Following up on the recent Switch release of Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster, Nintendo posted an interview with some of the original developers. Director and art director Yasuyuki Honne, planning director Koh Kojima, character designer Nakaba Higurashi, and composer Motoi Sakuraba all joined in to wax nostalgic. Thankfully, they shared relief while looking at how well both games have held up over the past two decades.
The original Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean launched on GameCube in Japan and the west in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Even 20 years later, there are many aspects of both it and its sequel that stand out today. “One thing that amazed me once again was the background art,” Koh Kojima commented. “It is also surprising that [Yasuyuki] Honne drew all these almost by himself at the time.”
This time around, Honne says he’s just supervising the remastered version. Since the original was released so long ago, he said he really wanted to “remake the whole thing.” He wasn’t quite sure if fans of the series would like that idea. He’s still pleased with how they turned out now, though. “I feel relieved and happy to look back at how well the game was made, in terms of playability and length,” he added.
Reawakened memories
It sounds like putting together the Baten Kaitos remasters was a nostalgic experience for all. Character designer Nakaba Higurashi “faced the illustrations” drawn in the past when creating the new key art. “I could vividly recall what I was thinking in the past, the feeling of the tools I used, and the faces of the people who supported me,” Higurashi said about looking at Kalas in the artwork.
“Baten Kaitos is a game where all development staff worked hard; hand-and-hand together like an orchestra,” said Honne.
The team went on to name what they personally enjoy most about both games. Honne is a fan of Mira, the City of Illusion. Kojima chose the “wonderful world setting,” which lets the player “become a spirit and participate in the story.” Higurashi tried to take the easy route and celebrate every aspect, but ended up honing in on the character stories as a personal favorite.
Orchestral evocations
Music is one of the many unforgettable pieces that make up both Baten Kaitos games. Renowned composer Motoi Sakuraba (Star Ocean, Golden Sun) had his own thoughts about his work on the soundtracks. “I’m proud of all the battle songs from Baten Kaitos I & II,” he noted. He also reminisced about how his daughter, who was a small child at the time, performed the vocals for “Le ali del principio” from Baten Kaitos II. “She did her best to sing it in Italian until the end of the song.”
It’s always nice to get a firm NO REGRETS from a development staff this far down the line. Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster just hit Switch on September 14, so you can see how they hold up for yourself right now.
