Ys X: Proud Nordics Reportedly Includes 120fps Performance Mode On Switch 2

Cool. I hope this version comes to the west, because I still want to play it.

Edit: Nope, not interested in Game-Key cards.

sadly the game doesn't include the game...

The performance can be up to 360 fps for all I care but the "new story" bit is more of a headturner.

snobbishly said the guy who is still busy with Origins anyway

@jojobar
Thanks, I did not realise that the game would not be on the card.

@jojobar Dang. That's another one with a line put through it.

I haven't played a Ys game before so this might be a good entry.

Finished it on Switch a few months ago and had a pretty great time. Performance issues and all.

Still kind of confused as to exactly what this game is, but regardless, a Switch 2 version is great if you've still not tried it.

What kinda game is this? Is it worth it?
Never played a Ys game before. Maybe will check some gameplay footage later.

Loved Ys 8 (my firt one), need to play more of 9. Will get this Switch 2 version if it comes to Europe.

@nhSnork 120 fps is way less demanding for the eyes. After a few hours, you feel less tired playing, than with a 60 fps game, and even worse a 30 fps game

A keycard…not so proud after all huh?

Can you upgrade to it from your existing Switch 1 version? That's my question since I have not played that yet (nor IX for that matter).

Also where's Memories of Celceta in the west? I'd buy the Japanese version but... last time I got Felghana physical from Japan and a month later it was announced for release in the west, ugh!

I really hope this game comes to the west, regardless of it being a game key card.

People care more about plastic than the actual games lol

Not a big fan of this from game publishers, adding new story content to a game but making you have to buy a full priced game again to play it. No option to buy it as a DLC for people who bought the original release.

I only played a little bit of Ys X. I stopped playing around the time they announced Proud Nordics.
I wasn't fully engrossed in the game at that point though. I was kinda getting through the rather lengthy beginning parts of the game, and for whatever reason I wasn't really feeling it yet. The combat system felt kind of convoluted, especially compared to how simplistic Ys has traditionally been. And the boat combat just felt awkward.

The announcement of the upcoming improved version just completely killed my desire to push through.

If the game had been more engaging from the start, it's likely I would have kept playing despite the announcement of Proud Nordics.

It's a shame I feel this way about the game because I really really love Lacrimosa of Dana, and I enjoyed the heck out of Oath in Felghana, Memories of Celceta, Origin, Seven, Ark of Napishtim - basically the whole series. What was it about Nordics that made me feel so meh towards it?

@Solid_Python : People care about ownership, not "plastic".

"lol."

It's a shame that the physical is a Game Key Card, but that's unfortunately the way most third parties are going to do physicals at this point unless things change. Anyways, the game looks good, but Why they had to have extra content in an entire new version of the game instead of just DLC for the previous one, I have no idea as to that. Profit maybe? 🤣

Hard pass. Brilliant game. But not supporting the game key cards idiocy. Just wait for a heavy discount.
One of the reasons to buy physical is ownership. If you dont own, no need to buy till heavily discounted as it will eventually happen and there is no risk of out of stock with digital

Any chance for an upgrade path from the base Ys X game?

@Solid_Python the plastic holds metals and silicon that actually hold the data of thing you bought that can't be taken away from you.

Crazy, right?

120 eff puss? On a Nintendo handheld? Damn! Oh no, a game key card? Hard pass.

I'll stick with my PS5 version for now. Probably pick it up on Steam a few years down the line for my portable fix (Steam Deck OLED, Steam Deck 2?)

@Samalik @SillyG I hope you both know the precious cartridges that you think will hold out forever and "can't be taken away" have an expectancy lifespan of 20-30 years, meanwhile I can still download my Wii games from 20 years ago.

Keep complaining about the plastic tho, i'm gonna be enjoying new video games instead.

I already got the original version on PC, so I'll be waiting for the new version to be released there, as well. Maybe we'll also get the same upgrade option that Asian users will be receiving on Steam.

I really enjoyed my Switch playthrough of Ys X: Nordics early this year - it's my second favorite 3D Ys after Ys VIII - though I'll admit the Proud Nordics announcement for Japan as I was partway through the game was an irritating shock. I really hope there's an upgrade/DLC path for the original game if this releases in the West. As much as I adore the Ys series, I'm not gonna double-dip for a game this soon. Falcom is no stranger to adding on new content to rereleases, but this one seems like it's coming sooner than many previously did.

I hope they had a downloadable upgrade for those of us on Switch 2 who already bought the original on Switch 1.

Good, the Ys games need a performance patch

I already have VIII and IX on Switch (so glad they finally run well on the Switch 2), and I will get this version for the 2 when it comes out. I hear great things about this game, can't wait!

It's always ridiculous when some people bash others for being against game key cards. We know nothing lasts forever. But the odds of being able to play physical media in the future are a lot higher than playing your digital games. How many times have companies delisted digital games after a few years? You're paying for a long term rental and hoping the company doesn't snatch it away at some point. Meanwhile, a company isn't going to take away your physical game you have owned for years. If you love digital games that's cool. But to bash others who are against it is just immature and ridiculous in my opinion.😐 Everyone isn't just going to roll over to something companies are trying to force on consumers.

@Dimjimmer Asían users aren't getting an upgrade, they will just receive a discount if they own the OG one.

Having paid 20,000円 more for my Switch 2 to have English, it sure would be nice to see some Japanese publishers become mindful of Japan’s 2 available console types and include English language options as standard.

Otherwise I’ll wind up taking this bitterness to the grave.

Bought the original Ys Nordics on Steam, and not long after, they announced this improved version, with lots of new content. And of course, no free or cheap way to upgrade.

I'll never buy another Falcom game, on day one, ever again. I'll just wait for the enhanced versions instead...

@AllBLK
Just because it is delisted, doesn't mean that you loose access to the download of the game, if you bought it.
Lots of PS3 and 360 games got delisted, like Afterburner Climax and Outrun 2, but I can still log in, and redownload them. Same with games on Steam, that have been delisted. If they actually ripped the games out of your collection, then the uproar on the internet, would give them hell, for removing your games.
And they can try to do that here in EU, where we have even better protection against stuff like this.

Hell yeah. I look forward to seeing news about US releases for Proud Nordics and the Switch version of Memories of Celceta.

@Grandiajet

Ys 3 on SNES was my first. I've played through 1 and 2, Memories of Celceta, IX, and a few others. VIII remains my favorite. I thought IX was pretty good, but couldn't quite keep up with VIII.

I tried the demo for X, but will probably get X Proud Nordics on another platform. It's already bad enough the way falcom has handled the releases of this game, but this game key thing is a nail in the coffin for me.

@Exerion76

Same, and I LOVE Ys. It's just such a unique series that has that old school vibe and super-smooth combat, banging music. But yeah, I will be waiting at least two years for every falcom release hence.

Still can't get past key cards.

how is it this game can fit on a cartridge for the switch 1 while the switch 2 version is on the game key card that makes no sense and also dragon quest 1/2 hd remastered switch 2 version is on a key card too while switch 1 version is physical just tells us some 3rd party devs are just lazy.

People voting with their wallet on these game key cards are going to find out it's as useless as voting third party in the US. The needle is immovable when the vast, vast majority doesn't care.

Me, for example. I don't care. More publishers were moving towards code in a box which is way worse than a game key card. This at least slows their roll on one-time use codes on a piece of paper for full price or offering zero non-digital options for big titles. Which is also probably inevitable and it's not like one can just buy Ys from the other long running company also producing Ys games to support their cart making.

@Solid_Python Tell that to atari games, many of which still work 50 years later

Meanwhile, how are your Satellaview games doing?

Really hope we get a western version of this sometime soon, game key card is fine with me, better than not getting the game at all.

I can wait. I have a feeling this key card situation will work out either with the manufacturing price coming down on proper cartridges or the Limited Run/VGPs of the world redoing them.

Failing that maybe I’ll buy a used key card (kinda feel like their resale value may be really low with all the negativity), wait for it to get dirt cheap, or just skip it. I haven’t even opened Ys IX yet.

@Samalik ah yes, because Atari cartridges and Switch cartridges are exactly the same and are built using the exact same components. Truly a genius statement.

@Solid_Python Yeah, on switch cards, everything is done via a flash storage so they should last 100 times longer than an Atari cartridges running on batteries. imagine that, especially the longevity of Atari carts alone!

Can you actually jump into the tech world before saying stuff like this? the only way these cards are breaking is if you deliberately damage them. other than that, they have the data resilience of a CD in a dry environment, which is to say they can last for 1000 years if handled properly.

Meanwhile online services have financial incentives to pull the plug.

@Bobb
Yeah it feels like with some releases were going back to the street fighter turbo and Dynasty warriors "xtreme legends" style of updates where it was just a new game, no upgrade or anything.

im all for nostalgia and everything but maybe some practices are best left in the past alongside Region locking and 50hz european releases.

So worried about playing this.
Each entry of this series has become more and more wordy and longer, with slower intro and less non-stop action...

@fenlix
I never said it was a free upgrade. With any luck, it should still be cheaper than paying for the whole game again.

@Samalik you don't know what you're talking about and you don't need to pretend like you do. Old cartridges like Atari, NES, SNES etc used Mask ROM memory which is rated for a lifespan of 100 years, not flash memory like current Switch cartridges. Nintendo uses XtraROM chips from Macronix for their switch cartridges, a type of NAND flash memory. Macronix, the developer of the chip stated themselves that the lifespan for them is at least 20 years.

3DS game cards use XtraROM manufactured by Macronix as well and as of 2021 plenty of reports have emerged about them "failing" or "deteriorating". It's why you keep hearing lately reports of DS and 3DS cartridges failing and just not working anymore.

The REAL preservation is digital, not physical that ages and stops working over time.

@Exerion76 They did an Atlus lol.

It's the same thing Atlus always does, it's a terrible practice.

@The-Chosen-one It's an action RPG. Nordics is a really good game, but I would actually recommend YS VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (released on the original Switch). Game play is pretty similar, but I'd give the edge to VIII. The story is definitely better in VIII. While both games center around a female character, the one in X has too much "OMG, princess, you're the bestest ever!" going on for my tastes.

@roy130390 start with VIII. It’s always on sale.
One of the best games I’ve ever played!!! It Will pump you up for IX and X for sure!!!

@Solid_Python except I haven't heard any reports, and I have NDS cards that are 20 years old now that still work. I don't know how those people are handling their cards to make them fail.

Digital isn't preservation in this current landscape. You can, and will. have games or digital goods you bought taken from you my hand. Those who lost their stuff during the Crunchyroll merger know that all too well. And Nintendo is no different.

@RiasGremory The reason is money. SW2 carts are expensive, they cost publishers around 10-15 bucks without any cheaper options offered by Nintendo, as was the case with physical SW1 games. Game-Key Cards are dirt cheap in comparison.

@EarthboundBenjy It is well known the first third of the Nordics has some… rough waters. It gets significantly better after that, but yeah, I agree the announcement of Proud Nordics stopped me from completing it.

@Tyranexx The upgrade is a shock to Western audiences but the original Ys X was launched in Japan in 2023

@Antraxx777 Right, I realize that Japan got Ys X a lot earlier. It's more the fact that, historically, Falcom has waited for a different console or way later date to do something like this. For example, Ys VIII was originally released on the Vita, a significant gap between the original and the modern release on multiple platforms. Same with Ys: The Oath In Felghana (PSP originally, I think?) and its recent Ys Memoire remaster. Which is technically a remake already. Or even Memories of Celceta, which serves as a definite/canon version of all the different Ys IV versions.

Tl;Dr - Yes, Falcom is no stranger to pulling an Atlus or Game Freak when it comes to "enhanced" releases. But they've historically waited longer before doing so.