Game · in order

Ys Games in Order

By the Bingerun team · How we choose the order →

All 11 mainline Ys entries (the ten numbered games plus the prequel Ys Origin) across 15 steps, in release order and true chronological order, because Falcom's numbering was never a timeline: Ys X happens right after Ys II, Ys VIII happens before Ys VI, and Ys IX is the chronological finale.

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  1. Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished - Omen 1987

    Series opener (NEC PC-8801, Japan); Adol's raid on Darm Tower; continues directly into Ys II; play it via the Chronicles remake, not the 1987 original

  2. Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished - The Final Chapter 1988

    Direct continuation and conclusion of Ys I, the series' only hard two parter; play immediately after I, via Chronicles

  3. Ys III: Wanderers from Ys 1989

    Side scrolling odd one out set in Felghana; fully superseded by the 2005 remake The Oath in Felghana; historical row only

  4. Ys IV: Mask of the Sun / The Dawn of Ys 1993

    Two competing 1993 versions (Tonkin House on Super Famicom, Hudson on PC Engine CD), neither by Falcom, with conflicting stories; both superseded by Memories of Celceta; historical row only

  5. Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand 1995

    Super Famicom, Japan only; the sole mainline entry never officially localized (fan translation exists); standalone story, safe to skip for English players

  6. Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim 2003

    Rebooted the series into modern 3D action; chronology trap: despite the lower number it takes place after Ys VIII (Adol is 23 here vs 21 in VIII)

  7. RemakeYs: The Oath in Felghana 2005

    Full remake of Ys III and the most recommended entry point; the Western Ys Memoire remaster (Jan 7, 2025) is console only, while the 2012 Steam release is the older build without turbo mode or voiced Adol

  8. Ys Origin 2006

    Prequel set about 700 years before Ys I, the chronological start; built as fan service for Ys I & II though, so it lands best after Chronicles

  9. RemakeYs I & II Chronicles 2009

    Definitive remake compilation of Ys I and II (PSP JP July 16, 2009; West 2011; Chronicles+ on Steam 2013); one purchase covers both entries

  10. Ys Seven 2009

    Introduced the three character party system every later entry uses (PSP JP Sept 17, 2009); set about six months after Ys VI, second to last chronologically

  11. RemakeYs: Memories of Celceta 2012

    Falcom's canonical Ys IV, replacing both 1993 versions (Vita 2012; PC 2018; PS4 2019 JP / 2020 West); chronologically right after Ys X with an amnesiac 18 year old Adol

  12. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana 2016

    The modern breakout hit and a common starting point; chronology trap: it happens before Ys VI, with a 21 year old Adol shipwrecked on the Isle of Seiren

  13. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox 2019

    Chronologically the last game in the timeline (Adol 24, prison city of Balduq) even though Ys X released after it; self contained mystery with callbacks to Seven and VIII

  14. Ys X: Nordics 2023

    The headline numbering trap: the tenth game is chronologically the second adventure, set shortly after Ys II with a 17 year old Adol; superseded by Proud Nordics, so new players should skip this version

  15. EnhancedYs X: Proud Nordics 2025

    Definitive expanded edition of Ys X (Switch 2 JP July 31, 2025; West Feb 20, 2026 on PS5, Switch 2 and PC); sold as a full separate game with no console upgrade path, and only cleared Nordics save data carries over

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Why this order?

Ys is one of the longest running action RPG series in existence, and it hides one of the nastiest ordering traps in gaming: the numbers on the boxes have nothing to do with the story's timeline. Falcom numbers releases, not chronology. Each game is a standalone travelogue slotted somewhere into the life of red haired adventurer Adol Christin, which is how you end up with Ys X, the newest numbered game, being chronologically the second adventure, set right after Ys II with a 17 year old Adol. Ys VIII takes place before Ys VI despite the higher number, and Ys IX is the latest point in the timeline even though Ys X released after it. A flat numbered list gets all three of these wrong.

The second trap layer is remakes. Following the same convention as our other guides, superseding remakes get their own steps: Ys I & II Chronicles replaces the 1987 and 1988 originals, The Oath in Felghana replaces Ys III, Memories of Celceta replaces Ys IV, and Ys X: Proud Nordics replaces vanilla Nordics. Nobody should start on the 1980s or 1990s versions. Ys IV is the strangest case in the whole catalog: two competing 1993 games, Mask of the Sun and The Dawn of Ys, were released the same year by two different companies, neither of them Falcom, with conflicting stories. They share one historical row here, and Memories of Celceta is the only Ys IV that counts.

Continuity is loose by design. The only hard dependency is Ys I into Ys II, one story split across two games. Ys X assumes you know I & II, Ys Origin lands far better after them despite being chronologically first, and Ys IX nods back to Seven and VIII, but everything else stands alone. That is why the community's standard entry points are The Oath in Felghana, Ys Origin or Ys VIII rather than the series opener, and why the one genuinely wrong way to play Ys is straight down the numbers.

Timeline 1987-2025

Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.

  1. 1987 Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished - Omen
  2. 1988 Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished - The Final Chapter
  3. 1989 Ys III: Wanderers from Ys
  4. 4-year gap
  5. 1993 Ys IV: Mask of the Sun / The Dawn of Ys
  6. 1995 Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand
  7. 8-year gap
  8. 2003 Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim
  9. 2005 Ys: The Oath in Felghana
  10. 2006 Ys Origin
  11. 2009 Ys I & II ChroniclesYs Seven
  12. 2012 Ys: Memories of Celceta
  13. 4-year gap
  14. 2016 Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
  15. 2019 Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
  16. 4-year gap
  17. 2023 Ys X: Nordics
  18. 2025 Ys X: Proud Nordics

Where to play it today

Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Ys.

Frequently asked questions

How many Ys games are there?

There are 11 mainline Ys entries: the ten numbered games (Ys I through Ys X) plus the prequel Ys Origin. This guide lists 15 steps because superseding remakes count as their own steps under our convention: Ys I & II Chronicles, The Oath in Felghana, Memories of Celceta and Ys X: Proud Nordics each get a row at their own release date, while the two competing 1993 Ys IV games share a single historical row. Counting every port and version, releases run into the dozens.

Where should I start with the Ys series?

The three community standard entry points are The Oath in Felghana (a tight classic and the most recommended single game), Ys Origin (standalone-ish, though richer after I & II) and Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (the modern breakout). Starting at Ys I & II Chronicles is only for players who specifically want the bump combat originals. The one wrong answer is playing straight down the numbers, because the numbering is not the timeline.

Do the Ys games need to be played in order?

No. Each game is a standalone Adol travelogue. The only hard rule is Ys II immediately after Ys I, since they are one story in two parts. Softer links: Ys X assumes you know I & II, Ys Origin lands best after I & II, and Ys IX has callbacks to Seven and VIII but its mystery plot is self contained.

Which Ys IV should I play?

Neither 1993 release. Mask of the Sun (Tonkin House, Super Famicom) and The Dawn of Ys (Hudson, PC Engine CD) were competing versions made without Falcom and tell conflicting stories. Falcom's own Memories of Celceta (2012) is the canonical Ys IV and the only one worth playing today.

Can I play Ys V in English?

Not officially. Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand is the only mainline entry never localized; a fan translation exists. The D4 Enterprise Ys Collection compilation due in 2026 includes it but is Japan only and still untranslated. Its story is standalone, so English players lose almost nothing by skipping from Felghana onward.

Do I need both Ys X: Nordics and Proud Nordics?

No. Proud Nordics (West Feb 20, 2026 on PS5, Switch 2 and PC) supersedes Nordics with an integrated new storyline, new mechanics and a high difficulty bonus dungeon. It is a separate full price purchase with no console upgrade path; Steam offered Nordics owners a 34 percent loyalty discount only from March 6 to August 31, 2026, and only cleared save data carries over, with no mid game saves or trophies. New players should buy Proud Nordics and skip vanilla Nordics entirely.

Is a new Ys game coming?

A new Ys title is in development according to Falcom's December 2025 investor materials, but it is unannounced, with no name, platforms or date. Falcom's teased new title for 2026 turned out to be Kyoto Xanadu, revealed in February 2026, not a Ys game, so do not expect a mainline Ys launch on any confirmed schedule yet.

Is Ys connected to Trails, and is there a Ys anime?

Same developer, Nihon Falcom, but separate worlds; our Legend of Heroes: Trails guide covers the sibling series. The only crossover is Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga, a non canon Japan only PSP fighter from 2010. On the anime side, late 80s and early 90s OVAs adapt Ys I & II; they are optional curios, not required viewing. Other spin-offs like Ys Strategy and the mobile games sit outside this guide's scope.

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Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, gematsu.com, rpgsite.net, gamerant.com, operationrainfall.com, allthings.how, thegamer.com, ys-link.net, timeextension.com

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