Starfy's Japan-Only Debut on Game Boy Advance
Western players know Starfy as the star-shaped hero of a single Nintendo DS game, The Legendary Starfy (2008). The series began years earlier on the Game Boy Advance with Densetsu no Stafy, released in Japan on 6 September 2002. TOSE and Nintendo made it, Nintendo published it, and it stayed in Japan, along with its GBA follow-ups.
In the story, Starfy accidentally frees a villainous eel named Ogura after dropping a precious treasure from his castle in the clouds. Setting the creature back in its prison takes him through a series of ocean-themed stages.
At a glance
- Based on: Densetsu no Stafy (GBA, Japan, 2002)
- Created by: TOSE and Nintendo (original game)
- Released: 6 September 2002 in Japan; English fan patches followed later
- Genre: Action platformer
- What sets it apart: the first game in a series that the West only got once, in 2008
Fan translation efforts
Two English patches are documented, and the history is worth knowing:
- The Starfy Translation Team published a patch that Data Crystal lists as having been removed and later restored.
- In September 2023 a complete translation appeared, credited to Higsby (original translation), Pablitox (hacking), Megahog2015 (graphics), EvieMelody (production) and wowjinxy (text graphics and font). It shipped in three variants: a main version that mixes official Western names with fan-made ones, an alternate title as The Legendary Starfy Origins to avoid confusion with the DS game, and one that keeps the Japanese names.
Starfy has a loyal cult following overseas, and that enthusiasm is what drove fans to keep translating the Japan-only entries.