Tales of Phantasia (English) Out on iOS in US/CAN

Namco Bandai sure has come a long way since Tales of Phantasia…at least when it comes to supporting overseas markets. We went from…not (officially) seeing the first Tales game in English—until a Game Boy Advance port in 2006—to something like Tales of Zestiria, which was confirmed for a worldwide release. For those of you who don’t already know, Tales of Phantasia is the first game in the long-running series, originally released for the SNES back in 1995. We never saw a localized version of Phantasia despite it being ported to many platforms since until 2006, as aforementioned.

If you’ve not yet played Tales of Phantasia in some form, the latest release on iOS may be ideal for you [but only if you have a U.S. or Canadian Apple ID—Ed.]. The game follows the free-to-play model, after all. Enjoy the game from start to finish without paying a dime, or purchase various items to make your life easier as you progress. By “make your life easier,” I mean…”revive and continue from the point where players are defeated in battle.” I’m not going to make some grand statement about mobile gaming here; you can surely find that elsewhere. But here’s a link to the iTunes App Store listing; I’ll include full release information below.

I’m sure devoted Tales fans will have a lot to say about this game. Be sure to let us know how you feel!

From the iTunes Store:

Tales of Phantasia, the first installment of the Tales series has finally arrived for the iPhone/iPod touch/iPad! The journey through time and space unfolds once again.

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◆System Requirements:
Compatible with iPhone4S, iPhone5, iPad2, iPad (3rd & 4th generation), iPad Mini and iPod touch 5th. Requires iOS4.3 or later.

# If your system does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the game may not run properly. In order to play the game without any problems, we suggest that users meet the recommended specifications.
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◆Play from Start to Finish for Free◆
The game can be played for free from start to finish. Utilization of purchasable items can grant benefits to players, such as being able to revive and continue from the point when players are defeated during battle.

◆Easy Touch-Screen Controls◆
Simple controls allow players to play through the game using only one finger. Players will be able to easily move characters across maps and the action-based battle system.

◆Animation and Voice-overs◆
Animations and voice-overs are implemented for important events of the game allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the storyline. There is full voice-over support for the main scenario and battle as well!

◆Game Center Functionality Support◆
The game has supported both “Achievements” and “Leaderboards” that enables players of any levels can enjoy and share the same excitement and sensation experienced during gameplay.

～Story～
Cress, a young man living in the village of Toltus was out hunting with his friend Chester. Just as they had caught their prey, they heard the warning bell from the direction of the village. Cress returns to the village and from there, his journey begins to unfold in unexpected turns through time and space…