Rare Gamecube classics out now on Nintendo Switch

Making its UK debut for the Gamecube back in 2005, the original Baten Kaitos was primarily developed by Monolith Soft, who would go on to create the Xenoblade series.

With gorgeous visuals and a card-based battle system that was arguably ahead of its time, the game was well reviewed and would go on to develop a cult following, despite lacklustre sales.

Indeed, mint copies of Baten Kaitos typically sell for decent money on sites like eBay, making it something of a collectable.

Launching at the tail-end of the Gamecube’s lifecycle, the sequel (prequel) skipped the UK altogether.

The original game revolves around the character of Kalas who teams up with Xelha to defeat and gain a measure of revenge against the Alfard Empire.

The prequel takes place 20 years before the events of the original game, as the character of Sagi attempts to clear his name.

As the name suggests, Baten Kaitos I and II HD Remaster contains souped up versions of both games.

In addition to improved HD visuals, the Baten Kaitos re-releases have “new features to aid game progression”.

This includes the ability to turn off encounters, speed up battles, and to one-shot particularly tricky enemies.

There’s also an auto-battle system for when you’re grinding levels, as well as an option to skip cutscenes (which is handy if you have to repeat a section).

As somebody who got stuck on a boss battle and was unable to go back and grind levels, the new features are most welcome, particularly the skippable cutscenes!

An auto-save feature should also prevent you from losing progress if you forget to save your game.