Ys III: Wanderers From Ys Temporarily Removed from EGGCONSOLE Distribution on Nintendo Switch

Nihon Falcom’s beloved action RPG, Ys III: Wanderers From Ys, a title originally released in 1989, has recently seen its Nintendo Switch digital distribution paused.

The game, reissued as part of D4 Enterprise’s EGGCONSOLE series, was added to the platform on May 9, 2024, giving players a chance to experience one of the most unique entries in the long-running Ys franchise on modern hardware. On May 30, 2024, the official EGGCONSOLE account confirmed via social media that "distribution of the EGGCONSOLE game 'Wanderers From Ys (PC-8801mkIISR)' is currently suspended." The statement further reassured fans that efforts are underway to resume the digital availability of Ys III, and kindly asked users to "please wait for a while" as work proceeds.

No specific explanation has been provided for the temporary removal as of this writing. Community discussions in Japan have highlighted a potential reason for the withdrawal.

Some fans pointed out that the included scanned digital manual in the Switch version features artwork depicting a bare-breasted harpy enemy.

Under Japan’s current CERO age rating standards, this content may have contributed to a misclassification issue, prompting D4 Enterprise to pull the game temporarily while they address the concern.

While the official channels have yet to comment on these details, this context has generated wide discussion among fans regarding rating practices and digital preservation. Ys III: Wanderers From Ys marked a notable evolution for Nihon Falcom’s series, as it departed from the top-down view and automatic bump combat of the earlier games in favor of a side-scrolling perspective with manual attacks.

Players once again control the intrepid adventurer Adol Christin, who sets off to the town of Redmont to confront a new threat and help the local citizens. Developed by Nihon Falcom and first launched on the PC-8801, the game’s legacy extends across numerous platforms, including the PC-98, MSX, X68000, Mega Drive/Genesis, PC Engine CD-ROM²/TurboGrafx-CD, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and Famicom.

A full remake, Ys: The Oath in Felghana, brought the game to a new audience on Windows, PSP, Nintendo Switch, and the PlayStation 4/5.

Notably, the original development team departed prior to release and later founded the revered studio Quintet—an interesting chapter in the game’s storied history. Of all regional editions, only select versions on SNES, Mega Drive, TurboGrafx-CD, and PSP received official English localizations.

The EGGCONSOLE Switch reissue maintains untranslated in-game text but does provide an English main menu and instructions to assist non-Japanese speakers, a longstanding trend for this digital archival series. While the temporary suspension of Ys III: Wanderers From Ys on Nintendo Switch and the EGGCONSOLE platform may disappoint fans eager to revisit this classic, D4 Enterprise’s swift communication suggests an eventual return.

The ongoing attention to both preservation and compliance ensures that significant titles from gaming history continue finding their audience on contemporary platforms like the Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch Nihon Falcom EGGCONSOLE Falcom Ys