作者彙整: Joseph Stanichar

Over 100 million PlayStation 4 consoles have found their way into consumers’ homes, but there are a handful that stand out from the rest. Whether to promote a game, deal, or even fast food, there have been some beautiful and bizarre variations of the sleek black box.

Sony GayStation
Release date: July 28, 2014
Final auction price: $4,105

Created as an incentive for a charity auction, the cutely dubbed “GayStation” features a colorful rainbow design on the console, with a retro-style heart in the middle. Benefitting the Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights, the console sold for 28,300 Swedish kroner (about $4,105). That’s a lot to pay for a console, but as it went to charity, the sole owner of the GayStation has a lot to be proud of.

20th Anniversary Edition
Release date: December 3, 2014
eBay historical low/high: $910.84 (only sale)

To celebrate 20 years since the launch of the original PlayStation in 1994, Sony produced 12,300 retro-styled PlayStation 4 consoles to commemorate the milestone. They unsurprisingly sold out fast, making the console highly sought after – and expensive – to this day. The console itself features a gray finish reminiscent of the original PlayStation’s style, as well as an aluminum plate with its unique number out of 12,300. Also included are a similarly retro-styled DualShock 4, and a ‘90s styled PlayStation Camera.

Metal Gear Solid V Special Edition PS4
Release date: September 1, 2015
eBay historical low: $193.25 
eBay historical high: $336.03

Released alongside Hideo Kojima’s grand finale for the franchise, the special edition console features a sleek red finish to match the color of Snake’s bionic arm, and a gray-tinted DualShock 4 to match his gun. Aside from tiny logos for the Diamond Dogs, Snake’s private military company, the console and controller are mostly unmarked, which is a breath of fresh air when compared to other limited edition consoles. It unfortunately only released in Asia and Europe, making it harder to track down for American audiences.

Taco Bell – Limited Edition Gold PlayStation 4
Release date: September 24, 2015
eBay historical low: $200.00
eBay historical high: $599.99

As part of a promotional event, Taco Bell gave away one golden PS4 roughly every 10 minutes for 10 days. In order to enter, participants had to purchase one of Taco Bell’s signature Big Boxes, in which they would find a redeemable code to enter the raffle. These consoles had a golden top that actually lacked any Taco Bell branding, as well as Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, a golden DualShock 4, and a golden card detailing the console’s number out of the 6,500 made. While this console is undeniably fancy, it still isn’t as fancy as former Game Informer editor Dan Ryckert’s real wedding at Taco Bell.

Hitman PlayStation 4 Console – Agent 47 Briefcase
Release date: June 30, 2016
Only one manufactured, given away in raffle

Designed as a replica of Hitman protagonist Agent 47’s briefcase, it’s not clear that this is even a console until further inspection. While most other limited edition consoles act as paint jobs, this one-of-a-kind console goes above and beyond with its unconventional form and attention to detail. You’d likely have to become a hitman yourself to get your hands on this console, as only one exists, and it’s in the hands of a very lucky winner of a raffle Square Enix put on back in 2016.

God of War PS4 Pro Bundle
Release date: April 20, 2018
eBay’s historical low: $299.99
eBay’s historical high: $799.99

Released alongside the critically acclaimed God of War, this limited edition console has a “Leviathan Gray” color, decorated with the game’s Norse runes and the design of Kratos’ Axe. The DualShock 4 features the same coloring, with the God of War logo shown proudly across the touchpad. As with most limited editions, it’s sold out, and you’ll have to pay a pretty penny to get your hands on it now. It wouldn’t be “limited” otherwise!

500 Million PS4 Pro
Release date: August 24, 2018
eBay historical low: $218.43
eBay historical high: $2,000.00

To celebrate having sold a total of 500 million PlayStation devices, Sony had yet another limited edition console, but this one was even more limited than the 20th Anniversary Edition. This is the only PlayStation 4 edition to have a translucent shell, meaning you can see the components inside the console without taking it apart. This translucency also applied to the included DualShock 4, and the Gold Wireless Headset that was available for purchase separately. This console again sold out rapidly when it launched, and is incredibly difficult to find today for any reasonable price. We actually got our hands on one and did a photoshoot of the console, which you can see here.

Spider-Man PS4 Pro Bundle
Release date: September 7, 2018
eBay historical low: $222.91
eBay historical high: $785.07

Like most limited editions, Spider-Man’s limited edition console launched alongside the game it accompanied. It features a bold red color, with the White Spider symbol upon its surface. Matching this theme, the included DualShock 4 is similarly drenched in red, with all of its buttons in white, as well as its dual analog sticks. The bright coloration might look a bit garish to some, but it’s certainly a loud way to profess one’s love for the webslinger and his newest video game venture. As it was a limited edition console, you’ll have to dig a bit deeper into your wallet to get one today, but it’s recent enough that it’s not prohibitively expensive.

Kingdom Hearts III PS4 Pro Bundle
Release date: January 25, 2019
eBay historical low: $325.00
eBay historical high: $900.00

One of the most recent limited editions the PlayStation 4 has received, the Kingdom Hearts III PS4 Pro launched alongside the game, and it’s fit for a king. The console’s surface is lined with highly detailed decorations from Kingdom Hearts, as is the controller that comes with the game. As the console was a GameStop exclusive in the west and sold out fast, the only way to get your hands on one now is through third parties such as Amazon or eBay, or to import one from Japan.

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Days of Play Editions
Release dates: Summer 2017-2019
2017 eBay historical low/ high: $120.00/ $629.00
2018 eBay historical low/ high: $180.50/ $625.00
2019 eBay historical low/ high: $119.00/ $419.90

Usually, limited editions of consoles are as expensive as standard editions, if not more. For the annual Days of Play events, however, they’re actually cheaper! Since 2017, Sony’s used the summer heat and excitement of E3 to draw in new buyers, bumping the PS4 Slim price from $300 to $250, and having tons of deals on triple-A games as well. To put the icing on the cake, however, each Days of Play PS4 Slim has a new design, and they’ve been pretty nifty each year. In 2017, it was an elegant golden look; in 2018, they had a deep blue console with the golden PlayStation icons decorating the console’s surface and the controller’s touchpad; in 2019, Sony went a bit more subtle, with a steel look to the console and controller that made them look a little more professional than usual. If you didn’t pick one up during the Days of Play event, you missed your chance, as they’ve all increased in value. You could sell one for a profit, but they all look pretty nice in a living room.

For more on all things PlayStation, check out our roundup of every limited edition PS4 to see those that didn’t make it onto this list!

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As today is his birthday, The Boy Who Lived has now lived to the age of 39, and what better way to celebrate the magical hero’s big day than with some magical games based on his adventures?! Harry Potter games have had a tumultuous history, so let’s spin a few Time Turners and revisit its highs and lows. 

The console movie tie-ins

For each of the eight movies in the Harry Potter series, there has been a game adaptation of the same name. These offerings on console occasionally offer experiences with some depth. More often, however, many of them seemed to ride on the popularity of their film counterparts, expecting success based on the brand name alone. While they vary in quality, most of the games at least do a serviceable attempt at letting fans of the franchise interact with the characters and locations they’ve come to love.

The portable movie tie-ins

Often overlooked in favor of their console counterparts, Harry Potter’s portable entries were developed by different studios. As such, they often vary wildly from the console versions, with some versions exceeding the console versions in quality. When we reviewed The Prisoner of Azkaban, for example, we gave the PS2 version an unflattering, but not damning, 6.5, whereas its GBA counterpart received an impressive 8/10. This divide in score is in part thanks to the GBA version’s emphasis on RPG mechanics, which gave the Hogwarts setting a new and refreshing flavor. These portable offerings are therefore much like Hufflepuff: They’re often ignored or dismissed, but if you give them a chance, you might find some real gems.

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Wonderbook: Book of Spells

Among Harry Potter’s more experimental game offerings, Wonderbook: Book of Spells acted as a showcase for augmented reality. It used the PS3’s PlayStation Eye and Move controllers – along with an actual, physical book – to make it look as if any number of magical things were occurring on the screen. Unfortunately, Book of Spells (and its successor, Book of Potions) served more as tech demos than actual games. There’s still some appeal for those who love to dig into the franchise’s lore, but for most others, it’ll be a pretty shallow experience.

Harry Potter for Kinect

As Sony was experimenting with the PlayStation Eye, Microsoft was experimenting with the Xbox Kinect. Among the series to receive an adaptation for the body-tracking peripheral, the aptly named Harry Potter for Kinect was a collection of minigames where players shifted their bodies and waved their hands, trying to reenact iconic scenes or cast popular spells with the Kinect’s voice recognition. Unfortunately, developers Eurocom didn’t brew up a winner, instead creating a buggy mess that served as a novelty at best.

Lego Harry Potter

The Lego games often build fun, easily accessible movie adaptations where others fail, and it was no exception when developer Traveller’s Tales got its hands on the Harry Potter franchise. The level-based mission structure was kept in place from previous Lego games, but the entire castle of Hogwarts, among other locations such as Diagon Alley and Hogsmead, became explorable, with hidden secrets and collectibles scattered across its many halls. Add to this an extensive list of playable characters and functional spells that unlock as you progress, plus a wacky sense of humor, and the Lego Harry Potter games serve as some of the brightest of the bunch.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

In recent years, new Harry Potter games mostly release on mobile platforms, and 2018’s Hogwarts Mystery showed promise for having an original and engaging story, with many of the film’s actors reprising their roles. However, what might have been a fun addition to the Harry Potter franchise was marred by aggressive microtransaction practices that didn’t fit with the game’s narrative structure. Like Gilderoy Lockhart, it may be attractive on the surface, but looks can be deceiving.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

The most recent Harry Potter game, Wizards Unite was developed by Niantic of Pokémon GO fame, and follows a similar structure. Players go out into the real world, using their phones’ GPS tracking to find magical beasts, stopping by inns, greenhouses, and fortresses to heal, craft potions, and battle. While clearly derivative of Pokémon GO, the game iterates upon many of GO’s ideas, all while delivering a fun experience for Harry Potter fans to come together and enjoy.

While the original septilogy of novels is long-concluded, game developers still dust off the Harry Potter brand every once and a while, for better or worse. Last year we saw leaked footage that appeared to be an impressive-looking console Harry Potter game, so hopefully Harry’s next adventure does the property justice. One thing is certain: We definitely haven’t seen the last of The Boy Who Lived in video games.

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High school and college can be difficult, but we always have video games to keep our brains in shape. Whether you want to learn magic, the Force, or the good-old “three R’s” (despite the fact that only “Reading” starts with an R), there are myriad schools where the price of admission is the tag on the game box.

Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia – Ranger School

Why it would be awesome: Pokémon schools are sprinkled throughout the mainline Pokémon games, but it only takes around 10 minutes, if that, to see everything they have to offer. In Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, however, you spend the first hour or two training to be one of the titular Pokémon Rangers, making friends and learning the game’s mechanics from your teachers, many of whom you continue to encounter throughout the rest of the game. Getting to spend your school days befriending Pokémon and training to be a Pokémon Ranger would be any kid’s dream!

Why it would be awful: There’s no bones about it: Being a Pokémon Ranger just isn’t as cool as being a proper Pokémon trainer. Sure, you still get to hang out with Pokémon, but instead of having awesome battles, you have to draw circles around them to make them your friend, not your actual partner Pokémon (with a few exceptions). Being in Ranger School would beat normal school by a mile, but if you’ve found that magical portal to the wonderful world of Pokémon, why wouldn’t you want to go on a Pokémon adventure instead?

Persona 5 – Shujin Academy

Why it would be awesome: One of the best things about Persona 5 – and Persona in general – is your relationship with your friends, or “confidants.” Over the hundred-plus hours you can spend in the game, you become intimately close with each character, either platonically or romantically. Getting to hang out with Ryuji, Makoto, and Ann – in and out of class – would be fun, as would visiting palaces and changing the hearts of evildoers. A strong theme of Persona 5 is how awful the world can be, and trying to affect change. We have some power to create change in the real world, but getting to directly change the hearts of major jerks is a fantasy we’d love to live out.

Why it would be awful: Even after the physically and sexually abusive gym teacher, Kamoshida, is out of the picture, there are plenty of things to hate about Shujin Academy. High school usually sucks wherever in the world you are, but the Japanese school system is particularly notorious for evoking high stress, especially when it comes to the preposterously difficult college admission tests, for which many students dedicate their entire senior years preparing for. You even have to go to school on Saturdays! Add to that a corrupt principal, and we believe the cons far outweigh any pros.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy – The Jedi Academy

Why it would be awesome: Much like Pokémon, nearly every kid wants to be trained in the Force, learn how to wield a lightsaber and make rocks float. Not only would attending the Jedi Academy let you do that, but you’d also be under the supervision of Luke Skywalker himself! What could possibly go wrong?

Why it would be awful: A lot, evidently. Not only is the academy consistently attacked by the Sith, but some of your classmates – maybe even you – are secretly on the dark side. This can lead to awkward situations where you might find out your best friend has been corrupted, so you are forced to kill him, turning to the dark side yourself. School can be a cut-throat environment, but at the Jedi Academy, you can take that literally.

Lego Harry Potter – Hogwarts

Why it would be awesome: It might be cheating to use a movie tie-in to incorporate Hogwarts, but both Lego Harry Potter games are some of the best games within the franchise. The Lego version of Hogwarts also expands upon some areas where the movies rarely went, letting players explore almost the entirety of Hogwarts castle and find all of its many secrets. There’s a reason J.K. Rowling’s novels lit the world on fire, and it’s in large part because of how much her readers, young and old, dreamed of going to a school like Hogwarts. Magic lessons, pet owls, and hanging out with Ron and Hermione? What’s not to love?

Why it would be awful: If you’re going to Hogwarts while Harry Potter is there, there are some significant problems you may encounter. You’ll have some pretty awful professors, such as Snape and Umbridge, and others like McGonnagall (who are fair but strict) pile on tons of homework. During second year, you’ll have to worry about a Basilisk on the loose petrifying students. In the sixth and seventh years, your school is taken over by what are essentially magical fascists, torturing students if they’re disobedient or not “pure of blood.” On top of all that, since this is an older Lego game, every character communicates in weird grunts, so it’d be pretty hard to understand people.

Bully – Bullworth Academy

Why it would be awesome: Bully is one of our favorite Rockstar games, and for good reason. The game thrived under Rockstar’s signature open-world setting, featured surprisingly fun minigames that represented going to class, and told an engaging story that paints the protagonist as more than the title proclaims. Uniting Bullworth Academy’s different cliques would fulfill a certain type of power fantasy for some people, and outside of needing to go to class, you’re pretty free to explore the school and its surrounding area as you please.

Why it would be awful: As the game’s title might suggest, Bullworth Academy has its fair share of bullies, but also a number of other alienating cliques, such as the preppies, townies, jocks, greasers, and nerds. (Hey, what’s wrong with nerds, Bully?!) If you’re not getting beat up, you’re likely to be stalked, harassed, or even ignored, which can be just as painful. It’s a very real, very toxic environment to be in, and any perks of freedom or enjoyable classes get buried fast.

Professor Layton – Gressenheller University

Why it would be awesome: Professor Layton spends a surprisingly small amount of time in his games being an actual professor, usually hanging out with Luke and friends solving mysteries across Britain. However, the professor’s travels have occasionally brought him back to his day job, where he teaches not logic, as one might think from his affinity for the subject, but archaeology. The professor’s students universally love the class, and the other professors we meet seem to be equally qualified and talented. In addition to all this, Gressenheller University has a beautiful campus, borrowing a lot of architecture from real universities. It’s essentially Oxford, an elite school that has great professors and a lot of personality.

Why it would be awful: It’s an elite school. While the professors may be great teachers, they most likely have incredibly high expectations for their students. If you’re into that kind of life, then good for you! But for the rest of us, let’s be honest. Getting to be under the professor’s tutelage doesn’t make up for the stress associated with living up to his high standards.

Doki Doki Literature Club – School

Why it would be awesome: Though we don’t get a bunch of details about the game’s school, it seems to be a pretty standard high school. Doki Doki Literature Club is a light dating sim where you join the titular literature club and decide to spend time with one of the three main characters: Sayori, Yuri, or Natsuki. There’s also the club leader, Monika, but she doesn’t have any romance options. The characters are a bit clichéd, but it’s still nice to grow close with these characters, which would certainly appeal to a good number of people. (No judgment!) And who doesn’t love literature?!

Why it would be awful: Honestly, we can’t think of anything. The game is set in Japan, so there’s the aforementioned challenges that come with that. Otherwise, everything in Doki Doki Literature Club is so wholesome and cheerful that it’s hard to think of any huge reasons why you wouldn’t want to be a part of this game’s reality. We could stay here forever!

Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Officers Academy

Why it would be awesome: We’ve talked about how going to a magic school would be awesome, and the Black Eagles specialize in that, but in addition, those without an affinity for magic can also learn archery or lance-use from the Blue Lions and Golden Deer, respectively. Relationships, platonic and romantic, are integral to Fire Emblem, and as such each house has plenty of colorful characters to interact with who we’d love to meet in person.

Why it would be awful: These students, some of whom are as young as 15, are being forced into combat where they kill others and can be seriously injured if not killed themselves. Sure, it’s a fun time when you’re chilling with your friends at the academy, but is it worth the mental and physical anguish of war? Of course not! (And that’s all before the five-year time skip.)

It turns out most of the schools we were planning on attending have some pretty significant downsides. It’s a bummer, but maybe you should stop working on that interdimensional portal and start preparing for real school. It may not be as fun-looking as some of these schools, but it’ll probably benefit you more in the long run.

For more on the covered games, check out our reviews of Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, as well as our month of coverage on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order!

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Back in 2016, we gave our ideas for 10 Pokémon based on real life that deserve to exist. That was before the launch of Pokémon Sun & Moon, and Game Freak seems to have ignored every last one of our ideas – even the one about a Pokémon that’s a truck! This must have been a mistake, so we’re offering Game Freak the opportunity to make things right by putting all of the following ideas into the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield. No need to thank us, Junichi. These ideas are free.

 Emperor Tamarin

This little guy is known for its similar appearance to German emperor Wilheim II, but unlike Wilheim, the tamarin is actually a good dad. (We’re not historians, but what emperor has ever been a good father?) It’s also adorable (Sorry, Will). There’s even an upcoming game based around the tamarin, although it isn’t of the emperor variety.

The emperor tamarin is a social animal, forming bonds with both other members of its species and even humans, so it might evolve through friendship with its trainer instead of levels. It would be normal-type to start with, but could become grass-type with its evolution. This evolution could take the creature’s beard to the next level, reaching Jeff Cork levels of majesty and growing in pride, becoming tall and bipedal (Also like Jeff Cork).

Wolverine

The wolverine is usually a scavenger, but it can also hunt deer, bison, and moose. Despite its ferocity, however, the creature is relatively small and cute-looking. This is a classic combination for a Pokémon, and we believe it’s one that would work well with a normal/steel-type combination, the second type coming from its long, sharp claws. Its fur is good at resisting frost, so perhaps it could have an ability that resists ice-type moves or the frozen status.

This wolverine Pokémon would be a good option for the beginning of the game, perhaps with one evolution that gives it enlarged claws and teeth. It would have particularly good attack and speed stats, but may be a bit lacking in terms of defense due to its small size.

Kangaroo

Some will say Kangaskhan is Pokémon’s kangaroo equivalent. Those people are wrong. It may have a pouch for carrying its young, a tail, and even “kanga” at the start of its name, but…

Okay, Kangaskhan is Pokémon’s kangaroo equivalent. But, Pokémon has a history of having multiple monsters based on similar species. Think of how many mouse Pokémon there are! A kangaroo Pokémon that matches its source material even more, without the weird dinosaur vibe Kangaskhan was going for, would be distinct enough from Kangaskhan to warrant its own version. Namely, it would be cuter and furrier.

Kangaroos are fast and powerful creatures, even in water, so it would be fitting for this monster to have high speed and access to water moves such as “surf.” They’re also known to be mostly friendly with humans, making them a good potential match for early trainers. Since baby kangaroos are so adorable, that should be the base form, with further evolutions seeing it mature in size and power.

Alpaca

The alpaca is as cute as it is funny. It has short legs, a fat body and a long, upward-reaching neck. It also has myriad methods of communication: humming, snorting, grumbling, clucking, and even screaming. But one of its most notable ways of communicating discomfort is by spitting, either on other alpacas or humans. That’s a lot of potential, not just for character, but also for moves and abilities. There’s already a move called “spit up,” for Arceus’ sake!The alpaca also has over 50 variants of fiber color, so it would be awesome to see different areas of Galar have alpaca-equivalents of different colors, not unlike what Diamond and Pearl did with Shellos. The base evolution could be a cria – a baby alpaca – which is obviously smaller and has less fiber. The next evolution would match the alpaca’s level of poof and give it poison spit. Its final form could make the fiber even more extravagant and give the monster a pompous attitude to match its stylish hairdo.

Mantis Shrimp

The mantis shrimp is a badass. It may seem small and docile, but this little crustacean can fire its club-like organ so fast that it has the same power as a bullet. A single blow from the mantis shrimp’s club can dismember a crab’s leg or crack its shell, split open a human thumb, or even shatter glass. Their punch is so fast that it boils the water around them. On top of that, it can see more colors than practically any other animal on the planet, which humans aren’t even able to imagine.

This is the perfect opportunity for a glass cannon. The mantis shrimp Pokémon would have insane attack and speed stats, but its small size would leave it without much defense. Its ability to see so many colors could translate into potential for learning psychic moves. This would likely be a late-game Pokémon due to its dangerous nature and might be the signature Pokémon of the games’ main villain. 

Snowy Owl

This is one Pokémon we still can’t believe hasn’t been created yet, but with Hedwig’s prominence in the Harry Potter franchise, it’s time to bring the snowy owl to Galar. Fans seem to have the same idea, as the creature served as the inspiration for the fan-game Pokémon Clover’s Whizzard.

Since the only other previous flying/ice Pokémon was Articuno, the snowy owl would be the first easily obtainable Pokémon to have this unique type combination. Its first evolution would of course be a baby owl, but it would be constantly shivering due to its cold environment. When it evolves, it would acclimate to the cold, developing a prideful and detached disposition to match the creature’s majesty.

Dolphin

Why wouldn’t you want a dolphin Pokémon?! They’re adorable, friendly, fast, and intelligent. They could even serve as this generation’s “ride Pokémon,” potentially helping trainers reach Galar’s equivalent of Ireland in the post-game.

We asked for this back in 2016, but Game Freak clearly isn’t getting our calls. So we’ll just have to shout it as loud as we can: GIVE US A DOLPHIN POKÉMON, GAME FREAK!! We don’t care if you have to get rid of some of the old Pokémon to make it happen, it’s worth it!

…Oh. I guess they only heard the second part. Sorry, guys.

Sphinx

Not to be confused with Shinx, the sphinx is a mythical creature with a human head, wings, and the body of a lion. This odd combination of features has nevertheless become prominent not just in mythology, but in popular culture as well. The combination of this creature’s intimidating features yet calm demeanor would make for a fascinating legendary Pokémon.

The sphinx is also known for its riddles, so trainers would have to solve them before being able to challenge it. Once in battle, the sphinx Pokémon would make use of its claws, wings, and psychic abilities to pose a significant challenge.

Gun

No, not the very real game, Pokémon Gun. A gun Pokémon! There’s already a Pokémon based on a sword, and this one would operate in a very similar way. It’s a ghost/ steel Pokémon that’s able to levitate and use itself as a weapon. The Pokémon Company even considered having a gun Pokémon before in Gold and Silver’s leaked beta!

Starting as a small, levitating handgun, the monster would evolve into a frightening and deadly machine gun, with large, angry eyes and its mouth as the barrel, similar to the sentient appliances from The Brave Little Toaster. To head off any criticism, the Pokemon’s projectiles could be beams of energy similar to the blasters from Star Wars, which would also sidestep the messy question of how it gets its ammunition.

Mech

There aren’t many things cooler in video games than mechs. They’re powerful, fast, and overall ridiculously cool-looking. Now imagine having a mech Pokémon that rips Joey’s Rattata to shreds! Pokémon Sword and Shield are already emphasizing increased scale with larger environments and dynamax Pokémon, and a giant mech Pokémon would be right at home with that philosophy. Just imagine a dynamaxed mech!

Like Mewtwo and Porygon, this Pokémon would be man-made, trained to become a monster of mass destruction. But through some series of events, you’re able to catch it and give this mech the love it deserves. Since mechs are so powerful and sturdy, this Pokémon likely wouldn’t be allowed in competitions and would only be obtainable in the post-game, because this big boy would be a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps your trainer could even climb inside it! (Don’t think about that too much)

What are your thoughts on these choices? What animals/ objects/weapons of mass destruction would you put into the wonderful world of Pokémon? What did you have for lunch today? Let us know in the comments below!

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During E3 2019, we had a chance to chat with Square Enix president and CEO Yosuke Matsuda about the publisher’s efforts to make its back catalogue available digitally on modern platforms. Square Enix has been doing an excellent job making its older titles accessible on modern platforms with announcements this week alone for the Mana series, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, and The Last Remnant to name a few, but there are still some sizable gaps in its extensive catalog. From only releasing on outdated hardware to being entirely unlocalized, here are some games Square Enix should update next.

King’s Knight

King’s Knight is bad. But it’s also an important part of Square’s history. It was the first game Square published independently, and featured some of Nobuo Uematsu’s first work as a video game composer. The game released in North America on the NES in 1989, and later saw a re-release on the Wii Virtual Console in 2008, but since the Virtual Console’s closed this year, American audiences aren’t able to experience this part of Square’s history without dusting off their NES.

Final Fantasy I & II

While nearly every other numbered Final Fantasy is available on PC or modern consoles, Final Fantasy I and II are hard to track down. The closest you can get is the Dawn of Souls remake, which is unfortunately not available on any current-gen consoles. The first game is part of the NES Classic, but that can still be tricky to track down. The games are a bit outdated and Final Fantasy II tried some mechanics that didn’t really work out, but that doesn’t mean fans shouldn’t be able to easily experience the first two entries in what has become one of the most beloved JRPG series of all time – on a modern platform.

Super Mario RPG

Square Enix and Nintendo have made good efforts to get this game out to more people, but it’s still difficult for most people to get their hands on it. The game was re-released on the SNES Classic, but the console faces similar – if not as dire – scarcity issues to its NES counterpart. It also re-released on the Wii U’s Virtual Console, but that console’s dead as a doornail, and its online services will close sooner or later. It’s unlikely the game will release on mobile or PC with Nintendo’s IP, so the best Square Enix can do is continue porting the game to modern Nintendo platforms. Right now, that means the Switch!

Final Fantasy Tactics

The mainline Final Fantasy games aren’t the only ones worth playing, as Tactics is some fans’ favorite game in the franchise. Released in 1998 on the original PlayStation, the game got a remake with The War of the Lions in 2007 for the PSP, and was eventually re-released on iOS and Android. The mobile versions apparently aren’t bad, but fans deserve to play the classic games with real buttons.

Xenogears and the Xenosaga trilogy

With Nintendo now owning Monolith Soft, rights to the studio’s Xenogears and Xenosaga may be a bit tricky, but the games are so beloved that we believe it’s worth figuring out. Xenogears released on the PlayStation in 1998 and has never gotten been re-released. Xenosaga I and II saw a Japan-exclusive compilation on the DS, but I through III are stuck on the PlayStation 2 for American audiences. With the growing popularity of the Xenoblade Chronicles series, now is a good time for Square Enix to let fans check out Monolith Soft’s previous work.

The Parasite Eve Trilogy

Parasite Eve had its ups and downs, but it’s still a series worth experiencing. The first game is available for streaming on PlayStation Now and on Vita, but there’s no way to own the game on any platform but the PlayStation. And Parasite Eve II doesn’t even have the streaming option so it’s stuck exclusively on its original PlayStation disc. The Third Birthday, the series’ last installment in 2010, released on the PSP and is similarly stuck on the system.

Brave Fencer Musashi

Square’s fun and expressive action RPG, and its sequel, are stuck on the PlayStation and PS2, respectively. Square Enix shouldn’t be on the fence about porting these gems!

Chrono Cross

The more beloved Chrono Trigger was re-released on PC recently, and while it initially was pretty rough around the edges, Square Enix fixed its most egregious issues, making it a pretty faithful port of the original. Chrono Cross, the game’s loose sequel for the PlayStation, was not so lucky. It launched in 2000 in the west, and the closest place to a modern console you can play it is on the Vita.

And while we’re talking about Chrono Cross, remember that time we matched All 45 U.S. Presidents to all 45 Chrono Cross party members? That was weird.

Vagrant Story

Vagrant Story continues to receive critical acclaim to this day, but the most recent platform you can play it on is the Vita. It is certainly deserving of a PlayStation 4 or Switch release.

Most of the Dragon Quest series

Nearly every entry of the Dragon Quest series is available – on mobile. We’ve done this song and dance before, and mobile just doesn’t cut it for most classic games, even if it’s better than nothing. The first three saw re-release on the Game Boy Color, IV through VI saw re-release on DS, and VII and VIII released on 3DS. The more recent the platform, the less of a problem this is, but we’d still love to see these games on PC or modern consoles. The same goes for IX, which released on DS exclusively. And while the MMORPG X is available on nearly every platform on the planet, it remains entirely unlocalized.

Bahamut Lagoon

The rest of the games on this list were suggested by Game Informer readers! Like Dragon Quest X, Bahamut Lagoon has seen some quality re-releases, but only in Japan. The game remains entirely unlocalized outside its country of origin.

Einhänder

Another PlayStation game, another lack of ports. We’d have to imagine there’s something about PlayStation games that make it hard to translate to other platforms.

Terranigma

This game released in Japan and PAL regions on the SNES, but has never made its way to North America, nor seen any re-releases since.

The Valkyrie Profile series

The original Valkyrie Profile saw re-release on PSP and mobile, but again, Square Enix can do better than mobile ports. The rest of the series – Silmeria, Covenant of the Plume, and The Origin – are stuck on PS2, DS, and mobile, respectively.

Secret of Evermore

This game released on SNES and remains a secret to other platforms… evermore.

We don’t want to come across as ungrateful. Square Enix has consistently released quality ports of its classic games, and announced quite a few more during this week’s E3. Even mobile ports are better than nothing, and some of them are quite good. But this list highlights how much more work the company has to do if it want everything available. And that’s not even counting the games that are on PC but not console, and vice versa!

We also know this isn’t anywhere near a complete list, so let us know which Square Enix games you want ported to modern platforms!

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