Final Fantasy III Review: A classic RPG that still remains a classic

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Published on Wednesday, 06 February 2013 09:27

With the upcoming (eventual) release of Final Fantasy IV for Android, I decided it'd be a good time to write up a review for Final Fantasy III. Final Fantasy III has been one of my all-time favorites in the series since the original NES release was translated in the emulation community. It set the ground for the class change system from Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and every other game in the series since that gave you the ability to change your character's class.

Name: Final Fantasy III | Publisher: Square Enix | Category: RPG | Players: 1 | Version: 1.0.2 | Size: 172 MB | Price: $15.99

So when it was made public that Final Fantasy III would be coming to Nintendo DS, needless to say, I ran out and bought a DS. And when it made its way to Android devices, I immediately ran to my phone and bought it.

So how does the Android port of Final Fantasy III stack up to the DS remake? Well, if you're looking for all new features, you might be a bit disappointed, as this is a very straightforward port from the DS version. The only difference being that the Friend Code-based Mognet system has been removed. You can still receive mail from NPCs in the game, which will still allow you to receive the bonus quest you obtain through Mognet (no spoilers no spoilers no spoilers), but you no longer have to send and receive letters from other players in order to receive the quest.

Other than that, the controls are similar, but not exact. Rather than tapping on the screen in the direction you want to move, putting your finger on the screen will place an on-screen joystick, which you then drag in the direction you want to move. I personally preferred the DS's controls, but it's not a major issue.

The DS version didn't do too much with the dual-screens that would have made it difficult to port to Android, so there's no major issue with that. You can't see your character on one screen while you select your job on the other screen, and cutscenes that incorporated the top screen now just show the entire scene on one screen. But this doesn't take away from the game at all.

For those of you who haven't played Final Fantasy III, here's some information to get you interested.

Originally released for the NES, Final Fantasy III starts you off as an orphan named Luneth, who falls into a hole and discovers the Wind Crystal. The Crystal tells Luneth he must return with the other three chosen warriors, so off you go. You'll meet all three of them within the first quest line. After saving the local kingdom from a Djinn's curse, you are forcefully returned to the Wind Crystal, which then informs you that you have been chosen to become the Warriors of Light.

You are able to change your job through the menu, similar to Final Fantasy V (Which is also due for an Android release some time soon), which is one of my favorite features about this game. You not only gain Experience from combat, but your job level increases as well.

Combat is similar to the rest of the original games, you select your commands, and then a round of combat plays out. Final Fantasy III is the last of the numbered Final Fantasy series to not incorporate the ATB (active time battle) system.

So if you're looking to relive the nostalgia of the old games, with the graphical beauty of more modern games, look no further. Final Fantasy III is available on the Google Play Store for $15.99, which may seem a bit steep, but it is definitely worth it if you're a fan of the series. Overall it is a solid port that doesn't bring anything amazingly new along with it from the original DS version but it also really doesn't have to either. It's good as it is.

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