsically linked.
What are the EGGCONSOLE games?
The Eggconsole games are part of D4’s Project EGG series, which is an emulation-based distribution service on PC. Eggconsole refers to games that have been ported to Switch that are part of that service.
The three Ys games released in the Eggconsole series — I, II, and Wanderers from Ys — are all only available in Japanese, despite being on the Western eShop storefront. They’re easy enough to navigate in Japanese, fortunately, with many weapon names appearing in English, but you’ll miss out on some dialogue.
We’ve got a complete list of every single Eggconsole release on Switch for you — there are some real retro delights here, and the series is a fantastic look at the past.
Which Ys game should I start with?
While only a handful of Ys games are available on Switch, and most of them have different playstyles, we think the most accessible game in the series is Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana.
This is the most popular entry in the series, and for good reason — it’s got a fantastic story with a lovable cast of characters. Plus, the combat is absolutely divine. the Switch version has been fixed up since its initial release, too, meaning it runs pretty well and there are no translation errors in sight.
However, Ys X: Nordics is also a pretty good place to start, as it takes place near the beginning of Adol’s adventuring timeline. That means there aren’t a ton of callbacks that you might be missing out on, either.
Why are there so many versions of Ys IV?
With Ys IV, Falcom originally outsourced the game to two different developers — Tonkin House (the studio behind the Super Famicom release of Ys III) and Hudson Soft (which ported the first three games to the TurboGrafx-16).
Tonkin developed Ys IV: Mask of the Sun for the Super Famicom, while Hudson Soft delivered The Dawn of Ys for the TurboGrafx-16. Dawn of Ys was initially considered canon, but after the PS2 release of Ark of Napishtim, Mask of the Sun became the canon version of Ys IV. It even got a reimagined PS2 remake from Taito and Arc System Works titled Ys IV: Mask of the Sun: A New Theory
As of 2012, however, the canon release of Ys IV is the Falcom-developed Memories of Celceta, which is available on PC, PS4, and PS Vita.
Will Ys V ever get an English release?
We don’t know yet. Currently, Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand is the only mainline Ys game to never get an official English localisation. It’s a Super Famicom game with a PS2 reimagining that was released in Japan in 2006.
All we can do is hope that Ys V will get the remake treatment — Falcom has already given most of those older games some love, so why not V?
Wait, so what is Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana?
Yep, it’s another rerelease! Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a remaster of the PC (and later PSP) game The Oath in Felghana, which is a remake and the canon version of Ys III.
The remaster released in Japan on 27th April 2023 on Switch, with a Western release coming on 7th January 2025.
How can I change the ranking in this article?
It’s pretty easy! We get you lovely Nintendo Life readers to help us rate all of the Ys games. The list above, that you’ve just read, is determined by each game’s User Rating in our database, and is therefore subject to change after publication, even as you’re reading this!
It’s an ever-evolving, ‘definitive’ Ys ranking that we’ll keep updated with new entries. And look, if you disagree with the ranking, don’t fret — you can search for your favourite Ys game in the box below and rate them to influence the order.
Are you an Ys fan? Are you hoping to see more Ys games on Switch, or a potential future console? As always, let us know in the comments, and feel free to let us know if we’ve missed something!
And don’t forget, the rankings on this list can and will change. If you haven’t rated the ones you’ve played, feel free to get rating.
