Final Fantasy

First in the long-running series of genre-defining role-playing games by Square Enix… and one of the most remade, remastered and rereleased games of all time.


Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Available on: Famicom, NES, MSX, WonderSwan Color, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, PSP, mobile phones, your toaster (probably)


Final Fantasy Marathon


Articles about Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary: The Remake Treatment - At the time of writing, Final Fantasy VII Remake has just released to widespread acclaim (and a bit of moaning, but that’s just the Internet doing its usual thing). But this is far from the first Final Fantasy to get the remake treatment! Granted, the remakes that the first Final Fantasy has received over the years are somewhat … Continue reading Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary: The Remake Treatment
Final Fantasy Marathon: Finale – Final Fantasy I #26 - We’re here at last! It’s the finale of the first Final Fantasy game, which means it’s time to return to the Temple of Chaos and sort this whole mess out once and for all. If you thought later games in the Final Fantasy series got a bit confusing with time kompression and whatnot, then know that this … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Finale – Final Fantasy I #26
Final Fantasy Marathon: The Labyrinth of Time – Final Fantasy I #25 - The end is in sight… but there’s one more endgame challenge before we can finish this thing: The Labyrinth of Time! This dungeon was added in the PSP version of Final Fantasy, and suggests that you forget everything you thought you knew about the world. And this is good advice; you’ll be doing things in here … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: The Labyrinth of Time – Final Fantasy I #25
Final Fantasy Marathon: Pack a Lunch – Final Fantasy I #24 - Oh boy. It’s a long ‘un today… but it’s worthwhile. We finally clear Whisperwind Cove, and with it, the Soul of Chaos dungeons are complete! Well, except for going back and fighting all the bosses we didn’t see before, obviously. But I’ll spare you that for now, as we’re getting ever-closer to the end of … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Pack a Lunch – Final Fantasy I #24
Final Fantasy Marathon: Onward to Whisperwind Cove – Final Fantasy I #23 - The Warriors of Light are about to take on their longest, most significant challenge yet: the 40-floor Whisperwind Cove! Thankfully, the boss fights in here aren’t quite as brutal as the devastating foes who lurked at the base of Lifespring Grotto, but 40 floors is certainly a lot to get through. Thankfully, there are plenty … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Onward to Whisperwind Cove – Final Fantasy I #23
Final Fantasy Marathon: Remember To Save Your Work – Final Fantasy I #22 - While for most of this playthrough, I’ve been keeping honest and true to the original NES version’s restrictions on saving… when it comes to a 20-floor endgame dungeon, you’d better believe I’m going to save before the most notoriously difficult bosses in the whole game. Lifespring Grotto’s incarnations of Shinryu and Omega from Final Fantasy V are … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Remember To Save Your Work – Final Fantasy I #22
Final Fantasy Marathon: This Might Take a While – Final Fantasy I #21 - Two more Soul of Chaos dungeons to go, plus the Labyrinth of Time… and then we’re done! With the first game. Out of lots. Yes, the Final Fantasy Marathon is going to take quite a while to get through at this rate, and, hell, the dungeon we start today is going to take two full episodes to get … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: This Might Take a While – Final Fantasy I #21
Final Fantasy Marathon: The Fires of Hell – Final Fantasy I #20 - We’re well into the endgame of the PSP incarnation of Final Fantasy now; today we delve into the second of four “Soul of Chaos” dungeons. Hellfire Chasm features 10 floors arranged in a random order, with a choice of two Final Fantasy IV bosses to fight on both the 5th and 10th. In order to … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: The Fires of Hell – Final Fantasy I #20
Final Fantasy Marathon: The Party Leader Has Registered You for Duty – Final Fantasy I #19 - At this point, we’re ready to go and beat Final Fantasy I! But we’re not going to do that just yet… not when there are endgame dungeons to challenge! Today we begin with a return to the Earthgift Shrine, which we paid a somewhat premature visit to back in episode 9, and manage to squeeze … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: The Party Leader Has Registered You for Duty – Final Fantasy I #19
Final Fantasy Marathon: The Fourth Fiend – Final Fantasy I #18 - After a perilous ascent up the Mirage Tower, the Warriors of Light find themselves in the Flying Fortress, just a bit of exploration away from the last of the Four Fiends. Tiamat has a reputation as a fearsome foe, but the rigorous training regime our heroes have been following up until this point will surely … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: The Fourth Fiend – Final Fantasy I #18
Final Fantasy Marathon: To the Heavens – Final Fantasy I #17 - After successfully making takoyaki out of Kraken last time around, there’s just one more crystal for the Warriors of Light to, err, light. It’s not going to be easy to get to, however; it’s guarded by the fearsome Tiamat, who has taken up residence in the Flying Fortress, the former home of the Lufenian people. … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: To the Heavens – Final Fantasy I #17
Final Fantasy Marathon: Topless Mermaids – Final Fantasy I #16 - Two more crystals to go, and the next is deep beneath the waves in the Sunken Shrine! But what’s this? A choice of paths to go? It seems one way leads to topless mermaids while the other leads to a slobbering tentacle monster, and never the twain shall meet — doubtless much to some people’s … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Topless Mermaids – Final Fantasy I #16
Your Favourite Overlooked and Underappreciated Games - Yesterday, I found myself a bit frustrated by yet another example of Twitter’s never-ending focus on negativity and cynicism. In other words, it was a Thursday. The tweet that frustrated me a bit probably didn’t have any ill intentions behind it, but its question to the community of what games you “hate but are highly … Continue reading Your Favourite Overlooked and Underappreciated Games
Final Fantasy Marathon: I Love Having Legs – Final Fantasy I #15 - Freshly minted as full-on heroes after Bahamut’s ministrations, the powered-up Warriors of Light resume their quest to illuminate the four crystals and save the world from the Four Fiends. But the path onwards isn’t terribly clear; some investigation is obviously required, beginning with a strange town on the northern continent that appears to play host … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: I Love Having Legs – Final Fantasy I #15
Final Fantasy Marathon: Proof of Courage – Final Fantasy I #14 - There really is no rest for a Warrior of Light, is there? “Go and bring me proof of courage,” says Bahamut, without any sort of indication of what the bloody hell he means. Fortunately, some of this subordinates were a little more forthcoming with the information we needed, and so it was that we found … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Proof of Courage – Final Fantasy I #14
Final Fantasy Marathon: Ruler of the Skies – Final Fantasy I #13 - The Warriors of Light are done Down South, so now it’s time to head Oop North. There’s just one problem: how to get there! The northern continent has an alarming lack of places to dock a ship, so they’re clearly not expecting any visitors any time soon. And apparently canoeing across the ocean is out … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Ruler of the Skies – Final Fantasy I #13
Final Fantasy Marathon: Mt. Gulg and the Big Rooms of Nothing – Final Fantasy I #12 - In today’s episode of Final Fantasy, the Warriors of Light finally get back on track and delve into the fiery depths of Mt. Gulg. Marilith, one of the Four Fiends, is waiting for them far beneath the surface, but first they have lots of exploring to do. And the floor is literally lava. It’s a … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Mt. Gulg and the Big Rooms of Nothing – Final Fantasy I #12
Final Fantasy Marathon: The Wrong Dungeon – Final Fantasy I #11 - After a bit of farting around getting lost, the Warriors of Light finally find themselves in front of their next dungeoneering challenge. Okay, it’s the wrong dungeon, but they’re there now, so they might as well dive in and have a bit of an explore. What could possibly go wrong, after all? Mindflayers, dear reader; … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: The Wrong Dungeon – Final Fantasy I #11
Final Fantasy Marathon: Navigation Issues – Final Fantasy I #10 - After last week’s unfortunate adventure in the Earthgift Shrine, the Warriors of Light do their best to get back on track. However, it’s not quite that simple! Their next destination is concealed in the heart of a complicated labyrinth of rivers and streams… and it turns out that they perhaps weren’t even heading in the … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Navigation Issues – Final Fantasy I #10
Final Fantasy Marathon: This Was A Mistake – Final Fantasy I #9 - You know how sometimes you get yourself into a situation that, before long, makes it abundantly clear that you have made a poor decision? Well, that’s what happened in today’s episode of Final Fantasy. Fresh from their defeat of Lich, they decide to check out the newly unlocked Earthgift Shrine, because surely a newly unlocked dungeon is something … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: This Was A Mistake – Final Fantasy I #9
Final Fantasy Marathon: Wrath of the Lich King – Final Fantasy I #8 - In today’s episode, the Warriors of Light score their first major victory over the Four Fiends and cleanse the Cavern of Earth once and for all. The fact that this part of the game makes you seek out the advice of an inconveniently located sage then re-run a dungeon in a different context was something … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Wrath of the Lich King – Final Fantasy I #8
The MoeGamer Podcast: Episode 27 – Death to the JRPG! - Pete and Chris get academic and attempt to pin down a better explanation of... that kind of game we all like that we don't want to call "JRPG" any more. Plus the usual news and "what we've been playing" segments.
Final Fantasy Marathon: Vampire Hunter F(F) – Final Fantasy I #7 - Last time, the Warriors of Light decided to take a well-earned holiday in the town of Melmond, only to discover it was a right shithole. It (apparently) wasn’t the fault of the people of Melmond, however; the nasty vampire who had taken up residence in the Cavern of Earth was supposedly to blame, because he … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Vampire Hunter F(F) – Final Fantasy I #7
Final Fantasy Marathon: Lali-Ho! – Final Fantasy I #6 - In this sixth episode of the Final Fantasy Marathon, we take our legitimately gotten gains (courtesy of the Mystic Key) and take a trip to go and visit the dwarves. Dwarves are another example of an aspect of Final Fantasy that was lifted from Dungeons & Dragons, though few can deny that the Japanese series puts its own … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Lali-Ho! – Final Fantasy I #6
Final Fantasy Marathon: The Mystic Key – Final Fantasy I #5 - After last week’s little… mishap, the fifth episode of our Final Fantasy playthrough sees the Warriors of Light taking full advantage of the mysterious Time Magic known as “Load”. From thereon, we proceed to track down the wrongful owner of the Crown we found in the Marsh Cave, kick his head in, then set off … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: The Mystic Key – Final Fantasy I #5
Final Fantasy Marathon: TPKO #1 – Final Fantasy I #4 - Oh dear. It had to happen sooner or later, didn’t it? And Final Fantasy veterans will be unsurprised to hear that it happened in the Marsh Cave. The Marsh Cave is probably the first “real” dungeon that you encounter in Final Fantasy I, and its main challenge is one of endurance: it’s quite long and branches off … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: TPKO #1 – Final Fantasy I #4
Final Fantasy Marathon: The Slumbering Prince – Final Fantasy I #3 - Our Final Fantasy I adventure continues as the Warriors of Light cross the ocean to Elfheim and discover their prince is having a bit of a sleep problem. Never ones to shy away from an apparently supernatural-inflicted disaster, the group sets out to find out exactly what is going on, setting their sights on the … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: The Slumbering Prince – Final Fantasy I #3
Final Fantasy Marathon: Those Blasted Pirates – Final Fantasy I #2 - After overcoming their initial challenge to defeat Garland and rescue Princess Sarah, the four Warriors of Light set out to begin their quest properly… and promptly get lost. A key part of the early Final Fantasy games — especially this first one — is figuring out exactly what the hell you’re expected to do next. The series’ … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Those Blasted Pirates – Final Fantasy I #2
Final Fantasy Marathon: Four Warriors of Light – Final Fantasy I #1 - It’s time! For the longest while, I’ve been thinking I should do a Final Fantasy marathon: that is to say, playing through all the mainline Final Fantasies one after another. With my growing confidence in video and the ease of capture using my current gaming setup, what better time than the present to get started … Continue reading Final Fantasy Marathon: Four Warriors of Light – Final Fantasy I #1
Stormblood: Yes, It’s a Great Final Fantasy - Can an MMO be a "good Final Fantasy"? Sure it can, and Final Fantasy XIV has been proving that for many years now. Here's how Stormblood fit in with that grand plan.
Stormblood: Introduction - Final Fantasy XIV has taken quite the ride ever since its launch, going from strength to strength with each expansion. Here, we look back at the history of the game up until the release of Stormblood.
The MoeGamer GameCast: Episode 3 - In this episode, Midori, Yumi, Penelope and I talk about why so many modern JRPGs are flat-out ignored, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and more. Midori also has a quiz for you if you want to try and prove you know more than your average Western games journalist about the JRPG genre in general. The original music, … Continue reading The MoeGamer GameCast: Episode 3
Final Fantasy XV: A Series of Constant Reinvention - "If it's not new, it's not Final Fantasy". How true is that? Let's take a look back over the whole series and examine how Final Fantasy has constantly reinvented itself over the years.
Are JRPGs Primed for a Comeback? No; They Never Went Away - If IGN’s Colin Moriarty is to be believed, then Japanese role-playing games have been in a “steep decline” since Final Fantasy VII. You and I, as fellow enthusiasts of Japanese gaming, both know that this is perhaps a somewhat questionable claim to make, but it’s also worth examining, particularly in light of the fact that Moriarty … Continue reading Are JRPGs Primed for a Comeback? No; They Never Went Away

 

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