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Encyclopedia > Final Fantasy (series)
Japanese series logo, which also appears in the post-16-bit era North American localizations.

Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajī?) is a brand owned by Square Enix that includes video games, motion pictures and other merchandise. It began in 1987 as an eponymous console role-playing game developed by Square, spawning a video game series that became the brand's central focus. Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Final Fantasy is a series of computer and console role-playing games. ... Image:Final Fantasy series logo. ... Image:Final Fantasy series logo. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A brand is a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... Namcos Pac-Man was a hit, and became a universal phenomenon. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as... Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Square Company, Limited ) was a Japanese video game company founded in September of 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi. ...


The video game franchise of Final Fantasy is the fourth-best selling as of January 2007, having sold over 70 million units worldwide, trailing Mario, Pokémon, and The Sims.[1] The franchise later branched out into other genres and platforms, such as tactical RPGs, portable games, MMORPGs and games for mobile phones. The series also spurred the release of three animated productions and two full length CGI films. This is a list of video games that have sold over one million copies. ... Mario ) is a video game character created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and is the official mascot of Nintendo. ... The official Pokémon logo. ... For games with Sim in the title, see List of Sim games. ... A tactical role-playing game (usually simply called tactical RPG, sometimes referred to as strategy role-playing game or SRPG) is a type of computer role-playing game (CRPG) in which the focus of the gameplay is on making tactical decisions in battles. ... One of the first handheld game consoles, Ball was the first product in the Game & Watch series. ... An image from World of Warcraft, one of the largest commercial MMORPGs as of 2004, based on active subscriptions. ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) For the oleo-resin, see Animé (oleo-resin). ... Computer-generated imagery (commonly abbreviated as CGI) is the application of the field of computer graphics (or more specifically, 3D computer graphics) to special effects in films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media. ...


The first installment of the series premiered in Japan on December 18, 1987, and Final Fantasy games have subsequently been localized for markets in North America, Europe and Australia on numerous video game consoles,[2] IBM PC compatible computers, and several different models of mobile phones. Future installments have been announced to appear on seventh generation video game consoles. Two upcoming titles for the PS3 include Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Software localization is a process of translating software user interfaces from one language to another and adapting it to suit a foreign culture. ... North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or electronic device that manipulates the video display signal of a display device (a television, monitor, etc. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Final Fantasy XIII ) is an upcoming console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. ... Final Fantasy Versus XIII ) is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 3 video game console. ...


As of March 2007, there are about 28 games[3] in the franchise. This number includes installments from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XII, along with a few direct sequels (Final Fantasy X-2 and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII) and numerous spin-offs. Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Final Fantasy XII ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console, and the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... It has been suggested that Characters of Final Fantasy X-2 be merged into this article or section. ... Dirge of Cerebus: Final Fantasy VII is an upcoming Japanese console video game developed by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ...

Contents

Overview

See also: List of Final Fantasy titles

Square first entered the Japanese video game industry in the mid 1980s, developing a variety of simple RPGs, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System (FDS), a disk-based peripheral for the Family Computer. By 1987, declining interest in the FDS had placed Square on the verge of bankruptcy. At approximately the same time, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi began work on an ambitious new fantasy role playing game for the cartridge-based Famicom, inspired in part by Enix's popular Dragon Quest (known as Dragon Warrior in the United States until 2005).[4] According to unconfirmed sources, Sakaguchi had plans to retire after the completion of the project, so it was named Final Fantasy.[citation needed] Andrew Vestal, who used to run the UnOfficial SquareSoft HomePage (UOSSHP), also attributed the name to the company's hopes that the project would help with their financial woes.[5]Final Fantasy reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and became their flagship franchise. Final Fantasy ) is a popular series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Nintendo Company, Limited (任天堂 or ニンテンドー Nintendō; NASDAQ: NTDOY, TYO: 7974 usually referred to as simply Nintendo, or Big N ) is a multinational corporation founded on September 23, 1889[1] in Kyoto, Japan by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards. ... The Famicom Disk System, attached to a late-model AV Famicom The Family Computer Disk System (FCD) was released on February 21, 1986 by Nintendo as a peripheral to their overwhelmingly popular Family Computer (Famicom) console in Japan. ... A peripheral is a type of computer hardware that is added to a host computer in order to expand its abilities. ... Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration - see text) in the UK. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organizations to pay their... Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy series Hironobu Sakaguchi (坂口 博信, born 1962) was the Director of Planning and Development for Square Co. ... The Enix Corporation ) was a company that produced Japanese video games and manga. ... Dragon Quest logo Dragon Quest ), published as Dragon Warrior in North America until the 2005 release of Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, is a series of role-playing games produced by Enix (now Square Enix). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ...


Following the success of the first game, Square quickly began work on a second installment. Unlike a typical sequel, Final Fantasy II featured entirely different characters, with a setting and story bearing only some thematic similarities to its predecessor. Some of the gameplay elements, such as the character advancement system, were also completely changed. This approach to future installments has continued throughout the series, with each major Final Fantasy game introducing a new world, a new cast of characters, and a new system of gameplay.[6] [7] Final Fantasy II on the SNES, see Final Fantasy IV Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure Final Fantasy II ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Gameplay includes all player experiences during the interaction with game systems, especially formal games. ... Experience points (often abbreviated as exp, ep or xp) are a representation of a characters advancement and improvement in skills in role-playing games and computer role-playing games. ...


Due to the (as of 2007) 20 year time span of the game series, the games, especially older versions, are often sold at great value and maintaining a full working collection of the titles is often difficult given the wide breadth of systems. The Nintendo DS provides the means with Game Boy Advance backwards compatibility to play all six of the original 2D games (Dawn of Souls, the remakes of IV, V and VI and the DS 3D remake of III, not including spin-offs), and the PlayStation 3 offers the opportunity to play the PSone remakes of Origins (I and II), Chronicles (IV and Chrono Trigger), Anthology (V and VI), the original PSone titles (VII, VIII and IX), the PlayStation 2 titles (X, X-2, XI, XII) and the PlayStation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIII, which is currently in development. Final Fantasy III is as yet unavailable for the PlayStation series of consoles. // Manufacturer Nintendo Product family Nintendo DS Type Handheld game console Generation Seventh generation era First available NA November 21, 2004 JP December 2, 2004 AU February 24, 2005 EU March 11, 2005 ZH July 23, 2005 Connectivity Wi-Fi and Local Wireless Online service Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, LAN Units... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... PlayStation 3 , trademarked PLAYSTATION®3,[7] commonly abbreviated PS3) is Sony Computer Entertainments third video game console. ... Final Fantasy XIII ) is an upcoming console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. ... It has been suggested that Characters of Final Fantasy III be merged into this article or section. ...


Common elements

Though each Final Fantasy story is independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series. Some spin-off titles have cameo appearances of characters from preceding stories, but in most cases merely the names are reused, so that each game has its own unique collection of characters in totally unrelated worlds. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...


Design

See also: Final Fantasy designers category
A depiction of Terra riding a suit of Magitek Armor from Final Fantasy VI.
A depiction of Terra riding a suit of Magitek Armor from Final Fantasy VI.

Artistic design, including character and monster design work, was handled by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy VI, as well as title logo designs for all of the main series and all of the image illustrations from Final Fantasy VII onward. Following Amano's departure, he was replaced by Tetsuya Nomura, who continued to work with the series through Final Fantasy X, with the exception of Final Fantasy IX, in which character design was handled by Shukou Murase with Toshiyuki Itahana and Shin Nagasawa assisting Murase. Nomura is also the character designer of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and all three installments of the upcoming Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII. In Final Fantasy XI, the characters were designed by Nobuyoshi Mihara.[8] Image File history File links Magitek armor, from the Square Co. ... Image File history File links Magitek armor, from the Square Co. ... Terra Branford , Tina Branford) is the heroine of Square Co. ... Yoshitaka Amano (天野 喜孝 Amano Yoshitaka, originally 天野 嘉孝 (pronounced the same), born July 28, 1952) is a Japanese artist, best known for his illustrations for Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs for the video game series Final Fantasy. ... Tetsuya Nomura (野村哲也; Nomura Tetsuya, born October 8, 1970), is a Japanese game and character designer working for Square Enix. ... Final Fantasy X ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the tenth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series; it was released in 2001, and is the first numbered Final Fantasy game for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. ... Shukou Murase ) is an anime director and animator. ... Final Fantasy VII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... Final Fantasy XI ), also known as Final Fantasy XI: Online or simply Final Fantasy Online, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix). ...


Akihiko Yoshida, who served as character designer for the spinoff title Final Fantasy Tactics, as well as the Square-produced Vagrant Story, recently became more involved with the series as the character designer of Final Fantasy XII and the Final Fantasy III remake. Promotional drawing for Vagrant Story showing Ashley Riot and Callo Merlose Akihiko Yoshida (吉田明彦) is a video game character designer, that is, he does the drawings that the 3D models or 2D sprites will be based upon. ... Vagrant Story ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Final Fantasy XII ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console, and the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... It has been suggested that Characters of Final Fantasy III be merged into this article or section. ...


In October 2003, Kazushige Nojima, the series' principle scenario writer since Final Fantasy VII, resigned from Square Enix to form his own company, Stellavista. He partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. Square Enix continues to contract story and scenario work to Nojima and Stellavista. Scenarist Kazushige Nojima is the founder of Stellavista Ltd. ... Final Fantasy VII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... Stellavista Ltd. ...

Music

Main article: Final Fantasy music

Final Fantasy is the first Japanese-origin video game franchise to mass market its soundtracks in the United States. The international popularity of video game music began to surge with the success of the Final Fantasy series, particularly Final Fantasy VI and later games in the series. Nobuo Uematsu was the chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004. His music has played a large part in the popularity of the Final Fantasy franchise abroad. In the 2004 Summer Olympics, the American synchronized swimming duo consisting of Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova were awarded the bronze medal for their performance to the song 'Liberi Fatali' from Final Fantasy VIII. Uematsu is also involved with the rock group The Black Mages, which has released two albums of arranged Final Fantasy tunes. Other composers who have contributed to the series include Masashi Hamauzu, Junya Nakano and Hitoshi Sakimoto. Hitoshi Sakimoto, Hayao Matsuo, Yuji Toriyama, and Nobuo Uematsu have composed the soundtrack of Final Fantasy XII. Final Fantasy music refers to the soundtrack of the Final Fantasy series of console-based, usually plot-intensive Japanese role-playing games. ... Final Fantasy VI ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1994 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. ... Nobuo Uematsu , born March 21, 1959) is a Japanese composer of video game music, and one of the most well-known, prolific, and versatile in the field. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... The ceremony for the lighting of the flame is arranged as a pagan pageant, with priestesses dancing. ... Russian synchronized swimming team, May 2007 Synchronized swimming is a hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and dance. ... For their eponymous first album, see The Black Mages (album). ... In music, an arrangement refers either to a rewriting of a piece of existing music with additional new material or to a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch, such as a lead sheet. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Junya Nakano (仲野 順也 Nakano Junya), a composer who creates video game music, has worked for Square Enix for over five years. ... Hitoshi Sakimoto ) is a video game music composer. ...


There have already been two successful runs of Final Fantasy concerts in Japan as of 2004. Final Fantasy soundtracks and sheet music are also increasingly popular amongst non-Japanese Final Fantasy fans and have even been performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. On November 17, 2003, Square Enix U.S.A. launched an AOL Radio station dedicated to music from the Final Fantasy series, initially carrying complete tracks from Final Fantasy XI in addition to samplings from Final Fantasy VII through Final Fantasy X. Many video game and MIDI world wide web sites offer renditions of Final Fantasy musical pieces, and many remixes can be found. // In film formats, the sound track is the physical area of the film which records the synchronized sound. ... Sheet music is written representation of music. ... The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section reads like an advertisement. ... Final Fantasy XI ), also known as Final Fantasy XI: Online or simply Final Fantasy Online, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is an industry-standard electronic communications protocol that enables electronic musical instruments, computers and other equipment to communicate, control and synchronize with each other in real time. ... WWWs historical logo designed by Robert Cailliau The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked, hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. ...


The Dear Friends: Music From Final Fantasy concert tour was established, starting February 2005, due to the success of the first Final Fantasy concert performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Hall on May 10, 2004. Music from Final Fantasy was first performed outside of Japan as a part of the Symphonic Game Music Concert series in Germany. The Final Fantasy soundtracks have also joined the catalogue of the iTunes Music Store. The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The annual European Symphonic Game Music Concert-series (also called GC Concerts) started in 2003 (08 / 20). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into ITunes. ...


While the music in the games offers wide variety, there are some frequently reused themes. The games often open with a piece called Prelude, which is a simple arpeggio theme in the early games, with further melodies added in later games. The battle sequences that end in victory for the player in the first ten installments of the series would be accompanied by a victory fanfare that used the same nine-note sequence to begin the fanfare, and it has become one of the most recognized pieces of music relating to the Final Fantasy series. The fanfare was also used in the movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children as Loz's ringtone, heard while he was in Aerith's Church fighting Tifa. Other memorable tunes include the Chocobo's theme, the Moogle's theme, and a piece originally called "Ahead On Our Way" in Final Fantasy I, which was in fact the opening theme and which is now usually played during the ending credits of the game and called "Prologue" (in many cases, this theme is also known simply as "Final Fantasy"). Various arpeggios as seen on a staff Notation of a chord in arpeggio In music, an arpeggio is a broken chord where the notes are played or sung in succession rather than simultaneously. ... Final Fantasy VII Advent Children[1] ) is a 2005 computer-animated film directed by Tetsuya Nomura, co-directed by Takeshi Nozue, written by Kazushige Nojima and based on the highly successful 1997 console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. The film is set two years after Final Fantasy VII and...


Notably in the character-driven Final Fantasy incarnations, a significant element in each game's musical score is the use of leitmotifs. A leitmotif, popularized by Romantic Era composer Richard Wagner, can be described as a 'theme melody' for a specific character, situation, or other entity. In nearly all Final Fantasy games, the most important characters and plot elements have their own theme music. For example, in Final Fantasy VII, the song "Anxious Heart" is generally played whenever the main character's troubled past is brought up in the storyline. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in late 18th century Western Europe. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as he later came to call them). ...


Video game music, in particular the popular tracks from the Final Fantasy series, has also found its niche in the Australian market. Hiroaki Yura founded Eminence Symphony Orchestra, which claims to be the first group outside of Japan to perform anime and video game music. Nobuo Uematsu attended one of their concerts in 2004. Similar endeavors have also been founded by the American-based organizations Play! and Video Games Live. A violin virtuoso, Hiroaki Yura has performed as a soloist with most of the major Chinese Orchestras including the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and debuted in Japan with the Nippon Symphony Orchestra. ... The Eminence Symphony Orchestra in Sydney, Australia was founded in 2003 by Hiroaki Yura. ...


Graphics and technology

The cartridge generations

Final Fantasy debuted on the Nintendo Family Computer[9] as Final Fantasy in 1987, and was joined by two sequels, Final Fantasy II[10] and Final Fantasy III.[11] On the main world screen, small sprite representations of the leading party members were displayed because of graphical limitations, while in battle screens, more detailed, full versions of all characters would appear in a side view perspective. “NES” redirects here. ... Final Fantasy II on the SNES, see Final Fantasy IV Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure Final Fantasy II ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... It has been suggested that Characters of Final Fantasy III be merged into this article or section. ... In computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names; see Synonyms below) is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene. ...


The same basic system was used in the next three games, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI, for the Super Famicom.[12] These games used updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality music and sound than in previous games, but were otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design. Final Fantasy IV ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... “FF5” redirects here. ... Final Fantasy VI ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1994 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. ... The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES, also known as SNES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australia. ...


The text of the Japanese versions of early Final Fantasy games was composed purely of kana. Much of the dialogue was simply clumps of text, making it especially hard for older gamers and foreigners learning Japanese[citation needed]. Finally, in Final Fantasy V, the games began to use kanji. This would continue to get more advanced in Final Fantasy VI, and the trend would continue to make the games much more erudite. Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Manyogana 万葉仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Rōmaji ローマ字 For other meanings of Kana, see Kana (disambiguation). ... “FF5” redirects here. ... Japanese writing Kanji Kana Hiragana Katakana Hentaigana Manyōgana Uses Furigana Okurigana Rōmaji   ) are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with hiragana (平仮名), katakana (片仮名), and the Arabic numerals. ... Final Fantasy VI ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1994 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. ...

Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to incorporate pre-rendered cut scenes.

Final Fantasy VII Beginning Cutscene with Aeris This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... Final Fantasy VII Beginning Cutscene with Aeris This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... Final Fantasy VII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... A cut scene or cutscene (sometimes also referred to as a cinematic) is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no control. ...

The disc generations

Late in the 16-bit generation, Square showed an interactive SGI technical demonstration of Final Fantasy for the next generation. However, 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation and not the Nintendo 64 as many had originally anticipated. This was due to a dispute with Nintendo over its use of faster and more expensive cartridges, as opposed to the slower and cheaper - though much higher capacity - compact discs used on rival systems.[citation needed] Final Fantasy VII would have required a very expensive large capacity cartridge to work on the Nintendo 64. A cartridge holding the game's three CD-ROM's worth of data and full-motion video would have been nearly impossible to market at a price that most people could afford. Instead, Final Fantasy VII was created for the PlayStation console. The characters and entire game world were now 3-dimensional, with fully pre-rendered backgrounds. However, Final Fantasy VII's FMVs often lacked consistency, with character models resembling their real-time counterparts in one scene, and then extremely detailed in the next. A version was later released for the PC. Final Fantasy VII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... This section needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Final Fantasy VII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... 3D computer graphics are different from 2D computer graphics in that a three-dimensional representation of geometric data is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Altair 8800 was among the first microcomputers to be affordable by an individual, although it initially lacked peripherals and memory. ...


The turn-based strategy title Final Fantasy Tactics, released shortly after Final Fantasy VII, once again used sprites for the characters. As the only real user-interaction outside of battle was menu-driven, the developers saw no need for fully 3D-rendered overhead graphics, although the battle area was in 3D. This title was also the first tactics based RPG in the series. The second was Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Final Fantasy Tactics ) (often abbreviated as FFT) is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Final Fantasy VII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... 3D computer graphics are different from 2D computer graphics in that a three-dimensional representation of geometric data is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images. ... Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ) is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix Co. ... Nintendo Company, Limited (任天堂 or ニンテンドー Nintendō; NASDAQ: NTDOY, TYO: 7974 usually referred to as simply Nintendo, or Big N ) is a multinational corporation founded on September 23, 1889[1] in Kyoto, Japan by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...


Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look. Like Final Fantasy VII, some full motion video sequences would have video playing in the background, with the polygonal characters composited on top. Final Fantasy VIII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Photorealism is the genre of painting resembling a photograph, most recently seen in the splinter hyperrealism art movement. ...


Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series. It still maintained, and in many cases slightly upgraded, most of the graphical techniques utilized in the previous two games in the series. Final Fantasy IX ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ...


Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2, and made use of the much more powerful hardware to render many cutscenes in real-time, rather than in pre-rendered FMV sequences. Also, rather than having 3D models moving about in pre-rendered backgrounds, the game featured full 3D environments, giving it a much more dynamic look (though the camera was still fixed, rather than a 360 degree, freely rotating camera). It was also the first Final Fantasy game to introduce voice-acting throughout the majority of the game, even with many minor characters. This aspect added a whole new dimension of depth to the character's reactions, emotions, and development. Final Fantasy X-2 utilized the same game engine as Final Fantasy X, and was aesthetically very similar. Final Fantasy X ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the tenth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series; it was released in 2001, and is the first numbered Final Fantasy game for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... Screenshot of an FMV from Final Fantasy VIII using Bink Video. ... It has been suggested that Characters of Final Fantasy X-2 be merged into this article or section. ...


Taking a temporary divergence, Final Fantasy XI used the PlayStation 2's online capabilities as an MMORPG. Initially released for PS2 with a PC port arriving 6 months later, Final Fantasy XI was also released on the Xbox 360 nearly four years after its first release in Japan. This was the first Final Fantasy game to allow the use of a free rotating camera. Final Fantasy XI ), also known as Final Fantasy XI: Online or simply Final Fantasy Online, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix). ... An image from World of Warcraft, one of the largest commercial MMORPGs as of 2004, based on active subscriptions. ... The Xbox 360 is the successor to Microsofts Xbox video game console, developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, Samsung and SiS. Information on the console first came through viral marketing campaigns and it was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged...


Final Fantasy XII was released on March 16, 2006 in Japan, on October 31, 2006 in the United States, on February 22, 2007 in Australia, all for the PlayStation 2. The game utilizes only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting. It also retains the freely rotating camera from Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XII ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console, and the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...


Final Fantasy XIII was shown at E3 2006 and is slated to be the first game in the main series for PlayStation 3. A trailer was showcased at E3 2006 and showed brief moments of what ostensibly looked like real-time battles. Final Fantasy XIII ) is an upcoming console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. ... E³ logo The Electronic Entertainment Expo, commonly known as E³, was an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. ... PlayStation 3 , trademarked PLAYSTATION®3,[7] commonly abbreviated PS3) is Sony Computer Entertainments third video game console. ...


Dirge of Cerberus continues the storyline from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and is a TPS(Third Person Shooter) released for Sony Playstation 2 in 2006, . Vincent is the only playable character in the game, aside from one minor level with Cait Sith. Due to the new genre of the game, the battle sequences from previous installments have been removed, and the opponents simply appear from around corners or out of doors at set points in the game. Dirge of Cerebus: Final Fantasy VII is an upcoming Japanese console video game developed by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2. ...


Gameplay

Game screens

The games typically have several types of screens, or modes of interaction, broadly categorized as:

  • Battle screens — Battles occur on a separate type of screen (or arena), usually with a change of scale and a backdrop "arena" that usually generically represents where the battle is occurring in the game. (For example, a random battle in a desert gets a desert backdrop.) Plot-relevant battles (as opposed to battling random monsters) may have a specially built battle screen/arena, however. In Final Fantasy VII and later, these screens are fully 3D, using higher resolution versions of the characters, but very restricted in size. Final Fantasy XI and XII do away with "scene-battles": battle sequences occur on the main field screen.
  • Field screens — These are where the main interaction between the characters occurs, and most of the exploration of the world occurs on these screens. Dialog mostly occurs on these screens. Final Fantasy VII marked the point that Final Fantasy would have realistic computer graphics, while Dragon Warrior stayed with anime style cel-shaded graphics. Prior to Final Fantasy VII, they were pseudo-orthographic, using a simple 2D engine. Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy IX used pre-rendered and pre-painted backgrounds over which 3D models were overlaid. Final Fantasy X used a completely 3D field screen system, which allowed the camera angle to change as the characters moved about. The 3D field screen was kept for Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII, but with a new camera system which can be adjusted by the player.
  • World screen — A low-scale screen used to symbolize traveling great distances in times that would otherwise slow the game down unacceptably plot-wise. These are usually not scaled, as a character may appear the size of a small mountain. Relatively little plot occurs here, but there are exceptions. Final Fantasy X did away with this, and simply made the distances between areas smaller, often classed as areas in themselves.
  • Cutscenes — These scenes are non-interactive playback that usually provide instructions for the player or advance the plot. They can either be pre-rendered video (FMV), or they can be executed in with the same engine (or a slightly modified engine to allow for more detailed expressions) as any of the three display modes above. Tutorials often manipulate the menu screen detailed below. In some cases, pre-rendered video is overlaid with real-time rendered field screen graphics (full motion video-3D).
  • Menu Screen — This screen is used for navigating your party's status, equipment, magic, etc. This screen is usually a very simple blue-table layout, with a gloved hand to select one's options. In some games, the option to change the color or texture of the tables is given.
  • Mini-games — The games often feature various minigames with their own graphical engines. Examples of these are the "Tetra Master" card game, featured in Final Fantasy IX, and then featured as a separate game shipped as part of the Final Fantasy XI PC game.

ARENA may refer to either: Nationalist Republican Alliance, a political party in El Salvador. ... This article is about arid terrain. ... Dragon Quest logo Dragon Quest ), published as Dragon Warrior in North America until the 2005 release of Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, is a series of role-playing games produced by Enix (now Square Enix). ... Object with a basic cel-shader (AKA toon shader) and border detection. ... Example of orthographic drawing from a US Patent (1913), showing two views of the same object. ... 2-dimensional renderings (ie. ... A game engine is the core software component of a computer or video game or other interactive application with real-time graphics. ... A cut scene or cutscene is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no control, often breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot, present character development, and provide background information, atmosphere, dialogue and clues. ... In Fantastic Dizzy, the player has to complete a sliding puzzle to get an extra life. ...

Battle system

See also: Final Fantasy battle systems
Screenshot of Final Fantasy IX during a battle. The enlarged bars represent the Active Time Battle system used in several Final Fantasy installments.
Screenshot of Final Fantasy IX during a battle. The enlarged bars represent the Active Time Battle system used in several Final Fantasy installments.

The Final Fantasy series started with a simple menu-driven, turn-based battle system, but later included more real-time and semi-real-time elements as the series progressed.[13] The series went into complete real-time in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII. Most games in the series utilize an experience level system for character advancement,[14] and a point-based system for casting magical spells.[15] Since Final Fantasy III, most games in the series feature a variety of "special commands," over and beyond the traditional "Attack," "Defend," "Cast Magic," "Item," and "Run" battle commands, such as the ability to steal items from enemies, or performing a leap attack. Often these special attacks are integrated into the "job system," which has appeared in several games in the series and spin-offs.[16] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Activetimebattle. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Activetimebattle. ... Screenshot of a KDE desktop. ... Final Fantasy IX ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... The Battle for Wesnoth turn-based strategy, released under the GPL. A turn-based game, also known as turn-based strategy, is a game where the game flow is partitioned in well-defined and visible parts, called turns or rounds. ... Experience points (often abbreviated as exp or xp) are a representation of a characters advancement and improvement in skills in role-playing games and computer role-playing games. ...


The first three games all featured a traditional, turn-based battle system. At the beginning of each combat round, the player chooses all of the battle commands. These commands would then be carried out, but in an order from the fastest to slowest characters. The turn-based battle systems were later replaced by the Active Time Battle starting with Final Fantasy IV, which was, in turn, replaced by the Conditional Turn-Based (CTB) system in Final Fantasy X, and then finally by Real Time Battle systems starting with Final Fantasy XI. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...


At E3 of 2006, Square Enix presented a short demo of Final Fantasy XIII, in which the battles had a battle menu for inputting commands at the bottom of the screen but was not well-noticed because the battles themselves appeared to be completely cinematic in nature. It also appeared that not all of the cutscenes were pre-rendered but were being real time rendered in full near-DVD quality.[citation needed] E³ logo The Electronic Entertainment Expo, commonly known as E³, was an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Final Fantasy XIII ) is an upcoming console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. ...


Notes

  1. ^ Kingdom Hearts II achieves million-unit sales mark in North America in four weeks. Square Enix (2006-05-02). Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
  2. ^ ; these include the Nintendo Entertainment System, the MSX 2, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the PlayStation, the WonderSwan Color, the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable (currently a movie only), Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox 360
  3. ^ Taka Murata, who supervised the game's development, made this comment at the 2007 Game Developers Conference. [1]
  4. ^ At the time, Enix and Square were separate companies; they did not merge until about 17 years later.
  5. ^ [2] The History of Final Fantasy by Andrew Vestal, courtesy of GameSpot.
  6. ^ Although Final Fantasy V did receive a sequel in the form of an anime original video animation (OVA) named Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals in 1994.
  7. ^ until the release of Final Fantasy X-2, in 2003.
  8. ^ GameFAQs staff (November 20, 2003). Final Fantasy XI Info. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.
  9. ^ also known as the "Famicom", and known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System
  10. ^ later re-released on the PlayStation and Game Boy Advance worldwide
  11. ^ later remade on the Nintendo DS worldwide
  12. ^ also known internationally as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  13. ^ with the exception of Final Fantasy X
  14. ^ although Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy X did not
  15. ^ though Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy VIII all featured different approaches
  16. ^ Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy X-2

SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... “NES” redirects here. ... Sony MSX 1, Model HitBit-10-P MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s. ... The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES, also known as SNES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australia. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... The WonderSwan Color is a handheld game console designed by Bandai. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... The PlayStation Portable , officially abbreviated as PSP) is a handheld game console released and currently manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // Manufacturer Nintendo Product family Nintendo DS Type Handheld game console Generation Seventh generation era First available NA November 21, 2004 JP December 2, 2004 AU February 24, 2005 EU March 11, 2005 ZH July 23, 2005 Connectivity Wi-Fi and Local Wireless Online service Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, LAN Units... The Nintendo GameCube , GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... The Xbox 360 is the successor to Microsofts Xbox video game console, developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, Samsung and SiS. Information on the console first came through viral marketing campaigns and it was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged... “FF5” redirects here. ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) For the oleo-resin, see Animé (oleo-resin). ... A scene from an episode of the Casshan OVA Original Video Animation ), abbreviated OVA ), is a term used for anime titles that are released direct-to-video, without prior showings on TV or in theaters. ... It has been suggested that Characters of Final Fantasy X-2 be merged into this article or section. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // Manufacturer Nintendo Product family Nintendo DS Type Handheld game console Generation Seventh generation era First available NA November 21, 2004 JP December 2, 2004 AU February 24, 2005 EU March 11, 2005 ZH July 23, 2005 Connectivity Wi-Fi and Local Wireless Online service Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, LAN Units...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Final Fantasy Portal
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Final Fantasy (series)
  • Square Enix's official Final Fantasy website (English)
  • Square Enix's official Final Fantasy website (Japanese)
  • Open Directory Project: Final Fantasy sites
  • Final Fantasy Wiki

  Results from FactBites:
 
Final Fantasy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (4762 words)
Two of them, Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy XII, have yet to be officially released outside of Japan; however, both are scheduled to appear in North America (the former for the Nintendo DS, and the latter for the PlayStation 2) by the end of the year.
In Final Fantasy IX, each character reflected a job in previous Final Fantasies, such as Zidane Tribal who was a thief, and Freya Crescent, whose appearance is similar to that of a red mage while her talents were clearly derived from Dragoons.
Final Fantasy XII was released on March 16, 2006 in Japan for the PlayStation 2.
List of Final Fantasy titles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1660 words)
Originally, Final Fantasy II and III for the Famicom and V for the Super Famicom were not released in America.
Starting with Final Fantasy VII the pretense was dropped, and all subsequent games used their original numbering, leading to an apparent "jump" over 3 games.
A spinoff to Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII.
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