Originally released on the Nintendo Switch back in July 2022, LIVE A LIVE is a remake of a classic SNES RPG from back in 1994 that, at the time, was only launched in Japan. The game ended up being a modest success with its Nintendo Switch release, selling over 500,000 copies in its first couple of months.

LIVE A LIVE puts players into the shoes of eight different characters, each with their own unique stories set in different time periods, spanning from the pre-historic era all the way to the Wild West. LIVE A LIVE also features its own unique battle system, dubbed the checker battle system, which allows players to make strategic decisions in the game’s fights.

LIVE A LIVE features seven playable characters spread across different eras, from prehistoric times to Edo-era Japan and The Wild West. An antagonistic presence called Odio appears in each one, but what is their connection? Each character offers different stories and gameplay mechanics, with the HD-2D visuals bringing the game to life in splendid new ways.

In the demo, players can play through the opening parts of three stories – The Wild West, Twilight of Edo Japan and The Distant Future. Pre-orders on the PlayStation Store and Steam get 20 percent off on the title. With over 500,000 units shipped on Switch, it should be interesting to see how the remaster performs on other platforms. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

As reported by Gematsu, in a recent livestream celebrating the original LIVE A LIVE’s 28th anniversary, Square Enix announced that the Nintendo Switch remake has now crossed 500,000 units in global shipments and digital sales.

LIVE A LIVE’s solid commercial start doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. At launch, the remake sold over 71,000 units in Japan in its first few days on sale, while also enjoying a decent debut in the UK. It should be interesting to see how long the game’s sales can maintain their momentum.

LIVE A LIVE is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

Meanwhile, Koei Tecmo’s Nobunaga’s Ambition: Rebirth was another new release last week, and it figured in the top 10 as well. The PS4 version of the game came in at No. 3 with over 23,000 units sold, while the Nintendo Switch version took fifth place, with over nearly 22,000 units sold, collectively selling over 45,000 units at launch (which would put it in second place if its sales were combined).

Finally, on the hardware front, it’s business as usual. The Nintendo Switch is the best-selling platform, as it usually is in Japan, with all of its variants collectively selling over 69,000 units. Current-gen consoles, meanwhile, are continuing to experience stock shortages, with the PS5 selling over 11,000 units and the Xbox Series X/S selling over 5,000 units.

You can check out the full software and hardware sales charts for the week ending July 24 below.

Software sales (followed by lifetime sales):

1. [NSW] LIVE A LIVE – 71,137 (New)
2. [NSW] Nintendo Switch Sports – 24,869 (598,527)
3. [PS4] Nobunaga’s Ambition: Rebirth – 23,425 (New)
4. [NSW] Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak Set – 22,871 (200,263)
5. [NSW] Nobunaga’s Ambition: Rebirth – 21,753 (New)
6. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 11,976 (4,734,067)
7. [NSW] Kirby and the Forgotten Land – 9,746 (812,708)
8. [NSW] Minecraft – 9,542 (2,717,993)
9. [NSW] Ring Fit Adventure – 9,380 (3,221,140)
10. [NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 5,841 (4,930,600)

Hardware sales:

• Nintendo Switch – 69,374
• PS5 – 11,194
• Xbox Series X/S – 5,012

Meanwhile, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which was on top of the charts last week, has slipped to third place, while Nintendo Switch Sports climbs to second place. Fellow Switch exclusive and perennial seller Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sits in fourth place, while Codemasters and EA’s F1 22 has fallen down to No. 5. 

In sixth place, we have the only new release of the week in LIVE A LIVE. As per Dring on Twitter, the HD-2D RPG remake saw physical sales 30% lower than those of fellow Switch exclusive HD-2D title, Triangle Strategy, which launched earlier this year. 

Interestingly, Dring also revealed that Kirby and the Forgotten Land – which isn’t in the top 10 in this week’s charts – is now the most successful Kirby game in the UK to date. 

You can check out the full top 10 for the week ending July 23 below. 

LIVE A LIVE features eight different stories, each with their own time periods as settings and unique protagonists, casts of characters, and gameplay mechanics. The time periods featured in the game are Prehistory, Imperial China, Middle Ages, Near Future, Wild West, Edo Japan, Present Day, and Distant Future.

LIVE A LIVE is now available on Nintendo Switch. A demo of the game is also available on the Switch eShop, and allows players to transfer their save data to the full game.

LIVE A LIVE is split into eight different stories with their own protagonists and unique mechanics, each set against the backdrop of a different timeline- Prehistory, Imperial China, Middle Ages, Near Future, Wild West, Edo Japan, Present Day, and Distant Future. The trailer below offers glimpses at each of the timelines and their characters, as well as the game’s gorgeous HD-2D visuals.

LIVE A LIVE launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on July 22. A demo of the game is also available for free via the Switch eShop. It includes the introductory chapters of the Imperial China, Edo Japan, and The Distant Future time periods and will allow save data to be carried over into the full game.

As part of the recent Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, Square Enix unveiled another new trailer for the game, with which it revealed that a demo for it will become available on the Nintendo Switch eShop later today. The demo will include the introductory chapters of three of the game’s time periods (Imperial China, Edo Japan, and The Distant Future), and any save data from it will also be transferrable into the full game when it launches next month.

Meanwhile, shortly after the Direct went up, Nintendo also uploaded a separate Treehouse video showcasing roughly 40 minutes of gameplay for the RPG. Check it all out below.

LIVE A LIVE launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on July 22.

The Present Day focuses on Masaru Takahara, an MMA artist who trains in a variety of fighting styles like Sambo, Sumo, Koppo and much more. His dream is to become the strongest fighter in the world but he’s also keen on finding out his opponents’ secrets. The Distant Future centers on Cube, an autonomous support unit, as they become caught up in events that lead to a tragedy on the transport freighter, Cogito Ergo Sum.

LIVE A LIVE is out on July 22nd for the Nintendo Switch. It’s been in development for three years according to director Takashi Tokita. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay en route to release.

Recently, the Japanese company also put out brief trailers for four more of the game’s timelines. The Middle Ages timeline will see protagonist Oersted embarking on a quest to defeat the Dark Lord, while the Wild West story will focus on The Sundown Kid and his fight against murderous outlaws. Then there’s the Twilight of Edo Japan time period, which focuses on Oboromaru, a shinobi on a mission that sees him infiltrating a deadly castle. Finally, the Near Future timeline, which will star mind-reading orphan Akira as the protagonist.

Meanwhile, during a recent stream, Square Enix also showed off a meaty chunk of gameplay, with over 30 minutes of collective footage showing off the Twilight of Edo Japan and Present Day timelines. Check out all the short trailers and the stream (which has been timestamped to the relevant portion) below.

LIVE A LIVE is out exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on July 22.