A PS1 exclusive RPG has been officially re-released today, in a surprise release, via the PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2. And the PS1 RPG in question takes players back to 1998/2000. PlayStation fans in Japan first experienced this classic in 1998. Those in the United States didn’t experience the RPG until 2000. Meanwhile, those in Europe didn’t get their hands on the game until the Nintendo DS remaster that was released in 2008/2009. Whatever the case, it’s been a while for everyone, and thankfully for fans of it, it holds up well in 2026. Many PS1 games don’t, but in particular, Japanese role-playing games do, and this is no exception.
For those who have not connected the dots, the PS1 exclusive RPG in question is Nippon Ichi Software’s tactical RPG, Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, a game known for its cutesy aesthetic and vibe and its more casual gameplay compared to the many hardcore RPGs of this era. To this end, it was a favorite of non-RPG fans more than RPG fans back in the day. And while its 68% on GameRankings is a little low, the game was popular, especially in Japan.
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Back With Improvements
The new release comes courtesy of Hamster, who is asking for $14.99 for the classic RPG on both the Nintendo eShop and the PlayStation Store. And this is the original, nostalgic version of the RPG, but with some new features, such as customizable button layouts, multiple save points, a rewind function, and the ability to play with a CRT filter for the true 1990s experience.
As you may know, Hamster re-releases classic console and arcade games every week, most of which are smaller and niche releases from back in the day. To this end, this is one of the bigger and more noteworthy re-releases it’s had so far in 2026. And as you would expect, nostalgic gamers are excited about it.
“Yes! This is such a fun game that deserves preserving,” reads one of the comments on the trailer above. Another adds, “I might just get myself a copy of this title.”
If you have deja vu, it is because this game was re-released on Nintendo Switch back in 2022, but this is the first time it’s been on Switch 2. There are known differences between these versions, though. That said, it never got re-released on PS4, so this PS5 release is a first for PlayStation fans. However, this only applies to the United States. It’s been available on PS5 in Japan, but only in Japan, since 2024.
All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the video game conversations over on the ComicBook Forum.
