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Final Fantasy History - Part VI

The second Compilation of Final Fantasy title was released in 2006.  Dirge of Cerberus followed the story of Vincent Valentine following the destruction of Midgar, set two years following Final Fantasy 7.  The game was a bit of a flop with it’s ungainly movement and battle system.  The developers tried at a first-person shooter but ended up creating a bulky game that failed to appeal to Final Fantasy fans, or fans of the first-person shooter genre.

Also in 2006, a complete remake (and I do mean remake) of Final Fantasy 3 was released for the Nintendo DS.  The new release features completely redone 3D graphics and enhancements to every aspect of the game.  Square left gamers with the hope that more titles would be receiving this treatment and they did not disappoint: Final Fantasy 4 DS was announced in May 2007.

2007 brought announcements of many new titles in the series.  Final Fantasy 13 is currently under development for the Playstation 3 console, Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings is on it’s way to North America on the Nintendo DS, and Final Fantasy 1 & 2 are receiving full remakes for the Playstation Portable.  Also to feature on the PSP are the much anticipated Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core and Final Fantasy Dissidia, the first fighting game to grace the series.

Two spin-offs of Final Fantasy 13 are already in development with Agito coming to the mobile market and a second title, Versus, for the Playstation 3.

This section will be updated as new releases happen and as new announcements are made!

Final Fantasy History - Part V

The first direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy X2, was released on March 13th, 2003 in Japan and on November 18th in North America.  The game continued the story of Yuna and Rikku from Final Fantasy 10 and was also the first title in the series to feature not only a female lead character, but an all-female cast.

2003 also saw the release of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, a new spin on the engine used for Final Fantasy Tactics.  The game features the world of Ivalice for the first time and introduced some new battle concepts while staying true to the strategic roots of it’s predecessor.

The year 2004 also proved lucrative for Final Fantasy fans as Final Fantasy 1 & 2 were given the Gameboy Advance treatment in both Japan and North America.  These two classics look very good on the GBA, and gameplay had been improved since the Wonderswan Color and Playstation installations.  This release was titled Dawn of Souls.

Final Fantasy 4 was the next title to receive a GBA release.  Updated graphics and a fully revised translation made this game a must-play, even for long-time FF4 fans.  Called Final Fantasy IV Advance, it wouldn’t be long before the other SNES titles were given the same treatment.

The first spin-off game in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII was also released in 2004.  Before Crisis was a big hit on Japanese cell phones but, while a North American release has been rumored (on the PSP at that!), nothing has been confirmed as of this writing.

For it’s last outing on the Playstation 2 console in the main numbered series, Square released Final Fantasy 12, a magnificent achievement of gameplay and graphics.  The new battle system caused some old-school gamers to knock the title, but it’s sales have hushed them.  FF12 follows the story of Vaan, a wannabe Sky Pirate who ends up (you guessed it!) having to help save the world.  FF12 was released in Japan on March 16th, 2006, and on October 31st, 2006 in North America.

2006 also saw the release of Final Fantasy V Advance and Final Fantasy VI Advance, two new ports of the original SNES titles.  Updated graphics, new translations, and many bug fixes were found in each, and gamers continued to gobble up the remakes.

Final Fantasy History - Part IV

In 2000, the original Final Fantasy received it’s first remake.  The Wonderswan Color gave the game all new graphics and programmers went so far as to add in lots of new functionality and cutscenes that the original lacked.

After examining high technology and futuristic settings for the three previous titles, Final Fantasy 9 reverts back to the fantasy roots of the series.  Developed alongside Final Fantasy 8, this title uses many of the same graphics and pre-rendered backgrounds but tells a completely different story in a completely different setting.  FF9 was released in Japan on July 7th, 2000, and on November 14th of the same year in North America.  It would be the last in the series to be developed for the Sony Playstation console.

Final Fantasy 2 was the next old title to be given the Wonderswan treatment and Japanese gamers were treated to a recreation of one of the early innovative titles in the series.  The WSC remake was released in Japan in 2001.

Bring on the Playstation 2! Final Fantasy 10 had many surprises in store for fans of the series as it made the switch to the next-generation hardware available at the time.  With graphical details never before seen in a video game, FFX offers an engrossing storyline along with several very unique installments, most notably the game of Blitzball.  FF10 was released on July 19th, 2001 in Japan and on December 20th of the same year in North America.

2002 was a very busy year as far as remakes are concerned.  Final Fantasy 4 saw it’s very own upgraded release on the Wonderswan Color, and Final Fantasy 1 & 2 were packaged together on a fantastic remake for the Playstation entitled Final Fantasy Origins.

With MMORPGs being all the rage, Square decided to develop and launch Final Fantasy 11 as an online title.  Released on May 16th, 2002 in Japan and October 28th, 2003 in North America, FF11 is the only title in the series so far to be playable online.  With huge worlds to explore, expansions packs released several times a year, and endless play-ability, the game was a hit from the start.  As of 2007, expansions are still being released on a regular basis and the world of Vana’diel continues to grow.

Final Fantasy History - Part III

Alright, back to the crazy numbering system.  Final Fantasy 6 was released for the Super Famicon in Japan on April 2nd, 1994, and in North America for the Super Nintendo that same year on October 11th.  The big difference: they called it Final Fantasy 3 over here, having been only the third release outside of Japan.  FF6 introduced the player to some of the most memorable characters seen in the series and the storyline caused the game to become an instant favorite worldwide.  It looked like it was going to be impossible to top, but we all know what came next!

Cloud Strife, Shinra, Aerith…the list of fantastic people, places, and events from Final Fantasy 7 goes on and on.  Released on January 31st, 1997 and September 7th 1997 in Japan and North America respectively, FF7 pushed the new Sony Playstation console to it’s limits.  FF7 was the first title in the series to sport 3D graphics, fully rendered characters and pre-rendered backgrounds.  Besides being beautiful, Final Fantasy VII also sported the most intense and engrossing storyline seen in the series, and it became an instant classic, later spawning a series of spin-offs and sequels dubbed the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.

1997 also marked the beginning of Square’s campaign to release the classic Final Fantasy titles to new consoles with upgraded graphics, translations, and added bits of story.  Final Fantasy 4 was re-released on a set entitled Final Fantasy Chronicles (also featured Chrono Trigger).  The updated graphics and storyline helped the release skyrocket in sales, and Square began planning more remakes.

Enter Final Fantasy Tactics, the most advanced and challenging tactical RPG ever released.  Taking full advantage of the Playstation’s capabilities, Tactics lead players through a world of political intrigue and battles on square tiles.

In 1998 Square released Final Fantasy 5 for the Playstation console.  With added video sequences and in-game functionality, the game proved popular enough to finally release in North America.  Finally, in 1999, North America was treated to Final Fantasy Anthology, a two disc set for the Playstation that featured remakes of both Final Fantasy 5 and Final Fantasy 6.

That same year came Final Fantasy 8.  The first title in the series to depict it’s characters in a realistic manner, VIII was released in Japan on February 11th, 1999, and in North America on September 9th of the same year. FF8 follows the story of Squall Leonheart as he battles both his past and his future.  The CGI animations in this title are amazing, and it’s soundtrack and introduction video have taken home many awards.  The game spans four separate discs on the Playstation console and consists of hundreds of hours of gameplay.

Final Fantasy History - Part II

Again one year later, in 1989, Square released a remake of the original Final Fantasy for the MSX2 computer system in Japan.  The game featured slightly upgraded graphics in the form of an advanced color palette, but little else was changed.

Final Fantasy 3 was released on April 27th, 1990.  Another game that would take many years to reach North America, FF3 introduced the now-fabled job system.  It also reverted to the original form of experience building that Final Fantasy 2 had changed.  This game also introduced the much-loved Chocobo race, a sort of half-bird, half-horse that has featured throughout the series since.  FF3 was the last of the series to be developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

July 19th, 1991 saw the release of Final Fantasy 4 on the Super Famicon system in Japan.  FF4 introduced us to Cecil, a Dark Knight who remains a favorite character by many Final Fantasy fans.  This is also where the numbering system got tricky in North America.  Because the second and third installments in the series had not been released outside of Japan, Square decided to name Final Fantasy 4 the second of the series in North America.  When the game was released for the Super Nintendo on November 23rd of the same year it bore the title ‘Final Fantasy 2.’

Ah, Final Fantasy 5.  Bartz, Boko, Faris, Leina, Galuf, Exdeath, and of course Gilgamesh.  FF5 was released in Japan on December 6th, 1992 for the Super Famicon console.  It took quite a few years to hit North American shores but translated ROMs have been circling the internet for years, allowing non-Japanese players to experience this game for themselves.  It did see a release on our continent in 1998, but we’ll get to that later.

Final Fantasy History - Part I

We all love the Final Fantasy series and we all know how immensely popular it is. But do you know how it all began? The series has a confusing history given it’s awkward numbering system between the continents and the many, many remakes of several titles. Here is a detailed history and timeline of the entire series and each remake; our story begins in Japan in the year 1987.

After developing and releasing several simple RPG titles for the semi-popular Famicon Disk System (a Nintendo-like peripheral for the home computer in Japan at the time), Square-Enix suddenly found themselves on the brink of bankruptcy. Following the guidelines set by their only commercial success, Dragon Quest, director Hironobu Sakaguchi set to work on a game that he hoped would bring the company out of decline and allow him to retire with another successful title under his belt. The game beared great similarity to the original Dragon Quest and was titled Final Fantasy. Some surmised that the title referred to the game being the last that Sakaguchi would produce while others thought that, with Square inevitably going out of business, the title reflected Square’s grand exit.

On December 10th, 1987, Final Fantasy was released. The game was an instant hit and quickly became Square’s flagship series. Japanese gamers loved the game and, thanks in part to Nintendo’s advertising campaign, the game show moderate success in North America at it’s release in 1990 as well. The original Final Fantasy has since spawned no less then six remakes, but we’ll get to those later. Excellent graphics (for it’s time), an engrossing storyline, and many hours of gameplay set the tone for what was to come and Square immediately began work on a sequel.

On December 17th, 1988, almost exactly one year after the release of the original, Final Fantasy 2 was offered to Japanese gamers. The game met with the same great success of the first title and Square almost immediately went to work on the third. The decision was made at this time to keep the game from North America for fears that, without another agressive advertising campaign by Nintendo, the game would flop with the less devoted gamers on our continent. That did change later, but it was many years before North American gamers were able to play Final Fantasy II.

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