The original Final Fantasy game has been re-released a few times already. Looking at our own private collection, we see a weathered MSX2 3½" floppy, the Gameboy cartridge, the Wonderswan Color version, and the Playstation remake. We know the game was made available for download on mobile phones but we never bothered with that since it was only data and not an actual physical product. We add yet another edition to the collection this week with the 20th Anniversary Playstation Portable re-release.

Booting up the game this morning, we enjoyed the cinematic introduction which features a blue-armored warrior fighting a massive red dragon. Upon starting the adventure, players may select the language - Japanese or English. The game also features improved graphics, the bonus dungeons from the Gameboy/Wonderswan versions of the game, and an entirely new dungeon dubbed "The Labyrinth of Time" which enforces a time limit within which you can explore its dank depths. Another bonus is an unlockable Yoshitaka Amano Art Gallery which contains beautiful color work from the artist who has provided the illustrations for the series. A bestiary and a BGM music player (unlockable) rounds out the feature set in the game.

Since we've played through the game a few times through the years, we're not going to play this one again this week but we'll give it a go in the near future so we can check out the updated sights and sounds. Early impressions are favorable - the graphics are delightfully crisp and bright on the PSP screen and the music is rich and resonant. One downside is the lack of analog control - only the d-pad is usable for movement.

Jan Code: 4988601004930

View the back cover and screenshots for this item on the main NCSX website.

» The game may be played in Japanese or in English. The language may be toggled at any time from the configuration menu.

» Four character types are available at the outset of the game - Warrior, Thief, White Mage, and Black Mage. To auto-name a character, move the pointer to the archetype and press SELECT. The warrior's auto name is Arus, the thief is Gerad, White Mage is Sarina, and Black Mage is Topapa. Two additional classes are available on a sub-screen - Monk and Red Mage.

» For anyone unfamiliar with Final Fantasy, players control a team of four characters who are prophesied to be the Warriors of Light. Travel around the world, fight monsters in side-viewed turn-based battles, and level up into a powerful party. At the outset of the game, the crew is outside of Castle Cornelia which lies to the north. Your first task after receiving an audience with the king is a rescue mission where Princess Sarah must be saved from a wayward knight named Garland. Before heading out, visit the town below the castle and stock up on some potions and a sleeping bag or two. Next, outfit the party with weapons and armor and you're ready to tackle Garland as well as the beasts that roam the forest area around Cornelia.

» Only the d-pad may be used for control. The analog nub does nothing.

» The pace of walking for the party when inside a town may be sped up by pressing and holding the X button and then moving.

» If you select Arus the Warrior and place him in the first position of the party, he'll be the representative sprite when traveling the world. If you look at his hair, you'll notice that it's feathered and moves when walking. In recent Final Fantasy game development, feathered hair is an important part of being a hero and the feathering makes it back to the original game.

» The bestiary contains 203 listings but everything's locked and blocked by question marks. As you defeat monsters during the course of the game, they'll be added to the bestiary for perusal. To access the bestiary, press the SQUARE button at any time during the adventure or select it from the Configuration menu. In addition to information about the monster's HP, Attack, Accuracy, Intelligence, and Evasion, the bestiary also lists how many of each monster you've defeated over the course of the game.

» An early enemy in the game is the wicked looking Goblin who carries a sickle-like weapon. Battles are fought in standard 2D scenery but the graphics are sharp, well defined, and crisp. It's like old school Final Fantasy eye candy. When a battle is won, energetic music plays and all four party members pump their arms up and down as if they're trying to reach escape velocity.

» The game may be saved at any time by going to the Configuration menu and selecting SAVE. A total of 20 save positions may be stored to the Memory Stick Duo.

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