Live A Live JAPAN ONLY Collector's Edition - Break Down

The February 2022 Nintendo Direct saw a lot of awesome announcements. RPG fans definitely had a lot to like with numerous sequels and remastered announced at the event. One of the games that I’m most excited about has got to be Live A Live, the former Japan only Super Famicom game from Square Enix. This game is getting the full HD-2D treatment and also appears to be getting some voice work as well. As cool as all of that is, what’s even cooler is the awesome Japan only Collector’s Edition that’s set to hit alongside the game. Let’s take a look.

Note

Depending on when you are reading this, I just want to note that all of the information here is based on the announcement of the set from Square Enix in Japan. Since we're currently in the pre-release period, it’s not possible to get a hands on look at the set before it launches. Still, this should give you a clear picture of what to expect from the set. 

How Much & What’s Inside

Right now, the Live A Live Collector’s Edition is only available in Japan at the Square Enix online store, the e-Store. Ir went up for pre-order following the February Direct and it retails for ¥22,000 ($173 USD). There are a handful of cool goodies that are included, so let’s break them down. 

• Of course, you get a physical copy of the game. The box art here (sans the Japanese CERO rating) is the same as what you would get with a Western version. 
• The Steel Titan Model Kit - A character you will encounter during the Near Future section of the game, this model kit is actually getting a release in the West for $45 USD...in October! Regardless, this detailed model includes interchangeable hands a transparent stand and stickers that can be used to simulate the character’s appearance in the game. You can pre-order the figure here. 
• A FULL Board Game - That’s right. Just in case the actual game wasn’t enough for you, a full one-on-one board game version of Live A Live is also part of his set. The set includes a “battle field,” eight character cards, a rule book, action cards and more. It looks like a really cool way to celebrate all things Live A Live. 
• CD Soundtrack - What’s a Japanese collector’s edition without a CD soundtrack? Things are no different here. Two discs are included in the package with rearranged music from the original composer, Yoko Shimomura. These tracks can ONLY be found here in this set. Not only that, but an art book is included featuring old and new illustrations by the original artists.
• Shoulder Bag - Perhaps the weirdest (or most interesting additions) to this all has got to be this included bag. The bag features the Live A Live logo with an “enamel” or shiny covering. Square Enix hasn't listed the actual size of the bag itself, but hopefully it’s big enough to fit everything from the collector’s edition inside. 
• Bonus From the Square Enix e-Store - Ordering the Collector’s Edition OR the standard physical edition of Live A Live from the Square Enix e-Store will net you a special Live A Live sticker. Just an additional note, the collector’s edition is limited to one per person and DOES NOT ship outside of Japan. Unfortunately, you’ll need some kind of intermediary service to be able to purchase this if you don’t live in Japan. 

Sticker

English Language Support?

Taking a look at the Japanese product page for Live A Live on the eShop, it does appear that Live A Live DOES have full English language support. I can’t confirm this 100%, but I would go out on a limb and say that if you pick up the physical version of the game from Japan, whether that be the standard or Collector’s Edition, you should be covered. This hasn’t always been the case with some of the recently released collector’s edition in Japan. The 2021 Japanese physical (and digital) release of Famicom Detective Club didn’t offer English, for example. Other Square Enix titles have done the same, with games such as Dragon Quest XI NOT including English in their Japanese release of the game. This could have been due to publishing duties handled by Nintendo in every other region except Japan, though there has never really been a concrete explanation. 

Other Available Versions

Sure, the biggest news with this version of Live A Live are the remastered visuals and the ability to own a new physical copy for the first time since the game released on the Super Famicom back in 1994. It is interesting to note that this is NOT the first time the the game has been made available digitally on a Nintendo platform. While Square Enix skipped out on the Wii, they did release Live A Live on the Wii U Virtual Console back in June 2015 and also brought the game to the New 3DS via the Super Famicom Virtual Console. Obviously, those versions of the game were Japanese only, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless. 

Conclusion

It’s great to see Square Enix giving so much love to a game that has been stuck in Japan (officially) for so long. Sure, it’s a bummer that the West won’t see this collector’s version, but there still is a slim chance that you could get your hands on a copy. But let’s turn things over to you. What do you think of the Live A Live Collector’s Edition? Are you planning on picking it up? Are you planing on picking up the game in general? Have you played it before? Sound off in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.