Final Fantasy II (ファイナルファンタジーII, Fainaru Fantajī Tsū^?) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1988 for the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom, known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System) as a part of the Final Fantasy video game series. The game was only released on this system in Japan; enhanced remakes for the PlayStation (Final Fantasy Origins) and Game Boy Advance (Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls) were released in North America and the PAL region. Other remakes were released on the WonderSwan Color and mobile phones. The most recent remake (2007) was for the Playstation Portable. 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. ... Final Fantasy IV ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure or FFII is a lobbying association based in Munich, Germany. ... Final Fantasy II (NES) front cover This is the cover art for a video game. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... Square Company, Limited ) was a Japanese video game company founded in September of 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Square Company, Limited ) was a Japanese video game company founded in September of 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... 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. ... A game director is a person who is in-charge of significant creative aspects of a video game. ... Akitoshi Kawazu (河津秋敏) is a Japanese game producer. ... Game design is the process of designing the content and rules of a game. ... A scenario (from the Italian, that which is pinned to the scenery) is a brief description of an event or a series of events. ... Masafumi Miyamoto was the founder of Squaresoft in 1983. ... A game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a video or computer game. ... Kenji Terada (寺田 憲史 Terada Kenji) is a Japanese script writer, animation director, series organizer, novelist and scenario writer. ... A scenario (from the Italian, that which is pinned to the scenery) is a brief description of an event or a series of events. ... 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. ... Characterization is the process of creating characters in fiction, often those who are different from and have different beliefs than the author. ... 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. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article is about the country in East Asia. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... “NES” redirects here. ... The WonderSwan Color is a handheld game console designed by Bandai. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... NTT DoCoMo, Inc. ... KDDI Corporation is a Japanese telecommunication operator formed in October 2000 through the merger of DDI, KDD, and IDO Corp. ... au (エーユー; pronounced Ä’-yÅ«) , or au/kddi (au by KDDI) , is a mobile phone brand in Japan marketed by KDDI Corporation in the main islands of Japan and Okinawa Cellular in Okinawa. ... BREW is an application development platform created by Qualcomm for mobile phones. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The PlayStation Portable , officially abbreviated as PSP) is a handheld game console released and currently manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment. ... The Megabit is a unit of information storage, abbreviated Mbit or sometimes Mb. ... In various types of electronic equipment, a cartridge can refer one method of adding different functionality or content (e. ... A UMD The Universal Media Disc (UMD) is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on the PlayStation Portable. ... 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. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... Notable events of 1988 in computer and video games. ... “NES” redirects here. ... For the first installment in the series, see Final Fantasy (video game). ... The Nintendo GameCube remake of Resident Evil features enhancements in both graphics and gameplay. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... Square Co. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Square Co. ... North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... The PAL region is a video game publication territory which covers Australasia and the majority of Eurasia. ... The WonderSwan Color is a handheld game console designed by Bandai. ... The PlayStation Portable , officially abbreviated as PSP) is a handheld game console released and currently manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment. ...

The game's story centers on four youths whose parents were killed during an army invasion. The invasion leader, an emperor, pursues world control using monsters and demons. The youths join a resistance to end the emperor's war. Final Fantasy II introduced many elements that would later become staples of the Final Fantasy franchise, including chocobos and a character by the name of Cid. It also eliminated the traditional experience-based advancement system, introducing a system wherein the statistics of playable characters increase according to how they are used or acquired. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Cid ) is a character who appears in all Final Fantasy series of computer and video games. ... This article or section should include material from Playable character A player character or playable character (PC for short) is a fictional character in a game, usually a role-playing game (RPG), that is controlled by one of the players. ...

Gameplay

Final Fantasy II features gameplay similar to that of its predecessor, Final Fantasy. The player can freely roam an overworld containing several towns and dungeons. A menu-based system allows the player to fit each character with equipment and up to two disposable items for battle.^[2] Magic spells are assigned to the character from item menu, and certain spells, such as "Cure", can be used outside of battle.^[2] The player can also save their progress on the overworld or "save points" within dungeons. Weapons, armor, items, and magic spells can be purchased at shops, and townspeople provide useful information for the player's progression through the game. One new feature is the "Word Memory" system: when in conversation with non-player characters (NPCs), the player can "ask" about and "memorize" special keywords or phrases, which can later be repeated to other NPCs to gain more information or unlock new actions.^[3] Similarly, there exist a handful of special items that can be shown to NPCs during conversation or used on certain objects, which have the same effect.^[3] Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... In computer and video games, the overworld generally refers to an out-door or world map section of the game, as opposed to a dungeon or level. In a typical RPGs, the player can usually save their game whenever they like, and will usually have a different appearance (to reflect... In games, a dungeon represents a dangerous area with many hidden secrets to explore. ... A saved game is a piece of digitally stored information about the progress of a player in a computer or video game. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... An NPC from the video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. ...

The ill-fated opening battle in the Famicom version

On the overworld and within dungeons, random encounters with enemies can be fought to improve each character's attributes.^[4] Final Fantasy II uses the same turn-based battle system seen in the original Final Fantasy, with battle parties consist of four characters at a time. Three of these characters are always present, but the fourth position rotates among several characters throughout the game. The game introduces a "back row" in battle, within which characters are immune to most physical attacks, but can be harmed with bows and magical attacks. Similarly, enemies can be arranged in up to four rows of two creatures. Only the two rows closest to the player's party could be damaged with physical attacks, and by eliminating these rows the player could then physically damage back rows of enemies. Image File history File links Final Fantasy II (JAP) for Nintendo Entertainment System during the first battle. ... Image File history File links Final Fantasy II (JAP) for Nintendo Entertainment System during the first battle. ... A random encounter is a feature commonly used in hack and slash role-playing games and computer and video games whereby encounters with non-player character (NPC) enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random. ... A statistic or stat, in role-playing games, is a piece of data which represents a particular aspect of a fictional character. ... A turn-based game, also known as turn-based strategy (TBS), is a game where the game flow is partitioned into well-defined and visible parts, called turns or rounds. ... Square Enix (formally Square Co. ... This image depicts a typical bow, as made by the Huns, lying against a tree. ...

The game is one of the few games in the series to not use experience-based levels. Each character participating in battle develops depending on what that character's actions during battle. For instance, characters who use a particular type of weapon frequently will become more adept at wielding a weapon of that type, as well as increasing in physical strength and accuracy. However, trade-offs do occur in this type of development; that character's intelligence (magic power) may decrease with their overuse of physical attack.^[4] Similarly, characters who frequently cast a particular magic spell will learn to cast more potent versions of that spell, while increasing and decreasing their intelligence and strength ratings respectively.^[4] Hit points and magic points increase depending on need: a character who ends a battle with only a small amount of health remaining might earn an increase in maximum hit points, and a character who uses the majority of their magic points during a single battle might increase their maximum magic points.^[4] 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. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Magic points (MP) are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games as an expendable resource that is needed to pay for magic spells. ...

Plot

Setting

The game features a series of cities and landscapes that set the stage for a battle between the resistance movement and the Empire of Palemecia. The resistance was born in the kingdom of Fynn, far away from Palemecia. South of Fynn are the towns of Altair and Gatrea, the former being the base of the resistance movement as of the start of the game. To the east is the magical town of Mysidia, and to the west are a series of small waterside villages, including Paloom and Poft. To the north are the mountain towns of Salamand and Bafsk; the former is an outpost for rebel activity, and the latter is an Imperial work colony building the Dreadnought airship. Several islands, including the dragon-infested, Imperial purged island of Deist, and the land featuring the large Mysidia Tower, dot the oceans. The Imperial capital of Palemecia and its ultimate headquarters, Castle Pandemonium, round out the regions. An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline for Fiction. ... It has been suggested that European dragon be merged into this article or section. ...

Characters

(Clockwise from top) Guy, Maria, Firion, and Leon. Artwork by Yoshitaka Amano.

Main article: Characters of Final Fantasy II

Final Fantasy II features four playable characters as well as several secondary characters who are only briefly controlled by the player. Primary characters include Firion, a resident of the country of Fynn and one of the top commanders of the Rebels; Maria, a soft-spoken archer and dedicated enemy of the Empire; Guy, another soft-spoken attacker who communicates with animals; and Leon, the missing friend of Firion and brother of Maria.^[5] Hilda, the former princess of Fynn and leader of the Rebels, issues commands to the party. A handful of other characters join or assist the party throughout the game, including the first appearance of Cid in the series. Six player characters temporarily join the party to assist Firion, Maria, and Guy in their missions for the rebellion, each offering special services to the team, including Gordon, the prince of Kashuan who has been a member of the Wild Rose rebellion since the Emperor of Palamecia attacked Flynn; Josef, a kind soul who lives with his wife and daughter in the snow mountain village of Salamand; Leila, an adventurous girl who speaks in pirate-like jargon and first encounters the party offering them transportation to the island of Deist; Leon, who is related to several of the heroes and changes sides several times in the story; Minwu, or Mindu in the enhanced remake, is a white mage for the Wild Rose rebellion; and Richard Highwind, or Gareth in the remake, who is the first dragoon to appear in the series. Image File history File links Frioniel, Maria, Guy, and Leonhart from Final Fantasy II. Artwork by Yoshitaka Amano. ... Image File history File links Frioniel, Maria, Guy, and Leonhart from Final Fantasy II. Artwork by Yoshitaka Amano. ... 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. ... // This article is about characters from the Famicom title. ... Cid ) is a character who appears in all Final Fantasy series of computer and video games. ... Look up rebellion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The White Mage , or しろまどうし in earlier games without kanji support) is a character class (or job) in Square Enixs Final Fantasy series of computer role playing games. ...

They all oppose the Emperor of Palamecia, who is startlingly handsome but hides a personality of total evil. Throughout the game, there are characters and names that are referenced in later version of Final Fantasy. In Final Fantasy IX, Josef's story is told by the eidolon Ramuh to Zidane and his party. Leon is most likely the namesake of the more-popular Final Fantasy VIII character Squall Leonhart. The name Leonhart is both Squall's last name and also is very close to the name of Squall's strongest gunblade, the Lion Heart. Squall also uses the name Leon in Kingdom Hearts. In the Japan-exclusive novelization of the game Final Fantasy II Nightmare's Labyrinth (ファイナルファンタジーII 夢魔の迷宮, Fainaru Fantajī Tsū Muma no Meikyū^?), the Emperor is given the name Mateus (マティウス, Mateus^?). This name would be used in reference to him in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as the Totema of the Hume race as well as in Final Fantasy XII as the ice-based Esper. Hilda is the namesake of the Final Fantasy IX non-player character, Hilda, the wife of Cid Fabool IX, and the owner of the Steaming Sheep Tavern in Final Fantasy XI, Hilda, whom Cid shares a close relationship with. For the first installment in the series, see Final Fantasy (video game). ... Final Fantasy IX ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Final Fantasy VIII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Squall Leonhart ) is the main protagonist of Squaresofts (now Square Enix) role-playing game Final Fantasy VIII. He was designed by Tetsuya Nomura with heavy influences coming from game director Yoshinori Kitase. ... Squalls Gunblade, Revolver. ... Kingdom Hearts video game. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... 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. ... Final Fantasy IX ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Cid ) is a character who appears in all Final Fantasy series of computer and video games. ... 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). ...

Story

Final Fantasy II begins with Firion, Maria, Guy and Leon being attacked by imperial soldiers and left for dead. Firion, Maria, and Guy are rescued by Princess Hilda of Fynn, who has established a rebel base in the nearby town of Altair after the Emperor's capture of Fynn. Hilda denies a request by Firion that he, Maria and Guy join the rebel army on the grounds that they are too young and inexperienced. Eager to prove their value to the resistance movement, the three set off for the besieged Fynn, where the four find an ailing Prince Scott of Kashuan, Princess Hilda's fiancé, in the basement of the rebel-friendly local pub. Scott dies of his wounds from the battle of Fynn against the Emperor, but not before giving the party his ring, which reveals the world map. He also informs them that Borghen betrayed the rebellion and became a General in the Imperial army. He tells the party to tell Hilda that he loves her, but retracts the request, and dies shortly afterward. The three adventurers return to Altair and present Hilda the ring, who after an emotional reminiscence of Scott, allows them to join the rebel movement.

Having proved their worth, the party is charged with journeying to the mountainous northern parts of the world to find Mythril that the rebels need to make weapons that can measure up to that of the Empire's. Before leaving, the party is joined by the White Mage Minwu, who healed the party at the beginning of the game. The party sail across the ocean to the eastern continent and make it north to the mountain village of Salamand, which is under siege by the Empire and are forced to mine Mythril for the Imperial army. There they meet Josef, the hero of the town, who informs them that the men of the village are being forced to mine Mythril in the Semmit Falls. Josef, however, can do nothing, as his daughter, Nelly, is being held captive.

Emperor Palamecia (Playstation remake)

The party enters the mine and saves the captives, including Nelly and Paul, who is supposedly the world's best thief. The party defeats an Imperial soldier and returns to Altair with the mithril. The party is then told to go to Bafsk, which is under General Borghen's command and is easier to infiltrate. However, the party is too late to stop the Dreadnought from being completed. A plan is formed to use the Sunfire from Kasuhan Keep, but to enter, either the Goddess Bell or the voice of a Kashuan is needed to open the keep. Josef helps the party enter the snow caves with a snowcraft, and the party retrieves the bell. On the way out, Borghen attacks the party, and although he is defeated, he sends a boulder after the party. Josef holds back the boulder to allow the party to escape, but is crushed to death. Image File history File links Palamecia_fmv. ... Image File history File links Palamecia_fmv. ... 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 party reaches Kashuan Keep, where they find Gordon has already entered. Although they retrieve Egil's Torch, and use it to capture the Sunfire, the Airship - with Cid and Hilda on board - is captured by the Dreadnought's crane arm. The party enters the airship and saves Hilda, before throwing the Sunfire into the engine. Immediately after doing so, the Dark Knight appears, and Maria recognizes his voice before she escapes.

The King of Fynn, now close to death, summons Gordon, Minwu and Firion's group into his bedroom and gives them assignments. Gordon is given command of the rebel army, Minwu is told to find the Ultima Tome, and Firion's group is given the task of finding the seemingly extinct dragoons of Deist. The king then dies of his wounds. Firion's group realizes that no captain will take them to Deist save one- Leila. Leila, however, turns out to be a pirate, and orders her crew to attack Firion's party. The party fights them off, and although Leila expects that Firion will kill her, he instead asks for her help in taking them to Deist, a request with which she complies. In Deist, the party finds only a mother with her son, learning that the all but one of the Dragoons and all but one of the Wyverns are dead, partly as a result of Imperial poison. The party obtains a pendant to speak with the last Wyvern, who tells the party to take its egg to a pool deep in the cave before it dies. The party plants the egg in the cave, and fights off some monsters that come after it.

The party returns to Altair, where they learn that Hilda has been acting oddly, eating mice and acting seductively. She summons Firion to her room and tries to seduce him, revealing her true form as the Lamia Queen. The party defeats the Lamia Queen, and learns that they had rescued a decoy on the Dreadnought; the real Princess is in the Arena; Gordon goes to save her while leaving Leila to run the rebellion. The party defeats a Behemoth to win the Princess, but the Emperor tricks them and has the Dark Knight and his soldiers throw them in jail. Paul, however, breaks them out, and the party saves the real Princess.

Upon their return, the party learns that Hilda and Gordon are launching an attack on Fynn, and infiltrate the castle to kill the commander of the enemy forces. Hilda then tells the party that Minwu has not been heard from for some time, and tells them to search for him. The party acquires a Crystal Rod to enter the tower after acquiring other relics, but Leviathan swallows their ship and separates them from Leila. They meet Ricard (his name is based on the Game Boy Advance translation, and varies significantly with the translation), the last surviving Dragoon, who had set out to find the Ultima Tome, and they join forces. After gaining another ship, they sail to the Magicians' Tower. At the top, Minwu explains that he was waiting for the party, and then casts a powerful spell to shatter the Ultima Tome's seal, at the cost of his own life.

The party returns to Fynn and sees that many towns have been destroyed by the Emperor's Cyclone. The party calls upon the newly born last Wyvern to take them to a castle inside the Cyclone, where they confront and kill the Emperor. Everyone celebrates the Empire's defeat, but a mortally wounded soldier arrives and reveals that the Dark Knight has taken the throne and plans to destroy the Rebels with the Imperial army. He then makes a more shocking revelation- that the Dark Knight is Leon, Maria's long-lost brother. The party realizes that they will have to infiltrate the castle of Palamecia from the air after talking with Paul, and receive the airship from a dying Cid, who was mortally wounded by the Cyclone.

The party enters the castle and confronts Leon, who, although no longer in the service of the Emperor, wishes to rule the world. Then the Emperor returns in a new demonic form, and reveals that he does not seek to regain the Empire, but to destroy the entire world. As he summons magical fire against the party, the Wyvern arrives, and takes the party to safety as Ricard holds off the Emperor and dies. Princess Hilda is shocked to see Leon on their side, but Maria convinces her to trust him, and Leon agrees to help his friends and sister once again.

The party enters the Jade Passage, an underground cavern near a lake, and find a portal to Pandemonium. The party fights its way through the fortress, and reaches the Emperor at the top, defeating him for a second time. The party then receives congratulations for their efforts, and learns of Hilda and Gordon's plan to unite Fynn and Kashuan, which may indicate that they plan to marry. Paul is upset that he will no longer have the Empire to steal from, and suggests that he will steal from the former rebels. Leila invites Firion to become a pirate, but Maria objects, and Leila suggests that Firion will have to deal with her in the future. Maria hopes that they will live together as they once did, but Leon says that they cannot live together again- some translations have him indicating that they know too much about each other, which may refer to his lust for power. Maria begs Firion to stop him, but Firion believes that Leon must follow his own path, but tells him that they will be waiting for him, as though he hopes that Leon will return someday.

Development

An early press release video of the game reveals that the series may have originally been intended to continue by using Arabic numerals rather than Roman numerals. The video also reveals a different logo for the game.^[6] Most of the original staff from the first game reprised their jobs for Final Fantasy II. Numerals sans-serif Arabic numerals, known formally as Hindu-Arabic numerals, and also as Indian numerals, Hindu numerals, Western Arabic numerals, European numerals, or Western numerals, are the most common symbolic representation of numbers around the world. ... Roman numerals are a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. ...

Musical score

Main article: Music of Final Fantasy I and II

Final Fantasy II was composed by series veteran Nobuo Uematsu. The game's music was arranged by Tsuyoshi Sekito for the WonderSwan Color, PlayStation, and Game Boy Advance remakes. The original score was released on CD together with the score of Final Fantasy in 1989. Arranged versions of some of the tracks were included on Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy, released the same year. The music of the video games Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II was composed by regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu. ... 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. ... Tsuyoshi Sekito (関戸 剛, born April 3, 1963 in Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese video game music composer, arranger and performer. ... Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... See also: 1989 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1989 Record labels established in 1989 other events of 1989 list of years in music 1980s in music // January 7 - Genesis 88 and Sunrise/Back to the Future stage large-scale illegal Acid House party in London January 14 - Paul... Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy is an arranged soundtrack album of video game music from the computer role-playing games Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II, produced by Square Co. ...

Versions and re-releases

Unreleased English version

Screenshot from the unreleased English prototype

Following the successful release of the original Final Fantasy by Nintendo in 1990, Square Soft, Square's North American subsidiary, began work on an English language localization of Final Fantasy II. Assigned to the project was Kaoru Moriyama, whose later work included script translations for Final Fantasy IV (then known as Final Fantasy II in North America and Secret of Mana (known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan). Although a beta version was produced, and the game was advertised in several Square Soft trade publications, the age of the original Japanese game and the arrival of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the NES's successor console, led Square Soft to cancel work on the Final Fantasy II localization in favor of the recently released Final Fantasy IV (which, to avoid confusing North American gamers, was retitled Final Fantasy II to reflect the jump in releases).^[7] Image File history File links Screenshot from the unreleased prototype of Final Fantasy II This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Image File history File links Screenshot from the unreleased prototype of Final Fantasy II This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Internationalization and localization[1] are means of adapting products such as publications, hardware or software for non-native environments, especially other nations and cultures. ... Kaoru Moriyama was an English translator for the Squaresoft video game corporation. ... Final Fantasy IV ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Secret of Mana, known in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 2 , lit. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... 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. ... 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. ...

Although a prototype cartridge of the NES Final Fantasy II was produced (with the subtitle Dark Shadow over Palakia), the project was, by Moriyama's own admission, still far from complete:

Unused Final Fantasy II: Dark Shadow Over Palakia packaging

We had so very limited memory capacity we could use for each game, and it was never really "translating" but chopping up the information and cramming them back in… [Additionally] our boss had no understanding in putting in extra work for the English version at that time. Image File history File links Unused box art for the unreleased English language prototype of Final Fantasy II This is the cover art for a video or computer game. ... Image File history File links Unused box art for the unreleased English language prototype of Final Fantasy II This is the cover art for a video or computer game. ...

In 2003, when the game was finally released to English-speaking audiences as part of Final Fantasy Origins, it was released with a brand new translation under the supervision of Akira Kashiwagi. NeoDemiforce's fan translation of the game, similarly, made use of an original translation, as the existence of the prototype cartridge was not common knowledge at the time.^[7] Final Fantasy Origins is a game for the PlayStation from Square Co. ... Fan translation being done from English into Finnish using the Japanese version as reference. ...

WonderSwan Color

In 2000, Bandai announced a color version of its WonderSwan handheld aptly titled the WonderSwan Color. Enhanced remakes of the first three Final Fantasy games were revealed as part of the console's lineup.^[8] Final Fantasy II was later shown at the Tokyo Game Show the following year and was officially released on May 3, 2001.^[9] A special Final Fantasy II edition of the console was later released bundled with the game.^[10] 2000 2000 in games 1999 in video gaming 2001 in video gaming Notable events of 2000 in video gaming. ... This article is about the Japanese toy manufacturer. ... WonderSwan is a handheld game console released in Japan by Bandai in 1999. ... The WonderSwan Color is a handheld game console designed by Bandai. ... In the video game subculture, an enhanced remake (also called updated classics) is an updated version of a video or computer game that was originally developed for a less advanced system. ... Gamers play Sonys PS3 in TGS 2006 Booths at the Tokyo Game Show in 2004 The Tokyo Game Show , or simply TGS) is a video game expo / convention held in Tokyo, Japan. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

Noted for not just being a port of the original game, the game received a complete graphical update including larger character sprites, redone music and Yoshitaka Amano character portraits, and full graphical backgrounds in battle mode. Menu shortcut keys and a run button are also included as new features.^[11] 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. ...

PlayStation

Main article: Rereleases of Final Fantasy I and II#PlayStation

Published both individually (in Japan only) and alongside Final Fantasy I in a collection entitled Final Fantasy Origins (or Final Fantasy I+II Premium Collection in Japan), the PlayStation port of Final Fantasy II was based on the 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 of the PlayStation means that most have been improved to some degree, with more detail. Tsuyoshi Sekito also remixed the soundtrack to Final Fantasy IX quality to use the audio capabilities of the Sony PlayStation and also composed a few new tracks like the ones used in the opening movies.^[12] Square Co. ... Final Fantasy ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Display standards comparison The display resolution of a digital television or computer display typically refers to the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. ... Tsuyoshi Sekito (関戸 剛, born April 3, 1963 in Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese video game music composer, arranger and performer. ... Final Fantasy IX ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ...

In the Japanese language version, the script by Kawazu and Terada has been changed to include Kanji. 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, a major improvement. The "quick save" feature of the WSC version has been left out, 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. This data remains until the system is turned off, or its power supply is otherwise interrupted. There are also two full motion video cutscenes and 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.^[13] Japanese  ) is a language spoken by over 130 million people, in Japan and Japanese emigrant communities around the world. ... 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. ... Random access memory (usually known by its acronym, RAM) is a type of data storage used in computers. ... Screenshot of an FMV from Final Fantasy VIII using Bink Video. ... Omake (お負け but often written オマケ) means extra or bonus in Japanese. ...

Game Boy Advance

Main article: Rereleases of Final Fantasy I and II#Game Boy Advance

Another fairly extensive list of changes accompanies the Game Boy Advance release of Final Fantasy II as part of Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. It was published by Nintendo in Japan on July 29, 2004, in North America on November 29, 2004, and in Europe on December 3, 2004. Square 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. ... July 29 is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 337th day of the year (338th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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 PlayStation version, although the GBA has a slightly lower screen resolution than the PS1. Changes to the battle and character development systems were also made, including the elimination of the "action-cancel" bug, removal of stat decreases, and implementation of regular maximum hit point increases (in addition to increases due to hit point depletion as true of other versions).

This version of the game also featured a completely original feature found in none of the other contemporary remakes. Once completed, a bonus storyline entitled Soul of Rebirth would be accessible to the player, featuring a number of characters who had been killed off during the course of the main story. The game only features 4 areas and most of the time will be spent training up for a 2nd encounter with the last boss. An Ultima tome can be achieved but it requires the killing of the extremely powerful Ultima Weapon.

The game was delayed in release because of several bugs discovered at the last minute.^[14]

Gamespot gave Final Fantasy II a 7.2, noting its mostly outdated graphics but praising their length and bonus content.^[15] IGN noted the great improvement in the translation of the story and the adding of later Final Fantasy features, such as being able to save anywhere in the overworld map without a tent or cabin.^[16] The Dawn of Souls release was called the Game of the Month for March 2004 on the Game Boy at IGN.^[17] The Game Boy ) is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo, released in 1989 at US$89. ... IGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games. ...

Mobile phones

In 2004 and 2006, Square Enix released a version of Final Fantasy II for three Japanese mobile phone networks.^[18] 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. 2004 2004 in games 2003 in video gaming 2005 in video gaming Notable events of 2004 in video gaming. ... Notable events of 2006 in video gaming. ...

PlayStation Portable

A scene of the PSP version showing the enhanced graphics.

Final Fantasy II is in-development as a port for the PlayStation Portable, celebrating the Final Fantasy series' 20th anniversary. The game is due to be released in Japan in June 07, 2007^[19] and in North America on July 24, 2007^[20]. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 480 × 272 pixelsFull resolution (480 × 272 pixel, file size: 97 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A battle scene in Final Fantasy IIs 20th anniversary edition, developed by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable, showing the party fighting against a Behemoth. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 480 × 272 pixelsFull resolution (480 × 272 pixel, file size: 97 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A battle scene in Final Fantasy IIs 20th anniversary edition, developed by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable, showing the party fighting against a Behemoth. ... The PlayStation Portable , officially abbreviated as PSP) is a handheld game console released and currently manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... This article is about the country in East Asia. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Entertainment Software Rating Board logo The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles for computer and video games and other entertainment software in the United States and Canada (officially adopted by individual provinces 2004-2005). ... This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. ... PEGIs logo Pan European Game Information, or more commonly PEGI, nicknamed Peggy, is a European video game content rating system. ... A UMD The Universal Media Disc (UMD) is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on the PlayStation Portable. ... The PlayStation Portable , officially abbreviated as PSP) is a handheld game console released and currently manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

First revealed by Japanese magazine Famitsu on January 17, 2007,^[21] the PSP remake features improved graphics, the FMVs from Final Fantasy Origins, and the bonus quest and dungeons from Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls.^[22]
Cover art for Issue 1 of Famitsū magazine, June 1986, then known as Famicom Tsūshin Famitsū abbreviated ファミ Fami) is a Japanese video game magazine published by Enterbrain, Inc. ... January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (89th in leap years). ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Final Fantasy Origins official site
• Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls official site
• Final Fantasy Wiki category list for Final Fantasy II