Bahamut Lagoon
A tactical RPG blending grid combat with dragon raising.
Square brought Bahamut Lagoon, a tactical role-playing game, to the Super Famicom in 1996. Japan later saw Virtual Console releases for the Wii on September 29, 2009, and for the Wii U on February 5, 2014.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Square
- Director
- Kazushige Nojima
- Producer
- Tadashi Nomura
- Designer
- Hitoshi Sasaki
- Programmer
- Hiroshi Ono
- Writer
- Motomu Toriyama
- Composer
- Noriko Matsueda
- Release
- February 9, 1996 (JP)
Facts from the source article.
Development
Hitoshi Sasaki created the concept, drawing on his graphic design work on Final Fantasy VI. Programmer Hiroshi Ono proposed a team of new Square developers creating their own project to Hironobu Sakaguchi. Originally titled Final Fantasy Tactics, the game began as a traditional RPG with random encounters before shifting to tactical design. Production started in 1994 at Square's Development Department 6 and lasted two years. Sasaki acted as lead designer and artist, Kazushige Nojima directed, Tadashi Nomura produced, and Motomu Toriyama wrote the scenario. The setting was inspired by Sasaki's memory of flying over the Izu Peninsula. Toriyama's scenario was influenced by events in his life. Takatsuga Nakazawa designed the battle system, aiming for challenge and balance. Dragon breeding was added late in development, leading to the tactical RPG design. Ono wanted dragons to act independently via AI; an abandoned idea had dragons fighting and eating each other. Space limits reduced planned character behavior patterns.
Release
Bahamut Lagoon was released for the Super Famicom on February 9, 1996, as one of Square's last Super Famicom titles before their break with Nintendo. Copies were priced high due to cartridge production costs. It was re-released on the Japanese Virtual Console for Wii on September 29, 2009, and for Wii U on February 5, 2014; the Wii version was taken down in 2019. The game has never been officially released outside Japan. A fan translation patch was released in 2002 by a three-person team including Clyde Mandelin. A second fan translation by Near, known for Super Famicom emulator work, was released in 2021 after over twenty years of development.
Reception
In 1996, Bahamut Lagoon sold over 474,600 copies, ranking 17th best-selling of the year and third for Square after Super Mario RPG and Tobal No. 1. VideoGames described the game as looking phenomenal, highlighting graphics and gameplay. The narrative received mixed reactions: Edge praised its cast as blending strengths of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI, while RPGamers noted overused tropes but praised story twists. Nick Rox of GameFan was dismissive of the premise. Graphics and music were generally praised; Edge called the sprite work some of the best on the system, and Jeuxvideo.com praised graphics but faulted soundtrack variety. Peters enjoyed the music despite repetition. Rox called visuals excellent but lacking compared to earlier Square titles. Gameplay was praised by Edge for customization and depth, and Jeuxvideo.com lauded dragon raising mechanics. Peters found difficulty unexpectedly high, while Rox found it too easy and inferior to Front Mission, calling it basically Shining Force with dragons.
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