Final Fantasy facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Final Fantasy

Genres	Role-playing game
Developers	Square Enix (formerly Square)
Publishers	Square Enix (formerly Square)
Creators	Main Game Designer: (Final Fantasy) Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy II) Akitoshi Kawazu (Final Fantasy III) Hiromichi Tanaka (Final Fantasy IV) Takashi Tokita (Final Fantasy V) Hiroyuki Ito (Final Fantasy VI) Hiroyuki Ito (Final Fantasy VII) Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy VIII) Yoshinori Kitase (Final Fantasy IX) Hiroyuki Ito (Final Fantasy X) Yoshinori Kitase (Final Fantasy XI) Hiromichi Tanaka (Final Fantasy XII) Hiroyuki Ito (Final Fantasy XIII) Yoshinori Kitase (Final Fantasy XIV) Naoki Yoshida
Platforms	Android, Mobile phone, MSX, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo GameCube, iOS, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii, Microsoft Windows, WonderSwan, Xbox 360
Platform of origin	Nintendo Entertainment System
Year of inception	1987
First release	Final Fantasy December 18, 1987
Latest release	Final Fantasy VII Remake April 10, 2020
Spin-offs	Mana series
Official website	Official portal: http://www.square-enix.com/na/title/finalfantasy/

Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー, Fainaru Fantajī) is a super popular game series. It was created by Hironobu Sakaguchi. The games are made and owned by a company called Square Enix.

Final Fantasy is mostly known for its role-playing video games (RPGs). These games often mix fantasy worlds with science fantasy elements. But the series also includes movies, anime shows, books, and other cool stuff!

The very first game came out in 1987. It was a big hit right away! Because it was so popular, many more games were made. The series has even tried out other game types. These include tactical RPGs, action RPGs, and even online RPGs. There are also Final Fantasy racing, shooter, fighting, and rhythm games!

Most Final Fantasy games tell their own unique stories. They have different worlds and characters. But they often share similar ideas, character names, and ways to play. The stories usually follow a group of heroes. They fight against evil and learn about themselves and their friends. Many character names come from history, different languages, and old myths.

This game series is a huge success! It has sold over 100 million copies. This makes it one of the best-selling game series ever. In 2006, it even got a star on the Walk of Game! It also holds seven Guinness World Records from the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. Final Fantasy is famous for being new and exciting. It's also known for its amazing graphics and music. Many games feature cool full motion videos and realistic characters. The music, often by Nobuo Uematsu, is like a full orchestra!

What Kinds of Final Fantasy Games Are There?

There are two main kinds of Final Fantasy games. First, there's the main series. These games are simply numbered with Roman numbers, like Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy X. Then, there are many related games and spinoffs.

Each game in the main series usually has its own unique world, story, and characters. They don't directly connect to each other. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, Final Fantasy X has a direct sequel called X-2. Also, Final Fantasy XIII has two sequels: Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns. Even when stories are separate, the games are linked by their gameplay, themes, and overall 'style'. Newer sequels and prequels include Final Fantasy X-2 and the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII games and movies.

A Look at Final Fantasy History

The Final Fantasy series began in 1987. Since then, more than seventeen main games have been released! The first games were made for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Today, most Final Fantasy games are made for Sony's PlayStation or PlayStation 2. Games have also come out for Nintendo's Game Boy and GameCube. Many gamers think Final Fantasy VII is one of the best games ever made. It's a must-play for anyone who loves video games!

In 2001, Columbia Pictures made a CGI movie based on the series. It was called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.

Special Games: The Mana Series

There's a game called Final Fantasy Adventure that came out in America for the Nintendo Game Boy. But it's not actually a main Final Fantasy game! It was really a prequel to the SNES game Secret of Mana. It was given the "Final Fantasy" name in the United States to help it sell more copies.

In 2003, Final Fantasy Adventure was remade for the Game Boy Advance. It was renamed Sword of Mana. In Japan, this series is called Seiken Densetsu, which means "Legend of the Sword." There are three games in the Mana series. But only the first two, Secret of Mana and Sword of Mana, were released in the United States.

How to Play Final Fantasy Games

In Final Fantasy games, you usually control a group of characters. You move through the game's story by exploring the world and fighting enemies. In older games, enemies would often appear randomly. This changed in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII, where you could see enemies on the map.

When you're in a battle, you give commands to each character. These commands usually appear in a menu. You can choose actions like "Fight," "Magic," or "Item."

The games have used different ways to handle battles. Before Final Fantasy XI, battles were mostly turn-based. This meant characters took turns attacking. Final Fantasy IV introduced the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system. This system added a time limit to turns. It made battles feel more exciting and urgent! You had to act quickly before an enemy attacked. The ATB system was used until Final Fantasy X. That game used a "Conditional Turn-Based" (CTB) system, which was more like the older turn-based style.

Magic is a big part of the games. How characters learn magic changes from game to game. Magic is often split into different types, sometimes by color:

White magic helps your team by healing them.
Black magic hurts enemies with powerful attacks.
Red magic is a mix of both white and black magic.
Blue magic lets you copy attacks from enemies.
Green magic can change how teammates or enemies act.

Other types of magic exist too! Time magic controls time, space, and gravity. Summoning magic lets you call powerful creatures to help you in battle. These summoned creatures have appeared since Final Fantasy III. They are called names like "Espers" or "Eidolons." Many of them are inspired by myths from different cultures, like Arabic, Hindu, Norse, and Greek stories.

You'll find different ways to travel in the series. The most common is the airship, which lets you fly anywhere! There are also Chocobos, which are big, yellow birds you can ride for shorter trips. Other vehicles include boats and land vehicles. After Final Fantasy VII, more modern and futuristic vehicles started to appear.

Released Final Fantasy Games List

Here's a list of some of the Final Fantasy games that have been released:

For Nintendo Entertainment System:

Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy III

For Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES):

Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy VI

For Sony PlayStation:

Final Fantasy VII (also on PC)
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy VIII (also on PC)
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy Origins
Final Fantasy Anthology
Final Fantasy Chronicles

For Sony PlayStation 2:

Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy XI (also on PC and Xbox 360)
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy XII

For PlayStation 3:

Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIV

For Xbox 360:

Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII-2

For Nintendo Gameboy:

Final Fantasy Adventure
Final Fantasy Legends
Final Fantasy Legends 2
Final Fantasy Legends 3

For Nintendo Gameboy Advance:

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Final Fantasy IV Advance
Final Fantasy V Advance
Final Fantasy VI Advance

For Nintendo GameCube:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles

For Nintendo Wii:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers

For Nintendo DS:

Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift

For PlayStation Portable:

Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core
Final Fantasy I and II remade
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Final Fantasy Dissidia

For PC:

Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XIV

Final Fantasy Movies Released

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII

Future Games to Look Forward To

Here's an upcoming Final Fantasy game:

Final Fantasy XIV (Playstation 4)

Images for kids

Final Fantasy V is like earlier games. Heroes try to get crystals to save the world.
Hironobu Sakaguchi created the Final Fantasy series.
Final Fantasy VI artwork by Yoshitaka Amano. He designed many characters.
Final Fantasy VIII, VII, and IX used pre-rendered backgrounds.
Nobuo Uematsu is the main composer for the series.