Etrian Odyssey’s new remaster makes me miss the Nintendo DS even more

theverge.com:

By Andrew Webster, an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.

When Nintendo discontinued the 3DS — and with it, the existence of dual-screen handhelds — I lamented the weird games we would no longer have. High up on that list was Etrian Odyssey: a line of dungeon-crawling role-playing games built explicitly with the handheld’s two screens in mind. They’re games where you fight your way through dangerous labyrinths and literally draw your own map to chart your progress. I had a hard time imagining playing them on any other platform.

Now, thanks to a remastered collection of the first three games for the Switch and PC (called the Origins Collection), I don’t have to imagine. And in a number of ways, these new versions are great, with the same fantastic gameplay coupled with beautiful visuals and music. It’s an opportunity for a whole new audience to enjoy them. But man, they sure do make me miss the DS.

For those who have yet to explore the depths of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth, the Etrian Odyssey games are almost entirely about exploration. You assemble a team of adventurers — each of whom fits into a class like dark hunter or alchemist — and then go about getting as far into the multi-floor dungeon as you can. There’s a bit of a story, but not much, as the satisfaction comes from slowly inching your way through the labyrinth, making as much progress as you can before having to go back to town for a rest and restock of your supplies.

As you kill beasts and sell their parts, you’ll open up new gear to purchase, and there are, of course, skill trees to make your squad stronger over time. I’ve played a number of