Once a type of videogame for hardcore importers, with releases confined to the shores of Japan, JRPGs have risen in popularity over the last 40 years. Starting as a cult genre, they have risen to become an essential million-selling part of gaming. In this grimoire, we celebrate the world of this remarkable phenomenon. We’ll delve into the history of its greatest series, spotlight deep-cut curios like Ys and SaGa, pay tribute to iconic titles such as Chrono Trigger and Persona, and more. So, grab your High Potions, a tuft of Phoenix Down, a trusty oversized sword, and prepare to embark on an XP-charged journey into the world of JRPGs!
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THE A-Z OF JRPGs • Despite a storied history, it’s amazing how many people don’t realise how much more there is to Japanese role-playing games. Genre expert Luke Albigés runs down 26 need-to-know things
THE HISTORY OF O DRAGON QUEST • Final Fantasy may be bigger but Dragon Quest is equally important. Enix’s seminal RPG kickstarted a genre in Japan and is as beloved by the nation like no other game. We speak to creator Yuji Horii about the making of a legend, and inspect each game in the main series
ROGUES’ GALLERY
SPIN-OFFS • Dragon Quest has quite a few spin-off games, and some of them are actually quite good
DEVELOPER PROFILES • More developers than you might think have been involved in the making of Dragon Quest. Here’s the lot of them…
THE HISTORY OF FINAL FANTASY
FANTASY ON FILM • There’s more to Final Fantasy than videogames – check out these excursions into the world of cinema
A LITTLE DISTRACTION • Though the heroes of the Final Fantasy series are busy saving the world, they can always find time for minigames. Here are five of the best
FLIGHTS OF FANTASY • We investigate the many spinoffs of the Final Fantasy universe
THE HISTORY OF YS • With almost 40 years of history behind it, Ys is an elder statesman of the Japanese RPG scene – but it’s not nearly as well-known as some of its contemporaries. Nick Thorpe speaks to Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo to discover its complete history…
WHO IS ADOL CHRISTIN? • Toshihiro Kondo explains how Falcom develops the hero at the heart of Ys
TRANSLATING THE BOOK OF YS • Let’s take a look at the many formats that the first book of Ys was translated for…
BONUS CHAPTERS • Ys has given birth to a few spin-offs over the years – let’s take a look at them
TIMELINE • All the main games, major remakes and spin-offs in one handy list
THE WORLD OF YS • Adol’s adventurous nature means that he rarely stays in one place for too long – just check out the locations he’s explored
PHANTASY STAR • Sega’s sci-fi epic was many things – a pioneer of the JRPG, a key release for the genre’s popularity in the West and a key reason to own a Master System. Nick Thorpe talks to Yuji Naka to learn how it all came together…
A NEW GENERATION • How Sega revitalised its classic for the PlayStation 2 era
MEET THE STARS • Learn about the heroes and villains of this RPG
HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO ALGOL • Key places to visit as you travel around Phantasy Star’s galaxy
LOST IN TRANSLATION • Why did fans translate this game into English a second time?
THE HISTORY OF: EARTHBOUND • KNOWN AS MOTHER IN JAPAN, THE EARTHBOUND TRILOGY HAS INSPIRED FERVENT FANDOM, COMMUNITY TRANSLATIONS AND A DOCUMENTARY FILM. A CELEBRATED PART OF NINTENDO HISTORY, THE TIMELINE OF THE SERIES HAS SOME EXTRAORDINARY TWISTS AND TURNS, JUST AS THE GAMES DO
THIS GAME STINKS • UNPICKING THE UNUSUAL ADVERTISING OF EARTHBOUND
THIS LOST MOTHER 3 • REMEMBERING THE ABANDONED N64 GAME
FOUND IN TRANSLATION • HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS RALLIED TO TRANSLATE MOTHER 3
THE HISTORY OF...