Final Fantasy I & II are out!

Final Fantasy I & II brings the series closer to its roots.  The original Final Fantasy debuted in Japan on December 18, 1987.  It featured a side view battle perspective with a group of monsters on the left and player controlled characters to the right.  It also introduced transportation elements such as canoe, ships, and the famed airships.  The game allows players to explore the game world with four characters, each with a specific character class.  Players can choose from Fighter, Thief, Blackbelt, Red Mage, White Mage, and Black Mage.

Final Fantasy II tells another saga in the Final Fantasy series.  It introduced Chocobos and the recurring character Cid.  This game also drops experience points based leveling.  Instead, fighting enemies will allow characters to increase attributes such as hit points, magic points, magic power, stamina, and strength.

The iPhone version of Final Fantasy I and II features a virtual D-Pad for movements.  The menus are touch sensitive so navigating the menus work well.  The menu system in battles have been replaced by battle icons.  This row of icons on the bottom of the screen allows player to attack, cast magic, use items, and other battle functions.  This change actually make the battles easier to play as you just have to tap the battle icon and then the monster you wish to attack.

Final Fantasy series has introduced the world to Japanese styled role playing games.  With its introduction of full motion videos and photo realistic backgrounds and character models starting in Final Fantasy 7, it brought RPG to a new level. Now, after 85 million copies sold, iPhone version brings Final Fantasy beginnings back to the world’s most popular smart phone!

Final Fantasy I $8.99 (App Store)

Final Fantasy II $8.99 (App Store)

Square has also slashed the price for their other games on the iPhone and iTouch in celebration of Final Fantasy’s release.  But act quickly, sale ends March 3rd.

Crystal Defenders $7.99 -> $5.99  (App Store)

Vanguard Storm $4.99 -> $3.99 (App Store)

Sliding Heroes $2.99 -> $.99 (App Store)

Hills and Rivers Remain $6.99 -> $4.99 (App Store)

Song Summoner $9.99 -> $7.99 (App Store)

Final Fantasy: Crystal Defenders has arrived for the iPhone/iPod in the App store just in time for Christmas. There are demo version and full version available. The demo version is getting poor user reviews primarily because of poor user interface. The primary game screen consists of a huge virtual keypad and the tiny game screen, each taking half of screen space on the iPhone. Although players can tilt the iPhone game screen to landscape mode and get a larger game screen, they can’t add defenders or level up defenders while in the landscape mode. It is awkward to be tilting the iPhone back and forth just to play the game. The demo also only allows for 3 job classes. That makes the demo substantially less enjoyable.

Aside from the poor user interface. Crystal Defenders really is a good Tower Defense game with familiar Final Fantasy characteristics. When combined with a maximum of 8 job classes in a single game, killing those Final Fantasy monsters can be a lot of fun. Soldiers and Monks run around their posts inflicting damage to monsters while thieves join the fray by pillaging fallen enemies for twice the usual gil (gold). Dragoons, Black mages, Time mages, Archers, and other also aid in your task preventing those pesky monsters from getting to the other side. Finally, if those monsters are a little too much, unleash the summons to eliminate those monsters.

There are 3 different play modes in Crystal Defenders, each mode gives you additional maps, jobs, options, and summons. Each map has an easy and an advanced version. In W2 and W3 mode, the ability to use field crystals is added. Those crystals can add attack strength, range, or speed to neighboring defenders.

Crystal Defenders is a fun and challenging game. A fine addition to the Tower Defense category. However, the developers at SquareEnix really should be learning about optimal iPhone user interface for games. Staring at the tiny game screen for so long may make someone go blind! If SquareEnix doesn’t want lawsuits coming their way, fix the tiny gameplay screen and the big virtual keypad! Tap Defense and Fieldrunners are great iPhone tower defense games with excellent user interface! SquareEnix can take a few design lessons from them.

This is the first post for the Final iPhone blog. How appropriate that our first post will be featuring Final Fanstasy game for the iPhone.

Square Enix is releasing its first iPhone game this winter in Japan. The full name is Crystal Defenders. From its screen shots and its name “Crystal Defenders,” it looks that Crystal Defenders is a Final Fantasy game similar to Final Fantasy Tactics and Tower Defense with touchscreen action. Looks like Square Enix has the right combination for its first iPhone game. What can go wrong with the combination of the most popular strategy games on the world’s most popular phone!