Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Launches on Nintendo Switch — Everything You Need to Know

Level-5 has officially launched Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time for Nintendo Switch, marking a highly anticipated return to the inventive life-simulation RPG series that first captivated players on the Nintendo 3DS.

As of today, the game is available digitally via the Nintendo eShop for Switch players in the West, while a physical edition has launched exclusively in Japan. Following the critical and commercial success of the original Fantasy Life, Level-5 continues its creative streak with a sequel designed to appeal to fans of open-ended fantasy adventures and simulation gameplay.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time empowers players to adopt a variety of roles—known as 'Lives'—across a vibrant new world, blending classic RPG elements with sandbox customization and cooperative multiplayer. The game opens as players set sail alongside the archaeologist Edward and his team, following clues from a mysterious dragon fossil.

This journey leads them to a deserted island teeming with secrets, where they unravel the story of a forgotten civilization.

The narrative encourages exploration across two distinct eras—the flourishing island of 1,000 years past, and its present-day counterpart. Level-5 highlights that Fantasy Life i features 14 Lives, each functioning as a unique job class.

These range from gathering roles such as fishing or mining, to crafting professions like blacksmithing and cooking, and even combat-focused jobs built for battling monsters.

According to the developer, players have the freedom to switch between any Life at any time, allowing for tailored playstyles and diverse in-game experiences. In a statement from Level-5, the team emphasized how this installment offers more depth in its world-building, saying, "Players can collect materials, build and expand their own towns, and even shape the landscape to create a uniquely personal island." Newly introduced mechanics let players draw rivers, lay out roads, place homes, and decorate interiors, giving an unprecedented level of creative control in the Fantasy Life series. Another major advancement is the game's expansive open-world design, which presents the largest continent yet for the franchise.

Players can now climb ledges, swim across bodies of water, and traverse the land on mounts, supporting seamless exploration.

Multiplayer has also been enhanced, supporting up to four players online and offering a two-player family co-op mode for local play—encouraging cooperative dungeon dives or community building sessions with friends. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is immediately available for Nintendo Switch on the Nintendo eShop in Western territories, with Japanese players able to purchase a physical version.

For those eager to see the game in action, Level-5 has released an official launch trailer showcasing its signature charm and new features, further cementing the title as a must-try for RPG and life-sim enthusiasts. With its robust job system, sandbox customization, and social gameplay, Fantasy Life i reaffirms Level-5’s status as a pioneer in genre-blending experiences, while delivering a vibrant, nostalgia-infused adventure on Nintendo’s popular platform.

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