Tales of Phantasia GBA, The First Tales Title Finally Sees a US Release!

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For those of you looking for a portable game to play on the semi-desolate Nintendo systems right now, you can look forward to picking up Tales of Phantasia, on March 8. It's the original game that started the whole Tales series and is widely considered STILL to be the best by some. (Note it was originally a TWO CART SNES game.) The game was never released in the US, but most Tales fans have played the SNES Dejap version of it through emulation. The game was later COMPLETELY REMADE for the PSX to celebrate the Tales series' anniversary in 1998. The new game featured more skits, highly improved graphics, a 3D world map, dozens of other extras, and the Tales Cooking system that we now know and love. And believe it or not, the SNES game not only had voice acting, but an actual human sung theme song! No details have been released whether we'll be getting the full Voice Acting in the US version, however. I would be happy if they just left the VA how it is, as much as I love hearing Mint yell "Whykooaduh".

All these new features are nice, but in the GBA version, of course, a couple of the PSX features had to be cut out. The world map is no longer 3D, but the SNES version's detailed 2D map. Other than that, not much else was restored back to the SNES version.

And if you didn't know, Tales of Symphonia is actually a prequel to Tales of Phantasia. In Phantasia, you'll witness the world of Sylvarant and T'ethalla as the one world that they originally were;One. You'll notice familar things, such as the Yggdrasil Tree, and Martel, who continued through the centuries all the way to ToP's time protecting the dieing tree. Other familar things incluide the same summon spirits as Symphonia, some slightly familar villages, and the character Mint, who like the Choosen, is one of the last people in the world who is still of Mana descent.





For all of you Symphonia fans out there, the game is pretty much a must buy if you want the whole story that Symphonia was a part of. Like Symphonia, the game is being localized by Nintendo instead of Namco, but hopefully besides the retarded name changes (Cless>Cress, Klarth>Claus, etc.), we can count on a top knotch localization.

Cless sounds so much more dignified, though. It's got a nice regal sound to it. Cress sounds like... press, which isn't pleasing to mine ears. Klarth... is just better. Yeah. Retarded, indeed.

Can't wait to buy this one, though. Unlike my still apparent lack of Legendia, I will buy Phantasia the day it comes out.

Originally Posted by Tsukasa

Cless sounds so much more dignified, though. It's got a nice regal sound to it. Cress sounds like... press, which isn't pleasing to mine ears. Klarth... is just better. Yeah. Retarded, indeed.

Can't wait to buy this one, though. Unlike my still apparent lack of Legendia, I will buy Phantasia the day it comes out.

Though I don't like Cress that much either, Klarth is what really bothers me. Anyways...What kind of name is Cress?

Phantasia is an above and beyond game. This is a game I will be picking up, for sure.

Can't wait
and you can change the names so no big deal
finally I will find out what happend after symphonia

Cress is likely the intended plant-pun associated with Mint.

I can't wait for this game to come out, I really liked Symphonia.

I gotta admit, Symphonia was a revolutionary game for me. It's definately my second favourite game of all time (second only to Yoshi's Island SNES, it can't compete), and I've played a lot of RPGs in my life. The story, graphical presentation, voice acting...everything was execute admirably.

I've been looking at Tales of Phantasia for a while now, and I'm curious. Is the 2d battling as spacious as it was in Symphonia, because to looks a little cramped for a sidescrolling view of a linear battling system?

Also, how long would it take to complete Phantasia? Rough estimate would be nice.

Phantasia is definately alot more cramp compared to Symphonia, or even Legendia (which I also suggest you pick up).

A good estimate for Phantasia completion is roughly 40-50 hours.

Originally Posted by dark_link93

I gotta admit, Symphonia was a revolutionary game for me. It's definately my second favourite game of all time (second only to Yoshi's Island SNES, it can't compete), and I've played a lot of RPGs in my life. The story, graphical presentation, voice acting...everything was execute admirably.

I've been looking at Tales of Phantasia for a while now, and I'm curious. Is the 2d battling as spacious as it was in Symphonia, because to looks a little cramped for a sidescrolling view of a linear battling system?

Also, how long would it take to complete Phantasia? Rough estimate would be nice.

But of course it's going to be more cramped. It was originally a SNES game after all.

Originally Posted by Sir Chuc

Phantasia is definately alot more cramp compared to Symphonia, or even Legendia (which I also suggest you pick up).
A good estimate for Phantasia completion is roughly 40-50 hours.

40-50 on a Gameboy? Niiice.
But I can't pick up Legendia, I don't have Playstation.

Though Gamecube really should get a port of Legendia, considering PS2 got a port of Symphonia.

http://www.gamespot.com/gba/rpg/tale...toplay=6144586

This is the only time I TRULY rofled.
Mr. Tornix sounds like Abyssion, why not? XDD

Originally Posted by Sir Chuc

http://www.gamespot.com/gba/rpg/tale...toplay=6144586

This is the only time I TRULY rofled.
Mr. Tornix sounds like Abyssion, why not? XDD

My God!! They have English Voice Acting in the US release! Yeah. His voice wasn't fantastic but so what?

And for Symphonia fans, yes, that is Martel in the first trailer.

Off Topic: 5 more hours on my Tales of Eternia PSP bid on ebay. Out bid me and die. *Shakes fist threateningly*

This is a game I need to get when it comes out. I think I should try and be ToS before it come out. I have heard so much good about this game, but I don't read Japanese and finding a translated rom is incredibly annoying..

Wait did I read that there was going to be voice acting? In a GBA game?

Originally Posted by Crabsmasher

This is a game I need to get when it comes out. I think I should try and be ToS before it come out. I have heard so much good about this game, but I don't read Japanese and finding a translated rom is incredibly annoying..

Wait did I read that there was going to be voice acting? In a GBA game?

Watch the trailers. Yes. There is voice acting. What's even MORE amazing is that the original Super Nintendo game had voice acting.

And there is no reason to beat Symphonia first, as the stories aren't THAT closely tied together. Plus, Phantasia came out first.

i want it bad! i loved ToS it was brilliant although it may have spoilt me since the battle was so spacious in symphonia while it looks kinda cramped but i ain't really bovered. I WANT IT!

Originally Posted by Hylian_sheikah

i want it bad! i loved ToS it was brilliant although it may have spoilt me since the battle was so spacious in symphonia while it looks kinda cramped but i ain't really bovered. I WANT IT!

For a SNES game, and a GBA game, the battle system is fantastic. They made minor tweaks in between the original SNES version, the PSX version, and the GBA version to make it a little more modern. Though the battle system still isn't as fast as Tales of Eternia's or even Legendia's, you won't notice a difference.

Personally, the things I'm looking forward to most in Phantasia GBA is the lower encounter rate over the SNES version's insane rate, a full out cooking system, the new sprites, because let's face it, many of the SNES sprites were just ugly, and the skits.

Chuc, do you know if the GBA version contains any FMVs?