After years of delays, the first images of the third Lufia game have finally appeared, courtesty of Nintendo Power. In its recent March issue, the magazine presented the first look at the Game Boy Color title Lufia: The Legend Returns in the form of a pair of screenshots.

   From the battle screenshot, it appears that all nine of the game's heroes will participate in battle together, either all at once or in a tag-team format a la Breath of Fire IV. Each character has an HP and MP gauge and a third statistic cut off by the bottom of the screenshot. (This third stat could be one similar to Lufia II's IP, which allowed characters to use special attacks after being attacked.)

   Nintendo Power also reports that the game's translation is nearing completion, placing Lufia: The Legend Returns on track for a spring 2001 release in North America. Look for a full GIA preview of the title soon.

   Thanks to Metnut96 for the lead.