Retro Gaming Australia

Lost Levels founder, Gamasutra news director and video game historian Frank Cifaldi has decided to part with one of his prized possessions – a one-of-a-kind prototype of the planned-but-ultimately-cancelled US release of Final Fantasy II for the NES.

Of course, you’d want to have a bit of free cash around before you consider it – the asking price is a cool $US50,000 (though offers are welcomed).

The NES release of Final Fantasy II was scrapped after Squaresoft decided to move onto the Super Nintendo and localise Final Fantasy IV (which hit the US as Final Fantasy II, starting some naming confusion for several years). This particular prototype comes from the Winter 1991 CES, where the game was shown off.

Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest is a sometimes unfairly maligned side story in the series, designed mainly for a western audience. We received it here as Mystic Quest Legend, while it was taken back to Japan under the name Final Fantasy USA.

The now removed site FinalFantasyVIIPC.com has leaked plans for an updated re-release of Final Fantasy VII for PC.

The Square Enix owned domain inadvertently revealed a product description suggesting a Steam release of the RPG classic with new online features, 36 unlockable Steam achievements, Cloud saves, a character booster and a digital download price point of £7.99 / €9.99.

Exciting news! Here’s hoping an official announcement is soon to follow.

Source: GoG Forum, Google cache

Square Enix has just released another port of the 1987 RPG classic Final Fantasy and this time it is for Windows Phone.

Final Fantasy for Windows Phone is based on the iOS version, and therefore includes the Soul of Chaos and Labyrinth of Time additional dungeons as well as featuring the enhanced sprites of the 2007 PSP Final Fantasy remake.

Final Fantasy for Windows Phone can be had for AU$7.49. Not too shabby.

Source: Siliconera

Final Fantasy Dimensions, a old-school styled turn-based RPG, is set for release on iOS and Android devices.

Final Fantasy Dimensions was released in Japan as Final Fantasy Legends: Hikari to Yami no Senshi in 2010 for mobile devices. The game was developed in the style of Final Fantasy V and features 2D sprite based visuals, Active Time Battle system, random battles, job system reminiscent of FFV and party of five members played in two parties – the Warriors of Light and the Warriors of Darkness.

The iOS and Android Final Fantasy Dimensions includes touch-based controls and will be released in 13 episodes (each approximately 3 hours long) commencing this July.

Source: IGN

As part of celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the iconic Final Fantasy series, some pretty cute merchandise is being released.

A Chocobo Plush and Chocobo and Crystal themed Mug (pictured above) will be released in August. Preorders currently open at NCSX.

A scan from next week’s issue of Jump has confirmed the rumours that Final Fantasy III is (finally) seeing a PSP release.

Final Fantasy III was originally released on the Famicom in 1990, and saw its first release outside of Japan in the form of a 2006 Nintendo DS remake which also made it’s way onto iOS and Android devices many years later.

Unlike the Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II remakes which graced the PSP, the Final Fantasy III DS remake wasn’t a mere graphical update but a complete visual overhaul featuring redesigned 3D character models. The scans (provided below) indicate that Final Fantasy III for PSP is a port of this Nintendo DS remake, and will include content from the iOS version and the option of playing with the original Famicom soundtrack.

Final Fantasy III for PSP is set for release on September 20 in Japan, and will be available in both digital and physical forms.

Source: VG24/7

Square Enix has kicked off celebrations with the opening of a Japanese Final Fantasy 25th anniversary site.

Final Fantasy first released in December 1987 in Japan on the Famicom, and has gone on to become one of the bestselling video game franchises and has generated many sequels and spin-offs covering many genres and appearing on numerous platforms.

The Final Fantasy 25th anniversary site features a discography of all 14 of the main games, a listing of all the Final Fantasy game releases and ports including spin-offs, and a section dedicated to related merchandise.

The site also contains a Creator’s Voice section, which will be regularly updated with comments, remembrances and other tidbits from those involved in creating the Final Fantasy series. First up was Yoichi Wada, Square Enix CEO, who joined Square prior to Final Fantasy IX’s release in 2000.

“We’ll take the 25th anniversary as an opportunity to begin our walk towards the next 25 years,” Wada wrote. “In order to make the fans happy, we the developer have just one promise we can make. Outside of talent and ability, we will also make sure development is handled exclusively by creators who feel love of the FF series stronger than anyone else.”

Lovely.

Source: Andriasang

Final Fantasy X was one of the biggest games of the PlayStation 2’s 2001 line up in Japan and North America, though European and Australian fans had to wait until mid 2002 to get their hands on it. A HD re-release is currently planned for the PlayStation 3 and Vita, but probably won’t be out any time soon.

After the smashing success of Final Fantasy VII in the West, Squaresoft needed to strike while the iron was hot. With Final Fantasy VIII still months away, they threw whatever they could out there, which included Chocobo Racing. Fans were not impressed, due in large to the game’s lack of features and low difficulty.