'Final Fantasy' and 'Final Fantasy II' Coming to the iPhone
posted by Eli Hodapp on January 20th, 2010 10:11 PM EST in Games, Role-Playing, Upcoming Games, iPhone games, iPod touch games
The Final Fantasy series started with the original release in 1987, spawning a game franchise that has since become Square Enix's most successful series and overall has sold over 85 million units worldwide as well as often serving as the benchmark that nearly all roleplaying games are compared to.
Details are sketchy at best right now, with nothing more than a set of screenshots released on Square's Facebook page. With a release date of "TBA", both games appear to be the same highly refined versions that were released on the PSP.
Final Fantasy:
Final Fantasy II:
As huge Final Fantasy fans ourselves, I can guarantee we will be keeping a very close eye on these games and their impending release.
Hell yeah!
YES!! This is what I've been waiting for! Now bring on Chrono Trigger!
Now we're talking! Chrono Trigger AND Secret of Mana
Secret of mana !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Secret of Mana! That would be fantastic! All they would have to do to make me a happy camper would be to port the mobile game they just released in Japan. Of course, a remake would be even better!
oh snap so awesome and it would be nice for SEGA to also make Phantasy Star series also
Nifty. Though I already played the PSP versions.
Me too. Is there a remake for FF6 yet? (FF3 in the US)
This is getting ridiculous. Between, this, Sword of Fargoal, and the like… my iPhone is becoming a deadly addictive device.
OMG!
I wish they had a mailing list for the second it's released.
holy crap! ive been hoping for them to do this for so long…. its about time!
I came.
Yeah… And I see you here. So?
Why are your pants… oh. OH. AWWW. DUDE!
wow this in not a crapy emulator…
the gfx look good ! & a touch interface…
Omg. Yes.
i jeez my pant…..Now bring on Chrono Trigger & FF 7 too if possible!! i'll pay 9.99!!
YES! jiztastic.
YES CAN'T WAIT!
Holy crapzilla. This is really impressive. Ultimately I'll truly believe it when I see the "buy" button on the iTunes store, but having both of these games in the pipeline is wonderful.
did anyone else yelp with joy after reading the first two words of the headline?
I did and I was at work so everyone was like "what?" and when I said what it was they were like "oooookkaayyy…"
:S
Haha, same here.
Holy Camole! This is going to be awesome, such awesome that I even made my first post at Touch Arcade blog… hehe
Wow. Now *this* is what I've been waiting to see from Square. Here's hoping the whole series eventually makes it to the iPhone.
Agreed!
About time they start tapping into their proven IPs. Still waiting on FF Tactics.
Honestly, this is nothing special here. They've been remaking/remastering FF1 & 2 for years and whoring it out to every system imaginable. I've played the PSP version. It's nothing special. This game is a little too primitive to be honest. The core of the gameplay itself doesn't stand the test of time. It simply too basic. Plus, the story is just so generic. Now this is a game that isn't worth 9.99. I believe they sold them for 19.99 on the PSP, and they weren't worth that price either.
Looking at these posting I'd have to say that everyone positively agrees with you…
this is great!!!
i just hope that they leave language option in it so I can play in japanese too
OMFG!
BRING IT!!! (to android !!!!!)
Never thought I'd see the day
Oh yes!!!!!! I have been waiting for this since the beginning of the App store. Definetively an instant buy! Although I would LOVE FF VI.
Best. Day. Ever!!!
are the first two any good?
i like five and six.
they are good, but can't touch 5 or 6.
Note that I've played the original version
I really couldn't recommend FFII because of its levelling system. Even the devs had referred to it less than kindly looking back. The first one is a solid RPG with enough FF 'Feel' that I'll be picking it up (for the third time) when it hits the AppStore.
Wait, what's different about the leveling system in FF2?
YES!!!!!!!!!!
The iPhone is perfect for old school RPG's which doesn't require much reflexive input.
And Square Enix, if you're reading this… We want Chrono Trigger.
No kidding! The game I've most enjoyed playing on the iPhone platform is still Vay. Having the early Final Fantasy series on this device would be a great way for me to really get into them. I've never really been big into turn-based games but a touch interface makes them so much more enjoyable!
All I ever wish for is nr. 7.
But in the meantime I can shorten the waiting time playing these two babies.
Woa Nice, Can't wait to play Final Fantasy II, I started it on PSP, but never got to get very far…
YESSS!!!! As an original nintendo owner, the 3rd game I ever bought for my system, wayyy back when was Final Fantasy.. Changed my life forever… FFIV (US FF II) changed it again… both are coming to my icrack device… fucking win!
'bout time! However they always do these older versions and I understand some may feel these are the best but I would like to see them bring FF7 back to the game! Us FF7 fans have wanted a remake for the PS2 then got our hopes up for PS3 when they had that demo.. why do they tease us?? I seen it played nicely on an emulator on a 3GS.. what are they waiting for??
Sony published FFVII. I've never seen confirmation from either party that Sony maintains those rights, but we've never seen it leave Sony platforms yet, either. That's one I'd be absolutely shocked to see come out for any other platform though.
Eidos actually published FF7 for PC so there's hope
What all you FF fans have to keep in mind are these three things:
1. These older games in the FF franchise "fit" the platform better BECAUSE they are so-called "primitive". They're much more "quick play"/easy to get into than the newer games in the franchise for a litany of reasons, including the fact that there aren't a slew of cutscenes to slog through, the game's pick up in action MUCH quicker, and the battles don't typically last that long.
2. Don't hold your breath for FFVII. At least not in it's original form. Why? For one it's a less "pick up and play" game, but more importantly that game is pretty huge in memory size. It's a legit over 1GB game and that's not only because of the slew of FMV cutscenes (unnecessary, IMHO, but some of you fans might think otherwise), but also because the game itself features, during gameplay, graphics that combine the polygonal character graphics with pre-rendered backgrounds which themselves feature FMV. You guys didn't think that the PSone was rendering all that stuff in real time, right? It's not the polys that are the issue, it's those pre-rendered backgrounds with video running over them. That's a lot of data, and the over 1GB nature of it all pretty much means that it won't be on the App Store unless HIGHLY compressed. And compression for video backgrounds = worse looking game.
3. Wouldn't you rather Square-Enix develop a NEW, exclusive, made-for-iPhone/touch FF game in the main RPG series? One that "fits" the platform better. I'm all for mixing old and new, and certainly wouldn't mind them going through the old NES and SNES catalog (and maybe even the Game Boy and Wonderswan games they've made in the past), but I don't know if the PSone games really "fit" the iPhone/touch platform. Maybe you should all join me in hoping Apple releases a new AppleTV hardware next week in their big conference, and with it opens up an AppleTV-centric App Store. Then you'd have a platform that can do those PSone games justice (remember, I'm talking about the video backgrounds here and the slew of cutscenes)…and maybe Square-Enix would port over the PS2 games as well.
Except that you're thinking as though this isn't 2010. Since Final Fantasy VII has been released, video compression codecs like DivX and h.264 have been created that compress video at comparable quality for a fraction of the size. I would be willing to bet that FFVII could be compressed to well less than the size of a single CD these days if they so chose to make the effort.
On the performance side, the iPhone (even 3G) runs h.264 video up to 640×480 just fine, which takes far more processing ability than the uncompressed (or lightly compressed) video that old PS1 games used. The iPhone's CPU is more than 10x as powerful as the one in the PS1 and has more than 30x the RAM. I'd imagine they could make any PS1 game run properly on the iPhone if they reworked the controls.
I'm not exactly excited about Final Fantasy I and II again, but if they're relatively cheap ($5 range), I'll probably buy them just to support the later games being released as well. It's not as though it's impossible for them to work.
Glad to see some classic Square titles coming to iPhone. However I can't help still wishing they would do something new. The 1&2 remakes, while great, have been done before and I wish they would incorporate this graphical style into the later released games such as 3 (which we only got on the DS with 3D models), 4, 5, and maybe even 6. Loving the choice to bring the classic FF series to iPhone, but please don't stop again at 1&2, finish updating the rest of the games!
Also enhanced versions of the first 3 Dragon Warriors would be great too
If Dragon Warrior comes to the iPhone, I'll… have to change my pants.
First gta and now this? Is it just me or is the iphone finally getting some recognition as a genuine gaming platform?
FF is better than what the iPhone has now, but still off from it's potential. If some lost rightsholder were to dig up Skies of Arcadia for a port, that would arouse me into restricted airspace.
Oh, and while I'm wishing upon my dead Dreamcast, how about Power Stone?
Wow, nice news, i need to buy them, hope theyre not so expensive, because i want, Mirrors edge, these two, and GTA chinatow…By the way, I live in Mexico, and here its not released yet, hope they do soon, ill pay i promise jajaja
Wow! This is exciting news. The games themselves Arent really all that greT the big deal is that square is actually putting their flagship game on the iPhone and that means that they're finally taking the platform seriously. Song summoner was a a foray into the platfom. I'm hoping to see a real square developed rpg developed specifically for the (Final Fantasy Touch?). One game that would work well on the iPhone would be rwvenant wings for the DS. It used the d-pad rarely for any interaction and focused on the stylus instead. A game for the iPhone based on that concept would be great.
These two may not be that great compared to the RPGs available on the other platforms they ported it to but they are pretty much on par with what's available on the iphone.
It's like a dream come true! I can't wait!
am I the only one who want to see Vagrant Story on iP?
I'm still waiting for a grandia/grandia II port – I'm sure the iphone could pull that off.
Wow wow,
FF1 & 2, Assassin Creed 2, GTA China Wars
WTF ????
the iDevice is starting to get pretty respectable, gaming-wise.
currently playing GTA: CTWars and I'm honestly really impressed with the controls, all things considered! I almost find it EASIER/more convenient than the DS version where you had to pick up/put down your stylus every so often.
seriously, so many DS games feel like they were made for 3-armed mutants..
with FF on board (why wouldn't S-E milk it all the way to the AppStore anyway? makes business sense and everyone's happy), it's starting to be serious.
word
and how about Xenogears? I'm not only a nostalgic, Xenogears has the most dramatic, unpredictable and captivating storyline of all videogames in history for me ( I'm 38 years old and I play videogames since the PONG era).
It's unfortunate that the insanely long cut scenes that make up the majority of the second disc for Xenogears may have put the final nail in the coffin for any re-releases of the game. The first disc plays wonderfully as an RPG, but the second one has almost no game play for a huge portion of it, which isn't exactly a redeeming quality for today's gamers. It's a real shame they ran out of time to actually finish the game portion of the game, and had to resort to cut scenes to finish the story out.
And yes, I'm aware a few games still try and get away with it like Metal Gear Solid 4, but that particular fanbase is one of the more rabid and likely to buy whatever is thrown at them.
Now we're talkin'!
Now we must get every final fantasy from NES to PS1!!!
Oow yeah!
FF TACTICS….YES PLEASE!
already nabbed FF1,2 and 3 for the ill fated NES emulator
however, will definately be investing in these ones! good times
YES!!!, please make FF7.
Final Fantansy I&II sucks nowadays.
I'd rather see ports of Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger.
i hope they release the games also in europe and in more languages as in english.
first GTA and now FF… now iPhone is a gaming console indeed
Good news of course and another step for the iPhone on it's path to be a proper handheld gaming system.
BUT… people need to be aware that FF1 & 2 are very dated games, with extremely high difficulty levels and masses of random battles. If you're used to playing FF5 and later, these early games will not be much fun.
Hopefully Square will port the recent DS 3D remakes of FF3 and 4 to the iPhone.
Ew. No thanks. Those 3D remakes looked horrible. Just like mega man when he went 3d and same with castlevania. Give me remastered 2D like Chrono Trigger DS.
I quite liked the 3D remake of Final Fantasy IV on DS, and enjoyed the first Mega Man Legends game when it was released, but I agree that the original 16-bit SNES versions of FF are superior. They seem to have more "soul" to them, but the remakes aren't actually bad by any stretch.
@Chad
Maybe you should try playing them before slagging them off. They were actually very well done, and managed to add character while respecting the originals.
I have Lum, they suck. Not enough polygons to keep the 3D from looking ugly. You want a FF that looks good in 3D you either look at cut-scenes on PS1 or anything PS2 and beyond.
That's why I want them !! Those are the best ones:)
Incredible! I hope the port runs well on the iPhone… it looks like they've updated the graphics a bit so that's great
. I wonder if this is intended to coincide with the new tablets that Apple will announce…
How many times are these games going to be repackaged and resold? I can't imagine why people get so excited to see them, yet again! Imagine the excitement and anticipation of something brand new! I can't help thinking that developers would be better off spending their time creating new experiences that actually fit the platform, and at the same time giving fans a much needed breath of fresh air with their established brands. Granted many of these games are quite good and I am all for the nostalgia, and it is certainly a way for developers to introduce new players to a popular series, but why not hook brand new fans with something thats engaging and fresh for everyone?
Let's face it, its not about fan service with these publishers. It's all about the almighty dollar and how many times can they get you to buy the same thing over and over again. Apparently it's working, and as the collective buying public, we are all to blame.
couldn't agree more .. I am a fan of FF series, but to me this is an insult instead of giving what the we deserve .. it have all the dollar sign around it, it's all about money ..
I think we should be playing something that itouch is capable off .. if squaresoft can't afford to develop ff game specifically for itouch platform, provided it would not be worth it on how appstore economy work, maybe they should at least port something that is worth for itouch like FFVII till FFX .. all of these being developed for PS1, so I imagine it run, look very well in itouch ..
but FFI and FFII? I just can't understand what so exciting about it? to be frank, I'll laugh if I seen any of my friend playing this in their itouch ..
i think your missing the point here, this is a top top IP on the idevice and could potententially lead to bigger things from square. not everyone has psps or PS3s so this will be a good chance to not only pick up these titles cheaply, but to play them on the go whenever they please.
i love retro titles, more so when they get revamped so cant wait!
I recently bought a used PS2, and every square RPG I could find that came out for the PSone and PS2. Why? Nostalgia, and nostalgia alone (and to play a few classics that I missed at the time, like Vagrant Story and Xenogears). Square may indeed be capitalizing on their past games, and maybe we're idiots for buying them. However, Charles Dickens novels and Shakespeare's plays are still in print, and are people foolish for still buying them? In the game world, these games amount to the same, and are hopefully a sign of bigger things to come. In 30 years, when we're no longer using the PSP, PS3, iPhone, or whatever – I will still want my damn final fantasy games (and other Square classics). If I have to buy them on a different platform, I'll do it, because the experience was worth it, and I want my kids to have it.
I have news for you… Dickens and Shakespeare are definitely still in print, but you don't have to pay a dime to read them. Along with many other authors, they are considered public domain and therefore available for free in many forms of media.
Publishers and developers are free to keep reinventing the same wheel and charging for it, but let's face it, it lacks innovation, originality, and common sense. Buy into it if you want, but keep in mind that the only way to speak up and demand something more is through the power of your buying dollar.
What the hell, let's dissolve all development studios and just release the same games over and over, again and again.
Wow. These are some of the first in a long line of games I will be willing to pay top dollar for (the others being all of the classic LucasArts adventures). The very idea of using a touch interface to play these is pure genius and I cannot wait to get them. I would really like to see Final Fantasy Tactics and FFVI there too as Tactics was practically created for the iPhone's capabilities and the VI has the best FF story ever.
Thanks SE!!!
Grandia for iPhone would nullify 50% of the reasons I jailbreak.
Now if only Konami would give us Suikoden 1 & 2… now that would be something…
Man, I wish someone would re-do Panzer Dragoon Saga!
These look great! The last FF game I played was on the original Game Boy. lol
Square certainly gets its mileage out of FF, but truthfully…..I know I'll pay to play 'em again!
Awesome! I'll probaby get them but what I want is Chrono Trigger. I've gone half way through it on the DS and would be willing to do it again on the iPhone!
I'm with you on that one..!
Awesome!!
I wonder if they'll release the entire 8 and 16bit series?
I hope they give us the "real" Japanese versions of all of them with English translations, and not the "dumbed down" versions that some of them were when they brought it to the American market.
I'm relatively sure (it's been a while) that since the original release there has been a revamped translation released on another system using the "hard type" version for Final Fantasty IV. I'm not sure on the other hand, that FFVI ever got a proper official re-translation with character names and such restored. So there's a pretty good chance FFIV would use the proper version, while FFVI would be a mixed bag.
From what I understand, FFVII is a real offender on the translation side, so if that ever comes along, although unlikely, I'd like to see them give it some love and fix it up. I'd imagine it would top the app store grossing list from nostalgia purchases alone, so it would probably be worth the effort.
Ah yes, I've heard they had released the proper versions. I think it was for one of the handheld systems.
I managed to find non-official full translations of FFIV, V and VI for Super Nintendo, but I can't be sure either if there are official versions of all of them.
Either way hopefully there will be! I'd love to get the entire game intact and properly translated on the go.
And FFVII would be fantastic.
I hope they update the game for the touch screen.
… I was hoping for ff6, whats up with all the cloud and tifa fanppl here…
I hope that is not the final font Square's going to use for FF1 and FF2. The icons kinda suck also. Everything else looks great though.
I hope this will be released before summer.
Was gearing myself up to get Zenonia, and Inotia 2, but maybe will hold off now. I lived for Final Fantasy.
Although maybe Inotia 2 will see me through the wait.
I'm so so deep into Inotia right now, but I love that Square is FINALLY showing up with the real goods. The iPhone/iPod kicks ass. I'm still on the iPod touch G1, and loving it.
come on 90 + comments already, companies should take advantage of this, all the people interested in full fledged control games, this is what I'm talking about
I think http://www.techzang.com knows inside people working on the game. You can probably contact them asking 'em a question about it.
Finally….FINALLY
We have a legit* games console
Well this depends on if the game will be fully localized to other languages. In the AppStore, most games, especially ALL rpgs and most adventures (with the exception of Simon the Sorcerer) are only available in English.
This is obviously not a huge problem for little puzzle games, but I prefer games with voice acting or large text parts to be translated into my mother language. And on other “real” consoles, there does not need to be a discussion on that: Of course will the game be fully localized.
But on the iPhone? We’ll see.
BTW: Hello, devs! Read here what a localization can do for your game regarding worldwide sales numbers: http://www.futuretap.com/blog/one-year/
OMFG yes. This will dominate the app store.
Instant buy!
Yay! now there is no way i will come out from the toilet! =D
Well, since no one else was interested in making FF-style turn based RPGs for the iPhone I suppose I'll buy the originals… again.