I now own all of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster titles on the Nintendo Switch, Looking to buy more physical games later this year

For those who might not know, the FF:PR highlights first six mainline Final Fantasy games (I-VI).

This is well known to most RPG fans but at the time it was made, Final Fantasy I was made by Squaresoft (now Square Enix) with the presumption it would be the last game the company ever made. For this reason, the company went all out on what they assumed at the time would be their final project. Then the unexpected happened: The game was a smash hit. In fact, the game was such a hit that the company would go on to make what’s so far been 15 more main series titles and countless spinoff games.

Originally intended to be titled Fighting Fantasy–the name could not be used since a narrative-heavy RPG video game series of the same name already existed at the time–Final Fantasy literally saved Squaresoft as a company and alongside Enix’s Dragon Quest/Warrior series, standardized the RPG genre. Ten years after the release of the first Final Fantasy game on the NES (U.S. and elsewhere) and Famicom (Japan), the first 3DS game in the series Final Fantasy VII would release on the Playstation console. Squaresoft would confirm they were exclusively releasing that game–and the four main series titles that would follow it–on the Playstation consoles. To solidify this point, Squaresoft re-released I, II (IV) and III (VI) on the Playstation console along with II and V, which hadn’t been released outside of Japan to that point. As I noted above, IV was numbered as II outside Japan on the SNES because the actual II and III were not released outside of Japan. VI was released on the SNES as III because IV was released as II outside of Japan and the real V wasn’t released outside of Japan. I know, it’s confusing to keep track of.

All that said. Many longtime Nintendo fans refer to Squaresoft moving to Playstation as “The Great Betrayal”. More so after the games originally released on Nintendo consoles were re-released on Playstation consoles. Six years after FFVII was released on the PS1 in 1997, Squaresoft–now Square Enix–announced they would be working with Nintendo again. 20 years later, FF1 through 12 can now be played on one Nintendo Console: The Nintendo Switch. Not just the first six but VII, VIII, IX, X and 12. FFXIII hasn’t been re-released yet and there has been no word on when or if FFXV and FFXVI will later get ported to the Switch either. We’ll have to wait and see. For those who might not know, FFXI is an MMO just like XIV is. Final Fantasy’s long history will reach 40 years in 2029. I’m willing to bet Squaresoft will want XX to be released or announced at that time. It’s 6 years away and FFXVI drops later this year. FFXVII through XIX could all be released by then. We’ll see.

 

One thing the Final Fantasy series has long been known for is every game has a new story that is completely different from the others. This is why games like the FFVII prequel Crisis Core and FFIV sequel The After Years exist. Why some games got a sequel, prequel or both was mostly dictated by a game’s overall fan popularity. FFXIII is an outlier as it got not one but two sequels no one asked for. Whoops! One thing all of the Pixel Remasters have in common is they were made using Unreal Engine. All six games were remake from scratch but they are all based on their original NES/Famicom or Super Famicom/SNES releases.

Like the recent remaster, HD or Definitive Edition version releases of FFVII through FFXII the Pixel Remaster version includes a few notable quality of life additions:

 

• Quick Save (can save anywhere anytime)
• EXP Boost (Up to 4x, can also be set to 0)
• Gil Boost (Up to 4x, can also be set to 0)
• Run/Walk Toggle
• Random Encounter Toggle

 

In addition to these FFII, V and VI also include boosts for the unique spell, job and stat systems those games use. You can find all boosts in a dedicated sub menu in the Configuration settings. You can press L3 (left control stick) to toggle Run and press R3 (Right control stick) to toggle Encounters though. It goes without saying all of these boosts are potentially game-breaking. More so if you keep the boosts at 4x from start to finish. You’ll basically find battles super easy before too long. I played past versions of all the games so I have no problem setting all the boosts to max personally. Keeping Random Encounters off is not advised as you do still need to level to progress through the game. If you’re going for a low-level finish then by all means feel free to disregard my warning.

 

Now let’s go over the games themselves, yes?

• Final Fantasy I or just Final Fantasy has aged remarkably well. It’s gotten a few remakes and re-releases before the Pixel Remaster version, the most notable re-release was the GBA version’s FF1+2: Dawn of Souls. That version included additional dungeons, spells, items and gear absent from every other version including the Pixel Remaster version. I beat that version myself actually. Fair warning, back in the day there was no in-game tutorial and no sense of linear progression in the early days of RPGs. If this is your first time playing or you haven’t played this game in decades, I strongly recommend checking out a written guide at GameFAQs. All that said, FFI is still a MASSIVE game despite there being no side quests.
• Finan Fantasy II is unique not just among the other five games but in the entire series in the fact it does not have a leveling system. Instead, party members gain stats after battles randomly. You can toggle this in the Boosts submenu and I strongly recommend this. Spells also level in the same way but each party member can only learn up to 16 spells at once. There are a handful of spells you only get ONE of and they should go to Firion, Maria and/or Guy who you will have for the whole game. Your 4th party member changes over the course of the game though the last will be Leon. FFII is the first game in the series to have named party members set as well as a character-driven story. This one you’ll definitely want to use a GameFAQs guid to get through and more so since there is a LOT of backtracking for most of the game. The game does have an open world-like feel to it though some areas are only accessible via ship or airship which you will get later on. This IS the first game the character Cid appears in though. It is also the first game Chocobos appear in.
• Final Fantasy III would be exclusive to Japan until the 3D remake on the Nintendo DS in 2007. That version was later ported to the PSP and is now available on some moderan platforms via digital download. The 3D Remake gave the party members fleshed out identities and backstories but that is not the case for the original game. I have the Nintendo DS version so aside from that, there’s no other difference from the 2D versions. FFIII was the first main series game to utilize a jobs system on that note. You could freely change the classes of every party member at any time but Mastering a Job opened the door to some pretty fun combinations. FFIII does have a fleshed out story for the most part. Unlike FFI and FFII, spells bought and learned are permanent but are job exclusive. White Mages learn Cure and Black Mages learn Fire for example. Mastering every single class will unlock the legendary Onion Knight class on that note. Do you need a walthrough for this game? No but it would help with a few areas. For the most part, the game does provide breadcrumbs for where to go next but you can progress at your own pace. The 3D version has a hint section in the menu area to point you in the right direction but the 2D version doesn’t have the hand holding so if you’re really stuck, use an online walkthrough. Moggles make their first main series appearances in this game.

 

The first three games in the series are clearly the foundation for the games that follow build upon. Not just IV, V and VI but the other games in the series. For a series newcomer or someone who only played the later games, I would STRONGLY reccommend playing FFIII first it’s the easiest of the first three to start and get into. FFI can feel frustrating as there’s no hand holding when it comes to progressing through the game. Same for FFII but in addition there are difficulty spikes as due to being able to go basically everywhere from the beginning. There’s also the fact unlike all the games that came after them, the first three games in the series do not have ANY Save Points. The only way to save is to do it on the World Map…or remember to use Quick Save. The games will not prompt you to save before major boss battles =O

I almost forgot to say this but I beat FFII for the very first time on the Switch. I actually still have the GBA version but I lacked the patience to learn the game’s unique mechanics almost 20 years ago. I did beat FF1 for the first time on the GBA though, oddly. I first beat FFIII on the Nintendo DS. Still own it too.

 

 

The 16-bit or SNES/Super Famicom-era games are more complex and deeply engaging than the first three. IV, V and VI all have a large and fleshed-out cast of characters, linear story progression and massive worlds to explore among other things. All three games do introduce save points in dungeons, caves and a few other places. In terms of storytelling, these three games not only built on the first three games but set standards used by later games in the series and other RPGs from the early 1990s to now. Although IV (as II) and VI (as III) were the only ones to get released on the SNES outside of Japan, they along with V pushed the console from hardware, software and sound to its very limits. This is made much clearer in the Pixel Remaster versions actually as the technical limitations Square Enix had to deal with 30 years ago are nonexistent thanks to Unreal Engine 5!

Now let’s go over the games, yes?

• Final Fantasy IV has SO MANY subtle references to FF1 and FF2 it’s kinda crazy. In FFI, the story revolves heavily around the Four Crystals. The same is true for FFIV. A guy named Cid made the airship you use in almost every Final Fantasy game. Cid is playable for the first time in FFIV. In FFII, you get a number of temporary party members along the way. In FFIV, you get a number of temporary party members. In FF1, the Dwarves say “Lali-ho!”. In FFIV, the Dwarves say “Lali-Ho!”. I could keep going. All that said, FFIV was the first game that gave party members fixed classes. Of them, Cecil is the only one who class changes when he goes from Dark Knight to Paladin about a third of the way through the game. FFIV is one of the top two most popular of the first six games alongside FFV and even I will admit it’s not hard to see why. The cast is complex to say the least. Tellah’s iconic “You Spoony Bard!” jab directed at Edward was originally a translation goof but it was so beloved by fans, Square Enix kept it in every English release they’ve ever done. A 3D version of FFIV was released on the Nintendo DS in 2008 just a year after the 3D version of FFIII was released though it didn’t sell as well internationally. Like the Pixel Remaster version, that version did not include any of the additional content from FFIV Advance.
• Final Fantasy V has a few subtle references to FFIV and FF1 as well. An improved version of the Jobs system from FFIII is brought back with a bit more customization and polish this time. The game’s story has a number of twists and turns to say the least. Like FFII and IV, you will permanently lose at least one party member but it’s not until fairly late in the game. You do meet and become well acquianted with their eventual replacement in advance though. Like FFIV, you go to another world for a good chunk of the game. If you ever played Tales of Symphonia, I’m sure FFV was the inspiration for the two worlds in that particular game. One of two characters who make appearances in this game is playable in FFVI: Gogo the Mime. You can encounter him after a certain point in the game. He challenges you to a battle on his terms. Win and you unlock the Mime class. Here’s a hint: He will mimic whatever you do. I will let you figure out the rest should you find him. Some of the devs for FFXVI recently revealed in an interview FFV is either their all-time favorite or is in their top 3 all-time in the franchise. It’s hard not to see why with the near-endless party customization options. On that note: Set the Job EXP Boost to 4X. You’ll thank yourself later.
• Final Fantasy VI is obviously my all-time favorite. It was quite the sendoff as the last of the 2D main series Final Fantasy games to say the least. FFVI does not get enough credit for its deep and immersive storytelling never before seen up to that point in the series. FFVI actually boasts the largest playable cast of any other main series game at 14. All but the two secret characters has a deep and complex backstory. Unlike the previous five games, we’re introduced to the main antogonist Kefka early on. If you thought Exdeath was crazy, Kefka makes him look tame in comparison. The game does have a legit false ending near the end of The First Act. Not long after that, the world is ripped apart by Kefka’s magic-induced cataclysm. With the heroes battered and scattered as well as the loss of the airship, hope seems lost. Much of the game’s Second Act is about choices. Technically, you CAN finish the game with just the initial party of four you make but that wouldn’t be right. No. What you need and want to do is scour the world and seek out the allies who fought beside you and recruit two more. The game’s Magicite system has two benefits. In addition to being the primary way to learn Magic, keeping certain Espers equipped when a party member levels up means the equipped character gains the level up bonus offered. Oh and yeah, you definitely want the 4X AP Boost. I usually grind AP in a certain spot but the 4X boost drastically lessens the pain of the grind. You DO still need to do exactly 255 Battles with the Cursed Shield to Uncurse it though. The game doesn’t keep count until you break the curse but you can pass it between characters. Just make sure whoever has the Cursed Shield equipped is also equipped with a Ribbon!

 

…Whew.

It doesn’t matter which of these six games you play, you’re looking at a long playthrough. A bit of advice for those who may take weeks or months off playing any of these games: Try to time your last save right before you take a break to be right before the next dungeon or town you’re supposed visit. That way in case you forgot what you were last doing, you can just jump right in. Do this even if you were grinding EXP or Gil when you took your break.

 

Earlier this year, I bought Octopath Traveler 1 instead of Fire Emblem Engage. Last week, I finally bought the game I passed up on as well as the Expansion Pass for it when I got home. All the currently known DLC content has now been released (as of April) though based on datamined information, there could be additional new content to come in a future update if there is one. Somehow I can see this happening for some reason. Engage just doesn’t feel “done” yet if that makes sense.

Like Fire Emblem Fates followed Awakening, Engage had the misfortune of following its MEGA popular predecessor. In this case, Three Houses. I’m a bit over 12 hours into the game–I completed Chapter 9 of the main story as of this writing but did a few Xenologue Chapters, Divine Paralogue Chapters and a Paralogue Chapter–but I can easily see Nintendo decided to trade some quality for quantity again. They did this with Fates in a few regards and were called out for it. There’s a lot to do in Engage don’t get me wrong. The problem is character development and worldbuilding were sacrificed a bit in exchange. I wasn’t surprised but I was disappointed for the second time in four main series games, “You” are the main Lord. Robin was the main character in Awakening but Chrom was the main Lord. Corrin is the main Lord in Fates while Byleth is the main character in Three Houses. You get your pick of Claude, Dimitri or Edelgard as the main Lord. Alear is obviously the main character but he is also Elyos’ Divine Dragon. For those who might not know or remember, Divine Dragons (and their polar opposite Fell Dragons) are worshipped as dieties by some countries in Fire Emblem lore. Nintendo tried to offset this plot armor by giving Alear amnesia caused by sleeping for 1,000 years. Almost all humans apparently didn’t know he existed but despite that, Alear conveniently knows how to summon Emblems the first time he/she sees their ring or bracelet.

The next new main series Fire Emblem game is likely going to release on the Switch too like it or not. I’m hoping it will not have “You” as the main Lord at the very least. Awakening and Three Houses did it right: Robin and Byleth were important for the story when they needed to be. When the main character is also the main Lord, you’re the most important protagonist in the game. That said, I do think the next main series Fire Emblem game will be cross dimension like Awakening and to a lesser extent Fates and Engage were. Engage headlines the main Lords of most of the past Fire Emblem Lords via the Emblem Rings and Bracelets. Every other main series game is represented including the Mobile game Fire Emblem Heroes via the DLC Emblem Veronica. I think the next game will be a cross-dimension to coincide with 2025 being the series’ 35th Anniversary. It will focus on a new Lord but characters from past games in the series would be recruitable.

That aside, I also think we could FINALLY get a 3D remake of a past Fire Emblem game or two and the first since Shadows of Valentia (Nintendo 3DS) for similar reasons. Nintendo has been under ENORMOUS pressure to localize Fire Emblem Binding Blade (GBA, Fuuin no Tsurugi in Japan) for 20 years now. That’s Roy’s game and is the sequel to the game that followed it, Fire Emblem Burning Blade (just Fire Emblem or Fire Emblem GBA in English). Burning Blade is coming to the U.S. Switch Online GBA App so either Nintendo is working on an English version of Binding Blade and isn’t saying anything yet OR they’re gonna do us one better and make a 3D remake. That aside, there is another Fire Emblem title that should get a remake and was rumored to have been the mysterious cancelled and unnamed last 3DS Fire Emblem title: Geneology of the Holy War. This was a MASSIVE game even for its day and spanned two generations. Thracia 776 could also be included by virtue of the fact it takes place between Sigurd and Celice’s campaigns in their game. That would be a MASSIVE undertaking weather or not you included Thracia 776 but the payoff would be WELL worth the effort.

To summarize, Binding Blade should get a 3D remake. Maybe even bundle Burning Blade with it since they’re paired. Geneology of the Holy War + Thacia 776 could also work. All three games never left Japan and there’s been MASSIVE demand for them for 30 years. Shadows of Valentia (Nintendo 3DS), which was a 3D remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden was an unexpected but welcome surprise internationally. More so given how difficult the second half of the original game was. Storyline wise, Gaiden takes place between Shadow Dragon and Mystery of the Emblem which both feature Marth. The presence of Zeke and The Whitewing sisters make it clear Gaiden/Echoes takes place in the same world as Marth’s games but between the events of those games. Echoes adds some additional story content that confirms Valentia is the former name of the continent of Valm in Awakening. Alm was the first king of the united kingdom of Valentia. Valm is the name of the continent generations later. The evidence is hard to ignore.

All that said. By Nintendo’s count, the Switch is a little over halfway through its projected lifespan. Earlier this month, Nintendo announced their next console will also utilize MyNintendo accounts like the Switch does. Like the Playstation Network and Xbox Live, MyNintendo allows users to utilize their purchase history across two or more of the same device should the need arise. The most common reasoning for that is when you change consoles and want to quickly restore purchases made with the previous device. Add the Nintendo Switch Online to that–I assume they’ll change the name for the next console–and you can download Cloud Saves to the new console for almost every game out there.

The fact that Nintendo said MyNintendo accounts will be usable on the next console tells me they may be planning a hardware announcement either at the end of this year or sometime next year. Personally, I do expect the next hardware announcement to be another variation of the Switch. There’s been those rumors since 2020 of a potential Switch Pro to be announced. The OLED model is more powerful than the original Switch and has docking which the Switch Lite lacks. The Switch Pro would presumably have the best of both of those consoles: Long battery life, powerful processing power and docking. I would also add 256GB, 512GB or 1TB internal storage to that because at this point, now would be the time to include high-capacity internal storage. The 32GB  Internal Storage the OLED Model comes with will only cover a 3 or 4 big games max. I bought a 1TB Memory Card which will last for the rest of the console’s lifespan for me.

As of the end of this month, I now have 13 Physical Switch games. Fire Emblem Engage was the latest. I bought  all six games in the Pixel Remaster series ahead of schedule and just bought Skyrim: Anniversary Edition on sale digital via the eShop for $35 (NO WAY was going to pass on buying it at THAT price!). I plan to buy Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe between July and August, likely in the second half of each month. Factoring the timing for renewing my Peacock (September, $100), Viki (October, $50) and Crunchyroll (December, $80) premium subscriptions I should still be able to buy Pokemon Sword, Pokemon Violet, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu later this year. I may push Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Brilliant Diamond and Violet to 2024 though but I’m definitely getting Sword, Let’s Go Pikachu and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate this year. I am hoping to buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Mario RPG this year is why. I am well aware of Tears of the Kingdom but that can wait until next Summer or next Fall. I haven’t played Breath of the Wild much on that note plus I just got Skyrim for the Switch. Skyrim is like Minecraft and Breath of the Wild: You find things to keep you occupied every time you play. It’s also an open world game that like Minecraft I have on every platform I own that has it (PS4, PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and Switch).

My backlog on just my Switch has been getting longer as of late but it’s a problem I don’t mind at all. More so since most of the backlog is games I have played or beaten on other platforms before. In other words, I am in no rush. I play video games for personal enjoyment and I could care less about online reviews or what a social media influencer thinks. It helps I almost exclusively play single player games on that note. Even in multiplayer games and MMOs I almost always play by myself. I’ve been pretty open about that for decades actually. It’s also why I always bought both pairs of Pokemon games. So I could trade with myself. I’m not buying Shield or Scarlet this time because enough time has passed for me to be able to get the Pokemon exclusive to those games via GTS without too much difficulty, the exceptions likely being the cover legendaries. I don’t mind though. I’m getting Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu for connectivity to Pokemon Go on that note.

Before I forget. I know I haven’t written any postgame reviews in almost a year and it’s because I have been really, really busy. To make up for that, I do plan to write a few articles highlighting games I’ve been playing a lot on both the Switch and Steam old and new. Most are games I don’t expect to beat anytime soon since lately I have been juggling 3 to 5 different games a day. Yes, really.

 

 

 

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