Lufia I and II are coming to Switch 2, PS5 and PC in 2027

Taito and Clear River Games have announced a modern collection of the first two Lufia games, scheduled to hit the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC in 2027. The news arrived during the PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct, confirming that both 16-bit Super Famicom titles are finally escaping legacy hardware.

According to Ryokutya2089, the release is a direct port of Estpolis Denki I & II (known internationally as Lufia & the Fortress of Doom and Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals) rather than a ground-up remake. The collection keeps the original 2D pixel art and Yasunori Shiono soundtrack intact.

A revised script from the original planner

The biggest structural change is the text. Original planner and scenario writer Masahide Miyata is returning to supervise a fully kanji-formatted script. The original Super Famicom releases relied heavily on kana due to memory constraints, so this update brings the text closer to a modern reading standard. The developers are also adding unspecified quality-of-life adjustments.

The Ancient Cave returns

Neverland Company developed the original games in 1993 and 1995. The first game is a traditional turn-based affair that opens with a massive boss fight against the Sinistrals. Lufia II is a prequel that shows how that fight actually happened, and it is widely considered one of the best RPGs on the Super Famicom. It introduced environmental puzzles that required tools like bombs, arrows, and hookshots, drawing heavy inspiration from action-adventure games to make dungeon navigation actively engaging.

The prequel also added the Capsule Monster system, allowing players to recruit and evolve AI-controlled companions in battle. Its most famous addition is the Ancient Cave, a 99-floor procedurally generated roguelike dungeon that stripped players of their gear and levels upon entry. It consumed hundreds of hours of player time and became a game within a game.

Clear River Games steps in

Finding a modern way to play these games hasn't been easy. Outside of a 2010 Nintendo DS action-RPG reimagining called Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals and a few Virtual Console appearances, the series has largely been stranded on original cartridges. The franchise still holds a massive cult following in Japan. Two-time Olympic gold figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu has publicly cited Estpolis Denki II as a foundational personal inspiration, which likely helped keep the property in the public consciousness.

Swedish publisher Clear River Games is handling the modern release alongside Taito. The publisher has built a steady business out of rescuing stranded Japanese classics. They recently handled the revival of Gimmick! and have been involved in bringing other obscure 16-bit titles to modern storefronts.

The inclusion of the Nintendo Switch 2 in the platform list is a notable detail, as Nintendo hasn't fully detailed its next console yet. The collection will be available in 2027, giving players a chance to finally tackle the Ancient Cave without worrying about a dead save battery.