CGR Undertow - FINAL FANTASY III review for Nintendo DS

Classic Game Room presents a CGR Undertow review of Final Fantasy III for Nintendo DS developed by Matrix Software and published by Square-Enix.

Final Fantasy III was the one we never got... until 2006, when the DS provided a suitable platform for the reimaging of one of the biggest RPGs of the 8-bit era. Long thought un-portable due to its sheer size and complexity of the Job system (read: why Final Fantasy V would've been branded "EXTREME" for its US release), Matrix Software have rebuilt the entire game from the ground up, giving the four original faceless protagonists characters and personalities and 3D models, even if they don't really have noses. (After Final Fantasy Tactics, should you really be all that shocked?)

This video review features video gameplay footage of Final Fantasy III for Nintendo DS and audio commentary from Classic Game Room's TJ.

[fpskiks]

i remember when i played this so much when i was 9. The monsters and music were so scary i was scared sometimes when playing.

[Jaztec]

This was actually my first actual Final Fantasy game. I never played VII since I was from a Nintendo family . Either way I remember this game kicking my ass, I got stuck, and sold it. I don't think it costs too much online so I might pick it up again soon!

[LoneWolfZakuro]

The reason I sold my copy of this game is because of the sadistic level of difficulty at the beginning. Especially that evil Djinn dungeon OH GOD

[Angelic_Jay]

Beat this game... Quite frankly the hardest FF I've played, and I've played them all (except the online ones...)

[JamickGeass]

Been reviewing all the DS RPG classics huh? Keep it up!

[djdols]

games such as these really feels like an adventure. You boot up the game and then explore anything. without anyone ever telling you what to do and stuff. well sometimes some npcs give you instructions but most of the time it's just you doing the stuff and it feels so good.

another example of REAL ADVENTURE games such as these is Breath of the Wild

[thalesrodrigues]

In my opinion, i consider the original Final Fantasy to be the first to have a job system. A very simple one, but it's still there.

[RichieP]

FF3 is fun... until you get to the final boss and die, then have to redo two dungeons alongside some more grinding...

[mopeybloke]

The graphics are so cute in this game.

[Rakiarmas]

Holy Ham Sandwich! I have this game.
It's been too long since I played this game.
I remember when I got it & played few hours after that.
I really enjoyed this & still have it in my collection.

I don't mind about this game's graphics.
It's not that great, but hey it's on DS dammit.
Also it's good enough for me & I like the style that this game has.

I even like the old school RPG style this has.
Some people may this it's too simple, but sometimes I love to play something very simple.
Also I'm one of those people, who can enjoy almost any kind of game style if it's still fun to play.

[JelloFluoride]

This game was horribly boring. Plot was already bland but the stories and personality of each character is downright annoying. Just play 4 on DS and you'll see a huge difference.

[Bloodreign]

Want this on the PSP, that version is starting to get expensive, and is hard to find right now on Ebay from US sellers. It was released in Japan, but will play in English on a US PSP.

[BEN]

I had fun playing this but it’s brutal. Zero chance I ever go back to replay it.

[tomgiddens]

Enjoyed the game, immensely. Hated the ending boss battle, however, as well as that horrible battle tune that played while you fought. This and the followup remake are the last of the great turn-based RPGs from Square-Enix. Wish we could go back to those days. I miss playing them. To many of them play like Kingdom Hearts now.

[Direwoof]

I am much more of a huge FF II and IV fan. III seemed a little bit more whimsical similar to V or Bravely Default.

[Kentainmb]

Great game. A little bit of unnecessary grinding due to the job system, but it's quality

[Floydthefuckbag]

I love this game. I wish they put Luneth in Dissidia instead of a generic onion knight.

[UltimaKeyMaster]

Sadly, this version is going to manage to age WORSE than the original in some aspects.
For one, battle animations take FOREVER (the slow pan showing the enemies, the camera wasting your time re-adjusting itself after you set commands, the delay between attacks, the unnecessary camera zoom-in before you get your Gil and EXP before finally ending things).  Hell, there's even stupid animations outside of battle since the pause menu actively shoves the touch screen overworld to the top screen.
For two, the slow burn at the start is even SLOWER because you don't even have the full party and you have to wait until you get everyone to get the first jobs, whereas the original threw you the jobs after beating the tutorial-level boss.
For three...well, the fact that you can tell it's an early DS game with its 3D models looking pretty meh and rarely doing anything noteworthy of the double screens.
So yeah, long and unnecessary animations, the beginning is even more painful to slog through and it's obviously early DS.
Oh, and did I mention no save points in dungeons?  Ever?  For fucks's sake, I know they have a Quicksave feature, but of all the things you could put in a remake, THAT wasn't priority number ONE!? >_<

[broken]

I've had this game 10years plus and i'm scared to play it on account of hearing it's balls hard!!

[DonCooks]

This is also on the PSP. I recommend that version as the graphics are smoother.