data/claims/final-fantasy-history.yamlFinal Fantasy (history and reception)
Game: Final Fantasy.
Final Fantasy came out for the Famicom in Japan on 18 December 1987. final-fantasy-history/release-japan
p. 1, first paragraph — ours: released for the Famicom on 18 December 19871987年12月18日にファミコンで発売されましたFamicom Tsushin, no. 39 (25 December 1987): Final Fantasy cross review · 
p. 19, Final Fantasy title card — ours: on sale 18 December; the issue is dated 25 December 1987, and the card also gives Square, 5,900 yen, and a battery-backed ROM12月18日発売Electronic Gaming Monthly, issue 63 (October 1994): Final Fantasy III feature and Square interview · p. 172, interview with Yusuke HirataThe original FF was launched in December 1987.Cited by: Final Fantasy
Nintendo of America's list of NES games dates Final Fantasy's North American release to May 1990, with Nintendo as licensee. final-fantasy-history/release-north-america
PDF p. 5 — one row of the list's Title, Licensee, and Released columnsFinal Fantasy Nintendo May 1990Final Fantasy (Nintendo Power Player's Strategy Guide, Volume 17) · p. 3, contents and credits — the strategy guide, dated November 1990, gives the year onlyFinal Fantasy: TM&© 1990 NintendoNo source pinned here gives the day. Other secondary accounts give July 1990; none is pinned yet.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Nintendo calls Final Fantasy the first game of the role-playing series of that name. final-fantasy-history/series-first
p. 1, first paragraph — ours: this game, the first entry in the RPG series Final FantasyRPGシリーズ『ファイナルファンタジー』の第1弾となるこのゲームCited by: Final Fantasy
The player makes a party of four warriors, choosing each one's occupation from six, in any combination. final-fantasy-history/party
p. 34, Selecting Your CharactersThere are six different occupations to choose from.Final Fantasy Explorer's Handbook (NES instruction booklet, North America) · p. 35, Character OccupationsEach of the Four Warriors in your party must have an occupation.VC ファイナルファンタジー (Wii Virtual Console product page) · p. 1, occupations — ours: the combination of the four characters' occupations is free4人の職業の組み合わせは自由でThe manual's spread names them Fighter, Thief, Black Belt, Red Mage, White Mage, and Black Mage.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
The four Light Warriors set out to restore the light of four orbs, which governed the elements of earth, fire, water, and wind; Nintendo's Japanese page calls them crystals. final-fantasy-history/orbs
p. 13, The Menu ScreenThese are the Four Orbs that you must restore.Final Fantasy (Nintendo Power Player's Strategy Guide, Volume 17) · p. 8, Rise & Fallfour orbs of power controlled the four elements of Wind, Fire, Water and Earth, but then the light drained from the orbsVC ファイナルファンタジー (Wii Virtual Console product page) · p. 1, story — ours: they set out to restore light to the four crystals4つのクリスタルに、光を取り戻す旅に出ますCited by: Final Fantasy
Later in the game each character can change class into an adult form, which can buy some spells and equip some weapons it couldn't before; some classes gain magic this way. final-fantasy-history/class-change
p. 75, Class ChangeEach character will mature into an adult state after certain conditions are met.Final Fantasy Explorer's Handbook (NES instruction booklet, North America) · p. 75, Class ChangeAfter class change some characters will become magic usersThe same page pictures the six new classes, Knight, Ninja, Grand Master, Red Wizard, White Wizard, and Black Wizard.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Hironobu Sakaguchi presented the concept at Square, where only three people volunteered for the project, and he then recruited Koichi Ishii and Akitoshi Kawazu. final-fantasy-history/concept
Sakaguchi on Square's team systemThat's where I presented the concept for what became FFHironobu Sakaguchi on Final Fantasy I's Roller-Coaster Development · Sakaguchi on Square's team systemonly three people volunteered to help out with the projectHironobu Sakaguchi on Final Fantasy I's Roller-Coaster Development · Sakaguchi on Square's team systemthat's how I got Koichi Ishii and Akitoshi KawazuCited by: Final Fantasy
Sakaguchi said that he began as the series' main planner and, as the team grew and needed a director, took that role too. final-fantasy-history/sakaguchi-role
answer to the first questionIn the beginning, I was the main planner, but when the production team increased, a director was needed, so I took that role as well.Famitsu's question covers his roles from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy IV, so the answer is about the series' early games, not Final Fantasy alone.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Square's president hired the Apple II programmer Nasir Gebelli, who programmed the game; Sakaguchi said it was the first time Gebelli had programmed anything like an RPG. final-fantasy-history/gebelli
paragraph beginning "The core FF project team" — Gifford's narrationThe core FF project team was completed when Square's president hired Nasir GebelliHironobu Sakaguchi on Final Fantasy I's Roller-Coaster Development · Sakaguchi on GebelliIt was the first time he had programmed anything like an RPG, though, so it was tough.Hironobu Sakaguchi on Final Fantasy I's Roller-Coaster Development · Sakaguchi on Gebellihe did a great job getting a lot of performance out of the hardwareCited by: Final Fantasy
Yoshitaka Amano designed the characters, at Ishii's suggestion. final-fantasy-history/amano
paragraph beginning "The addition of Yoshitaka Amano" — Gifford's narrationThe addition of Yoshitaka Amano, character designer for the entire FF series, was another bit of serendipity.Hironobu Sakaguchi on Final Fantasy I's Roller-Coaster Development · Sakaguchi on Amano — Sakaguchi quoting IshiiHe's the guy to go to for character design.Cited by: Final Fantasy
Sakaguchi said the team made a deliberate effort to be different from Dragon Quest, and that the graphics and the setting with the crystals were Ishii's work. final-fantasy-history/unlike-dragon-quest
paragraph beginning "What was Sakaguchi aiming for"We made a concerted effort to be differentHironobu Sakaguchi on Final Fantasy I's Roller-Coaster Development · paragraph beginning "What was Sakaguchi aiming for"The graphics were part of that effort, as was the game setting with the Crystals. That was all Ishii's work.Gifford gives the aim as "to be different from Dragon Quest"; the quoted answer follows it.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Kenji Terada wrote the scenario, at Sakaguchi's request. final-fantasy-history/terada
opening section, paragraph 3 — ours: Terada, who wrote the scenarios for Final Fantasy I, II and III「ファイナルファンタジーI」「II」「III」のシナリオなどを手がけた寺田ゲームシナリオライターの活躍する場は無限大／寺田 憲史氏を迎えて開催されたSIG-GSセミナーレポート · section ファイナルファンタジーが生んだ、ゲームシナリオライターへの道 — ours: he was asked to write the scenario for Final Fantasy; the report places the offer with Sakaguchi『ファイナルファンタジー』のシナリオを書いて欲しいと依頼を受けたのでしたThe IGDA Japan page reports Terada's 2016 seminar; its prose is the reporter's summary, not a transcript.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Nobuo Uematsu composed the music. final-fantasy-history/uematsu
p. 172, interview with Yusuke Hirata — the magazine prints the surname "Uenatsu"The man responsible for all the FF music is Nobuoゲームシナリオライターの活躍する場は無限大／寺田 憲史氏を迎えて開催されたSIG-GSセミナーレポート · section ファイナルファンタジーが生んだ、ゲームシナリオライターへの道 — ours: the music was handled by Nobuo Uematsu音楽を「ファイナルファンタジー」サウンドの代名詞ともいえる植松伸夫氏が担当することにCited by: Final Fantasy
In Famicom Tsushin's cross review of 25 December 1987, one reviewer called Final Fantasy a tour de force that, aware of Dragon Quest, showed the will to surpass it; being too geared to enthusiasts was a flaw, if any, that a player willing to enjoy the game wouldn't mind. Another called it a well-made RPG whose story and design both cleared the bar high. final-fantasy-history/famitsu-review
p. 19, Final Fantasy, first reviewer's column — ours: one senses the will to surpass Dragon Quest「ドラクエ」を超えようとする意欲がうかがえるFamicom Tsushin, no. 39 (25 December 1987): Final Fantasy cross review · p. 19, Final Fantasy, first reviewer's column — ours: if being too geared to enthusiasts is a flaw, then it is a flawマニアックになりすぎているところが欠点といえば欠点だけどFamicom Tsushin, no. 39 (25 December 1987): Final Fantasy cross review · p. 19, Final Fantasy, first reviewer's column — ours: as long as you are willing to actively enjoy the game, it won't bother you積極的にゲームを楽しもうという姿勢さえあれば気にならないFamicom Tsushin, no. 39 (25 December 1987): Final Fantasy cross review · p. 19, Final Fantasy, second reviewer's column — ours: Final Fantasy can be called a well-made RPG「ファイナルファンタジー」はよくできたRPGと言えるだろうFamicom Tsushin, no. 39 (25 December 1987): Final Fantasy cross review · p. 19, Final Fantasy, second reviewer's column — ours: it clears the bar at a high level水準を上の方でクリアーしているThe reviewers aren't named here: the scout's names came from a page not pinned. P. 19 prints a score at the top of each of the four reviewers' boxes, too small to read with confidence in the pinned image; the other two reviewers' columns are legible there but not quoted yet.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Square's publicity manager Yusuke Hirata told Electronic Gaming Monthly in 1994 that the game sold about 600,000 copies in Japan and its NES version about 700,000. final-fantasy-history/sales-1994
p. 172, interview with Yusuke HirataApproximately 600,000 were sold in Japan. The NES version sold better, registering sales of approximately 700,000.Disputed: Kevin Gifford's 1UP report of a 2011 Sakaguchi interview puts the Japanese sales at "around 400,000 copies".
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Square Enix counted 1.99 million copies of Final Fantasy shipped by 31 March 2003 across its NES, PlayStation, and other versions, 1.21 million of them in Japan and 0.78 million abroad. final-fantasy-history/shipments-2003
p. 27, table of titles shipping over 1 million — the FINAL FANTASY row, in thousands of units under Japan, Abroad, and Total, as of 31 March 2003; the PDF's text layer keeps the title apart from the row's numbersNES/PS/Other 1,210 780 1,990Cited by: Final Fantasy
Terada recalled that Final Fantasy became a big hit and saved Square, which had been facing bankruptcy. final-fantasy-history/terada-hit
section ファイナルファンタジーが生んだ、ゲームシナリオライターへの道, last paragraph — ours: it became a big hit and saved Square, which was facing bankruptcy大ヒットを記録し、倒産の危機を迎えていたスクウェアを救うことになったThe sentence is the IGDA reporter's summary of Terada's recollection.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
In a 2015 talk reported by Famitsu, Sakaguchi said the title was chosen to abbreviate as "FF", that Fighting Fantasy was dropped because a board game had the name, and that any word starting with F would have done; he denied the story that it was named Final because the team meant it as their last project, while granting that they had their backs to the wall. final-fantasy-history/name-sakaguchi
section 『ファイナルファンタジー』の誕生 — ours: the plan at first was to call it Fighting Fantasy, but that was changed because a board game of the same name existed最初は“ファイティングファンタジー”というタイトルにするつもりだったが、同名のボードゲームがあったため、変更したという『FF』はどのように世界に広がっていったのか？ 坂口博信氏と浜村弘一ファミ通グループ代表が“国際日本ゲーム研究カンファレンス”にて語る · section 『ファイナルファンタジー』の誕生 — ours: it's true we had our backs to the wall at the time, but any word starting with F would have been fine確かに当時は背水の陣だったけれど、Fで始まる単語ならなんでもよかったHironobu Sakaguchi on Final Fantasy I's Roller-Coaster Development · Sakaguchi on Square's team systemit was called Fighting Fantasy at the very start of itCited by: Final Fantasy
Wired's Chris Kohler reported in 2009 that Nobuo Uematsu told him Sakaguchi was going to quit, but that the real reason for the name was that Square was going bankrupt and the designers believed the game would be the company's swan song. final-fantasy-history/name-uematsu
paragraph beginning "So I asked Uematsu"It’s true that Sakaguchi was going to quit, he said, but the bigger reason, the real reason, was that Square was going to go bankrupt and the designers believed that it would be the company’s swan song.Kohler's paraphrase of Uematsu's answer, not a verbatim quotation. Sakaguchi's 2015 account (name-sakaguchi) rejects the "last project" story.
Cited by: Final Fantasy
Square Electronic Arts announced in February 2003 that Final Fantasy Origins, PlayStation remakes of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II, would ship in North America on 8 April 2003. final-fantasy-history/origins
news item, first paragraphFinal Fantasy Origins will begin shipping to North American retailers on April 8. The collection consists of remakes of both Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy IICited by: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II
Square Electronic Arts' president Jun Iwasaki said in 2003 that Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II established Square as a pioneering force in the role-playing genre. final-fantasy-history/pioneering
news item, Iwasaki's statementFinal Fantasy and Final Fantasy II established Square as a pioneering force in the role-playing game genreCited by: Final Fantasy
Nintendo of America released Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls for the Game Boy Advance on 29 November 2004; its Final Fantasy adds four bonus dungeons not in the original. final-fantasy-history/dawn-of-souls
press release, second paragraphwhich launches today for Game Boy(R) Advance SPNintendo Ships Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (press release) · press release, on Final Fantasy IPlayers will discover a series of four bonus dungeons not found in the original game.Cited by: Final Fantasy
Square Enix's Japanese site dates the Pixel Remaster of Final Fantasy, with those of Final Fantasy II and III, to 29 July 2021, on Steam and smartphones. final-fantasy-history/pixel-remaster
news, entry for 2021/7/29 — ours: on sale today on Steam and smartphones2021/7/29 Steam®/スマートフォンで本日発売！ 『ファイナルファンタジー』 『ファイナルファンタジーII』 『ファイナルファンタジーIII』Cited by: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy III