Nintendo Has a Spiritual Successor to an SNES Game Releasing This Year, But I’m Worried About It

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The Super Nintendo era had so many fantastic, yet often overlooked, games and timeless classics that deserve remakes. Whenever a developer, either from that time or inspired by it, creates a new game with the same clever writing and creative level design as those SNES titles, I’m really thrilled. Games like Sea of Stars and Undertale have already proven this can work beautifully, showing us exactly how to capture that classic feel in a modern way.

I was seriously blown away during the February 2026 Nintendo Direct when they announced Another Eden Begins. It’s being called a spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger, which, let’s be real, is one of the best SNES games of all time! You’d think I’d be completely hyped, but something about it just isn’t clicking for me. Honestly, it makes me even more bummed that a proper Chrono Trigger remake still feels like it’s never going to happen.

Another Eden Begins’ Mobile Game Origins Could Hurt It

At first look, Another Eden Begins seems similar to the mobile game Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space. It’s a popular JRPG created with strong roots: Masato Kato, a writer for classics like Chrono Trigger and Xenogears, penned the story, and Yasunori Mitsuda, known for his work on Xenoblade Chronicles, composed a particularly beautiful main theme. Despite some issues with repetitive gameplay and in-app purchases, Another Eden has a dedicated fanbase. If that same talented team were to create a single-player JRPG without the pressures of mobile gaming, the result could be truly outstanding.

It seems Another Eden Begins is essentially an offline version of the first story arc from the mobile game, featuring 18 key characters, and thankfully omitting the random character acquisition system (often called ‘gacha’) found in the original. This approach is similar to what the successful Octopath Traveler 0 did – taking the best parts of its mobile version and turning it into a standalone single-player game. However, while Octopath Traveler 0 retained the beautiful art style of the main series, Another Eden Begins clearly feels like a mobile port.

While I appreciate the art style of WFS’s new JRPG, the simple animations, bright colors, and basic level designs feel more suited for a mobile game than a premium title. It also carries over frustrating design choices from the original mobile version, like blocking progress unless you spend money to get stronger characters through its gacha system. This shows up as annoying random battles and enemies that are too difficult unless you have a very powerful team.

Another Eden’s battles are intentionally difficult, and this difficulty is a core part of how the game works. Removing it would make the combat too easy to break and ultimately unsatisfying. To fix this, the developers would essentially need to overhaul many other key elements of the game, like the art, animations, and level design. Even with better balance and the removal of unfair monetization practices, the lack of significant improvements in other areas makes Another Eden Begins feel somewhat unfinished.

Another Eden Begins Could Fix The Mobile Game’s Issues

As a fan, I’m really hoping Another Eden Begins addresses the problems with the mobile game. A big part of what frustrated me about the mobile version was how it seemed designed to constantly ask for money. Thankfully, with Begin’s one-time purchase, those annoying elements should be gone! That means they can ditch the intentionally difficult and frustrating parts and hopefully replace them with things that are actually fun and interesting. We saw a little of this with Octopath Traveler 0, even if it mostly just reused content we already knew and loved.

As a big fan of Another Eden, I’m so glad they released Another Eden Begins! It’s awesome knowing that a piece of this game will always be available, unlike the mobile version which could disappear from app stores at any time. It’s a standalone, single-player experience, and even though it’s not the whole game, it’s a really cool way to preserve all the hard work and artistry that went into making Another Eden in the first place.

While the idea of Another Eden Begins is exciting – especially considering the talented team behind it and its connection to classic JRPGs – I find the mobile version a bit underwhelming. I haven’t finished the original Another Eden, but I’ve heard the characters and story are excellent, potentially as good as the writer’s previous work. I really hope that’s true, because without a compelling story like Chrono Trigger, the game’s basic combat and simple exploration don’t offer much to keep you engaged.

I think Another Eden Begins will be a good example of whether mobile games can successfully become full-priced single-player games – and if they even should try. If this new version can capture what people loved about the mobile game while also attracting a new audience with fresh content, we might see more games make this jump. However, despite hoping it does well, I worry Another Eden Begins might not succeed, leaving fans still waiting for the much-anticipated Chrono Trigger remake. It’s a spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger, and its success could pave the way for that remake to happen.

Looking forward to Another Eden Begins? Share your thoughts and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-17 20:17