Breath of Fire SNES 1
Image: Capcom

Today marks a milestone anniversary for Capcom's very first traditional RPG series. Breath of Fire launched on the Super Famicom on 3rd April 1993, kickstarting what would become a beloved franchise for many turn-based RPG fans.

While North America would have to wait until the following summer to get their hands on Capcom's first foray into the genre (with Europe waiting until the GBA remake), Breath of Fire quickly established a cult fanbase thanks to its solid turn-based combat, the many anthropomorphic creatures found throughout the world, and fantastic music and art.

The first game follows Ryu, a descendant of the Light Dragons who was raised by his sister Sara, a powerful priestess. After being attacked by the Dark Dragon, Sara draws them away, only to be captured by Zog, the Dark Dragon Emperor. Ryu must then go on a quest to collect the six Goddess Keys to prevent Zog from reviving a great evil.

Squaresoft helped Capcom with the localisation of the game as the developer was also working on bringing the sequel, Breath of Fire II, over to the west in good time. And while many found love with the adventures of Ryu and Nina on PlayStation platforms with the highly-regarded Breath of Fire III and IV, the series' Nintendo roots set in place all of the series' most recognisable traits.

One of the key aspects of combat is that Ryu can turn into a dragon. Initially, he can only turn a small, infant-like creature, but as he gains more control of his abilities, he becomes a hugely powerful creature. Otherwise, it's a typical turn-based affair that relies on agility stats to determine the turn order.

Sadly, the Breath of Fire series hasn't had a new game since 2014 — Breath of Fire 6 on mobile, and many disregard it because of its heavy amount of microtransactions (the servers were shut down around 18 months after it launched). And Capcom, despite being on a critical and commercial roll recently, hasn't yet gone back to its beloved RPG series. And we miss it!

You can play the original Breath of Fire and Breath of Fire II on Nintendo Switch Online at least, or pick up the GBA remakes of both games, but as far as Ryu and Nina go for Capcom, it seems like the series has been left in the ashes. Which is a real shame.

Have you played the original Breath of Fire? Do you want to see the series make a return on Switch? Let us know in the comments.

Do you want to see the Breath of Fire series return?