The Evolution of Adol Christin
In this YsLink feature, explore nearly three decades or artistic history as you scroll through the evolution of Adol Christin's in-game appearance.
The Evolution of Adol is not meant to be an exhaustive compendium of every Adol sprite that has ever existed (and indeed, some of the more "unique" ones have been intentionally omitted - see: the Sharp X68000 port of Ys I).
Instead, it is focused on the major releases and upgrades to show the gradual progression of Adol's artwork.
" I'm Adol Christin. I'm an adventurer." - Ys IX: The Lost Sword
Ys: Vanished Omens (1987)
Ys II: The Final Chapter (1988)
PC-88
The first iteration of Adol Christin, premiering on the PC-88 Engine and soon ported to Sharp X1, PC-98, MSX2, and more.
Ys: Book 1 & 2 (1989)
PC Engine
A slightly upgraded sprite from the original iteration, released originally for the PC-Engine CD-ROM and the TurboGrafx-CD.
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (1989)
Super Nintendo
Adol received an updated look exclusively in profile for this Zelda II-like action game for the PC-88 and -98. It was later ported to the SNES and Genesis, among other platforms.
Ys IV: Dawn of Ys (1993)
Ys IV: Mask of the Sun (1993)
Super Nintendo
The original release of the Ys IV duology re-used the Ys: Book I & II sprites as it also returned to bump combat. The SNES release of the game, however, upgraded the sprites slightly as seen here.
Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand (1995)
Super Nintendo
This Japan-only release saw an update to the overall Ys style that would prove to be short-lived. It drew heavily from popular Squaresoft RPGs of the day.
Ys: I & II Complete (2001)
PC
The new millennium gave fans a revised 2D Adol sprite for a reimagined duology. These sprites would be used in Complete, Eternal Story, Chronicles, and Legacy of Ys across many systems.
Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim (2003)
PC
After a nearly decade-long gap between new entries, Ys returned in trumphiant 2.5D. The "Napishtim Engine" would see use for three of the series's most popular games: Ys VI, Ys Origin, and The Oath in Felghana.
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (2005)
PlayStation 2
In the same year as the Oath of Felghana, Ys III received a lesser-known adaptation on the PlayStation II. This led to a temporary return to 2D sprites and a style that is highly reminiscent of earlier Mega Man games.
Ys Seven (2009)
PlayStation Portable
Ys Seven let Adol take on a full third dimension for the first time and travel to a new continent: Afroca. This model would also be used for the Ys v. Trails fighting game.
Ys: Memories of Celceta (2012)
PlayStation Vita
Adol received a new 3D model and a moody haircut for this revision of the original Ys IV games. He also manifested as a Roo.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (2016)
PlayStation Vita
In what many consider the standout entry of the franchise, Adol receives a few new uniforms (including a sporty sailor look) and an upgraded, youthful appearance.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (2019)
PlayStation 4
As the franchise briefly shifted to a darker tone, Adol - or should I say the Crimson King - received a haircut and outfit to match. This is the oldest we have seen Adol thus far.
Ys X: Nordics (2023)
Nintendo Switch
Despite being the most modern Ys game, Nordics places Adol just after the events of Ys I & II. As such, we end here on a high fidelity model of a very young Red-Haired Swordsman.