Final Fantasy (video game)
52752
225724739
2008-07-15T02:35:17Z
71.60.215.196
/* Gameplay */
{{Infobox VG
| title = Final Fantasy
| image = [[Image:FF1 USA boxart.jpg|256px]]
| caption = Cover box for original NES release in North America
| developer = [[Square Co.|Square]]
| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP=[[Square Co.|Square]]|NA=[[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]]}}
| designer = [[Hironobu Sakaguchi]] <small>([[game director|director]], original concept)</small><br />[[Masafumi Miyamoto]] <small>([[game producer|producer]])</small><br />[[Yoshitaka Amano]] <small>([[character design]]er)</small><br />[[Kenji Terada]] <small>([[scenario]] writer)</small><br />[[Nobuo Uematsu]] <small>([[composer]])</small><br />[[Nasir Gebelli]] <small>(programmer)</small>
| released = {{vgrelease|JP=[[December 18]], [[1987]]|NA=[[July 12]], [[1990]]}}
| series = ''[[Final Fantasy]]''
| genre = [[Console role-playing game]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| platforms = [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]<br /><small>''For remake platforms, see [[#Development|Development]].''</small>
| media = 2 [[megabit]] [[cartridge (electronics)|cartridge]]
}}
{{nihongo|'''''Final Fantasy'''''|ファイナルファンタジー|Fainaru Fantajī}} is a [[console role-playing game]] [[video game developer|developed]] and [[video game publisher|published]] in [[Japan]] by [[Square Co.|Square]] (now [[Square Enix]]) in {{vgy|1987}} and published in [[North America]] by [[Nintendo of America]] in {{vgy|1990}}. It is the inaugural game in Square's flagship ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series. ''Final Fantasy'' has been [[video game remake|remade]] for several different [[video game console]]s and [[handheld game console|handheld systems]]. The game has frequently been packaged with its follow-up, ''[[Final Fantasy II]]'', in collections such as ''[[Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II (compilations)|Final Fantasy I-II]]'', ''[[Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II (compilations)#PlayStation|Final Fantasy Origins]]'', and ''[[Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II (compilations)#Game Boy Advance|Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls]]''.<ref>{{cite web | author=Gantayat, Anoop | title=More Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest | publisher=[[IGN]] | date=2004-07-12| url=http://wireless.ign.com/articles/529/529654p1.html| accessdate=2006-03-07}}</ref>
The story begins with the appearance of the four youths called the "Light Warriors", who each carry one of their world's [[classical elements|elemental]] orbs, which have been darkened by [[Four Fiends|four Elemental Fiends]]. Together, they quest to defeat these evil forces and restore light to the orbs, thus saving the world.
''Final Fantasy'' was one of the most influential and successful role-playing games on the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], and played a major role in popularizing the genre after ''[[Dragon Warrior|Dragon Quest]]''.
==Gameplay==
:<small>''The following refers to the original Famicom/NES version. For changes in subsequent remakes, see [[#Development|Development]].''</small>
Gameplay in ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' is similar to that of many other console role-playing games. The player controls a party of four [[player character]]s, called Light Warriors (or "Warriors of Light" in later editions), who explore towns and dungeons as they travel across the [[Overworld|world map]]. The goal of the game is to defeat four major enemies called Elemental Fiends or Fiends of Chaos. Along the way, the player travels to towns where he or she may shop, acquire information, and rest. While traveling, the player encounters monsters which must either be fought or fled from. Winning battles earns the player [[experience point]]s, which strengthen player characters, and [[gold]] ([[Gil (Final Fantasy)|gil]] in later versions) currency to buy new equipment.
The player begins ''Final Fantasy'' by creating the Light Warriors. As is typical of computer role-playing games of the era, player characters are passive participants in the story, with their names and abilities relevant only during battle. Characters are determined by four-character (i.e. four-letter) names (more in later editions), certain numerical attributes, and their class. A character's most basic attribute is its [[experience point|level]], which is numbered between one and fifty. (The maximum is ninety-nine in later editions.) A character's level is determined by how much experience it has, and higher level characters are more powerful than lower level characters. Gaining a level increases the character's attributes, such as their maximum [[hit point]]s (HP). HP represents a character's remaining health, and when a character reaches zero HP, they die. Additional attributes such as "Strength" govern other aspects of the character.
Each character has a [[character class]], which affects the character's attributes and abilities. There are six classes, three of which are physically oriented and three of which are magically oriented. During the game, the player has the option of completing a quest which changes and upgrades each character to a different and more powerful class. With the exception of this upgrade, character classes cannot be changed once the game has begun.
The "[[Warrior (character class)|Fighter]]" ("Warrior" in later editions) uses heavy weapons and armor, and can be upgraded into a "Knight" ("Paladin" in later editions), who is also able to use low-level [[Final Fantasy magic#White magic|White Magic]] spells. The "Black Belt" (or "Monk") is skilled at fighting armorless while empty-handed and upgrades to a "Master." The fast and agile "[[Thief (character class)|Thief]]" can upgrade into a "Ninja", which may use low-level [[Final Fantasy magic#Black magic|Black Magic]] spells. Of the three magical classes, the "[[Red Mage]]" is a decent fighter and can use a mixture of White and Black Magic. The Red Mage upgrades to a "Red Wizard" who can use more powerful equipment and spells. The "[[White Mage]]" can cast defensive and curative spells and upgrades to a "White Wizard," while the "[[Black Mage]]" can cast offensive spells and upgrades to a "Black Wizard." Both the Black and White Mages/Wizards are comparatively weak at physical offense in exchange for their powerful magic.
===Combat===
[[Image:Final Fantasy I Lich Battle.png|thumb|220px|The Light Warriors face off against [[Lich]], Fiend of Earth]]
Battles in the game are turn-based. At the beginning of each turn, the player selects an action for each player character, with the options being direct attacks, casting spells, drinking potions, using magical items, or running away from battle. Once the player has chosen actions for each player character, the player characters and monsters begin battling. Participants move one at a time in a randomly determined order.
In the original NES version, it was not possible to select a new enemy to attack once actions had begun; if the character had chosen to attack an enemy who had been defeated earlier in the round, then the attack was ineffective, and the character did nothing. This was changed in later versions.
Battles continue until one side either flees or is defeated. If the party wins, the characters gain experience and gold. If the party flees, they return to the map. If the party dies, the game is over.
===Customization===
''Final Fantasy'' contains a variety of weapons and armor; new equipment can make the Light Warriors more powerful in combat. Each Light Warrior has eight inventory slots, with four to hold weapons and four to hold armor. Each character class has restrictions on what weapons and armor it may use. Additionally, some weapons and armor are magical; if used during battle, some of these items will cast spells. Other magical artifacts provide protection, such as from certain dangerous spells.
There are six types of weapons: [[Sword]]s, [[Dagger]]s, [[Axe]]s, [[War hammer|Hammer]]s, [[Staff (stick)|Staves]], and [[Nunchaku]]. Warriors may also fight bare-handed; however, only the Black Belt/Master may do so effectively. The type of a weapon mainly determines its associated graphics, but also indicates which classes are more likely able to use that weapon. For example, a Black Belt is able to equip nunchaku but cannot equip axes. Each weapon has three statistics: damage, chance to hit bonus, and critical hit chance. Certain weapons are also more effective against monsters of particular types or monsters weak against particular elements. In the original NES version, these properties were not used and the weapon's index number was erroneously used in lieu of the critical hit rate (resulting in significantly higher values than intended for most weapons) due to [[Software bug|bugs]]. The monster type/elemental properties for weapons were fixed in later versions, but the critical hit rates were not. While four weapons may be held, only one weapon may be equipped at a time.
In addition to weapons, there are four types of armor: Armor ([[Cuirass]]es, [[Robe]]s, [[Bracelet]]s), [[Helmet]]s, [[Gauntlet (gloves)|Gauntlet]]s, and [[Shield]]s. Unlike weapons, a piece of armor's type is very important. A character may wear up to four different pieces of armor at once, but only one of each type. Each armor has two statistics: a damage absorption bonus and an evade penalty. Certain kinds of armor also grant resistance to particular categories of magic.
At shops, the Light Warriors can buy items to help themselves recover while they are traveling. Up to 99 of each item may be carried at one time. Items available include "[[Potion]]s", which heal player characters or remove an ailment such as poison or petrification; "Tents" and "Cabins", which can be used on the world map to heal the player and optionally save the game; and "Houses", which additionally recover the party's magic after saving. Additional special items may be gained during or at the completion of [[quest]]s.
Many character classes are able to use magic, which is divided into "white" defensive magic and "black" offensive magic. Spells are classified by a level between one and eight, with, in most cases, higher level spells being more powerful than lower level spells. There are four white magic and four black magic spells of each level. Characters may learn up to three spells of each level by purchasing them at shops in towns. White wizards are capable of learning all white magic spells, and black wizards are capable of learning all black magic spells. Other classes have various restrictions on the spells they can learn. In the original NES version, once a spell has been learned it cannot be forgotten. This was changed in some later revisions.
The original NES version of the game allowed each magic-user "charges" for each level of spells; spells of a given level could only be cast as many times as the user had charges. As a character's level increased, more charges were gained. This system closely resembles the spell-casting system in ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''. In some later revisions of the game, this system was replaced by [[Magic point|MP (Magic Points)]].
==Plot==
<!--
The consensus of WikiProject Final Fantasy is that spoilers should be expected in "Plot", "Story", and "Appearances" articles/sections, and thus spoiler warnings are unnecessary. If you disagree with this consensus, you are welcome to discuss it on the project discussion page [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Final Fantasy]]. In particular, see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Final_Fantasy/archive/21#Spoiler_Warnings:_a_compromise].
If you want to rename something, note that the general consensus is that the original NES name should be used in this section, with alternate names in parentheses or in remake-specific sections below.
-->
===Setting===
<!--
Please read the editor's note above (under Plot) before editing this section for important notes regarding the style used here.
Thank you.
-->
[[Image:Final Fantasy - Outside Coneria.png|thumb|220px|Outside the Kingdom of Coneria]]
''Final Fantasy'' takes place on a fantasy world with three large [[continent]]s. The elemental powers on this world are determined by the state of four orbs (crystals in later localizations), each governing one of the four [[classical element]]s: earth, fire, water, and wind.
The world of ''Final Fantasy'' is inhabited by numerous races. [[Elf|Elves]] appear as residents of Elfland (Elfheim). They are distinguished mainly by their pointy ears. The sprite for the [[Thief (character class)|Thief]] class also appears to have pointy ears, which has led to speculation that the character is intended to be an elf.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=021228 |title=Episode 230: The Cycle of Senseless Violence |publisher=Nuklear Power|date=2002-12-28|accessdate=2008-03-30}}</ref> The Elves are at war with the Dark Elves, led by Astos. [[Mermaid]]s live on the top floor of the submerged Sea Shrine (Sunken Shrine). Beyond certain clues, they do not provide assistance to the Light Warriors. [[Dragon]]s live in the Cardia islands. Bahamut, the King of the Dragons, will upgrade the Warriors' classes if they bring proof of courage from the Castle of Ordeal (Citadel of Trials). [[Robot]]s mainly reside in the Floating Castle (Sky Castle). Along with the castle itself and the airships, they were constructed by the ancient Lefeinish civilization.
===Story===
<!--
Please read the editor's note above (under Plot) before editing this section for important notes regarding the style used here.
Thank you.
-->
Four hundred years prior to the start of the game, a people known as the Lefeinish (Lufenian), who used the Power of Wind to craft a giant [[space station]] (called the Floating Castle (Sky Castle) in the game) and airships, watched their country decline as the Wind Orb went dark. Two hundred years later, violent storms sunk a massive shrine that served as the center of an ocean-based civilization, and the Water Orb went dark. The Earth Orb and the Fire Orb followed, plaguing the earth with raging [[wildfire]]s, and devastating the agricultural town of Melmond as the plains and vegetation decayed. Some time later, a sage called Lukahn tells of a [[prophecy]] that four Light Warriors will come to save the world in a time of darkness.
The game begins with the appearance of the four youthful Light Warriors, the heroes of the story, who each carry one of the darkened Orbs (known as Crystals in later ''Final Fantasy'' games).<ref name="FFI"/> They arrive at Coneria (Cornelia), a powerful kingdom which has just witnessed the kidnapping of its princess, Sara, by a knight named Garland. The Light Warriors travel to the ruined Temple of Fiends in the northwest corner of Coneria, defeat Garland, and return Princess Sara home. The grateful King of Coneria builds a bridge that enables the Light Warriors' passage east to the town of Pravoka. At Pravoka, the Light Warriors liberate the town from Bikke and his band of [[pirate]]s, and acquire the pirates' ship for their own use. Though having the ability to travel across the water, the Light Warriors remain trapped within the Aldi Sea, in the center of the southern continent. On the south side of the sea is the kingdom of the elves, where the prince has been put into a [[curse]]d sleep by Astos. To the west is a ruined castle, where a king tells them that Astos stole his crown and hid it in the Marsh Cave to the south, though when the Light Warriors retrieve his crown, he reveals himself to be Astos. He has also stolen the witch Matoya's (Matouya) Crystal. With her Crystal back, Matoya provides a herb to awaken the Elf Prince. The Elf Prince gives the Light Warriors a key capable of unlocking any door. The key unlocks a storage room in Coneria Castle which holds [[trinitrotoluene|TNT]] (Nitro Powder). Nerrick, one of the [[Dwarf|Dwarves]] of the Cave of Dwarf/Dwarf Village (Mount Deurgar), destroys a small isthmus using the TNT, connecting the sea to the outside world.
After visiting the near-ruined town of Melmond, the Light Warriors go to the Earth Cave (Cavern of Earth) to defeat a vampire and retrieve the Ruby, which gains passage to Sage Sarda's (Sadda) cave. With Sarda's Rod, the Warriors venture deeper into the Earth Cave and destroy the Earth Fiend, Lich, who is responsible for the earth's decay.<ref name="FFI"/> The Light Warriors then obtain a canoe and enter Gurgu Volcano (Mt. Gulg) and defeat the Fire Fiend, Kary (Marilith).<ref name="FFI"/> They recover the Floater (Levistone) from the Ice Cave, which allows them to obtain an airship. After proving their courage by retrieving the Rat's Tail from the Castle of Ordeal (Citadel of Trials), the King of the Dragons, Bahamut, promotes each Light Warrior. Using an air-producing fairy artifact known as Oxyale, the Warriors go to the Sunken Shrine to defeat the Water Fiend, Kraken.<ref name="FFI"/> They also recover a slab with fragments of the Lefeinish language. A linguist named Dr. Unne uses the slab to decode the Lefeinish language, which he teaches to the Light Warriors. Following this, the Light Warriors travel to a small and distant town — the last remaining outpost of the Lefeinish civilization. The Lefeinish give the Light Warriors access to the Floating Castle (Sky Castle) that Tiamat, the Wind Fiend, has taken over.<ref name="FFI"/> With the four Fiends defeated and the Orbs restored, the Warriors find that their quest is not yet over: the true enemy waits two thousand years in the past. Traveling to the past, the Warriors discover that the four Fiends sent Garland (now the archdemon [[Chaos (Final Fantasy)|Chaos]]) back in time and he sent the Fiends to the future to do so, creating a [[Predestination paradox|time loop]] by which he could live forever.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy |developer=Square Co |publisher=Nintendo of America |date=1990-07-12 |platform=Nintendo Entertainment System |language=English}} '''Garland:''' Remember me, Garland? Your puny lot thought it had defeated me. But, the Four FIENDS sent me back 2000 years into the past. / From here I sent the Four FIENDS to the future. The FIENDS will send me back to here, and the Time-Loop will go on. / After 2000 years, I will be forgotten, and the Time-Loop will close. I will live forever, and you shall meet doom!!</ref> The Light Warriors defeat Chaos, thus ending the paradox and return home.<ref name="FFI"/> By ending the paradox, however, the Light Warriors have changed the future, to one in which their heroic deeds from their own time remain unknown outside of legend.
<ref name="FFI">{{cite web | author=GameTrailers Staff | title=Final Fantasy Retrospective: Part I | url=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/22250.html |date= [[2007-07-15]]| publisher=[[GameTrailers]] | accessdate=2008-04-16}}</ref>
==Development==
''Final Fantasy'' was developed during Square's brush with [[bankruptcy]] in 1987. In a display of [[gallows humor]], director [[Hironobu Sakaguchi]] declared that his "final" game would be a "fantasy" role-playing game, hence the title.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://features.teamxbox.com/xbox/1554/An-Introduction-to-SquareEnix/p2/|title=An Introduction to Square-Enix|publisher= TeamXbox|author=Berardini, César A.|date=2006-04-26|accessdate=2008-03-30}}</ref>
When Sakaguchi was asked what type of game he wanted to make, he replied "I don't think I have what it takes to make a good action game. I think I'm better at telling a story."<ref name="FFI">{{cite web | author=GameTrailers Staff | title=Final Fantasy Retrospective: Part I | url=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/22250.html |date= [[2007-07-15]]| publisher=[[GameTrailers]] | accessdate=2008-04-16}}</ref> Sakaguchi's concept was a game with a large world map to explore and an engaging story.<ref name="FFI"/> The music was composed by [[Nobuo Uematsu]], and was his 16th video game music composition.<ref name="FFI"/>
Sakaguchi took an in-development ROM of the game to ''Family Computer Magazine'', but they would not review it.<ref name="developmentFF"/> Japanese video game magazine [[Famitsu]] did give the game extensive coverage.<ref name="developmentFF">{{cite web | author=Ed Fear | title=Sakaguchi discusses the development of Final Fantasy| url=http://www.developmag.com/news/28960/Sakaguchi-discusses-the-development-of-Final-Fantasy |date= [[2007-12-13]]| publisher=developmag | accessdate=2008-04-26}}</ref> The development team was composed of seven people, large at that time.<ref name="developmentFF"/> Sakaguchi stated that the game was titled ''Final Fantasy'' due to his personal situation, that if the game failed, he would quit making video games and return to university and be forced to make up a year and be friendless.<ref name="developmentFF"/> Only 200,000 copies were to be shipped, and Sakaguchi pleaded with the company to make 400,000 in order to help spawn a sequel, and they agreed.<ref name="developmentFF"/> The other team at Square had twenty people on theirs.
The characters and title logo were designed by [[Yoshitaka Amano]]. The scenario was co-written by [[Akitoshi Kawazu]] and freelance writer [[Kenji Terada]].<ref>{{cite web | title=ファイナル ファンタジーI FINAL FANTASY | publisher=ffx.sakura.ne.jp | url=http://ffx.sakura.ne.jp/ff1.htm| accessdate=2007-02-02}}</ref> Iranian-American freelance game programmer [[Nasir Gebelli]], who was living in Japan at the time, worked as the programmer for this game. Among the other developers were [[Hiromichi Tanaka]], [[Akitoshi Kawazu]], [[Koichi Ishii]], and Kazuko Shibuya. The game was developed by Square's A-Team. Following the successful [[North America]]n [[Software localization|localization]] of ''Dragon Quest'' (as ''[[Dragon Warrior]]''), [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]] translated ''Final Fantasy'' into [[English language|English]] and published it in North America in 1990.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} The North American version of ''Final Fantasy'' met with modest success, due partly to Nintendo's aggressive [[marketing]] tactics.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} No version of the game was marketed in the [[PAL region]] until ''Final Fantasy Origins'' in 2003.<ref>{{cite web | title=Final Fantasy Origins Review | url=http://www.gamershell.com/playstation/final_fantasy_origins/review.html| publisher=GamersHell.com|accessdate=2007-03-25}}</ref>
''Final Fantasy'' has been remade several times for several different platforms. While all of these remakes retain the same basic story and battle mechanics, various tweaks have been made in a variety of different areas, including graphics, sound, and specific gameplay elements.
===North American localization===
The 1990 North American localization of ''Final Fantasy'' by Nintendo of America was essentially identical to the original Japanese game, although most names were changed for various reasons. Gameplay remained essentially the same, with changes limited to a few battle formations and removal of all random encounters from the final floor of the final dungeon.
The majority of name changes resulted from technical limitations on name length, for example the spell "Thunder" being reduced to "LIT". Nintendo of America's censorship policies resulted in removal of religious references, such as the spell "Holy" being renamed to "FADE" and the Church being changed to Clinic, and the elimination of nudity from certain monster images. Some changes, such as "[[Beholder]]" to "EYE" with a vastly different image, were presumably made for copyright reasons. Most Light Warrior battle graphics were slightly altered, along with the graphical changes to remove religious imagery.<ref name="differences">{{cite web | author=The Collector | title=Final Fantasy 1 Version Differences FAQ v3.01 | publisher=fforigins.com | date=2005 | url=http://collector.5gigs.com/series/ff1ver.txt| accessdate=2007-03-26}}</ref>
===MSX2===
{| class="infobox bordered" style="width: 18em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; float: right; margin-right: 1em;" cellpadding="3"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;" | MSX2 remake
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Publisher(s)
|Microcabin
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Release date(s)
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |{{vgrelease|JP=December 1989}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Media
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |[[Floppy disk|3.5" Floppy Disk]]
|}
The [[MSX|MSX2]] computer standard was roughly analogous, in terms of technical capabilities, to the NES, and as a result, the MSX2 version of ''Final Fantasy'' is probably the closest to the original Famicom version. However, while the Famicom was designed to operate exclusively as a gaming console, the MSX2 was intended to be used more generally as a [[personal computer]]. In practice, this meant that the game was subtly altered to take advantage of certain features offered by the MSX2 and not by the Famicom, and vice versa.
[[Image:FF1 battle MSX.png|thumb|left|The [[MSX|MSX2]] version featured a larger palette and more vibrant colors]]
Due to its release on [[floppy diskette]], the MSX2 version of the game had access to almost three times as much storage space as the Famicom version (720 [[kilobyte|KB]] vs. 256 KB), but suffered from a variety of problems not present in Nintendo's cartridge media, including noticeable loading times. There were also relatively minor graphical upgrades. In general, the MSX2 version sports an ostensibly improved color palette which adds a degree of vibrancy to character and background graphics. In addition, the world map seems to have been moved slightly, meaning that the placement of monster "areas" on the world map is slightly different, and that monsters appear in different places than in the Famicom version.<ref name="differences"/>
Further, game data could not be saved onto the original program diskette, so it was necessary to provide a blank floppy diskette to save one's progress. For some reason, it was possible to store only one saved game on any given disk at one time, although it was possible to have multiple diskettes for multiple saved games.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} As an upgrade, the MSX2 featured more sound channels than the Famicom, and as such many music tracks and sound effects were altered or improved for the port.<ref name="differences"/> Also, some dungeon music was swapped.<ref name="differences"/> Finally, in the Famicom version, the strength of a Black Belt would increase with his experience levels, meaning that very soon the player would reach a point where a Black Belt could do more damage without any weapons than he could with weapons. In the MSX2 version, this is not the case: Black Belt strength does not increase nearly as quickly, and as such he cannot operate effectively as a barehanded fighter. Also, a few items available at stores have had their costs changed.<ref name=differences/>
===WonderSwan Color===
{| class="infobox bordered" style="width: 18em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; float: right; margin-right: 1em;" cellpadding="3"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;" | WonderSwan Color remake
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Release date(s)
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |{{vgrelease|JP=[[December 9]], [[2000]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Media
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |32 megabit cartridge
|}
Many more changes were introduced for the [[WonderSwan Color]] (WSC) remake of the game. The 8-bit graphics of the original Famicom game were completely redrawn for the WSC version, bringing the game roughly on-par with 16-bit era graphics (between ''[[Final Fantasy V]]'' and ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]''). The color palette was much larger and battle scenes now featured full background images.
Character sprites, or two-dimensional pre-rendered figures, were also redesigned to look more like characters from the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]] Final Fantasy games, especially as they upgraded in class. In the Famicom version, shops and inns had no interior map: once a character entered the building, they were greeted with a menu-based purchase screen. In the WSC version this was changed to more closely resemble other games in the series, where each building had an interior, along with a shop counter where the transaction screen could be accessed. Similarly, the battle screen was redesigned, with all textual information moved down to a blue window stretched across the bottom of the screen in an arrangement similar to that utilized in ''[[Final Fantasy II]]'' through ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''. As a further update, short cutscenes using the internal game engine were added to expand the story of the game somewhat. One such cutscene involved the construction of the bridge by the army of Cornelia.
[[Image:FF1 battle WSC.jpg|thumb|left|[[Dark Elf]] Astos uses Death on the party]]
Also of significance is that the original Famicom version of the game did not have the ability to display more than one window of text during a conversation, which meant that all conversations with [[non-player character]]s were strictly limited in length. The WSC version removes this restriction. In the original version of the game, any attempt to attack a monster that had been killed by a previous character's attack would result in an "ineffective" attack. The WSC version introduced an option wherein the attack would be redirected to another monster rather than fail. Similarly, a "dash" option had been introduced: holding down a specific button while walking around in a town or dungeon map would cause the character to move around at twice their normal pace. Both of these options can be turned on and off via the game's configuration screen.
As in the original version, every magic-using character has successive "spell levels". Each character has only three available slots per spell level, but is given the option of choosing from four spells. Once that choice had been made in the original version, there was no way to "unlearn" spells to free up a space for the unchosen fourth spell. In the WSC version, this has been changed so that it is possible to delete spells once purchased. In the original Famicom version, the cartridge could only store one set of game data at a time, and every time a new save was made, the previous one was overwritten. The WSC version provides up to eight distinct slots for saved game data. There is also a "quick save" feature introduced which allows the player to save his or her progress at any time (except during battles). This will exit the game, however, and as soon as the game is resumed, any quick save data is lost.
Another change from the original version involves items; only items specifically assigned to a character could be used during battle. In the WSC, this has been changed so that there is a party-wide "pool" of items which can be accessed at any time by all characters. Certain status-healing items (such as "Soft") can now be used during battle. Further, in the original game, not only did each character have their own armor and weapon inventory, each was fixed to storing only 4 of each category per character. This meant that as opposed to the first game, one could now actually equip all 5 different armor types, as well as collect every single armor and weapon in the game without needing to drop or sell anything. A number of magic spells that didn't work properly in the original were also now "fixed" to work as originally intended. The [[Status effect|status ailment]] "silence" no longer prevents items from being used. In addition to remixing the soundtrack, composer [[Nobuo Uematsu]] has composed several new tracks, including a new "boss battle" theme. Because many of the above changes make the game simpler than before, the [[hit point]]s of certain monsters, and almost all boss monsters, have been substantially increased (doubled, in some cases) in order to better balance the gameplay.
===PlayStation===
{| class="infobox bordered" style="width: 18em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; float: right; margin-right: 1em;" cellpadding="3"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;" | PlayStation remake
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Release date(s)
|{{vgrelease|JP=[[October 31]], [[2002]]|EU=[[March 14]], [[2003]]}}{{vgrelease|United States|US|[[April 8]], [[2003]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Media
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |[[CD-ROM]]
|}
{{main|Rereleases of Final Fantasy I and II#PlayStation}}
Released both individually (in Japan only) and alongside its follow-up, ''Final Fantasy II'' in a collection entitled ''Final Fantasy Origins'' (or ''Final Fantasy I+II Premium Collection'' in Japan), the PlayStation port of ''Final Fantasy'' by [[TOSE]] was based on WonderSwan Color version. Most of the changes instituted in that version of the game remain in this version. However, there are a few differences. Although the graphics are basically the same as in the WSC version, the higher [[Display resolution|screen resolution]] of the PlayStation means that most have been improved to some degree, with more detail.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} [[Tsuyoshi Sekito]] also remixed the soundtrack to ''[[Final Fantasy IX]]'' quality to utilize the audio capabilities of the Sony PlayStation and also composed a few new tracks like the ones used in the opening movies.<ref>{{cite web | author=Triche, Stephen | title=Final Fantasy Origins | publisher=GameVortex.com | date=2002 | url=http://www.gamevortex.com/gamevortex/soft_rev.php/1283| accessdate=2006-03-08}}</ref>
In the [[Japanese language]] version, the script has been changed to include [[kanji]].<ref name="differences"/> The [[English language]] translation, too, has been completely rewritten, and is, in most cases, much closer to the Japanese than the original English NES version was.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Character and magic name lengths have been increased from four to six characters, as well. Saved game data takes up one block on the PlayStation memory card, which means that up to fifteen games can be saved onto each memory card (as opposed to one on the NES cartridge). The "quick save" feature of the WonderSwan Color version has been excised, but in its place a "memo save" feature has been introduced where game data can be temporarily saved to the PlayStation's [[random access memory]] (RAM). This data remains until the system is turned off, or its power supply is otherwise interrupted. The game is now bookended by two full-motion, prerendered video cutscenes. An "[[omake]]" (or bonus) section has also been made available. It includes a bestiary, an art gallery, and an item collection that are unlocked as the player progresses through the game.<ref>{{cite web | author=Unicorn Lynx | title=Game Trivia for Final Fantasy Origins | publisher=[[MobyGames]] | date=2003-07-11 | url=http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features/finalfantasyiandii/review.asp| accessdate=2006-03-08}}</ref> Also, a new "easy mode" could be chosen at the beginning of the game wherein shop prices are lower, experience is gained more quickly, and stats increase more rapidly.<ref name="differences"/>
===''Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls''===
{| class="infobox bordered" style="width: 18em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; float: right; margin-right: 1em;" cellpadding="3"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;" | ''Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls''
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Publisher(s)
|{{vgrelease|JP=[[Square Enix]]|NA=[[Nintendo]]|EU=Nintendo}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Release date(s)
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |{{vgrelease|JP=[[July 29]], [[2004]]|NA=[[November 29]], [[2004]]|EU=[[December 3]], [[2004]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Rating(s)
|{{vgratings|ESRB=E (Everyone)|OFLCA=G8+|PEGI=3+|USK=Free for all}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Media
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |128 megabit cartridge
|}
{{main|Final Fantasy I and II (compilations)#Game Boy Advance}}
Another fairly extensive list of changes accompanies the Game Boy Advance release of ''Final Fantasy'' as part of ''Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls''.
The [[difficulty level]] of the Game Boy Advance version most closely resembles the "easy mode" of the ''Final Fantasy Origins''. Unlike that version, however, there is no option to switch back to the original difficulty level. Similarly, the redirection of "ineffective" hits, which had been optional since it was introduced in the WSC version, is now mandatory. Graphics are more or less identical to the WSC version, but the GBA has a slightly higher screen resolution than the WSC, and certain sequences (such as flying around on the airship) look better on the GBA than on the WSC.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
[[Image:Final Fantasy I and II Dawn of Souls - Soul of Chaos Boss.PNG|thumb|left|A battle against a Soul of Chaos boss in the Japanese GBA version. This one is Shinryuu from ''[[Final Fantasy V]]''.]]
The "spell level"-based magic system is dropped from this version in favor of the point-based magic system used in more recent ''Final Fantasy'' games.<ref>{{cite web | author=Unicorn Lynx | title=Nintendo World Report Review:Final Fantasy I and II: Dawn of Souls | publisher=[[Nintendo World Report]] | date=2004-11-29 | url=http://www.NintendoWorldReport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=4299| accessdate=2006-03-08}}</ref> Although spells are still classified at certain levels for some purposes (characters can still only be equipped with three of the four available spells of any given level, for instance), every spell is now assigned a point value. When cast, that value is subtracted from a total number of magic points that apply to all spells known by a character. Many new items have been introduced. Healing items are now much easier to procure, and less expensive, as well. The party starts the game with 500 [[gil (Final Fantasy)|gil]] instead of 400 gil as in previous versions.
The [[omake]] artwork gallery and item collection present in the PlayStation version have been omitted, but the bestiary gallery remains and operates more or less exactly as it did previously. Certain classes have been modified: the Thief and Monk have become more powerful, whereas the Red Mage has become less so. Stat growth has been altered, and Intelligence now affects the strength of weapon-based magic spells. The game can now be saved at any time, anywhere.<ref>{{cite web | author=Comer, Daniel | title=Final Fantasy I and II: Dawn of Souls review | publisher=[[UGO]] | date=2002 | url=http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features/finalfantasyiandii/review.asp| accessdate=2006-03-08}}</ref> There are three available save game slots; however, there is no way of clearing or deleting their contents aside from starting a new game.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Because the changes introduced in this version make the game less challenging, many monsters and boss monsters have had their [[hit point]]s increased once again; for example, the final boss Chaos now has ten times as many hit points in this version as he did in the Famicom/NES original. Four new optional dungeons have been introduced, one corresponding to each Fiend, and becoming available after that Fiend is defeated. These dungeons are especially challenging and feature items and monsters not found anywhere else in the game. At the end of each dungeon, there are a variety of [[boss (video games)|boss monsters]] from ''Final Fantasy III'' through ''Final Fantasy VI''. Finally, during character creation, the player can choose to have the game randomly assign a name to each character, using character names from other games in the series.
===Mobile phones===
In {{vgy|2004}}, Square Enix released a version of ''Final Fantasy'' for two Japanese [[mobile phone]] networks. A version for [[NTT DoCoMo]] [[FOMA]] 900i series phones was launched on [[March 1]], [[2004]] under the title ''Final Fantasy i''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Tsukioka, Aki |title=SQUARE ENIX to Launch DoCoMo Sites for World-Famous Game Titles |url=http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=6612 |publisher=[[Japan Corporate News Network]] |date=2004-02-24 |accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref> A subsequent version for the [[CDMA 1X WIN]]-compatible W21x series was released on [[August 19]], 2004 as ''Final Fantasy EZ''. Another version, simply titled ''Final Fantasy'', was also released for [[SoftBank]] [[Yahoo!|Yahoo! Keitai]] phones on [[July 3]], [[2006]].<ref>{{cite web | title=ファイナルファンタジー for MOBILE | publisher=[[Square Enix]] | url=http://www.square-enix.co.jp/mobile/ff/ |language=Japanese| accessdate=2007-01-09}}</ref> Graphically, the games are superior to the original 8-bit game, but not as advanced as many of the more recent console and handheld ports. Square Enix planned to release this version of the game for North American mobile phones sometime in 2006.<ref>{{cite web | title=SQUARE ENIX TO SHOWCASE ALL ENCOMPASSING LINE-UP AT E3 2006 | publisher=[[Square Enix]] | url=http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2006/0424/ | accessdate=2006-04-24}}</ref>
{{-}}
===PlayStation Portable===
{| class="infobox bordered" style="width: 18em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; float: right; margin-right: 1em;" cellpadding="3"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;" | ''Final Fantasy (PlayStation Portable)''
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Publisher(s)
| [[Square Enix]]
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Release date(s)
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |{{vgrelease|JP=[[April 19]], [[2007]]|NA=[[June 26]], [[2007]]|EU=[[February 8]], [[2008]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Rating(s)
|{{vgratings|CERO=A (all ages)|ESRB=E10+ (Everyone 10 and older)|PEGI=7+}}
|-
! style="background-color: #ccccff; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;" |Media
| style="white-space: nowrap;" |[[Universal Media Disc|UMD]]
|}
For the 20th anniversary of ''Final Fantasy'', Square Enix has remade ''Final Fantasy'' for the PSP along with ''[[Final Fantasy II]]''. The first game was released in Japan on [[April 19]], [[2007]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/psp/final-fantasy-i--ii-grind-on-psps-this-summer-253133.php |title=Final Fantasy I & II Grind On PSPs This Summer |publisher=[[Kotaku]] |date=2007-04-17 |accessdate=2007-04-17}}</ref> the North American version was released on [[26 June]] [[2007]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2007/0626/ |title=Square Enix ships remastered edition of Final Fantasy to retail|publisher=[[Square Enix]]|date=2007-06-26|accessdate=2007-06-27}}</ref> and the European version was released on [[February 8]], [[2008]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/29187/Final-Fantasy-ports-to-hit-PSP|title=Final Fantasy port to hit PSP|publisher=MCV|date=2007-12-19|accessdate=2007-12-19}}</ref>
[[Image:FF1 battle PSP.jpg|thumb|left|A battle against [[Gilgamesh (Final Fantasy)|Gilgamesh]] in the Japanese PSP version]]
The PSP version has higher-resolution 2D graphics, the FMV sequences from the ''Origins'' release and the bonus dungeons from the ''Dawn of Souls'' release. It also borrowed the soundtrack from the ''Origins'' release, though the extra dungeon boss battles use the music that was used in the game they originated from (e.g Gilgamesh's music from Final Fantasy V while fighting Gilgamesh), and the gameplay from the ''Dawn of Souls'' release. The Japanese script and English translation are basically the same as in the GBA version. The PSP version has aerial effects on the towns and dungeons. Mode 7 is used on both the walking and airship parts. It also contains an all-new dungeon, as well as an Amano Art Gallery. The gallery uses the PSP's high resolution to display high-quality art by [[Yoshitaka Amano]], with new pieces of art being unlocked as the player progresses through the game. The new dungeon, titled {{nihongo|''Labyrinth of Time''|時の迷宮|Toki no Meikyū}}, is a dungeon with a time limit, in which the player's HP constantly decreases as time passes. The player is able to exchange abilities such as White Magic usage and the Dash command in order to extend the time limit, allowing them to delve deeper into the dungeon.<ref>{{cite web | title=Square-Enix to remake FF I and II for anniversary | publisher=[[IGN]] | url=http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/755/755976p1.html | accessdate=2007-01-18}}</ref>
{{-}}
==Musical score==
{{main|Music of Final Fantasy I and II}}
''Final Fantasy'' was [[Nobuo Uematsu]]'s sixteenth video game score. The score was released on CD together with the score of ''[[Final Fantasy II]]''.
A few of the game's tracks became mainstays to the ''Final Fantasy'' series: the "Prelude", the [[arpeggio]] played on the title screen; the "Opening Theme", which is played when the party crosses the bridge early in the game and later referred to as the ''Final Fantasy'' theme; and the "Victory Fanfare", which is played after every victorious battle. The opening [[Motif (music)|motif]] of the Battle theme has also been reused a number of times in the series, as well as in ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'', a [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]] game also developed by Square.
==Reception and legacy==
The game sold 400,000 copies.<ref name="developmentFF"/>
''Final Fantasy'' was one of the most influential early console role-playing games, and played a major role in legitimizing and popularizing the genre. According to one reviewer, ''Final Fantasy''{{'}}s storyline, which dealt with elaborate tales and time travel, had a deeper and more engaging story than the original ''[[Dragon Warrior|Dragon Quest]]''.<ref>{{cite web | first=Matt |last=Casamassina | title=State of the RPG: GameCube | publisher=[[IGN]] | date=2005-07-19 | url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/634/634965p1.html| accessdate=2006-09-03}}</ref> Many modern critics point out that the game is poorly paced by contemporary standards, and involves much more time wandering in search of random battle encounters to raise their [[experience point|experience]] levels and money than it does exploring and solving puzzles,{{Fact|date=February 2007}} while other reviewers find the level-building and exploration portions of the game as the most enduringly fun ones.<ref>{{cite web | author=Dunham, Jeremy |title=Final Fantasy Origins | publisher=[[IGN]] | date=2003-04-15| url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/400/400156p1.html| accessdate=2006-03-08}}</ref> In March 2006, ''Final Fantasy'' appeared in the ''[[Famitsu]]'' magazine's Top 100 games list, where readers voted it the 63rd best game of all time.<ref>{{cite web | author=Campbell, Bolin | title=Japan Votes on All Time Top 100 | publisher=[[Next Generation Magazine]] | date=2006-03-03 | url=http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2401&Itemid=2| accessdate=2006-08-07}}</ref> In 2005, GameFAQs users made a similar list, which ranked ''Final Fantasy'' at 76th.<ref>{{cite web | title=Fall 2005: 10-Year Anniversary Contest — The 10 Best Games Ever| url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/top10| publisher=[[GameFAQs]] | accessdate=2006-07-01}}</ref> It was rated the 49th best game made on a Nintendo System in ''[[Nintendo Power]]''{{'}}s Top 200 Games list.<ref name="NP Top 200">{{citation|date=February 2006| title=NP Top 200|periodical=Nintendo Power|volume=200|pages=58-66}}.</ref> [[IGN]] praised the Wonderswan Color version of ''Final Fantasy'', rating it at 8.6 and praising its graphical improvements, especially in the area of combat.<ref>{{cite web |author=Schneider, Peer| date=2001-02-12| title=Final Fantasy (Import)| url=http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/165/165845p1.html| publisher=[[IGN]] | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref> The version of ''Final Fantasy'' in the ''Final Fantasy Origins'' compilation was generally well received, though it lacks many of the innovations found in later Final Fantasy games such as ''Final Fantasy IV'',<ref>{{cite web | author=Stella, Shiva; Grube, Tim | title=Final Fantasy Origins: Beginning of an Era | publisher=Gaming Horizon | date=2003 | url=http://news.gaminghorizon.com/media/1042257669.html| accessdate=2006-03-08 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060202001010/http://news.gaminghorizon.com/media/1042257669.html |archivedate=2006-02-02}}</ref> and some commented that the additional content like improved graphics did not significantly improve the overall game experience.<ref>{{cite web | author=Fox, Fennec; Grube, Tim | title=Final Fantasy Origins Review | publisher=[[GamePro]] | date=2003-04-08| url=http://www.gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/28844.shtml| accessdate=2006-03-08}}</ref> The PlayStation Portable version was rated 6.9, or "Passable", stating that there had been better and cheaper releases of the game, though the much improved graphics were "quite pleasant".<ref>{{cite web | author=Dunham, Jeremy | title=Final Fantasy Review | publisher=[[IGN]] | date=2007-06-27 | url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/799/799831p1.html| accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref> The game has been called epic for its time, but not nearly as engaging as subsequent titles in ''Final Fantasy''.<ref name="FFI"/>
The theme song that plays when the player characters first cross the bridge from Coneria has become the recurring theme music of the series, and has been featured in all numbered ''Final Fantasy'' titles except ''Final Fantasy II''. Final Fantasy was also the basis for an episode of a video game-themed cartoon series ''[[Captain N: The Game Master]]'' entitled ''The Fractured Fantasy of Captain N''.<ref>{{imdb episode|id=0817328|episode="Captain N and the New Super Mario World": The Fractured Fantasy of Captain N (1991)}}</ref> ''[[8-Bit Theater]]'', a sprite-based [[webcomic]] parodying the game, has become very popular in the gaming community.
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
{{wikiquote|Final Fantasy}}
*[http://finalfantasy.wikicities.com/wiki/Category:Final_Fantasy_I ''Final Fantasy'' Wiki category list for ''Final Fantasy'']
{{FFI&II}}
{{Final Fantasy series}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Final Fantasy 01}}
[[Category:1987 video games]]
[[Category:Final Fantasy I| ]]
[[Category:Final Fantasy games]]
[[Category:Mobile phone games]]
[[Category:MSX games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:PlayStation games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Portable games]]
[[Category:Time travel video games]]
[[Category:WonderSwan Color games]]
[[ar:فاينل فانتسي (لعبة فيديو)]]
[[bg:Final Fantasy]]
[[ca:Final Fantasy I]]
[[de:Final Fantasy (Spiel)]]
[[et:Final Fantasy I]]
[[es:Final Fantasy I]]
[[fr:Final Fantasy (jeu vidéo)]]
[[gl:Final Fantasy I]]
[[ko:파이널 판타지]]
[[id:Final Fantasy (permainan video)]]
[[it:Final Fantasy I]]
[[nl:Final Fantasy (computerspel)]]
[[ja:ファイナルファンタジー]]
[[no:Final Fantasy (videospill)]]
[[pl:Final Fantasy I]]
[[pt:Final Fantasy (jogo)]]
[[ru:Final Fantasy I]]
[[sq:Final Fantasy I]]
[[simple:Final Fantasy (video game)]]
[[fi:Final Fantasy (videopeli)]]
[[sv:Final Fantasy I]]
[[th:ไฟนอลแฟนตาซี I]]
[[uk:Final Fantasy I]]