Finally, after 16 years, the Final Fantasy Series is complete, in North America.

Posted by Fei-on Castor

Final Fantasy III has been released for the Nintendo DS.

Some of may be thinking, "But I've played Final Fantasy III on the Super Nintendo, years ago."

I'd assume that most of you know this, but that game on the SNES with Terra and Espers and Kefka wasn't Final Fantasy III. That was actually Final Fantasy VI, but we called in "III" in the USA to save confusion, since we never saw 2, 3, or 5.

However, it's all been completed today.

Final Fantasy III has been released for the DS, and I've heard that it stays very true to the NES version, despite VAST graphical differences. I've heard that gameplay is mostly unchanged and even the shape of the landscape hasn't changed... It's just done in way better detail now.

I'll be honest. I don't approve of emulation or any type of pirating video games, but I did get an NES Emulator and a translated version of FF3 so I could see what the game was like, knowing the game would never hit US shores in that form. And I LOVED the game.

The feel and look is very similar to FF4 (called "FFII" on SNES in the USA). It has a lot of the elements that must've inspired FF4.

But it's also a totally unique and fun game.

I love games with Job systems, like Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy V. Wouldn't you know it, Final Fantasy III has a similar (but much more simple) job system.

Anyway, I was about 9 years old when I learned that Final Fantasy 2, 3 and 5 hadn't been released in the USA. I was so excited to get FF5 on PSX, and also excited to get FF2 on PSX (not so much on GBA...), and this game looks so promising. I'm going to get it as soon as I have the money.

EDIT - Before someone points it out, I'll inform you that I know the series may not be complete as there will be more installments (including, like, 6 games with "Final Fantasy XIII" in the title), but I'm saying that I've always felt that my physical cartridge/disc collection has always been missing a very important piece, and I'm pretty excited to be able to complete it now.

Posted by Echo

It looks excellent. I'm going to be getting it this weekend, because right now I have a good parking spot and I'll be ****ed if I move my truck before I go home this weekend.

Posted by Velvet Nightmare

Played the Japanese version, and Golden Sun completely ripped it off. Or at least as far as I played it did. FFIII was magic, I loved it.

Posted by Zeta

I'll get it as soon as I get some money, but I'll finish the NES version first.

FF3 and FF5 in a DS... It's like some big Job-system orgasm.

Posted by Slade

Hopefully I'll be getting it soon. It looks like a lot of fun, and is pretty dang pretty from what I've seen. I wasn't aware that FF V was coming to DS, though... I haven't played that either.

Yay.

Posted by Sean Fury

I'd like to know why Final Fantasy III has better cutscene graphics than Final Fantasy XII.

Posted by Fei-on Castor

Quoting Sean Fury: I'd like to know why Final Fantasy III has better cutscene graphics than Final Fantasy XII.

Because Final Fantasy III is a better game, overall.

I'm playing it on the DS now.

It's okay, but they did change a few things that I don't think ought to have been changed. They added WAYYYYYYYYY more personality to the four characters. In the original version, you started the game with all four of your characters, all of whom shared the same backstory of being raised by the elder in Ur and all that. Plus, there are weird restrictions like one of your characters stays behind when you go into Kazus while it's cursed, which sucks because the Mithril Mine is a great place to level up early on in the game, and now one of your characters misses out on those levels.

Another thing is the base class, Freelancer, is a too strong. Originally, the base class (Onion Kid) was ridiculously weak and you'd never even consider using it ever again as soon as you got the first set of classes. They've given the Freelancer the ability to use magic, which seems like a bad idea. It kind of makes it unnecessary to train a Black or White Mage if you can just have a Freelance heal/hurt everyone.

But, all in all, I do like this version of FFIII. If you have a DS, this game is a must-have. It's a lot of fun, as long as you choose to be diverse in your strategy.

[quote=Slade]I wasn't aware that FF V was coming to DS, though... I haven't played that either.

I don't think it is. It's already been released for the Gameboy Advance, just within the last few weeks. Zeta, you must've been thinking of that.

Posted by Zeta

Yeah, I meant FF5A in my DS's GBA slot. T_T

Posted by Angerion the Brave

I just got FFIII on the DS and it's beautiful. The opening cinimatic is on par with FF12 and the game graphics are similar to FF9, except better rendered.

The main characters, Luneth, looks like a girl... but since when has a FF hero NOT looked like a girl?

Posted by Proto Man

I REALLY want this game. I JUST finished with FFII on GBA (Which BTW was very good, my favorite FF game), and now this will probably be my next DS game I get. It is nice though, soon you can play all pre-FFVII games on one handheld!