SNES | Brandish | 1995 | Action | Top-down dungeon crawl, the only entry in the series to be localized |
JP SFC | Brandish 2: The Planet Buster | 1995 | Dungeon Crawler | Similar top-down dungeon crawling as the first |
PSP | Brandish: The Dark Revenant (DL only) | 2015 | Dungeon Crawler | 3D remake of the original Brandish with an extra storyline from the villain's perspective, punishing but fair gameplay |
Vita | Brandish: The Dark Revenant (DL only) | 2015 | Dungeon Crawler | See PSP |
Turbografx-CD | Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes | 1992 | Turn-Based | Detailed game for the time, bridges the gap between the Dragon Slayer and LoH series |
JP PSP | Eiyuu Densetsu: Ao no Kiseki | 2011 | Turn-Based | Second half of the "Crossbell arc," leads into Trails of Cold Steel II, turn-based combat like other Trails games |
3DS | Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure (DL only) | 2016 | Action | Almost identical to the original, save for the application of 3D effects and some technical issues like pop-in |
PSP | Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure | 2007 | Action | A cutesy ARPG, fun hats confer stat upgrades and can be leveled in and of themselves |
NES | Legacy of the Wizard | 1989 | Action-Platform | An early example of a metroidvania with a family element; different family members have different exploration skills |
DS | Legacy of Ys: Books I & II | 2009 | Action | Combined enhanced remake of Ys I and II with 3D and potential multiplayer |
JP PSP | Nayuta no Kiseki | 2012 | Action | ARPG with platforming elements |
PSP | The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion | 2005 | Turn-Based | Second game in the Gagharv trilogy, despite western release order; run-of-the-mill turn-based gameplay and an arbitrary pet system |
JP Vita | The Legend of Heroes: Sora no Kiseki the 3rd - Evolution | 2016 | Turn-Based | Final game in the Liberl arc albeit with a different protagonist; plays like the previous games; Evolution version adds new artwork/scenarios |
PS4 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero | 2022 | Turn-Based | A port of a port of the first game in the Crossbell Arc of the series, long thought to forever remain unlocalized (until now) |
Switch | The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero | 2022 | Turn-Based | See PS4 |
PSP | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky | 2011 | Turn-Based | The 6th Legend of Heroes game/first Trails game, starts an interweaving storyline, combat is turn-based but offers lots of attack options, NPCs react to the story dynamically |
Vita | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (DL only) | 2012 | Turn-Based | See PSP |
PSP | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC (DL only) | 2015 | Turn-Based | Immediate sequel to the first game, plot-heavy with compelling characters, gameplay similar to the first but adds combination attacks |
Vita | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC (DL only) | 2012 | Turn-Based | See PSP |
PS3 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel | 2015 | Turn-Based | Beginning of another major arc in the Trails series, adds co-op link attacks to combat, structure is based in a school-type environment |
PS4 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel | 2019 | Turn-Based | Tons of QoL changes; includes all DLC, more English dialogue, JP audio, and a turbo mode |
Vita | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel | 2015 | Turn-Based | See PS3 |
PS3 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II | 2016 | Turn-Based | Takes place soon after the first game - basically required playing if you liked the first one |
Vita | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II | 2016 | Turn-Based | See PS3 |
PS4 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II | 2019 | Turn-Based | Tons of QoL changes; includes all DLC, more English dialogue, JP audio, and a turbo mode |
PS4 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III | 2017 | Turn-Based | Ties together plot threads from the Sky trilogy and Crossbell duology as well as continuing the Cold Steel plot; naturally a long game, combat mostly unchanged from I and II |
Switch | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III | 2020 | Turn-Based | See PS4 |
PS4 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV | 2018 | Turn-Based | Absolutely requires playing all other Trails games prior to this one; has a very large (and arguably unwieldy) cast of characters, plays like its predecessor |
Switch | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV | 2021 | Turn-Based | See PS4 |
PS4 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure | 2023 | Turn-Based | Second game in the Crossbell duology- if you liked Trails From Zero this is a no-brainer, but don't play this one first- also has fishing |
Switch | The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure | 2023 | Turn-Based | See PS4 |
PSP | The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch | 2006 | Turn-Based | First game in the Gagharv trilogy, despite western release order; gameplay is still very traditional, arguably bland, continues the pet system from the previous game |
PSP | The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean | 2007 | Turn-Based | Last in the Gagharv trilogy, but chronologically between the other two; still linear but allows for importing of data from the previous two games |
Vita | Tokyo Xanadu | 2017 | Action | ARPG with a modern setting; rock-paper-scissors-like enemy weaknesses require quick party member swapping, linear dungeons |
PS4 | Tokyo Xanadu eX+ | 2017 | Action | Contains new post-game content and side stories |
NES | Tombs and Treasure | 1991 | Dungeon Crawler | 1st-person dungeon crawl with some point-and-click elements |
N-Gage | Xanadu Next | 2005 | Action | Isometric ARPG gameplay with a clunky class-switching system of sorts and a different story than the PC version |
JP FC | Ys | 1988 | Action | Adol bumps into the enemies to slay them |
PS4 | Ys: Memories of Celceta | 2020 | Action | Adds a Japanese voice option, otherwise see Vita |
Vita | Ys: Memories of Celceta | 2013 | Action | Considered by Falcom to the the real Ys IV; still an ARPG, has party members with a variety of attack types, parrying can reduce damage taken and enable counterattacks |
PSP | Ys: The Ark of Napishtim | 2006 | Action | Closer to the original PC Japanese version than the PS2 version was; also adds some extra quests; very long and frequent loading |
PS2 | Ys: The Ark of Napishtim | 2005 | Action | Technically Ys VI; Adol can jump now, so that's cool |
PSP | Ys: The Oath in Felghana | 2010 | Action | Remastered version of Ys III, taking gameplay elements from Ys VI and expanding the storyline with extra scenes |
Vita | Ys: The Oath in Felghana (DL only) | 2012 | Action | See PSP |
Master System | Ys: The Vanished Omens | 1989 | Action | Some dungeon areas are horizontally flipped, but is otherwise generally similar to the original release |
Turbografx-CD | Ys Book I & II | 1990 | Action | Another way to experience the glory of Adol? Ys, please! |
PSP | Ys I & II Chronicles | 2011 | Action | Mostly the same as previous versions, but with a new soundtrack option as well as newly done character portraits |
Vita | Ys I & II Chronicles (DL only) | 2012 | Action | See PSP |
JP FC | Ys II | 1990 | Action | Adds magic to Adol's repertoire |
Genesis | Ys III | 1991 | Action | Plays like the other releases, but with arguably better music and game balance |
JP FC | Ys III: Wanderers From Ys | 1991 | Action | Changes the battles to be side-scrolling rather than top-down and allows Adol to swing his sword/jump |
SNES | Ys III: Wanderers From Ys | 1991 | Action | Similar to the FC version, but with cleaner graphics and arguably worse hit detection |
Turbografx-CD | Ys III: Wanderers From Ys | 1991 | Action | It's sidescrolling Ys- that's all there is to it |
Switch | Ys IX: Monstrum Nox | 2021 | Action | See PS4 |
PS4 | Ys IX: Monstrum Nox | 2021 | Action | Carries over a lot of gameplay elements from Ys VIII; Adol's most story/character-heavy tale yet; features new movement mechanics for world traversal |
Vita | Ys Origin | 2017 | Action | An Ys without Adol as the protagonist! Has 3 different protagonists and takes place as a strictly interior dungeon crawl, goes back to hack-and-slash spirtes |
PS4 | Ys Origin | 2017 | Action | See Vita |
Switch | Ys Origin | 2020 | Action | See Vita |
Xbox One | Ys Origin (DL only) | 2018 | Action | See Vita |
PSP | Ys Seven | 2010 | Action | Adds party members to the regular Ys formula, in addition to making weapon types (slashing, blunt) determine an enemy's susceptibility to them |
Vita | Ys Seven (DL only) | 2012 | Action | See PSP |
JP SFC | Ys V: Ushinawareta Suna no Miyako Kefin | 1995 | Action | Only game in the series to have never been localized (hopefully this will change?) |
Switch | Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana | 2018 | Action | See PS4 |
Vita | Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana | 2017 | Action | Adol in ARPG action again, with a settlement-building mechanic and up to 3 party members in combat |
PS4 | Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana | 2017 | Action | Has more dungeons and forms for Dana than the Vita version, at the expense of some costumes |
PS5 | Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana | 2022 | Action | See Vita, with some slightly enhanced visuals |
JP PSP | Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga | 2010 | Fighting | A 3D arena fighting game- very Power Stone-like, where characters from Ys and Trails collide (and level while doing so) |