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You can now find all six Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games on the Xbox Series X and S, as they were one of Square Enix’s shadowdrops during the Xbox Tokyo. The first Final Fantasy game, as well as FFII, FFIII, FFIV, FFV, and FFVI are all available alone or in a bundle together on the platform worldwide.

The pricing for the Xbox Series X versions of the games is essentially identical to the ones on other platforms. So the first two games, which are FFI and FFII, each cost $11.99 normally. As part of a temporary launch sale, these are now $9.59 each. FFIII, FFIV, FFV, and FFVI are typically $17.99 each. You can get them for $14.39 each on the Xbox for a limited time. Finally, the bundle is $59.99 in honor of the TGS 2024 debut, though that price will go back up to $74.99 once the sale is done.

Here’s the trailer revealing the games are now on the Xbox Series X and S.

And you can see the full Xbox TGS 2024 showcase below: 

Square Enix didn’t note if this means we’ll also eventually see physical Xbox Series X and S copies of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster. The PS4 and Switch versions did end up getting retail copies. While the first, more limited run sold out in 2023, Anniversary Edition retail copies for both platforms will once again return to stores on October 8, 2024. 

You can find the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games, which consist of FFI, FFII, FFIII, FFIV, FFV, and FFVI, on the PS4, Switch, Xbox Series X, PC via Steam, and mobile devices. 

The post Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Xbox Games Launch at TGS appeared first on Siliconera.

As part of the Final Fantasy 35th anniversary celebrations, as well as a nod to the Pixel Remaster series, Square Enix kicked off a special interview series. The first of the two part segment appeared on July 11, 2023. It features Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Artist Kazuko Shibuya, and Brand Manager Yoshinori Kitase talking about FFI, FFII, FFIII, FFIV, FFV, and FFVI.

It began with Sakaguchi discussing a reunion for developers and people he plays FFXIV with, which Shibuya s. He noted they “blamed” the team for FFIII having no save points in the final dungeon. Sakaguchi explained how he found himself apologizing for that development decision.

Around the 8:24 mark, the meaning behind the “Final Fantasy” name came up. Sakaguchi mentioned how Fighting Fantasy’s title influenced it. He brought up how Dragon Quest’s name could be shortened, and the team wanted a game that could be abbreviated in a similar way with the Roman alphabet, which led to FF. The group also discussed the urban legends behind the title and debunked them.

Here is part one of "Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary Special Interview."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgngEQOFcWs&ab_channel=FINALFANTASY

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, which includes FFI, FFII, FFIII, FFIV, FFV, and FFVI, is available for the PS4, Switch, PC, and mobile devices.

The post First Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary Special Video Covers FFI to FFVI appeared first on Siliconera.

When Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games for PCs and mobile devices, people immediately began asking when they'd come to consoles as well. It took about a year, but it happened. Now that people everywhere can also play the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games on the Switch and PS4, Siliconera spoke to Producer Naofumi Takuma about the process of preparing the RPGs for additional platforms.

Jenni Lada: When did work on the PS4 and Switch versions of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster begin?

Naofumi Takuma: It was last spring (Spring 2022) when we started the porting process. However, we had already started organizing the additional functional items and areas we wanted to fix or adjust, even before that time.

Were there any special challenges with the Switch and PS4 versions of the games that the team didn’t face with the PC and mobile adaptations of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster?

Takuma: It is rare to create a console version when a PC version already exists, and we expected there would not be that many problems if we used the PC version as a base, but when we ported the games, we encountered some hurdles including long loads and processing dropouts, which required more tuning than we had expected. In the end, I think the optimization made things much faster.

[caption id="attachment_966324" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

The Switch and PS4 versions of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster include the new font option. How much work went into creating them and how difficult was it to implement the option?

Takuma: First, we anticipated that these games will be played by a wide variety of people, including players who have fond memories of the games from back in the day as well as those who are experiencing them for the first time. In order to satisfy this wide range of players, we wanted to provide them with options.

So, we prepared pixel fonts for Western and Japanese language, which are particularly popular among the target audience.

For the Western languages font, we found some font data produced in-house, so we test-implemented them. These titles use one of them. I think it turned out to be a font that matches quite well.

We didn't have any alternative data saved on file in-house for the Japanese language font, so we decided to create a new one. This was certainly the most difficult part. While the Western language font required us to create only a few hundred characters, with the Japanese font, we had to create around 7,500 characters.

Likewise, what challenges did the team face when adding the original soundtracks to the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster alongside the new arrangements?

Takuma: Our reason for adding the BGM option was even if we take one piece of music, there are those who say, "I like the original version better," while others say, "I like the arranged version better." This is influenced by each person's values and memories, and both should be respected. As with the font, this was the only way we could think of to meet the needs of more people.

The BPM (beats per minute) of the original BGM and the arranged BGM are not the same, and the overall lengths also differ. There are parts where the BGM and event scenes that are linked so tuning became necessary. In some cases, it was as if we were creating two different versions of the same event, which was challenging.

[caption id="attachment_966325" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

The latest Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster PS4 and Switch releases mean the Xbox is the only platform without access. How would you feel about it showing up there as well?

Takuma: It is not up to me to decide, but if there are enough requests for it, it’s something I think we should consider. The number of games in the pixel series itself makes it a challenge for launching on different platforms which is something we encountered with the recent console releases. I'd always welcome as many people as possible being able to play.

How did you juggle the balance to ensure the boost options in Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster would be both helpful, but not too overpowered? What kind of testing went into it?

Takuma: Even if a player’s purpose was only to follow the story, we wanted to retain a minimum level of gameplay (for example, growth elements), not an "invincibility" type of function. Ultimately, we wanted to make it a function that would broaden the scope of play.

Since our goal was not only to reduce the difficulty level but also to "broaden the scope of play", we have made it possible to set up to 4 times the experience gain, including options for 0x and 0.5x.

In theory, this is not a difficult function to implement, but since we were conducting tests for all titles and settings, if we had expanded the range of settings to be limitless, we would end up sacrificing something else. This time, I believe we have found just the right balance.

Which Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster entry do you feel best updates and enhances the original game?

Takuma: I'd have to say Final Fantasy I through Final Fantasy III. Since the original is on the NES, the differences are large, and I think they are much easier to play.

In particular, this is the first time that Final Fantasy III has been re-released in 2D, so I'd like for you to try playing the game.

There is inevitably a conflict that arises in pursuing both "preserving the original work" and "providing an enjoyable experience even if playing for the first time," and as a result there are many elements that differ from the original, but I think that is why the title is so enjoyable.

[caption id="attachment_966326" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

If you were able to work on a remake of any classic Final Fantasy game, which do you think would be the most enjoyable project with the most potential?

Takuma: Simply speaking on personal preference, I must say Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI come to mind, for post SNES we’ve been freed from the limitations of hardware and are now able to depict rich and profound stories with varied expressions.

I also like the concept of crystals so Final Fantasy V greatly excites me, and depicting the “despair and hope” of Final Fantasy VI seems very fun as well.

How do you personally feel about the idea of Final Fantasy demakes, that is 2D, 16-bit style takes on more modern entries like FFVII or FFIX?

Takuma: That sounds great! As a Final Fantasy fan, I’d like to play it too.

That being said, 2D games leave a lot of room to allow for the players to imagine the world. There are as many interpretations as there are players, and I believe that is one of the big attractions of 2D games. It may be difficult to provide a moving experience like those from past 2D titles from titles that lean more towards the modern era, as the answers have already been presented in rich expressions.

A spin-off or creating something on a small scale as a mini-game, rather than a 2D recreation of the original, may be nice.

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, which includes FFI, FFII, FFIII, FFIV, FFV and FFVI, is available for the PS4, Switch, PC, and mobile devices.

The post Interview: Preparing Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster for the Switch and PS4 appeared first on Siliconera.

While the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster PS4 games won't be out until April 19, 2023, the trophies for all six were revealed. There are a substantial number to earn for each entry in the series. However, now that the official lists are live, we also know that every Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster PS4 game includes one Platinum trophy. [Thanks, Exophase via Gematsu!]

As is common in these situations, you need to earn every other trophy in the game to unlock the Platinum. The number varies depending on the game. Final Fantasy only features 24 trophies total. Final Fantasy V has the most at 39 trophies when someone gets through it all.

Here's the full list of how many trophies are available in each of the six Final Fantasy games, including the Platinum in every one. Some of them involve reaching certain points in the stories. Others can involve acquiring certain items or hitting milestones.

• Final Fantasy: 24 Trophies
• Final Fantasy II: 28 Trophies
• Final Fantasy III: 31 Trophies
• Final Fantasy IV: 30 Trophies
• Final Fantasy V: 39 Trophies
• Final Fantasy VI: 37 Trophies

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster will come to the PS4 and Nintendo Switch on April 19, 2023. The games are already available on the PC and mobile devices.

The post There Are Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Platinum Trophies appeared first on Siliconera.

It seems that the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games are heading to the PS4 and Nintendo Switch. A new ratings leak appeared. This time, ratings appeared for FFI through FFVI for the PS4 and Switch via the ESRB website. None of the ratings specifically note Pixel Remaster in their title. However, each rating does match the one given to the PC versions available on Steam. Square Enix hasn't officially announced anything yet. [Thanks, Cefaluu on Reddit!]

First, here's a list of links to each potential Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster PS4 and Switch ESRB rating. Each one mentions it as a 2D game. They also all note the PC version.

• Final Fantasy
• Final Fantasy II
• Final Fantasy III
• Final Fantasy IV
• Final Fantasy V
• Final Fantasy VI

These remasters first appeared back in 2021. The series kicked off with Final Fantasy in July 2021. It ended when FFVI showed up in February 2022. Following their complete launch, people could get a $74.82 bundle on Steam that included all six games, as well as bonus wallpapers and original soundtracks.

The FFI through FFVI are available as part of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster on the PC and mobile devices, and it seems Switch and PS4 versions are also on the way.

The post Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Switch, PS4 ESRB Ratings Appear appeared first on Siliconera.

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster installments are giving people a new way to play classic Nintendo and Super Nintendo games on modern platforms. Part of that involves a new look, with updated pixel art accompanying each release. To help get into that, Siliconera spoke with Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Art Director Kazuko Shibuya, who also worked on the original games, and Producer Toshio Akiyama to talk about the sprites and design in the games.

Jenni Lada, Siliconera: What was it like returning to work on sprites and designs for older Final Fantasy games for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster entries after so many years?

Kazuko Shibuya, Square Enix: I think the reason why I was able to gain this opportunity is thanks to the fact that I’m still actively at Square Enix. So, I was just genuinely glad that I’ve continued working for so long, and grateful to be able to revisit my own work, and starting point, from 34 years ago.

How influential were the 16-bit games like FFIV, FFV, and FFVI on the sprites for the first three Pixel Remasters?

Shibuya: For Final Fantasy I, FINAL FANTASY I, Final Fantasy II, and Final Fantasy III, I
refrained from filling in extensive details, and kept the visuals looking similar to how they did on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The field and battle animations use Final Fantasy V as a basic point of reference, so they can nod their heads and wave their hands.

Of these six games, Final Fantasy III and IV ended up with 3D remakes. Did the they affect the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster sprites, designs and development? And did any parts of the 3D remakes rub off on them?

Shibuya: I didn’t have the 3D remake in mind at all.

With games like FFIV, FFV, and FFVI already being 16-bit titles, did that mean fewer changes? How did you approach working on them?

Shibuya: During the Famicom era, regardless of the number of bits, the pixels were arranged in a unique way meant specifically for them to be displayed on a CRT monitor, where colors blur, expand, and stretch vertically. They aren’t meant for liquid crystal displays (LCDs) at all, where each pixel shows up with vivid clarity. In this remaster series, we’ve redone the art with the intention of displaying it on an LCD screen.

Additionally, in of character size, we added more leeway above and to the left and right of the original 16x24 pixels across Final Fantasy I through VI, to give the characters’ poses more freedom. This allows arms to be extended laterally, and for capes to sway or flutter.

For Final Fantasy VI, due to the large head-to-body proportions, the height of the head was prevented from fully being shown, instead making it look completely flat. At the time, I desperately wished I could have just one more pixel on top. My wish came true in this remaster. (The reason why it doesn’t look awkward in the original version is thanks to the CRT monitor, which expands and stretches images vertically.)

Each Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster entry has its own art gallery. How did you decide which pieces to share?

Toshio Akiyama, Square Enix: Mr. Yoshitaka Amano has created so very many illustrations for us, but there have been few
opportunities to view them together as a collection. Therefore, we have included as many illustrations as possible this time. I think we could even call this a complete collection.

Additionally, for Final Fantasy IV through VI, we had the characters’ super deformed illustrations, which had been created at what was Square at the time, so we also included all of those.

How did more modern sprite-based Final Fantasy games, like Brave Exvius and Record Keeper, influence character and enemy designs?

Shibuya: I wasn’t thinking of them at all here, and they didn’t influence them at all.

With King’s Knight’s remake being associated with FFXV, are there any other classic games you worked on that you would like to see return and revived somehow?

Shibuya: Perhaps The 3-D Battles of WorldRunner. The game had included the option to view it in 3D by using special 3D glasses, but I think this could be done with CG now!

The Final Fantasy I, II, and III Pixel Remaster entries are available on PCs and mobile devices now. Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster will appear on September 8, 2021.

The post Interview: Discussing Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Sprites and Designs appeared first on Siliconera.

It’s an odd thing, approaching a game you’ve played twice before in various forms. Especially when the versions you’ve approached weren’t the original Famicom release. But here we are with Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster. We’re in a situation yet again where a good, classic JRPG, well… remains good! But maybe this time, it’s slightly prettier and in a position where even more people might play it. (Which is hard to imagine, I’m sure, but bear with me.)

The Palamecian Emperor is attempting to bend the world to his will. And he’s succeeding, too. As the game begins, Firion, Maria, Mario’s brother Leon, and Guy are fleeing from their hometown as it is being destroyed. Enemy soldiers hunt them down, separating them. Princess Hilda of Fynn and her rebel forces rescue and heal Firion, Maria, and Guy. While initially hesitant to involve them in a war, the three prove themselves by infiltrating her occupied former kingdom, and soon get the opportunity to prove themselves as heroes.

The first thing to note about the Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster is that it is based upon some of the more recent versions of the game. So it isn’t as though Square Enix took the Famicom original and directly worked off of that. It has enhancements from later entries, like the tutorial room. Which is appreciated, considering this entry can feel like it has more in common with Square Enix’s SaGa series than Final Fantasy proper.

That’s because Final Fantasy II doesn’t have defined classes in the way installments like Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy III do. Rather, your behavior in battle and equipment choices shape character growth during turn-based battles. For example, when you start the game with Maria, she’s wielding a bow. But someone could immediately change her equipment at the first town to alter her build. So in my case this run, I immediately equipped her with two spears and loaded her up with all black magic spells. Likewise, Guy went from the man with an axe and shield to someone fighting with his fists. There are some habits that might not exactly be shaken, like Guy immediately accruing all the HP, but you have freedom.

Which is one of the reasons why, of these first three Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games, I think Final Fantasy II may have aged the best. It daring to be different when building characters means that element of the game is incredibly engrossing. I theoretically should have done as quick of a run as possible. But I couldn’t, because I got caught up with character customization. Likewise, the decision to collect keywords to trigger certain conversations with characters and advance the plot and use of temporary party both feel like it is ahead of its time. I feel this installment is when we started to really see the series’ storytelling chops.

Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster also includes all of the updated features of its siblings. There’s an auto-battle feature, in case you want to save yourself some time. (Perhaps early on when you’re attempting to accrue money, build up HP, and increase proficiency in certain weapon types to boost the number of hits and damage dealt.) You can look through a gallery of concept art. The newly arranged soundtrack is available to listen to from the main menu. You can also check out the bestiary from the main menu. As with Final Fantasy III, I would have appreciated if this was accessible in-game.

Like its new contemporaries, Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster suffers from some minor UI issues on PCs. That is, the font for numbers is fine, but suffers for text. There’s awkward spacing here. It isn’t difficult to read, but it’s frustrating as the rest of the game is gorgeous. Like all entries in this series, Square Enix is drawing from the 16-bit approach. But there’s an additional level of detail and depth to the colors that really makes things stand out. Especially when you face enemies or look at party and major allies. The CRT filter is also handled especially well.

There’s a lot to like about Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster. It was an entry that dared to be different. Even now, when you look at the series as a whole, it stands out. And with this version, it looks good, runs rather well, and is pretty widely accessible. The as-is font situation isn’t great, but the rest of the game is quite pretty and fun to play.

Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster is available for PCs and mobile devices.

The post Review: Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster Still Feels Unique appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix announced another round of soon to be delisted Final Fantasy games, and this time its for Android and iOS versions. It cited the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series of games, which will include FFI, FFII, FFIII, FFIV, FFV, and FFVI, as the reason for it being pulled. The titles for the games changed on both the App Store and Google Play to add (Old Ver.) to them. A cut-off date for sales hasn’t been announced and they still seem to be available to purchase on June 30, 2021.

Here’s an example of the message appearing on the App Store product pages. It notes people who already own the games will still be able to play and them. As a reminder, the PC versions of FFV and FFVI will be delisted on July 27, 2021.

Due to the release of the pixelated remaster of "FINAL FANTASY," this application will no longer be available for purchase.

Those who purchase this version of the game before it is discontinued may continue to play and/or re the app.

Please note that should the decide to switch devices or operating systems, they are no longer guaranteed to be able to play the game.

We appreciate your understanding.

Here are links to all of the Android and iOS Final Fantasy games that are about to be delisted.

• Final Fantasy: Android/iOS - $7.99
• Final Fantasy II: Android/iOS - $7.99
• Final Fantasy V: Android/iOS - $14.99
• Final Fantasy VI: Android/iOS - $14.99

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster versions of FFI, FFII, and FFIII will debut on July 28, 2021.

The post Older Final Fantasy Android and iOS Games Will Be Delisted appeared first on Siliconera.

At the end of June 2021, a Japanese Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series trailer appeared briefly that offered a July 2021 release window. Then, the FFV and FFVI Steam pages noted both would be delisted on July 27, 2021. Now additional Steam listings confirm the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster versions of FFI, FFII, and FFIII will release on July 28, 2021.

The FFI, FFII, and FFIII product pages all offer a $11.99 price point for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster entries. Each one also has a pre-order promotion that nets people three songs and two wallpapers. All of them will include achievements to earn, allow you to have Steam Cloud saves, and will controllers. It confirms Nobuo Uematsu oversaw all three’s remastered soundtracks and Kazuko Shibuya was involved with character designs.

Some of the supplemental features are also confirmed in the product listings. All three games will include auto-battle. They will also each have a “bestiary, illustration gallery, and music player.”

The product pages for the other three entries in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series are live too. The FFIV, FFV, and FFVI pages each only say “coming soon.”

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster FFI, FFII, and FFIII will launch on July 28, 2021. They will be on sale for 20% off until August 11, 2021.

The post Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster FFI, FFII, and FFIII Release Announced appeared first on Siliconera.

During the Square Enix E3 2021 presentation, the company announced the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series, which are remastered versions of the first six Final Fantasy games. It is not a set of all six, but rather, six individual games that will appear on mobile devices and Windows PC through the Steam storefront. There is currently no release date.

You can view the short teaser trailer for the series here:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5evm8hjmt8Y[/embed]

Players will need to buy each game separately, which allows them to pick and choose their favorite one to own. This is not the first time that Square Enix has remastered the earlier Final Fantasy games, but they included changes such as updated sprites or a slightly remixed soundtrack. The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series appears to contain faithful ports of the original games.

[gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="887040"]

Aside from their E3 presentation, Square Enix will also hold a live-stream to provide news and more information regarding Final Fantasy XIV. The 14 hour long broadcast was originally supposed to air in February, but was postponed due to the pandemic. It will air on July 9, 2021 from 6 PM PT. They will only offer Japanese audio.

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster will appear on Windows PC and mobile devices, with more details coming soon in the future.

The post Square Enix Announces Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series appeared first on Siliconera.

A long awaited Final Fantasy novel’s translation has fought through the delays and is about to appear on the other side. Yen Press shared a picture of the official English cover art and release for Final Fantasy: Memory of Heroes. In so doing, it also offered a bit of reassurance that yes, it will finally appear on August 18, 2020.

Looking at this cover makes the Final Fantasy Main Theme play in my head...and the Final Fantasy Main Theme gives me goosebumps...

Celebrate the stories that started a legendary series with Final Fantasy I * II * III, available 8/18/20.

Pre-order today: https://t.co/qraoEdM1mf pic.twitter.com/5NwpNfQWzv

— Yen Press (@yenpress) August 5, 2020

Getting here has been quite a struggle. Back in May 2019, Yen Press confirmed it would release the 25th anniversary novel on January 21, 2020. However, it didn’t quite meet that release date and was pushed back a few times to August. Now that Yen Press showed an actual physical copy, its debut seems assured.

Final Fantasy: Memory of Heroes contains three short stories based on Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II, and Final Fantasy III. Essentially, it is a novelization of each game. The first story focuses on the original four heroes of light, the second on the Wild Roses’ rebellion against the Palamecian Empire, and the third on the four children heading out to save the world. It was written by Takashi Umemura.

Final Fantasy: Memory of Heroes will make its English debut on August 18, 2020 and cost $14. As for other Final Fantasy books, the Final Fantasy XIV art book reprints will arrive in 2021.

The post Final Fantasy: Memory of Heroes Will Arrive August 18, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

A free copy of Final Fantasy II is waiting in the Final Fantasy Portal App until Valentine's Day.

The post Final Fantasy II Is Temporarily Free Via The Final Fantasy Portal App appeared first on Siliconera.

Nintendo released several classic titles for the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan today, with Final Fantasy I & II Advance, Super Mario 64 DS, Mario Kart 64, and Super Mario World.

The post Final Fantasy I & II, Super Mario 64 DS, And More Releases For Wii U Virtual Console In Japan appeared first on Siliconera.

“Ultima” has always been around in the Final Fantasy series, and it’s almost always the strongest spell in the game. However, it didn’t exactly start out that way, and a programmer recently blogged about a discussion he had with Hironobu Sakaguchi on why Ultima was useless in Final Fantasy II, which is where it was first introduced.

The programmer in question is named Hiromasa Iwasaki, who worked on various games such as Ys I & II, and various others during the Famicom and Game Boy era.

As some of you may know, when Final Fantasy II was originally released on the Famicom, one thing that was quite a popular topic at the time was the Ultima spell, which was very difficult to acquire, but was also practically useless.

Just to give you an idea of how useless it was, in the NES version of the game, Ultima was initially meant to increase its power relative to the level of other spells the caster had, but due to a bug, it caused the spell to do just around 500 damage at the most on a single target.

Baffled by how the series’ most powerful spell ended up being so weak in its debut game, Iwasaki and other fellow developers spoke with Hironobu Sakaguchi, who directed Final Fantasy II, about how that ended up happening.

At the time, when Square tested the game out and saw the Ultima bug, it was definitely a problem, and Sakaguchi said “How did this happen? Fix it.” However, the person that programmed it replied with the following statement:

“All of that legendary stuff, it dates back to an age that didn’t even have proper techniques. If you were to look at such things now in the present’s point-of-view, it would be natural that they look inferior. For this reason, it’s a given that Ultima’s abilities would be bad.”

 

“As for those who struggled and ultimately acquired it only to find out that it’s useless… well, that’s something that often happens in life. So, I’m not going to fix it!”

Naturally, Sakaguchi was rather irritated by that reply and said “whatever, just give me the source,” so he could fix it himself. As it turned out, the programmer had ciphered the source, so he ended up being the only one who could do anything with it, and it was just left the way it was.

Iwasaki says that he can’t say for sure whether the story from Sakaguchi was the truth, but either way, it makes for a good laugh.

The post Why Final Fantasy’s Very First Ultima Spell Was Useless appeared first on Siliconera.

Ah, the original version of Final Fantasy II, the RPG that paved the way for the story driven Final Fantasy games and the SaGa series. Square Enix will re-release the Famicom version as a Virtual Console for Nintendo 3DS.

While Final Fantasy II was remade and ported on nearly a dozen devices, the original release was quite difficult if you didn't exploit hitting your own characters. Final Fantasy II is slated for release on February 12 for 500 yen.

King's Knight, a vertical shmup with four different characters, is also coming to 3DS Virtual Console on February 5.

The post The Original Version Of Final Fantasy II Goes Portable Via 3DS Virtual Console appeared first on Siliconera.