A few weeks ago, we learned that Terranigma would finally get a modern re-release, bringing the classic Super Nintendo JRPG out in North America for the very first time. Today, remaster dev Clear River Games has confirmed that the new edition of Terranigma will launch on January 14, offering a host of details on the in-game updates and the first look at a super-deluxe $200 collector’s edition.
Terranigma was originally developed by Quintet, a now-defunct studio responsible for numerous SNES classics like ActRaiser and Illusion of Gaia. Like many of those games, Terranigma was published by Enix – now one half of Square Enix – and has seemingly been trapped in some kind of licensing limbo ever since. Now it’s finally coming out of the vault in style.
The Terranigma remaster launches across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG on January 14, with physical editions available for all current console platforms. You can put $200 into the Gaia Edition, if you’re so inclined, netting you a Yomi figure, music box, art book, cloth world map, soundtrack CD, and more. Pre-orders are available through Limited Run Games in the US or straight from developer Clear River Games in Europe.
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But for me, the real news today is the remaster itself. Terranigma will feature an “original mode” offering “untouched balance” and the “original save system” for the classic experience. Even in this mode, however, there’s a new sidebar alongside the 4:3 game window that shows your current money and experience, as well as a new set of quick access controls letting you quickly swap equipped items.
You can also swap to the “arranged mode,” which promises “enhanced progression” and “adjusted difficulty,” along with modern retro gaming conveniences like quick saves and rewinds. Best of all is a new minimap that shows your position in the current location.
These are the kinds of features I wish Square Enix itself would invest in for games like the OG Final Fantasy titles. The Pixel Remasters have turned out to be decent ways to play the originals, but those games have aesthetic and gameplay “improvements” that are questionable at best, and even the upgrades don’t go as far as Terranigma’s minimap and new inventory controls do. Getting the option of going back to the original experience and game balance offers the best of both worlds.
I’d be happy enough getting an official US release of Terranigma in just about any condition, but the remaster devs here are clearly going above and beyond to make sure this will be worth the three-decade wait.
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