Console Archives Rhapsody II Launches August 20 for Switch 2 and PS5

Console Archives Rhapsody II: Ballad of the Little Princess launches for Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 on August 20, 2026. Hamster's new archival release brings Nippon Ichi Software's 1999 musical RPG to current hardware for US$14.99 on its international product page.

The sequel follows Kururu, the daughter of Cornet and Prince Ferdinand, as she leaves the castle in search of her own ideal prince. Rather than rebuilding the game as a remake, Console Archives uses the original Japanese ROM and surrounds it with modern convenience and display options.

Quick Summary

• Title: Console Archives Rhapsody II: Ballad of the Little Princess
• Japanese title: コンソールアーカイブス リトルプリンセス マール王国の人形姫2
• Original title: リトルプリンセス マール王国の人形姫2
• Format: Video game
• Genre: RPG / musical RPG
• Console Archives publisher: HAMSTER Corporation
• Original publisher: Nippon Ichi Software
• Original release: 1999
• Original hardware: 32-bit home console
• Console Archives release: August 20, 2026
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5
• Mode: Single-player
• U.S. price: US$14.99
• Japanese price: ¥1,500
• Protagonist: Kururu
• Parents: Cornet and Prince Ferdinand
• Premise: Kururu leaves the castle to search for her ideal prince
• Setting: Marl Kingdom after the first game's story
• Combat: Revamped command-based turn-based RPG battles
• Musical sequences: A central part of the story presentation
• Game version: Original Japanese ROM
• Main game language: Japanese
• Options/manual: Japanese, English, French, Italian, German, Spanish
• Full English game content: Not included in this Console Archives release
• Button customization: Supported
• Rapid-fire settings: Supported
• Multiple save points: Supported
• Screen layout options: Supported
• CRT-style filters: Supported
• Screen noise effects: Supported
• Official trailer: Available from Hamster

Trailer, Key Art, and Gameplay Footage

Kururu Takes Over as the Lead

Rhapsody II shifts the spotlight from Cornet to her daughter, Kururu.

Kururu has grown into an energetic princess known around the castle for her tomboyish behavior. Inspired by her mother's adventures, she dreams of seeing the outside world and finding a prince of her own.

Eventually, she leaves the castle and turns that romantic ideal into an actual journey.

The premise gives the sequel its own generation of characters while keeping it rooted in the Marl Kingdom established by Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure.

Romance, comedy, fantasy conflicts, and eccentric personalities all sit alongside the broader adventure rather than treating the search for love as a minor side plot.

Musical Numbers Remain Core to Rhapsody

The “musical RPG” label is not simply branding.

Rhapsody's stories regularly transition into musical sequences, allowing characters to express emotions and major situations through songs and performances.

Rhapsody II continues that identity with a larger adventure and a new central cast.

Its storybook visual style, expressive characters, vocal performances, and traditional RPG structure combine into something that still occupies an unusual corner of the genre.

Kururu's relationships and personal journey are therefore just as important to the game's identity as dungeon exploration and combat.

A Revamped Turn-Based Battle System

Rhapsody II also changes how battles work compared with its predecessor.

Nippon Ichi Software describes the sequel as using a command-based turn-based battle system designed for faster combat, while Hamster highlights the greater tactical depth of the revamped system.

Players choose actions for their party as they work through encounters across Kururu's journey.

Puppets also remain part of the broader Marl Kingdom identity and assist the cast during the adventure.

The sequel therefore expands both the story and the RPG systems instead of relying only on a new protagonist.

Console Archives Uses the Original Japanese ROM

There is one important detail for international players.

The actual game uses the original Japanese ROM. Although Hamster lists Japanese, English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish as supported languages, those languages apply only to the option menus and manual.

Dialogue, musical scenes, and the main game itself remain in Japanese.

That makes this release different from Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles, the separate NIS America release that previously brought Rhapsody II and III to Western players through a different package.

Console Archives is primarily an archival recreation of the original game on current hardware, not a new English-localized edition.

Modern Features Surround the Classic Game

The underlying ROM remains intact, but Hamster adds several modern convenience features through the Console Archives framework.

Game Ad

Arcade Shop Simulator

Players can customize button layouts, configure rapid-fire inputs, and create multiple save points.

Screen size and positioning can also be adjusted.

Display options include filters designed to reproduce the appearance of older CRT televisions, along with screen-noise effects for players who want a more period-appropriate presentation.

The approach lets the old game remain recognizable while removing some of the friction that came with its original hardware environment.

This Is Separate From Nippon Ichi Software's Earlier Modern Release

Rhapsody II has already appeared on modern systems through a different release.

Nippon Ichi Software previously made the title available on Switch and PS5, while NIS America introduced Rhapsody II and III internationally as part of Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles.

Hamster's August 20 edition is a separate Console Archives product.

The clearest difference is its preservation-focused design: the original Japanese ROM is used as the basis, with Hamster's own interface, save, controller, and display features added around it.

Players specifically looking for English story text should therefore not assume that the new Console Archives edition replaces the localized release already available elsewhere.

Why This Matters

1) It offers another way to access a classic sequel

At US$14.99, the Console Archives edition provides a standalone route into Rhapsody II on current consoles.

2) Musical RPGs remain unusual

The combination of traditional RPG progression and fully staged musical sequences gives the Marl Kingdom games a recognizable identity decades later.

3) The original experience is being preserved

Hamster is not rebuilding the title from scratch. The original ROM remains at the center of the release.

4) The language limitation matters

English appears on the supported-language list, but only for menus and manuals. The main game remains Japanese.

Game Information

Additional confirmed information includes:

• Console Archives Rhapsody II: Ballad of the Little Princess launches August 20, 2026
• Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 are the confirmed platforms
• the U.S. price is US$14.99
• the Japanese price is ¥1,500
• HAMSTER Corporation publishes the Console Archives release
• Nippon Ichi Software originally released the game in 1999
• the official genre is RPG
• it is a single-player title
• Kururu is the daughter of Cornet and Ferdinand
• her journey centers on finding her ideal prince
• musical sequences remain central to the game's presentation
• combat uses a command-based turn-based structure
• the main game uses the original Japanese ROM
• English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish are available only for options and manuals
• the Console Archives version does not provide English story text
• button layouts can be customized
• rapid-fire settings are available
• multiple save points can be created
• screen size and positioning can be adjusted
• CRT-style filters and screen-noise effects are available
• store availability can vary by country and region
• official release details are available through Console Archives Rhapsody II
• original Japanese information is available through Nippon Ichi Software
• the official trailer is available from HAMSTER Corporation on YouTube

Closing

Console Archives Rhapsody II: Ballad of the Little Princess brings Kururu's musical adventure back on August 20, 2026 for Switch 2 and PS5. Hamster preserves the 1999 game at its core while adding modern save, controller, rapid-fire, and display options.

International players should keep the language setup in mind before buying: menus and manuals support several languages, but the actual game remains based on the original Japanese ROM. The international Console Archives page lists the release at US$14.99.