Guide to Playing SaGa in English
The SaGa series has seen a variety of releases, re-releases, remakes, and fan translations over the years. For someone new to the series, it can be a little bit dizzying. So I thought I’d compile a guide on how to play each SaGa game in English!
I’ll try to be as objective as possible, as I’m not writing reviews of the games as I haven’t played many of them myself. I just like compiling information and researching them in preparation.
Some aspects worth noting before we dive in:
- The first three games were made for Game Boy and were titled Final Fantasy Legend in North America as part of Square attempting to connect various RPGs to the known Final Fantasy series. They technically aren’t Final Fantasy games, even though they have very clear lineage. Future entries in the series drop that naming paradigm.
- Each game is a standalone entry and there are not connected stories. While there are similarities, they can be played in any order.
- SaGa is getting new entries and lots of remasters and remakes of the older games, all seeing worldwide release. Most entries in the series are easily accessible and reasonably priced.
- Most of the new SaGa releases don’t see physical releases in North America, but there are usually international releases with English included if you prefer owning the games physically.
The Final Fantasy Legend / Makai Toushi Sa・Ga
Released for the Game Boy in September 1990 in North America.
Loose carts of the Game Boy version seem reasonably priced currently at ~US$30 loose.
The Game Boy version was also released in the collection titled Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend for Steam, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. The first release of this collection was in December 2020.
The collection is regularly priced at US$19.99 but often on sale for less. It doesn’t include a ton of options or filters, but it does include increased game speed while not speeding up the music. It’s a nice way to play the games since it includes this game and the two that follow. It plays well on Steam Deck!
The first SaGa game was also remade for the WonderSwan Color in 2002. It features color sprites unlike the Game Boy grayscale palette.
The WonderSwan Color version has an English fan translation, and the sprites look quite nice.
Recommended way to play: Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend or WonderSwan Color fan translation!
Final Fantasy Legend II / SaGa 2: Hihou Densetsu
Released for the Game Boy in November 1991 in North America.
Also included in Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend.
Loose carts seem to go for about ~US$40 right now, with CIB being much more. A little bit more expensive than the first at least at first glance.
A full 3D remake for the Nintendo DS was released in Japan in September 2009 with the subtitle Goddess of Destiny. It wasn’t released outside of Japan, but luckily it has a fan translation. I’ve heard great things about the remake. Stylistically, it looks very similar to Dragon Quest IX on the DS.
Recommended way to play: Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend or DS remake fan translation!
Final Fantasy Legend III / SaGa 3: Jikuu no Hasha
Released for the Game Boy in August 1993 in North America. Notable for not having the involvement of series creator Akitoshi Kawazu. The least highly regarded of the three Game Boy games.
Also included in Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend.
Loose carts are again in the ~US$40 price range.
Just like SaGa 2, SaGa 3 got a full 3D remake for Nintendo DS, which released only in Japan in January 2011 with the subtitle Shadow or Light. It received a fan translation as well and is highly regarded. Akitoshi Kawazu was involved in this remake.
Recommended way to play: Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend or DS remake fan translation!
Romancing SaGa
The first jump to home consoles! Released for Super Famicom only in Japan in January 1992. The original SFC version does have a fan translation though.
The first Romancing SaGa game was ported to WonderSwan Color, but that version hasn’t seen a fan translation.
The game was remade for Sony PS2 and got released in North America in October 2005. In Japan, the remake got the subtitle Minstrel Song, but in NA it was just titled Romancing Saga.
You can find used copies of Romancing SaGa for PS2 for ~US$30. But it also got an HD remaster that released in December 2022 for modern platforms (Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, iOS, and Android) with the title Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered.
It has been well-received, but it’s worth noting that the 3D models have odd proportions as a stylistic choice. To me, they almost seem like what if a team took the proportions of 2D pixel art sprites and applied them to 3D.
Recommended way to play: Minstrel Song Remastered since it’s easily accessible and in crisp HD or the fan translation of the Super Famicom release if you prefer pixel art.
Romancing SaGa 2
Released for Super Famicom only in Japan in December 1993. One of the more beloved entries in the series. A fan translation for the SFC release does exist.
A 2D remaster of the game was released in North America in December 2017 for Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PC, iOS, Android, and even Vita (still available as of Apr 2025). Very much in the same style as the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster releases.
Then in October 2024, a full 3D remake was released with the subtitle Revenge of the Seven, which has received positive reviews.
Recommended way to play: honestly, all seem quite good, whether you go with the remake or the remaster! But the Steam release of the 2D remaster has some negative reviews surrounding some crashes and lack of robust controller support (but I haven’t verified this myself).
Romancing SaGa 3
Released for Super Famicon only in Japan in November 1995. An English fan translation does exist.
A 2D remake by the same company as the Romancing SaGa 2 also exists, released for the first time in North America in November 2019. It’s available on modern platforms (Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PC, iOS, and Android) It was released on Vita too, but is no longer available on the PSN store.
Recommended way to play: Remaster seems like the way to go!
SaGa Frontier
Released for the Sony PS1 in North America in March 1998. Sold well, coming off of the heels of the success of Final Fantasy VII. It was the first release of the series in North America on its original console since Final Fantasy Legend III.
Incomplete versions of the PS1 release can be bought for ~US$25, a little bit more for CIB.
A remastered version of the game was released in April 2021 for modern consoles (Switch, PS4, PC, iOS, Android), with fleshed out storylines that were previously incomplete, updated visuals, menus, and increased speed modes, while maintaining the visual identity of the original release.
Recommended way to play: Remaster is the way to go due to the completed storylines, increased speed options, and updated menus.
SaGa Frontier 2
Released for the Sony PS1 in North America in February 2000. Deviates from the rest of the series in that there are only two character storylines to follow. But unique and innovative in other ways. It features pixel art sprites with painted watercolor backgrounds using a pastel color palette, giving the game a distinctive look.
Used copies of the PS1 release go for about ~US$40 right now.
A remastered version of the game was released in March 2025 for modern consoles (Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, iOS, Android), with updated visuals, menus, and increased speed modes, while maintaining the visual identity of the original release.
Recommended way to play: Remaster is the way to go due to increased speed options and updated menus.
Unlimited Saga
Released for Sony PlayStation 2 in North America in June 2003. Largely viewed as the black sheep of the series due to its strong adherence to tabletop-esque game mechanics. As unique in look and gameplay as ever. Weirdly does not capitalize the “g” in Saga in the title. SaGa then went pretty dormant for over a decade after this release…
Has not seen a remaster or remake or release on modern consoles. Used copies go for around ~US$20.
Recommended way to play: PS2 version, as it’s your only option.
SaGa: Scarlet Grace
SaGa’s return to console releases with this Vita game originally released only in Japan in December 2016.
It eventually saw a port to modern platforms (Switch, PC, PS4, mobile) with North American release in December 2019 titled SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions.
Recommended way to play: your platform of choice.
SaGa: Emerald Beyond
The latest release in the SaGa series, released worldwidein April 2024 for modern platforms (Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, mobile).
Recommended way to play: your platform of choice.
Other Releases
There have been mobile and browser games released in the SaGa series, but they’re sadly either no longer playable or were never released in English.
- Emperors SaGa - mobile game released in Japan in September 2012, shut down in April 2017
- Imperial SaGa - Japan-only browser game released in June 2015 and shut down in December 2019
- Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe - iOS & Android free-to-play game that saw an English release in June 2020 but shut down December 2024
- Imperial SaGa Eclipse - Japan-only browser game released in October 2019 as a sequel to Imperial SaGa
SaGa-Likes
If you’re curious about more games inspired by and similar to SaGa, here’s a list I’ve compiled:
- The Last Remnant - executive produced and with scenario by Kawazu, this RPG for the Xbox 360 and PC saw a remaster for Switch and PS4 somewhat recently; it was developed by many SaGa team members and features unique combat systems
- Legend of Mana - a PS1 entry in the Mana series, produced by Kawazu and developed by the SaGa team
- Final Fantasy II - Kawazu was the battle designer for FF 1 & 2, and it’s the game that preceded the first SaGa game
- The Alliance Alive and The Legend of Legacy - two games developed by ex-SaGa team members at FuRyu and other various collaborators. Initially released for the Nintendo 3DS but then remastered for modern consoles. The Alliance Alive is generally regarded as FuRyu hitting their stride.
- Live-a-Live - another Squaresoft RPG where you can choose from many different character storylines to play from; saw its first English release for Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC.
- The Secret of Varonis - indie RPG for PC inspired by the Game Boy SaGa games
- Octopath Traveler 1 & 2 - similar in the ability to play the story of many different characters, which is present in many of the SaGa games; available on modern consoles