I want to get into the Y's games, where should I start and where will I end up?

[BlueTsunami]

I've played it a couple of times in the past but thats when I was a early teen and had shitty taste in everything. I've been thinking about giving them another go but not sure where I should start. Did it start on NES or something? Should I just load them up on my PSP? I've seen that there have been PC releases too, should I try them out too?

[demi]

Well dont play that PS2/PSP one, that one is awful

Play Wanderes From Ys 3 on SNES.

[BlueTsunami]

I'll have to get that one then. Is that the only worthwhile Ys game?

[demi]

I hear the PC ones are good - Oath of Felghana especially.

edit: Oath of Felghana is a remake of Ys 3, so maybe you could just play that instead. I think it got a fan translation.

If you want to play Ys 1&2, play the TG-16 versions

[Arbys Roast Beef Sandwich]

I'd say get Y's Book I & II on the VC, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the first couple of games haven't really aged well for some, so you might find 'em to be shit.

[Enl]

I hear the PC ones are good - Oath of Felghana especially.

edit: Oath of Felghana is a remake of Ys 3, so maybe you could just play that instead. I think it got a fan translation.

If you want to play Ys 1&2, play the TG-16 versions

Highly agree but I actually recommend the fairly recent PC versions of Ys 1&2 over the originals (along with the patched soundtrack if you can find it). But if you were to play one go for Oath of Felghana, it's a really damn good action RPG with a rockin soundtrack. Go for those three if you can. The others are still somewhat fun in their own ways.

Play Wanderes From Ys 3 on SNES.

Shockingly the Genesis version is the better looking and playing of the console versions out there. Good paralax scrolling effects and hit detection in that version. The SNES version looks like someone smeared playdough on the screen and the soundtrack sounds a bit muffled compared to the Genesis.

[BlueTsunami]

Cool, thanks guys! Yeah, I figured the PC versions would be better, so I'll mess with them. I wanted to try to get into the games from the beginning so I'll definitely start with the PC versions of 1 and 2. Outh of Felghana too.

[tiesto]

I'm a biiiiig fan of the series. Here's what I'd recommend:

Ys 1 and 2 - Either buy it on VC or Turbo Duo, or get Ys 1 and 2 Eternal for PC and patch it with the translation. Ys 1 and 2 Eternal PC has much much much better graphics, but the VC/Turbo Duo version has much much much better music (which is more important), and is a helluva lot cheaper.

Ys 3 - If you want to play the original side scroller, the Turbo Duo version has the best music, but has choppy parallax scrolling. SNES version has a bit nicer graphics but the music takes a serious hit. Ys 3 isn't that great, but the music is fuck amazing, one of the greatest soundtracks ever in a game. Oath in Felghana is a much better take on Ys 3, it's not a sidescroller but an overhead game. That you can get for PC, and it has a translation available, but the translation is still in beta and never got a public release. But I can hook you up, the translator is a royal prick.

Ys 4 - There are 2 different Ys 4's. The SNES version, Mask of the Sun, which is the 'official' storyline according to Falcom, and the PC Engine version, 'The Dawn of Ys', which is supposedly a million times better. I haven't played Mask of the Sun yet but The Dawn of Ys is my favorite in the series. Mask of the Sun can be played on a SNES emu, a translation is available. The Dawn of Ys can be played on a PC Engine/Turbo Duo, and also has a full translation. Which requires ownership of the original CD game (you can find it on Ebay, that's what I did).

Ys 5 - It's on SNES, but an English translation has yet to be finished. I haven't played this one yet. This and Ys 4: Mask of the Sun are the only 2 games in the series I haven't played through.

Ys: The Ark of Napishtim - Came out on the US PS2, and also US PSP, and Japanese PC. US PS2 is the most accessible version, even though Japanese PC one is supposedly better. Go with the US PS2 version.

Ys Origin - The first Ys that doesn't star Adol. It's a prequel to the whole series. It's available on Japanese PC, but no English translation has been made yet.

http://www.himeyashop.com sells Japanese PC games including the Ys PC games.

[BlueTsunami]

Nice, tiesto

[tiesto]

Awesome Hardcore Gaming 101 article on the series:
http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ys/ys.htm

[Himu]

not a big fan of these games because of the battle system. I try to like it, but I can't get into it. It's a little too simple for my tastes. Just simply running into an enemy just doesn't seem like a good battle system.

That said, Ys 3 rocks.

[Enl]

not a big fan of these games because of the battle system. I try to like it, but I can't get into it. It's a little too simple for my tastes. Just simply running into an enemy just doesn't seem like a good battle system.

That said, Ys 3 rocks.

But isn't Ys III the same thing only side scrolling. Hold down a button and swing wildly into your enemies. Something tells me you barely even played Ys as it becomes more than simple chest bumping. Hell the second game is more like a SHMUP RPG with more focus on projectile combat. 

[demi]

Some people are working on translating the DS versions

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=104929

[Joe Molotov]

The only one I've played is Ark of Naphistim on the PS2. It was aight.

[Tucah]

I'm a pretty big fan of the series, tiesto did a great job of summing up where to start.

The easiest way to start is to buy I&II on VC. Even if you hate the battle system (like a lot do), you still get some fantastic music.

[jiji]

Yeah, Tiesto said what I would have said. Definitely stick with Turbo Grafx Ys III. Even with the choppy parallax, it's the best version of the original (Felghana excluded), though it's not exactly a great game.

[BlueTsunami]

I've decided to get the remake of 1 and 2 but as far as III goes, I'm looking into a Turbo Grafx emulator and playing the game through that. I wish I still had my physical TG-16 lol. That would have been cool to hook up and fuck with.

[demi]

You can play TG-16 on PSP I believe