It’s time to d-d-d-d-duel
GameCube-era card RPG seriesBaten Kaitosis getting a re-draw, in the form ofBaten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster. Bandai Namco is remastering both the original and its sequel, coming to Nintendo Switch in summer 2023.
The card-centric RPG series follows the story of Kalas, an adventurer seeking revenge for his brother and grandfather. The other entry,Baten Kaitos Origins, orBaten Kaitos 2in Japan, takes place two decades prior to the first and follows Sagi, a spiriter with connections to both the Guardian Spirits and the Alfard Empire.
These are often talked about as cult classics of the GameCube, with some very interesting mechanics. Namely, they use cards for their battle systems, and the esoteric requirements for getting those cards has certainly made thespeedrunning scene for them wild.
Bandai Namco is remastering both in this singular collection, due out this summer. It looks to only be locked in for Nintendo Switch, too. According to a Q+A on theBandai Namco site, several quality-of-life enhancements are being made alongside the visual upgrades. New features will allow players to turn encounters off, skip cutscenes, and auto-save. No content has been added or deleted for eitherBaten Kaitosentry, either.
Heart of the cards
This is a wild revival for Bandai Namco to pick up, but this ongoing trend of bringing cult-classics back to life is one I can get on board with.Baten Kaitos I & IIwas revealed during today’s absolutely packedNintendo Direct, where fellow cult-classicGhost Trick: Phantom Detectivealso got a remaster locked in.
WithLive A Liveand others having their own return to the spotlight, it’s been a banner time for old-but-beloved games. Maybe those pipe-dreams of left-field remasters won’t seem so out there any more.
For the GameCube card RPG fans,Baten Kaitoswill return to deckbuilding on Nintendo Switch later this year.
