The customization of team can even change the way you play the game. Enjoy exploding things? Go with a team of four Black Mages. Enjoy swords? Four Fighters is the way to go. Enjoy getting your team slaughtered mercilessly and barely making it one step away from a city without getting beaten by a bunny rabbit? Four Black Belts for you, thank you very much.
The game, being one of the first real games of its type, did have its fair share of flaws. Apparently the Light Warriors aren’t the smartest bunch, as you often find yourself attacking the empty spaces where enemies once stood. The rate at which random encounters occur is often overwhelming, and the speed of the game is at a slug's pace, something which may claw at your patience after a long session of game play. The inability to buy items in groups is also a bit of a nerve-wracker. Buying 99 potions one at a time may eventually make you want to claw your eyes out with a spork on the fourth time doing so.
The sprites for this game aren’t nearly up to par with even some other games on the NES. They do have their own little charming kind of demeanor about them, even if it’s just the cuteness factor. Some of the enemy sprites are quite well made as well. Animation sprites are practically non-existent, with only six different movements available for each character, and only one for each enemy.
The Present
Obviously the Final Fantasy series worked out, as it’s still Square’s (now called Square Enix) biggest money-maker. The original still stands strong, though. Many of the elements found in the future Final Fantasy games came from this original. Customizable character parties, selectable spells, various differing mage classes — all came from the gem of a series starter.
FFI itself has seen numerous ports to the Game Boy and PlayStation One in years past, often packaged with FFII for some odd reason. I’d personally say none of the ports have the original game’s inlaid charms, but at least some of the problems in the original were fixed. I’m looking at you, “attacking already dead enemies.”
Article comments
1 - platomaker
hey, some of that isn't true, the game could go at a much faster pace if you set your response rate higher, keeping it one is unbearable so its best to keep hitting the right button until its at 8 for faster play.
a team of black belts is awesome; once you hit level 10 you can unequip them for much more damage (more hits)
i was just playing that same old game just now(the one i got when i was 7 too) and there are still things im discovering (how most monsters can inflict one hit kills without doing damage)to keep you on your toes. no aspect of the game is useless.
they seem to want the player to focus more on preventing damage from occurring rather than healing, eventually everything balances out. (that could be biased because i have a team of two fighters, a white and a black mage.
2 - Chris "UZ" White
My main problem with the Black Belt team isn't the damage. You'll deal damage, obviously.
But you can do the same thing with a team of 4 fighters, and still have decent defense, health and eventually some white magic. You get none of those with the BB team.
3 - Chris "UZ" White
Good to hear the robots are reading my articles.
4 - platomaker
thats a low blow UZ.