Square Enix’s first HD-2D game was a few years ago. Octopath Traveler was seemingly a one-off marketing term they created to promote the game. Since then three games have been announced to take on this art style as well. There is the new tactical RPG, Triangle Strategy. There are two remakes in the works via Dragon Quest 3 and Live A Live.
Live A Live is a special case since it never left the Super Nintendo outside of Japan. There are plenty more classic Square Enix games that should come over with the HD-2D treatment. Then there are the more known classics that should receive the upgrade as well.
8 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars still holds up in terms of gameplay. However, the graphics are a bit more dated by Super Nintendo standards. It was pushing the limits of the SNES at the time by creating polygonal models in a top-down world. It was impressive at the time and proved that the SNES was capable of 3D alongside the newer consoles. However, the drawback was time. An HD-2D remake could help clean it up.
7 Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger holds up even better and might be the greatest RPG on the SNES. It was ahead of its time, parodying and doing away with RPG tropes by the dozens. There were no random encounters, for example.
It was also unique as it was a time-traveling game. Players could affect time in various ways. Choices had meaning. Oddly, this and Mario RPG aren’t on the Switch’s Virtual Console equivalent. Square Enix making an HD-2D version of both games would explain why.
6 Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics may take a bit more work to turn into a 2D game. That’s because a majority of the models and landscapes were already in 3D. It might be a better idea, and an easier one, to just remaster the original on PS1 or to enhance the PSP version.
There are ways to make use of the HD-2D engine though. Let’s leave it up to Square Enix to figure it out. Triangle Strategy is a great tactical RPG from them with good visuals. However, some players would be even more excited to play an HD-2D version of Final Fantasy Tactics instead. That’s why this is a good choice.
5 Bahamut Lagoon
Bahamut Lagoon is a lesser-known tactical RPG on SNES from Square Enix because it never left Japan. It has been fan translated so hardcore players have been able to check it out for quite some time now.
Like Live A Live, there is always hope that this will someday see the light of day in the West officially. What better way to experience it now than with an HD-2D remake? As the name suggests, dragons are a big theme in the story and gameplay. Bahamut, as the king of dragons, is a huge part of many Square Enix RPGs.
4 Alcahest
Alcahest is a top-down action RPG. It was only published by Square at the time and developed by Hal Laboratory. Nintendo fans may recognize that name because they have worked on a number of their titles including most early Kirby games.
It’s another SNES game that looks and plays great to this day. A remake wouldn’t change much. However, it was never released outside of Japan officially like Bahamut Lagoon. This makes the idea of an HD-2D remake more appealing even if there is a perfectly fine fan translation for Alcahest already.
3 Robotrek
Robotrek was not an early Square game on SNES. It is instead an older Enix title before the merger. Players get to create and customize a robot pal to their liking through the RPG. It is a more traditional turn-based game and kid-friendly but there are plenty of surprises throughout it as well.
They can even create more for a whole army. It was a unique RPG at the time which is still special now. Enix’s games, besides Dragon Quest, deserve attention in the remake market as well and this is a great example.
2 Valkyrie Profile
Valkyrie Profile is another Enix title in need of more attention. For a time, it did. After this PS1 original, it got a sequel on PS2 and a tactical RPG spinoff on the DS. There was even a port for the PSP of Valkyrie Profile but it was weighed down due to poor load times.
The mobile game, Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin, was the last major release and since then the series has been dormant. This game used high-quality 2D sprites in a 3D world. It would be the perfect candidate for an HD-2D remake.
1 Xenogears
Xenogears might be the most deserving game on this list because it was technically never finished. This and Final Fantasy 7 were being developed at the same time on PS1. Eventually, the focus shifted over to Final Fantasy 7 with a lot of this game’s budget being cut.
For those that have played the final disc, it is readily apparent that something went wrong. As this also uses high-quality sprites, it would look great in an HD-2D remake. Square Enix could, and should, finish the game from its original vision too.