Considered by many to be a cult classic and a "hidden gem" of the early age of RPGs, the 1994 Square role-playing game Live A Live has, until now, never seen release outside of Japan. It initially launched for the Super Famicom on September 24, 1994, and has never seen a remake, although it did make its way to the Wii U in Japan. However, during a Nintendo Direct livestream on February 9, 2022, Nintendo surprised fans by announcing the release of a Nintendo Switch remaster of Live A Live, debuting for the first time in both Japanese and English.
Live A Live is split into multiple scenarios taking place across different time periods including prehistory, the Wild West, feudal Japan, and the future. Each scenario features a different protagonist with a unique playstyle, although combat remained primarily turn-based throughout each segment. Characters range from a young caveman to a martial arts master training his pupils to a mysterious gunslinger.
After the first seven chapters are completed, an eighth chapter unlocks tying the narrative together. Although the game was praised for its unique approach to storytelling and its wide variety of playable characters, it unfortunately sold only 270,000 units in its year of release and was considered a failure. The game's low sales were attributed to heavy competition from other 1994 releases such as Final Fantasy 6 and Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem.
The game's director, Takashi Tokita, has discussed his interest in a Live A Live re-release since 2020, although he revealed that it would require a significant amount of fan support for Nintendo and Square Enix to consider it due to the game's original low sales numbers and relative obscurity. Presumably, this fan support was obtained, as the remaster has been given an official release date of July 22, 2022. The remake will receive a graphical update in the HD-2D style popularized by titles such as Octopath Traveler.
Other announcements made during the February 9th Nintendo Direct include updates on upcoming titles Splatoon 3 and Kirby and the Forgotten Land and the reveal of new titles in popular series such as Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Other classic titles were also revealed to be coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2022 including a Klonoa collection, a bundle of Earthbound and Earthbound: Beginnings, and a re-master of Chrono Cross, which will also come with the origin story Radical Dreamers. The Direct was, however, notably lacking in updates regarding some highly anticipated upcoming titles such as the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Live A Live will release on July 7, 2022, for the Nintendo Switch.