Play Ys IV - Mask of the Sun Online

Summary

Ys IV: Mask of the Sun brings back the top‑down, bump‑into‑enemy combat that defined the early Ys titles, but adds a fresh twist: Adol can equip elemental swords to unleash magic spells. The system encourages you to think about positioning and element matching, turning each encounter into a small tactical puzzle while still feeling fast‑paced.

The soundtrack blends Falcom’s original Sound Team JDK compositions with new pieces arranged by Cube Corporation for the Super Famicom, giving the game a familiar yet distinct musical identity. Some tracks appear only in this version, making the audio a hidden gem for series fans.

Falcom licensed the project to Tonkin House, and although a Mega‑CD version was once slated, it never materialized. Taito later revived the title on PlayStation 2 as "Ys IV: Mask of the Sun – A New Theory," updating graphics and sound.

Famitsu’s scores were modest—24/40 for the SNES and 25/40 for the PS2—but the game inspired a novel prequel by Waku Ōba and two separate manga adaptations, cementing its niche legacy.

Storyline

Ys IV - Mask of the Sun (commonly just Ys IV) takes place between the events of Ys II and Ys III. In the SNES version the game skips the usual Minea prologue and opens with Adol standing on a sea‑shore after his previous triumph. The wind blows through his red hair as he notices a bottle washed ashore. Inside is a letter written in a foreign tongue, a desperate plea from the far‑off land of Celceta asking for aid against a mysterious evil. Accepting the request, Adol boards a ship and sets sail for Celceta, launching his new adventure without the introductory Minea episode found in The Dawn of Ys.