Final Fantasy is perhaps the most beloved JRPG series of all time. From humble sprite-based beginnings to epic, cinematic set pieces, the franchise has changed drastically as the years have passed. Yet, while the more recent games are likely to be the most familiar to new players, the first six remain some of the most charming entries to date. Announced in Summer 2021, the 2D, top-down Final Fantasy games were reworked and re-released as 'pixel remasters', which slowly trickled out one by one.
The catch, however, is that they only released on mobile platforms and PC, which was a disappointment to those who were excited to see the series return to PlayStation, Nintendo, or Xbox. The mobile market is saturated by ports of Final Fantasy games with varying degrees of quality, and while PC availability is nice to those who are in the Steam ecosystem, their release isolates so many. It's time to bring the collection to more platforms, allowing everyone to enjoy the tales that unfold and giving the games the audience they deserve.
Final Fantasy's Simple Start and Epic Legacy
Perhaps the best way to understand how much the series has changed is to play it from the very beginning. What was available in 1987 compared to 2022 is night and day, and though the first few titles have aged somewhat, there's a charm to them that few have since been able to replicate. Finding comfort in their simplicity is a change of pace after Noctis' grand adventure in Eos or Cloud's immense return to Midgar in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and discovering common themes dating back to the original Final Fantasy is a real treat.
The pixel remasters stretch beyond the NES though, as 4,5, and 6 are included too. Final Fantasy 6 is widely considered to be one of the finest JRPGs of all time, with its shocking story and exceptional character development making the journey an essential one to anyone who enjoys the genre. Its epic opening scene is a sign of things to come, and it has been lovingly recreated by developer Square Enix. Isolating such an experience to just PC and mobile for years to come would be a tragedy, and though the other games in the collection don't reach the heights of 6, they all bring something that Final Fantasy fans on every platform can truly love.
Final Fantasy 16 is Returning to Its Roots
Releasing exclusively on PlayStation 5, Final Fantasy 16 is reverting to a setting and art style that allowed the franchise to flourish in the first place. Its medieval, high-fantasy setting and aesthetics will be similar to that of the first five mainline games as well as 9, and parts of Final Fantasy 14. Though this will likely be the only significant presentational similarity with the remasters, allowing PlayStation players to experience the games that Final Fantasy 16 is looking drawing inspiration from would be a smart move before the newest entry hits shelves.
After the futuristic and modern technology at Noctis' disposal in 15 or the steampunk visuals of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, new players may be unaware of the series' history. Those expecting 16 to be something similar to the aforementioned games will likely be in for a shock, as Valisthea is a far more gritty than what came before it. There are, obviously, remarkable differences in the way the pixel remaster and Final Fantasy 16 look thanks to decades of hardware advancements, but understanding where the inspiration for the upcoming release is coming from may be something players outside the mobile and PC market will want to experience.
Steam Deck's Lack of Availability Hinders Portability
Currently, anyone wishing to experience the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters on a handheld device will have to either contend with clunky touch screen controls on mobile or hope that the highly sought after Steam Deck falls into their laps in the near future. Since all six games are available on the Game Boy Advance (though the price of each is skyrocketing) and the PC requirements for the pixel remasters is low, they would be far more suited to other, more accessible systems should players want to take the games on the go.
Compared to the Steam Deck, the Nintendo Switch is a far more familiar system to many. It is in the homes of millions across the globe, as sales have surpassed even the Wii. The games it houses are diverse, but the most glaring omission, even on the Nintendo Switch Online's SNES catalog, is any kind of sprite-based Final Fantasy title before the PlayStation 1 era of games. The lack of 1-6 on the most recent Nintendo system, the very company where the Final Fantasy franchise got its start, is odd. Bringing the pixel remasters to the Switch as well as the Steam Deck would do well to make the classic games more portable for the vast majority of players.
Final Fantasy on Consoles Just Feels Right
Final Fantasy is the leader in the JRPG genre, and it being on most major console releases is something that many players expect for the future. The remasters are available on PC and mobile, but the home of the series is on Nintendo and Sony hardware, and has been since the very beginning. Only releasing the remasters on PC and mobile was a strange decision by Square Enix and left players scratching their heads.
Being on the digital marketplaces of Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch would give the pixel remasters a larger audience, and would only serve to heighten anticipation for the Sony exclusive Final Fantasy 16. It seems like a no-brainer, but as of right now, players have to enter the world of Steam if they want to enjoy the first six Final Fantasy games in all their remastered glory.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is available now on Android, iOS, and PC.