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Final Fantasy III is an enhanced remake of the 1990 Japan-only console role-playing game of the same name originally for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It is the first and only version of Final Fantasy III to have been officially released outside of Japan.

The story revolves around four orphaned youths, who are drawn to a crystal of light. The crystal grants them a portion of its power, and instructs them to go forth and restore balance to the world. Not knowing what to make of the crystal's pronouncements, but nonetheless recognizing the importance of its words, the four inform their adoptive families of their mission and set out to explore and bring back balance to the world.

The release of Final Fantasy III for the DS rendered the handheld the first ever machine to be able to play all six of the original 2D Final Fantasy games without third-party emulation. The game was positively received internationally, selling over one million copies in Japan.

Gameplay

The DS version of Final Fantasy III retains the gameplay of the original Famicom version, and tries to keep true to the original game while still addressing some of the more outdated and unbalanced elements. Like the original Final Fantasy III, this game features the upgraded turn-based combat system that was also seen in the first two Final Fantasy games. The experience point system featured in Final Fantasy remains in the game, unlike in Final Fantasy II and its remakes. The job system also remains, mostly identical to its original form. Like the original, jobs are interchangeable classes. However, in the original version, all four characters start out as "Onion Knights," but for the remake the characters start out as Freelancers. Final Fantasy III is the first game in the series to feature special battle commands such as "Steal" or "Jump," each of which is associated with a particular job ("Steal" being the Thief's specialty, while "Jump" is the Dragoon's forte). In the remake, these commands have been rebalanced, and certain classes now have new commands to utilize.

Additionally, the player is now free to switch the characters' jobs as often as they want (between combats), but there is a small penalty associated with doing so. Every time the characters switch their jobs, they incur decreased statistics for the next 1 to 10 battles (0 for similar job levels over 20), called a "Job Transition Phase", based on "job compatibility" and the difference in levels between the new job and old job.

Changes and additions

Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS features overhauls to the job system, including the rebalancing of the classes, the addition of new abilities, a new "Freelancer" class that becomes the default job for the characters at the beginning of the game (the Onion Knight is now a secret class), new events, a new crystal and dungeon, and the removal of capacity points. Unlike the original Famicom version, most of the jobs remain useful for the entire game; the ultimate jobs, the Ninja and the Sage, and some of the lesser-used jobs like the Geomancer, were redesigned so they have the same level of abilities as the Warrior and others. The battle system was overhauled by battle supervisor Kazuhiko Aoki.

The remake takes advantage of the Wi-Fi hardware of the Nintendo DS in the form of a Mail/Mognet system similar to what was in Final Fantasy IX. Various moogles in the game allow the player to send mail to others. Players are also able to send mail to various characters in the game, as well as to other players. Sidequests can also be unlocked using this system, such as the quest to unlock the Onion Knight.

A quick save option was also included with the game, similar to those from other 2D Final Fantasy remakes (except Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls). However, like in the original, there are no save points in the game's numerous dungeons.

Plot

Setting

One thousand years before the game, on a floating continent hovering high above the surface of an unnamed planet, a technologically advanced civilization sought to harness the power of the four elemental crystals of light. They did not realize that they could not control such fundamental forces of nature. This power of light would have consumed the world itself had the light crystals not had their natural counterparts: the four dark elemental crystals. Disturbed by the sudden interruption of the careful balance of the light and the dark, four warriors were granted the power of the dark crystals to recontain the power of the light crystals. These so-called Dark Warriors succeeded in their quest, and restored harmony to the world. But their victory came too late to save the doomed civilization. Their culture was reduced to ruin, though their floating continent remained. On that continent, the circle of Gulgans, a race of blind soothsayers and fortune-tellers, predicts that events will ultimately repeat. The power of darkness can be just as abused as the power of light; when it occurs, then the crystals of the light will need to call forth their own warriors to restore balance.

Characters

Final Fantasy III features four permanent playable characters, just like the previous Final Fantasy games, as well as several secondary characters who are not controllable but will join your party and randomly appear in combat. Primary characters include Luneth (ルーネス, Rūnesu), an orphan raised in the village of Ur who is curious and adventurous by nature; Refia (レフィア), who tires of her father's blacksmith training and often runs away from home; Arc (アルクゥ, Arukū), who is Luneth's childhood best friend and a timid yet intelligent young man; and Ingus (イングズ, Inguzu), who is a loyal soldier serving the King of Sasune, who is trying to save the missing Lady Sara. There are also many supporting characters and antagonists.

Most of the main characters in the game are not from the floating continent, and in searching for the crystals, discover more about themselves. The Cloud of Darkness also appears, thematically, in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy XII. Each of the final bosses from the first five Final Fantasy games appear as summon monsters or "totema." However, these creatures are more "inspired" by the bosses than actually being from their respective games.

Story

One day, an earthquake opens up a previously hidden cavern in Altar Cave near the village of Ur on the floating continent. An orphan named Luneth goes exploring, and stumbles upon a magical crystal which tells him to find the three other chosen ones. Through his travels he finds his childhood friend, Arc, as well as two new friends and after vanquishing the Djinn that had the town of Kazus under a curse, they are granted powers of light from the crystal in Altar Cave. The crystal instructs them to go forth and restore balance to the world. Not knowing what to make of the crystal's pronouncements, but nonetheless recognizing the importance of its words, the four eagerly set out to explore the overworld and bring back balance to the world.

Development

The remake of Final Fantasy III was already in development when it was decided, after considering the PlayStation 2 and other consoles, to bring the game to the Nintendo DS, a decision that would later be positively reinforced by the commercial success of the Nintendo DS.

The Final Fantasy III remake was first announced to be in development on October 7 2004, but detailed information did not emerge until a year later. Hiromichi Tanaka (one of the main designers of the Nintendo Famicom version) headed the project as both the executive producer and game director. His guidance and supervision were needed because the remake was not a mere graphical update as Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II's remakes were, but a total overhaul using the Nintendo DS's 3D capabilities; however, the layout of the dungeons and towns closely matches the original. Along with 3D graphics, a full motion video opening scene has been made for the game, similar to those found in the ports of the 2D Final Fantasy games ported by TOSE for the PlayStation remakes.

The game was produced by Tomoya Asano and co-developed by Matrix Software and Square Enix. In addition, Ryosuke Aiba (who was the art director of Final Fantasy XI) was the art director. Akihiko Yoshida (who was the character designer of Final Fantasy XII) redesigned the original characters for use in 3D, and designed the looks of the new playable characters. The formerly generic and nameless party characters were given new default names: Luneth (Runesu), Arc (Arukū), Refia (Refia) and Ingus (Inguzu); one party member (Refia) is now female and three (Luneth, Arc and Ingus) are male. They were given new personalities and background stories, and additional scenes were added to develop their individuality; however, the main storyline was not changed significantly. Along with these four, additional characters (called sub-characters) also join the party temporarily, like in the original. Unlike the original however, these characters may randomly participate in battle.

Musical score

Like the scores of earlier 8-bit Final Fantasy games that had been remade, the Final Fantasy III DS remake features a faithfully rearranged version of the original score by Nobuo Uematsu. The score was arranged for the remake by Tsuyoshi Sekito and Keiji Kawamori, under Uematsu's supervision. A remix of "This is the Final Battle" by Uematsu's rock group, The Black Mages, as well as a techno version of "Eternal Wind" by muZik, appeared on the DS game's soundtrack, which was released in Japan on September 20.

Reception

Final Fantasy III's reception has been mostly positive with high sales and fair reviews from video game critics. IGN states that "interest in FFIII should come as no surprise given...the popularity of the DS". The game sold 500,000 units within the first week in Japan, beating Square-Enix's original prediction that they would only sell 350,000. The success of this game on the Nintendo DS as well as the success of other recent Final Fantasy remakes such as Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls and Final Fantasy IV and V have led Square Enix to consider remaking other old Final Fantasy games as well as doing much to repair the relationship between them and Nintendo. The sequel to the PlayStation 2 game Final Fantasy XII called Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings has been released for the DS as well as many other games that have been announced for Nintendo consoles, the latest being an enhanced DS remake of Final Fantasy IV.

References

1. famitsu.com staff (2006-07-12). "『ファイナルファンタジーIII』同梱のニンテンドーDS Liteが限定発売" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-10-26.
2. Gantayat, Anoop (2006-08-24). "FIII Mania in Japan". Retrieved 2007-10-26.
3. nintendo.com staff (2007). "Final Fantasy III". Retrieved 2007-10-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
4. GWN (2007). "FFIII Release date in Europe". Retrieved May 17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
5. ^ Square Enix, ed. (2006). Final Fantasy III Instruction Book. Square Enix. p. 51.
6. Brad Shoemaker (2006-07-20). "Final Fantasy III Update". Gamespot.com. Retrieved August 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
7. Nix (September 24, 2006). "TGS 2006: Square on Final Fantasy III". IGN.com. Retrieved 25 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
8. "Final Fantasy III". Square-Enix. 2006-01-01. Retrieved August 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
9. "Final Fantasy III Original Soundtrack". Game Music CD Information Database. 2005-01-01. Retrieved August 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
10. IGN Staff (2006). "FFIII Mania in Japan". IGN. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); External link in |work= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
11. IGN Staff (2006). "Final Fantasy Tops Half Million". IGN. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); External link in |work= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
12. IGN Staff (2006). "Top 10 Tuesday: Wildest Statements Made by Industry Veterans". IGN. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); External link in |work= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
13. IGN Staff (2006). "Final Fantasy XII Set for DS". IGN. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); External link in |work= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

See also

• Limited edition Final Fantasy III Nintendo DS Lite - Released in conjunction with Final Fantasy III

External links

• Final Fantasy III DS official site (Japanese)
• Final Fantasy III DS official site (North American)
• Final Fantasy III DS official site (European)
• Final Fantasy III DS forums

Template:FFIII

• 2006 video games
• Nintendo DS games
• Nintendo DS-only games
• Final Fantasy III
• Final Fantasy games
• Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection games
• Video game remakes