The CD-ROM had been available for one year. Most of the library was modest. Ys I & II showed what it could actually do.
When the PC Engine CD-ROM² attachment became available in December 1988, the format was new and largely unproven as a game delivery medium. The early library demonstrated capacity — larger data storage — without necessarily demonstrating what that capacity enabled. Ys I & II, released in December 1989, changed the conversation. The game was an enhanced compilation of Nihon Falcom's first two Ys RPGs, rebuilt with CD-quality audio, voice acting, and anime-style cutscenes that were simply not possible on cartridge hardware. Players heard full vocal tracks when characters spoke. Music was no longer limited to the constraints of a sound chip — it was recorded audio, capable of the dynamics and instrumentation of a full arrangement. The visual quality of the cutscenes moved closer to animation than anything a home console had shown before. Hudson Soft's release proved that CD-ROM was not just a bigger cartridge. It was a different medium. The game redefined what a console RPG could feel like — its production values made the format credible at a time when credibility was what CD-ROM needed. Every CD-format game that followed owed something to the proof Ys I & II provided in 1989. The bump combat system — where Adol attacks by walking into enemies — kept the action simple enough that the production did not overwhelm the play.
About this game
Ys I & II, released for the PC Engine CD-ROM² on December 21, 1989, is one of the most historically significant games in the history of the medium. An enhanced compilation of Nihon Falcom's first two Ys action RPGs, originally released on the PC-8801 home computer, it was among the first video games to use CD-ROM technology — and what it did with that technology changed what games were understood to be. It featured voice acting, animated cut scene sequences, a Red Book CD audio soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro, and 24 minutes of voiced dialogue. It was the first CD-ROM RPG released in North America, and won Game of the Year from OMNI Magazine in 1990.
Key Features
Voice-acted dialogue — at a time when games had almost never featured the human voice. Animated cut scene sequences in the style of Japanese animation. A Red Book CD audio soundtrack with 41 music tracks composed and arranged by Yuzo Koshiro, Mieko Ishikawa, Hideya Nagata, and Ryo Yonemitsu. Enhanced graphics relative to the original PC-8801 versions. Action RPG gameplay in which the player character attacks by walking into enemies — the "bump system" of combat. Two complete RPGs on a single disc, covering the full story of Adol Christin's adventures in the land of Ys. Approximately 24 minutes of voiced character dialogue and 20 minutes of animated sequences.
Gallery
The Story Behind
When Ys I & II released in Japan in December 1989, the CD-ROM² had been available for just over a year. Most of the library at that point was modest. Ys I & II was different. By using the full capacity of the CD format — the Red Book audio track, the storage for animated sequences, the space for voice data — Hudson Soft demonstrated that a game on CD-ROM could be a production as large, as emotionally coherent, and as technically sophisticated as anything in other media. The awards it received — OMNI Magazine Game of the Year, Electronic Gaming Monthly's Best RPG and Best Sound — reflected not just quality but genuine shock. Reviewers in 1990 wrote about the game as if describing a new category of entertainment. For the North American market, it was the first CD-ROM RPG, and it arrived carrying the argument for the CD format that the PlayStation would not make until 1994.
Tricks & Tales
The "bump system" — the original Ys combat mechanic in which Adol attacks simply by walking into enemies from the front or sides — was a deliberate design decision by Nihon Falcom to lower the barrier to entry for non-action-game players. Most RPG fans of the era were not used to arcade-style reflex gameplay; the bump system made combat feel natural without requiring twitch skills. The soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro is considered one of the greatest in RPG history; his work on Ys I & II predates his Streets of Rage compositions by three years and already shows the compositional complexity that would define his career. The PC Engine CD-ROM² version was significantly enhanced from the original PC-8801 source material — the voice acting and animated sequences did not exist in the original.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Japan: Ys I & II (イースI・II) for PC Engine CD-ROM². North America: Ys Book I & II for TurboGrafx-CD (released 1990 by NEC). The North American version includes English voice acting featuring notable voice actors. Both versions require the CD-ROM² System Card. The Japan version is in Japanese; the North American version is in English with dubbed voice acting.
Maintenance Tips
Ys I & II is a CD-ROM² title — it requires the CD-ROM² System Card in the PC Engine to run. The disc uses Red Book audio tracks extensively; a disc with radial scratches in the audio track area may produce skipping or silence during music playback. Clean with a radial stroke from centre outward. The System Card (a HuCard) should also be maintained — clean the contacts with isopropyl alcohol. The manual and liner notes contain story context and are worth preserving; the music in this game is part of the experience.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Ys I & II copies regularly.
Will this Japanese PC Engine game work on a North American TurboGrafx-16?
Not without a hardware adapter. The TurboGrafx-16's data bus lines are wired in reverse compared to the PC Engine, making the two regions physically incompatible at the cartridge (HuCard) slot level. A passive adapter such as the dbElectronics Turbo PC-Henshin bridges this gap for HuCard titles. For CD-ROM² software, the TurboGrafx-CD drive will run Japanese discs if they do not carry a software region check, but compatibility varies by title. In both cases, Japanese PC Engine software is designed for the Japanese market and carries no English text.
How should I store and clean a PC Engine HuCard?
Keep HuCards in their original plastic sleeves or a protective case, away from humidity and direct sunlight — the exposed gold contacts oxidize over time. To clean: apply 90%+ isopropyl alcohol to a cotton swab and gently wipe the gold edge contacts. Never blow on them — breath moisture accelerates corrosion. Handle by the plastic edges only, avoiding the contact strip. HuCards have no internal battery and no moving parts, making them among the most durable formats from the era.
Does this HuCard have an internal save battery?
HuCards do not support internal battery backup by design. If this title requires save data between sessions, it either uses a password system or requires an external backup peripheral (such as the Tennokoe Bank or Backup Booster) connected to the PC Engine's expansion bus. Check the game manual for the save method — many action and strategy HuCard titles are designed as single-session experiences and do not require saving at all.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Ys I & II
A short checklist for buying used PC Engine software wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
Japanese PC Engine HuCards and CDs are not compatible with the North American TurboGrafx-16 — the formats differ. Use a Japanese PC Engine system.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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HuCard or CD-ROM² — know which you're buying
PC Engine games come on HuCard chips or on CD-ROM². CD titles also require the right CD system and a working System Card.
Confirm the format in the listing, and for CDs check the disc surface and that saves are supported.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
See what it's selling for on eBay →Unexpected Discoveries
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Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Ys I & II sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
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