The Good
- A faithful recreation of the original RPG masterpiece that brings the enjoyment to new levels.
- Simple enough for the novice, but challenging and fun for seasoned RPG gamers.
- Wonderful, moving story you become invested in.
The Bad
- Sometimes during battles the gameplay slows a bit and moves don't register as well. This isn't often, but it can get annoying at times.
- Due to limitations of the GBA's sound processor the score is the same, but the music is not as epic as in the console version.
Story
Experience console gaming's first truly epic story, which introduced investing yourself into the lives and emotions of the characters you play. Starting as Cecil, a Dark Knight of the kingdom of Baron, you are commander of the royal air force the Red Wings. Your power mad King has sent you on a mission of destruction as you bring genocide to countless villages to claim a series of elemental crystals. Unable to come to terms with the destruction, you question the King. For your insolence you are stripped of rank and sent on a lowly mission to the village of Mist, with your friend Kain ordered as your accompaniment.
Upon arriving at Mist a magic bomb secretly planted on you detonates, killing all but one of the villagers, a powerful little girl named Rydia. Horrified upon witnessing her mother's death, she battles you and when the smoke clears Kain is missing, Rydia is unconscious and you stand alone. In the wake of the desruction you have brought to yet another village you vow to stop the evil King.
...and that's just the beginning.
Features
When porting this former console game to the GBA Square Enix added a bunch of new goodies, all of which add to the overall experience of the game.- New 50 floor dungeon level.
- An unlockable Music Player that opens after you have completed the game and plays the Nobuo Uematsu composed score.
- Bestiary (collection) of the monsters you have defeated.
- New characters, stories, towns, caves, the works!
The Game
FF4 changed the face of storytelling, gameplay and music in video games with innovations that are now standards in what we play today. The long overdue re-release on the GBA is a nostalgia lover's dream come true and a terrific tool to introduce RPG newcomers to the wonderful world of Final Fantasy.
Not only does FF4 feel like it was meant to be played on the GBA, but dare I say, it's even better than ever! The characters "sprite" style, the landscapes, adventures, real-time battle system and the hundreds of monsters all transformed beautifully to the handheld allowing you to take the entire world with you when you're on the run.
Trivia
The first release Final Fantasy IV in the United States was actually a simplified version of FF4 for the Super Nintendo, and oddly titled Final Fantasy II, which in Japan is an entirely different game.Parent Guide
Additionally at one point in the Baron, a woman, strips down to a bikini for you. There is no nudity in the North American release of the game but if you'd rather not allow your child to see this, consider yourself warned.