Bandai Namco is bringing Baten Kaitos to the Switch in 2023 with the Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster. The HD collection will remaster GameCube titles Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings And The Lost Ocean, and Baten Kaitos Origins to be released together.
The Baten Kaitos series originated on the GameCube as a card-based RPG set in a fantasy realm where huge islands float on a sea of clouds. Rather than playing directly as the protagonist, the player takes the role of a guardian spirit who guides them through the story, offering advice at key points.
Eternal Wings And The Lost Ocean follows the story of Kalas, a young man who sets out to avenge the deaths of his brother and grandfather, and ends up entangled with a mysterious girl named Xelha in a plot to overthrow the corrupt Alfard Empire.
The second game Baten Kaitos Origins takes place 20 years before the first, following a spiriter named Sagi who is a part of the Alfard Empire’s elite Dark Service. After being framed for something he didn’t do, Sagi has to clear his name, while uncovering other dark secrets of the Empire.
GameSpot’s original review rated Eternal Wings And The Lost Ocean 8.5/10, praising its unique card-based battle system and original worldbuilding. Baten Kaitos Origins received a score of 7.5/10 in GameSpot’s review, receiving praise for a rewarding story that holds up for fans of the first game, despite the gameplay feeling too grindy or repetitive at points.