Sting (musician) and Final Fantasy: Difference between pages

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 21:18, 12 October 2008

A generic Final Fantasy logo. This typeface was first used in Japan with Final Fantasy IV, and in North America and Europe with Final Fantasy VII.

Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー, Fainaru Fantajī) is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and owned by Square Enix that includes video games, motion pictures, and other merchandise. The series began in 1987 as an eponymous console role-playing game (RPG) developed by Square, spawning a video game series that became the central focus of the franchise.^[1]^[2] The franchise has since branched out into other genres and platforms, such as tactical RPGs, portable games, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, and games for mobile phones. As of March 2007, there are twenty-eight games in the franchise—including twelve numbered games and numerous spin-off titles.^[3] The series has spurred the release of three animated productions, two full-length CGI films, and several printed adaptations of the video games.

Most Final Fantasy installments are independent stories (the numbers after the title refers more to volumes than sequels); however, they feature common elements that define the franchise. Such elements include recurring creatures, character names, airships and character classes. The series has popularized many features that are now widely used in console RPGs, and it is well known for its visuals, music, and innovation,^[4]^[5] such as the inclusion of full motion videos, photo-realistic character models, and orchestrated music by Nobuo Uematsu. The series has been commercially and critically successful; it is the fourth-best-selling video game franchise, only bested by Mario, Pokemon, and The Sims (series)^[1], and Square Enix's best selling series, with more than 85 million units sold as of July 7, 2008.^[6] Many individual titles in the series have garnered extra attention and their own positive reception. In addition, the series was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006,^[7] and holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008.^[8]

Games

The first installment of the series premiered in Japan on December 18, 1987. Each subsequent title was numbered and given a unique story. Since the original release, many Final Fantasy games have been localized for markets in North America, Europe, and Australia on numerous video game consoles, IBM PC compatible computers, and mobile phones. Future installments will appear on seventh generation video game consoles; two upcoming titles include Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. As of March 2007, there are 28 games in the franchise.^[3] This number includes the main installments from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XII, as well as direct sequels and spin-offs. Many of the older titles have been rereleased on multiple platforms.

Main series

Final Fantasy was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1990.^[9] The story focuses on four adventurers as they attempt to balance the four elements of the world. Final Fantasy introduced many concepts to the console RPG genre.^[4]

Final Fantasy II was released on the NES in Japan in 1988.^[10] The story centers on four youths who join a resistance to end an evil tyrant's military campaign against the world. Final Fantasy II was the first game to introduce Chocobos and Cid.^[4]

Final Fantasy III was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1990.^[11] The plot focuses on four orphaned youths who come across a crystal, which grants them power and instructs them to restore balance to the world. It was the first game to implement a Job System, summoning and introduce Moogles.^[4]

Final Fantasy IV was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991; in North America, it was released as Final Fantasy II.^[12] The story centers on a dark knight and his journey to save the world from a mysterious villain.^[13] It was the first game to introduce the "Active Time Battle" system.^[14]

Final Fantasy V was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1992.^[15] The story focuses on a wanderer and his allies as they prevent the resurgence of an evil being. It features an expanded version of the Job System from Final Fantasy III.

Final Fantasy VI was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994,^[16] but it was released in North America under the title Final Fantasy III.^[16] The plot centers on a group of rebels as they attempt to overthrow an imperial dictatorship. It has more battle customization options than its predecessors, as well as the largest playable cast in the series.

Final Fantasy VII was released on the PlayStation in 1997. The story centers on a group of adventurers as they battle a powerful corporation. Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to use 3D computer graphics, which feature polygonal characters on pre-rendered backgrounds. This is the first Final Fantasy to have the same number designation in North America and Japan since the original game was released.

Final Fantasy VIII was released on the PlayStation in 1999.^[17] The plot focuses on a group of young mercenaries who seek to prevent a sorceress from manipulating an international war. It was the first game in the series to consistently use realistically proportioned characters, and feature a vocal piece as its theme music.

Final Fantasy IX was released on the PlayStation in 2000.^[18] The story begins with the protagonists attempting to stop a war sparked by an ambitious queen. It returned to the series' roots by revisiting a more traditional Final Fantasy setting.

Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2001.^[19] The story focuses on the protagonists trying to defeat a rampaging force terrorizing the world. Final Fantasy X introduced full three-dimensional areas and voice acting to the series, and it was the first to spawn a direct sequel (Final Fantasy X-2).

Final Fantasy XI was released on the PlayStation 2 and PC in 2002,^[20] and later on the Xbox 360. The first MMORPG in the series, Final Fantasy XI is set in Vana'diel, where players can experience hundreds of quests and stories. It is also the first game in the series to feature real-time battles instead of random encounters.

Final Fantasy XII was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2006.^[21] The game takes place in a world where two empires are waging an endless war. It features a real-time battle system similar to Final Fantasy XI, a "gambit" system that automatically controls the actions of characters, and a "license board" that determines which abilities and equipment the character can use.

Final Fantasy XIII is in development for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.^[22] It will be the flagship installment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation.

Direct sequels and spin-offs

Final Fantasy has spawned numerous spin-offs and compilations. Three Square games were released in North America with their titles changed to include "Final Fantasy": The Final Fantasy Legend and its two sequels. Final Fantasy Adventure is a spin-off to the Final Fantasy series and spawned the Mana series.^[23] Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was developed for a United States audience, and Final Fantasy Tactics featured many references and themes found in previous Final Fantasy games. In 2003, the video game series' first direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, was released.^[24] Square Enix has released numerous games featuring Chocobos, and the Kingdom Hearts series includes characters and themes from Final Fantasy.^[25] Vagrant Story, another Square game, is set in Ivalice, the same world featured in Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and Final Fantasy XII.^[26] Three Final Fantasy compilations—Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Ivalice Alliance, and Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII—share many themes.

Overview

Common elements

Although most Final Fantasy installments are independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series. The concept of summoning legendary creatures to aid in battle has persisted since Final Fantasy III; common summons include Shiva, Ifrit, and Bahamut.^[4] Recurring creatures include Chocobos, Moogles, Tonberries, Behemoth, Cactuars and Malboros.^[27] Some spin-off titles have cameo appearances of characters from other games, and most titles feature recycled character names. For example, there has been a character named Cid in each game since Final Fantasy II;^[28] however, each appearance and personality is different. Airships and character classes—specific jobs that enable unique abilities for characters—are other recurring themes.^[4]^[27]

Gameplay

Game screens

Final Fantasy games typically have several types of screens, or modes of interaction, that are broadly categorized by function. Screens are accessed either by the player's actions or by automatic events. Such screens include: field screens, battle screens, world screens, menu screens, cutscenes, and minigames. The player normally controls the character interaction with the environment via Field, Battle, and World screens; minigames are sometimes used for this as well.

"Field screens" are enclosed and interconnected areas—towns, caves, fields, and other environments—through which the player can navigate the playable characters. Most of the character dialogue and exploration occurs on the field screens. In the first ten titles (except Final Fantasy VIII, where other characters follow the main character when you are not on the world map), players can navigate the main character, which represents the whole party, around the environment. Since Final Fantasy XI, multiple playable characters have been shown on the Field screen, and battles have been incorporated into the Field screen.

File:FFIV overworld map.PNG

Final Fantasy IV (SNES) world screen

"Battle screens" facilitate battles in an arena, usually with a change of scale and a background that represents where the battle is occurring. For example, a random battle in a desert will have a desert backdrop.^[29] Battles are normally either plot-relevant or random encounters. In Final Fantasy XI and XII, battles screens were omitted by having battle sequences occur on the main field screen;^[30]^[31] the change was influenced by a desire to remove random encounters.^[32]

The "World screen" is a low-scale map of the game world used to symbolize traveling great distances that would otherwise slow the plot progression. The party can often traverse this screen via airships, Chocobos, and other modes of transportation.^[29] "Menu Screens" are used for character and game management; typical menu screens include items, character status, equipment, abilities, and game options.^[27] This screen is usually presented in a very simple table layout. "Cutscenes" are non-interactive playbacks that provide instructions for the player or advance the plot. They can either be pre-rendered video, also known as full motion video, or they can be executed with the same engine as any of the first three modes. "Minigames" are small activities that generally serve as diversions from the story.

File:Active Time Battle.png

Example diagram of the Active Time Battle system used in several Final Fantasy games from its US patent application

Battle system

Combat in the Final Fantasy series started with a simple menu-driven, turn-based battle system. The series began to introduce real-time elements in Final Fantasy IV,^[4] culminating in a full real-time system for Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII.^[33]^[34] The traditional, turn-based battle system was used in the first three games. At the beginning of each combat round, the player chooses battle commands for all playable characters. These commands are carried out in an order determined by the "speed" statistic of the characters.

With Final Fantasy IV, the turn-based battle system was replaced by the Active Time Battle (ATB) system designed by Hiroyuki Ito. Square Co., Ltd. filed a United States patent application for the ATB system on March 16, 1992, under the title "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same" and was awarded the patent on February 21, 1995. On the battle screen, a status summary of each character is displayed. These encompass HP levels, MP levels (where applicable), and an ATB gauge. The ATB gauge determines when a character can take action. When the gauge is filled completely, the player can issue an order to that character.^[35] Also, the player has the option to issue commands at the same time as when something else is happening. Not to be confused with a real-time battle system, this is simply an implement to help make things move along at a quicker pace.

The ATB system was replaced in Final Fantasy X by the Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system, or Count Time Battle, created by Toshiro Tsuchida. This system returns to a turn-based format, but character and enemy actions heavily affect the order of future battle turns. A graphical timeline along the upper-right side of the screen details who will be receiving turns next, as well as how various actions taken (such as using the Slow spell on an enemy) will affect the subsequent order of turns.

The Real Time Battle (RTB) system—introduced in Final Fantasy XI—replaced the random encounter game mechanic that has featured in past Final Fantasy games. Instead, it allows players to view the location of nearby enemies on the game map, therefore allowing one to move around the landscape during battles, or to avoid battles altogether. Characters start attacking automatically once they are in combat with an enemy, and special commands and magic can be inputted by the player at any time. Contrary to the system's name it is not totally in real-time; with the exception of items, moving, certain special abilities and the first physical attack, all actions have a "charge" time before they are executed. Square Enix presented a short demo of Final Fantasy XIII at the 2006 E3 conference, in which a menu at the bottom of the screen was used for inputting battle commands; the system was barely noticed because of the cinematic nature of the battles.^[36]

The Active Dimension Battle (ADB) system featured in Final Fantasy XII was a cross between the RTB system and the ATB's time meter. This system was inspired by the Final Fantasy XII developers' experience working on Ogre Battle and Vagrant Story (the latter was originally planned to have a two-player battle system).^[37]

Most installments use an experience level system for character advancement, in which experience points are accumulated by killing enemies—however, defeating bosses in some titles did not provide experience points.^[38]^[39]^[40] Battles also use a points-based system for casting magical spells. Since Final Fantasy III, most titles have featured a variety of "special commands", such as stealing items from enemies or performing more powerful attacks. These abilities are sometimes integrated into the job system, which has appeared in several installments.

Music

Nobuo Uematsu was the critically acclaimed chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004.^[1] Uematsu is also involved with the rock group The Black Mages, which has released three albums of arranged Final Fantasy tunes.^[41]^[42] Other composers who have contributed to the series include Masashi Hamauzu and Hitoshi Sakimoto.^[43]^[44]

Although each game offers a variety of music, there are some frequently reused themes. Most of the games open with a piece called "Prelude", which has evolved from a simple, 2-voice, arpeggiated theme in the early games to a complex melodic arrangement in recent installments.^[4]^[27]^[29] Battle victories in the first ten installments of the series were accompanied by a victory fanfare; this theme has become one of the most recognized pieces of music in the series. The basic theme for Chocobos is rearranged in a different musical style for each installment. A piece called "Prologue" or "Final Fantasy", originally featured in Final Fantasy I, is often played during the ending credits.^[4] Although leitmotifs are often used in the more character-driven installments, theme music is typically reserved for main characters and recurring plot elements.^[1]

Development

History

In the mid 1980s, Square entered the Japanese video game industry with a string of simple RPGs, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System (FDS). In 1987, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi began work on a new fantasy role-playing game for the cartridge-based Famicom, inspired in part by Enix's popular Dragon Quest. As Sakaguchi planned to retire after completing the project, it was named Final Fantasy.^[2]^[45] Despite Sakaguchi's explanation, the name of the game has also been attributed by various sources to the company's hopes that the project would solve its financial troubles.^[4] Final Fantasy indeed reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and it became its flagship franchise.^[1]^[2]

Following the success of the first game, Square immediately developed a second installment. Unlike a typical sequel, Final Fantasy II features a world bearing only thematic similarities to its predecessor. Some of the gameplay elements, such as the character advancement system, were also overhauled. This approach has continued throughout the series; each major Final Fantasy game features a new setting, cast of characters, and battle system.

Design

The first five games were directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, who also provided the original concept. He served as a producer for subsequent games until he left Square in 2001.^[45]^[46]^[47]^[48]^[49] Yoshinori Kitase took over directing the games until Final Fantasy VIII,^[46]^[47]^[48] and has been followed by a new director for each new title. Hiroyuki Itō has designed several gameplay systems, including Final Fantasy V's Job System, Final Fantasy VIII's Junction System^[48] and the Active Time Battle concept, which was used from Final Fantasy IV until Final Fantasy IX. Itō also co-directed Final Fantasy VI with Kitase.^[46]

Kenji Terada was the scenario writer for the first four games; Kitase took over as scenario writer for Final Fantasy V through Final Fantasy VII. Kazushige Nojima became the series' primary scenario writer from Final Fantasy VII until his resignation in October 2003; he has since formed his own company, Stellavista. Nojima partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. He has also worked as the scenario writer for the spin off series, Kingdom Hearts.^[50] Square Enix continues to contract story and scenario work to Nojima and Stellavista.

Artistic design, including character and monster creations, was handled by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy VI. Amano also handled title logo designs for all of the main series and all of the image illustrations from Final Fantasy VII onward. Following Amano's departure, he was replaced by Tetsuya Nomura,^[4] who worked with the series through Final Fantasy X; for Final Fantasy IX, however, character designs were handled by Shukou Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana, and Shin Nagasawa.^[49] Nomura is also the character designer of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and all three installments of the upcoming Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII. Other designers include Nobuyoshi Mihara and Akihiko Yoshida. Mihara was the character designer for Final Fantasy XI,^[51] and Yoshida served as character designer for Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII, the Square-produced Vagrant Story, and the Final Fantasy III remake.

Graphics and technology

Final Fantasy debuted on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. It featured small sprite representations of the leading party members on the main world screen because of graphical limitations, while in battle screens, more detailed, full versions of all characters would appear in a side-view perspective. The Super Famicom installments used updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality music and sound than in previous games, but they were otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design.

File:FFVII cutscene aeris.jpg

Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to incorporate pre-rendered cutscenes.

In August 1995, Square showed an interactive SGI technical demonstration of Final Fantasy for the next generation.^[52] Articles in video game magazines GameFan and Nintendo Power led fans to believe the demo was of a new Final Fantasy title for the Nintendo 64 video game console. However, 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation and not the Nintendo 64 as many had originally anticipated.^[53] This was due to a dispute with Nintendo over its use of faster and more expensive cartridges, as opposed to the slower, cheaper, and much higher capacity compact discs used on rival systems.^[54] Final Fantasy VII introduced 3-dimensional graphics with fully pre-rendered backgrounds.^[55]^[56] It was because of this switch to 3D that a CD-ROM format was chosen over a cartridge format.^[52]

Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look.^[57] Like Final Fantasy VII, some full motion video (FMV) sequences would have video playing in the background, with the polygonal characters composited on top. Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series. It still maintained, and in many cases slightly upgraded, most of the graphical techniques utilized in the previous two games in the series. Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2,^[19] and made use of the much more powerful hardware to render many cutscenes in real-time, rather than in pre-rendered FMV sequences. Rather than having 3D models moving about in pre-rendered backgrounds, the game featured full 3D environments, giving it a more dynamic look, though the camera angle was fixed. It was also the first Final Fantasy game to introduce voice acting, occurring throughout the majority of the game, even with many minor characters. This aspect added a whole new dimension of depth to the character's reactions, emotions, and development.^[58]

Taking a temporary divergence, Final Fantasy XI used the PlayStation 2's online capabilities as an MMORPG.^[59] Initially released for PlayStation 2 with a PC port arriving 6 months later, Final Fantasy XI was also released on the Xbox 360 nearly four years after its first release in Japan.^[60] This was the first Final Fantasy game to use a free rotating camera. Final Fantasy XII was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and utilizes only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting.^[61]^[62] It also retains the freely rotating camera from Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XIII was shown at E3 2006 and will make use of Crystal Tools, a middleware engine developed by Square Enix.^[63]^[64]

Merchandise and other media

Square Enix has expanded the Final Fantasy series into various different mediums. In addition to the games, there have been CGI films, animated series, books, and different types of merchandise.^[1] Many of the games have been re-released on multiple platforms, and several have been adapted into manga and novels. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy: Unlimited have been adapted into radio dramas. Many of the titles' official soundtracks have been released for sale as well. Companion books, which normally provide in-depth game information, have also been published. In Japan, they are published by Square and are called Ultimania books. In North America, they take the form of standard strategy guides.

Anime and films

File:Final fantasy ver1.jpg

Theatrical release poster of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

There have been several anime and CGI films produced that are based either directly on individual Final Fantasy games or on the series as a whole. The first was an OVA titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals and was based on Final Fantasy V. The story was set on the same world as the game though 200 years in the future. It was released as four 30-minute episodes first in Japan in 1994 and later released in the United States by Urban Vision in 1998.^[65] In 2001, Square Pictures released its first feature film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The story was set on a future-Earth that had been invaded by alien life forms.^[66] The Spirits Within was the first animated feature to seriously attempt to portray photorealistic CGI humans, but was considered a box office bomb.^[1]^[66]^[67] One reviewer points out that the environmentally-themed plot may have been ahead of its time.^[68] 2001 also saw the release of Final Fantasy: Unlimited, a 25 episode anime series based on the common elements of the Final Fantasy series. It was broadcast in Japan by TV Tokyo and released in North America by ADV Films.^[69] In 2005, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Last Order: Final Fantasy VII were released as part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Advent Children was a CGI film directed by Tetsuya Nomura and Last Order was a short OVA directed by Morio Asaka.

Printed adaptations

Several of the video games have either been adapted into or have had spin-offs in the form of manga and novels. The first was the novelization of Final Fantasy II in 1989 and was followed by a manga adaptation of Final Fantasy III in 1992.^[70]^[71] The past decade has seen an increase in the number of adaptations and spin-offs. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within has been adapted into a novel,^[72] Crystal Chronicles has been adapted into a manga,^[73] and Final Fantasy XI has had a novel and manhwa set in its continuity.^[74]^[75] Two novellas based on the Final Fantasy VII universe have also been released. The Final Fantasy: Unlimited story was partially continued in novels and a manga after the anime series had ended.

Reception

The Final Fantasy series has been overall critically well received and commercially successful, though each installment has seen different levels of success. In July 2007, the series was listed as the fourth-best-selling video game franchise.^[1] The series has seen a steady increase in total sales; the series had sold 45 million units worldwide by August 2003 and 63 million units by December 2005.^[76]^[77] As of July 7, 2008, the series has sold over 85 million units worldwide.^[6] Several titles have been commercially successful as well. At the end of 2007, the seventh, eighth, and ninth best-selling RPGs were Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy X respectively.^[78] Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 9.5 million copies worldwide, earning it the position of the best-selling Final Fantasy title.^[79] Within two days of Final Fantasy VIII's North American release on September 9, 1999, it became the top-selling video game in the United States, a position it held for more than three weeks.^[80] Though not as commercially successful as Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX was a top seller at the time of its release.^[81]^[82]^[83] Final Fantasy X sold over 1.4 million Japanese units in pre-orders alone, which set a record for the fastest-selling console RPG.^[78]^[84] Final Fantasy XII sold more than 1,764,000 copies in its first week in Japan.^[85] By November 6, 2006—one week after its release—Final Fantasy XII had shipped approximately 1.5 million copies in North America.^[86]

Critical response

The Final Fantasy series and several specific games within it have been credited for introducing and popularizing many concepts and features that are widely used in console RPGs.^[4]^[5] In addition, it has been praised for the quality of its visuals and soundtracks.^[1] The series was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006. WalkOfGame.com commented that the series has sought perfection as well as been a risk taker in innovation.^[7] The series holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008, which include the "Most Games in an RPG Series" (12 main titles, 7 enhanced titles, and 32 spin-off titles), the "Longest Development Period" (the production of Final Fantasy XII took five years), and the "Fastest-Selling Console RPG in a Single Day" (Final Fantasy X sold 1,455,732 copies on its launch day in Japan).^[8] IGN has commented the menu system used by the series is a major detractor for many and is a "significant reason why they haven't touched the series."^[27] The site has also heavily criticized the use of random encounters in the series' battle systems.^[87]^[88] They also stated the various attempts to bring the series into film and animation have either been unsuccessful, unremarkable, or did not live up to the standards of the games.^[89] In July 2007, Edge magazine criticized the series for a number of related titles that include the phrase "Final Fantasy" in their titles, which are considered to be not of the same quality as previous titles. They also commented that with the departure of Hironobu Sakaguchi, the series might be in danger of growing stale.^[1]

Many Final Fantasy games have been included in various lists of top games. Two games were listed on GameFAQs' "The 10 Best Games Ever" contest in Fall 2005, with Final Fantasy VII voted as the "Best Game Ever." Six other Final Fantasy titles were included in the additional 90 games listed.^[90] GameFAQs has also held a contest for the best video game series ever, with Final Fantasy being the runner-up to The Legend of Zelda.^[91] Several games have been listed on multiple IGN "Top Games" lists.^[92]^[93]^[94]^[95] Eleven games were listed on Famitsu's 2006 "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time", four of which were in the top ten, with Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII being first and second, respectively.^[96] Many Final Fantasy characters have been included in GameFAQs' "Character Battle" contests. Final Fantasy VII's Cloud Strife and Sephiroth have both won once and have been listed as the runner-up multiple times.^[97]^[98]^[99]^[100] In ScrewAttack's list of "Top Ten Coolest Characters", Cloud was rated the number two "coolest" character; Sephiroth was also considered but the list stipulated one character per franchise.^[101]

Several individual Final Fantasy titles have garnered extra attention; some for their positive reception and others for their negative reception. Final Fantasy VII won GameFAQs' "Best. Game. Ever." tournament in 2004.^[102] Despite the success of Final Fantasy VII, it is sometimes criticized as being overrated. In 2003, GameSpy listed it as the 7th most overrated game of all time.^[103] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII shipped 392,000 units in its first week of release, but received review scores that were much lower than that of other Final Fantasy games.^[104]^[105]^[106] A delayed, negative review after the Japanese release of Dirge of Cerberus from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu hinted at a controversy between the magazine and Square Enix.^[107] The MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI, reached over 200,000 active daily players in March 2006^[108] and had reached over half a million subscribers by July 2007.^[1] Though Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was praised for its visuals, the plot was criticized and was considered a box office bomb.^[1]^[66]^[67]^[109] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube received overall positive review scores, but reviews stated that the use of Game Boy Advances as controllers was a big detractor.^[5]^[110]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l "Final Frontiers", Edge, no. 177, Future Publishing, pp. 72–79, July 2007 {{citation}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c Berardini, César A. (2006-04-26). "An Introduction to Square-Enix". TeamXbox. IGN. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
^ ^a ^b Lee, Garnett (2007-03-08). "GDC 2007: The Long Development of Final Fantasy XII". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Vestal, Andrew. "The History of Final Fantasy". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
^ ^a ^b ^c Casamassina, Matt (2005-07-19). "State of the RPG: GameCube". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ ^a ^b "Square Enix announces Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes" (Press release). Square Enix. 2008-07-07. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
^ ^a ^b "2006 Walk of Game Inductees". WalkOfGame.com. Metreon. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
^ ^a ^b Doug Parsons (2008-07-30). "Record Breaking Final Fantasy Series heads to The Record Breaking Nintendo DS". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
^ "Final Fantasy - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Final Fantasy II - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Final Fantasy III - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Final Fantasy II (SNES) - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ Square Co., ed. (1991). Final Fantasy II instruction manual. Square Co. p. 74. SFS-F4-USA-1.
^ IGN Staff (2001-06-18). "Final Fantasy Chronicles". IGN. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
^ "Final Fantasy V - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ ^a ^b "Final Fantasy III (SNES) - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Final Fantasy VIII - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Final Fantasy IX - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ ^a ^b "Final Fantasy X - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Final Fantasy XI - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Final Fantasy XII - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ Thang, Jimmy (2008-07-14). "E3 2008: Final Fantasy XIII Coming to Xbox 360". IGN. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
^ Chris Collette (2003-11-15). "Elusions: Final Fantasy IV / Seiken Densetsu". Lost Levels. Retrieved 2007-06-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
^ "Final Fantasy X-2 - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ "Tetsuya Nomura Interview", Edge, no. 177, Future Publishing, pp. 80–81, July 2007 {{citation}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
^ Joypad magazine (2004). "Interview". FFWorld.com (in French). Retrieved 2007-05-25.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Kolan, Patrick (2007-01-18). "The Evolution of Final Fantasy". IGN. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
^ Coik, Kevin. "The History of Final Fantasy : The Past". Gaming World X. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part I". GameTrailers. 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
^ "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part VIII". GameTrailers. 2007-09-04. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
^ "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part IX". GameTrailers. 2007-09-15. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
^ Interview with Hiroyuki ItōFinal Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Bonus DVD (DVD). Tokyo: Square Enix. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
^ Sandoval, Angelina (2004-03-30). "Final Fantasy XI Review". GameZone Online. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
^ BradyGAMES, ed. (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9.
^ US patent 5390937, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Hiroyuki Itou, "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same", issued 1995-02-21
^ Square Enix (2006). "E3 2006 - Square Enix ~ Final Fantasy XII". Square Enix. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
^ Vandal Online - Juegos - Reportajes - Entrevistas - Entrevista Final Fantasy XII
^ Final Fantasy Anthology Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. 1999. ISBN 1566869250.
^ Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania (in Japanese). Studio BentStuff. 2004. ISBN 4757512430.
^ Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Omega (in Japanese). Square-Enix. 2004. ISBN 4757511612.
^ "Nobuo Uematsu's Profile". Square Enix. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ "The Black Mages -Darkness and Starlight". Dog Ear Records. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
^ "Artist: 浜渦正志". Music Brainz. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ "Artist: 崎元仁". Music Brainz. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ ^a ^b "Developer Bio - Hironobu Sakaguchi". MobyGames. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Final Fantasy III (SNES) - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-27.
^ ^a ^b "Final Fantasy VII - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-27.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Final Fantasy VIII - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-27.
^ ^a ^b "Final Fantasy IX - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
^ "Kingdom Hearts II Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
^ GameFAQs staff (2003-11-20). "Final Fantasy XI Info". Retrieved 2007-04-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ ^a ^b The Final Fantasy VII Citadel site staff (2005). "Hironobu Sakaguchi Interview". The Final Fantasy VII Citadel. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ Sutherland, Kenny. "Elusions: Final Fantasy 64". Lost Levels Online. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^ PSM Staff (September 2007), "10 Years of PlayStation Through the Eyes of PSM", PSM, no. 127, Future US Inc., pp. 34–43
^ Kasavin, Greg (1997-09-29). "Final Fantasy VII -Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ "Final Fantasy VII (PS1) - Review". 1UP.com. 2004-05-09. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ Coxon, Sachi (1998). "Interview with Final Fantasy VIII developers". PlayStation Japan. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
^ Square Enix North America site staff (2001). "Behind The Game The Creators". Square Enix.com. Square Enix. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ IGN Staff (2002-05-10). "Final Fantasy XI -- Big Plans, Big Money". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^ Thorsen, Tor (2006-04-17). "Shippin' Out 4/17-4/21: Final Fantasy XI Online, Brain Age". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^ "Find Articles - Final Fantasy XII 1UP". FindArticles.com. 1UP.com. 2003. Retrieved 2007-10-08. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)^{[dead link]}
^ Winkler, Chris (2003-12-04). "Final Fantasy XII - Preview First Look". RPGFan. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ Shoemaker, Brad (2006-05-08). "E3 06: Square Enix announces trio of Final Fantasy XIII games". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ Yoon, Andrew (2008-02-22). "GDC08: Square Enix unveils Crystal Tools engine". Joystiq. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
^ "Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals (OAV)". AnimeNewsNetwork. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Overview over Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
^ ^a ^b Long, Andrew (2003). "Square-Enix Gives Chrono Break Trademark Some Playmates". RPGamer. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
^ Bracke, Peter (2007-08-06). "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". High-Def Digest. Snugglefish Media. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
^ "Final Fantasy: Unlimited (TV)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ "ファイナルファンタジー2 夢魔の迷宮". Yahoo! Japan: Books (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ "悠久の風伝説ファイナルファンタジー3より 3". Yahoo! Japan: Books (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (Mass Market Paperback)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ IGN staff (2003-12-18). "FF Crystal Chronicles Goes Comic". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ "ファイナルファンタジー11 星の誓い". Yahoo! Japan: Books (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ "Final Fantasy XI T-1". Fleuve Noir (in French). Retrieved 2007-10-08.
^ "Square Enix U.S.A. announces details for FINAL FANTASY XI". Square Enix. 2003-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
^ "(Official Xbox Magazine press release) Playable Beta Disc for Xbox 360 Console to be included with February 2006 Issue". Square Enix. 2005-12-19. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
^ ^a ^b Craig Glenday, ed. (2008-03-11). "Record Breaking Games: Role-Playing Games". Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. Guinness World Records. Guinness. pp. 156–167. ISBN 978-1-904994-21-3. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Square Enix Announces Release Date of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children". Square Enix. 2005-05-15. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ IGN staff (1999). "Final Fantasy VIII Tops Videogame Charts". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^ IGN staff (2000-12-19). "Final Fantasy IX Is Number One". IGN. Retrieved 2006-03-07.
^ "Japan Platinum Game Chart". the-magicbox.com. Retrieved 2006-03-07.
^ "US Platinum Videogame Chart". the-magicbox.com. Retrieved 2006-03-07.
^ IGN Staff (2001-07-19). "Final Fantasy X Sells Like Crazy; World Not Shocked". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ Jenkins, David (2006-03-24). "Japanese Sales Charts, Week Ending March 19". Media Create. Gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ Square Enix (2006-11-06). "Square Enix Announces Record Shipment With Final Fantasy XII". Square-Enix.com. Square Enixe. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ Lundigran, Jeff (1999-09-10). "IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
^ Smith, David (2000-11-22). "IGN: Final Fantasy IX Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
^ Isler, Ramsey (2007-12-17). "Gaming to Anime: Final Fantasy VI". IGN. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
^ GameFAQs Site Staff (2005). "Fall 2005: 10-Year Anniversary Contest - The 10 Best Games Ever". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^ "Summer 2006: Best. Series. Ever". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2006-10-01.
^ "IGN's Top 100 Games". IGN. 2003. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ "IGN's Top 100 Games". IGN. 2005. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ "Top 99 Games of All Time: Readers' Pick". IGN. 2005. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ IGN PlayStation Team (2007-03-16). "The Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
^ Campbell, Colin (2006). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100". Next Generation. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^ "Summer 2003: The Great GameFAQs Character Battle II". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
^ "Summer 2004: The Great GameFAQs Character Battle III". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
^ "Spring 2005: Got Villains?". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
^ "Poll of the Day #2566". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
^ "Top Ten Coolest Characters". GameTrailers. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
^ GameFAQs Site Staff (2004). "Spring 2004: Best. Game. Ever". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^ GameSpy Staff (2003). "25 Most Overrated Games of All Time". GameSpy. Retrieved 2007-11-21. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
^ "Top 10 Weekly Software Sales (January 23 - January 29, 2006)". Archived from the original on 2006-02-05.
^ "Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Reviews". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ "Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (ps2:2006): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ Dormer, Dan (2006-02-08). "Famitsu Digs Into Dirge of Cerberus". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
^ Woodard, Christopher (2006-03-24). "GDC: Creating a Global MMO: Balancing Cultures and Platforms in Final Fantasy XI". Gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
^ Ebert, Roger (2001-07-11). "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
^ "Reviews: FF: Crystal Chronicles". 1UP.com. 2004-05-09. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

External links

[Edge177-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l "Final Frontiers", Edge, no. 177, Future Publishing, pp. 72–79, July 2007 {{citation}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

[IntroSE-2] Berardini, César A. (2006-04-26). "An Introduction to Square-Enix". TeamXbox. IGN. Retrieved 2007-09-29.

[FFXII-Long-3] Lee, Garnett (2007-03-08). "GDC 2007: The Long Development of Final Fantasy XII". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-09-28.

[GS-FFHistory-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Vestal, Andrew. "The History of Final Fantasy". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-09-28.

[IGN-GC-RPG-5] Casamassina, Matt (2005-07-19). "State of the RPG: GameCube". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[85mil-6] "Square Enix announces Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes" (Press release). Square Enix. 2008-07-07. Retrieved 2008-08-02.

[Walk-7] "2006 Walk of Game Inductees". WalkOfGame.com. Metreon. Retrieved 2007-12-20.

[guinness-8] Doug Parsons (2008-07-30). "Record Breaking Final Fantasy Series heads to The Record Breaking Nintendo DS". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2008-08-02.

[9] "Final Fantasy - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[10] "Final Fantasy II - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[11] "Final Fantasy III - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[12] "Final Fantasy II (SNES) - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[13] Square Co., ed. (1991). Final Fantasy II instruction manual. Square Co. p. 74. SFS-F4-USA-1.

[14] IGN Staff (2001-06-18). "Final Fantasy Chronicles". IGN. Retrieved 2007-11-16.

[15] "Final Fantasy V - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[FFVI-Release-16] "Final Fantasy III (SNES) - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[17] "Final Fantasy VIII - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[18] "Final Fantasy IX - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[FFX-Releases-19] "Final Fantasy X - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[20] "Final Fantasy XI - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[21] "Final Fantasy XII - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[xbox360-22] Thang, Jimmy (2008-07-14). "E3 2008: Final Fantasy XIII Coming to Xbox 360". IGN. Retrieved 2008-07-14.

[23] Chris Collette (2003-11-15). "Elusions: Final Fantasy IV / Seiken Densetsu". Lost Levels. Retrieved 2007-06-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)

[24] "Final Fantasy X-2 - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[25] "Tetsuya Nomura Interview", Edge, no. 177, Future Publishing, pp. 80–81, July 2007 {{citation}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

[26] Joypad magazine (2004). "Interview". FFWorld.com (in French). Retrieved 2007-05-25.

[IGN-Evo-27] Kolan, Patrick (2007-01-18). "The Evolution of Final Fantasy". IGN. Retrieved 2007-11-03.

[28] Coik, Kevin. "The History of Final Fantasy : The Past". Gaming World X. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[FF-Retro-1-29] "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part I". GameTrailers. 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2007-11-03.

[FF-Retro-8-30] "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part VIII". GameTrailers. 2007-09-04. Retrieved 2007-11-06.

[FF-Retro-9-31] "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part IX". GameTrailers. 2007-09-15. Retrieved 2007-11-06.

[itointerview-32] Interview with Hiroyuki ItōFinal Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Bonus DVD (DVD). Tokyo: Square Enix. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

[33] Sandoval, Angelina (2004-03-30). "Final Fantasy XI Review". GameZone Online. Retrieved 2007-09-30.

[FFXIIguide-34] BradyGAMES, ed. (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9.

[35] US patent 5390937, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Hiroyuki Itou, "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same", issued 1995-02-21

[36] Square Enix (2006). "E3 2006 - Square Enix ~ Final Fantasy XII". Square Enix. Retrieved 2007-09-30.

[37] Vandal Online - Juegos - Reportajes - Entrevistas - Entrevista Final Fantasy XII

[38] Final Fantasy Anthology Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. 1999. ISBN 1566869250.

[39] Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania (in Japanese). Studio BentStuff. 2004. ISBN 4757512430.

[40] Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Omega (in Japanese). Square-Enix. 2004. ISBN 4757511612.

[41] "Nobuo Uematsu's Profile". Square Enix. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[42] "The Black Mages -Darkness and Starlight". Dog Ear Records. Retrieved 2008-04-02.

[43] "Artist: 浜渦正志". Music Brainz. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[44] "Artist: 崎元仁". Music Brainz. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[HS-MobyG-45] "Developer Bio - Hironobu Sakaguchi". MobyGames. Retrieved 2007-09-29.

[FFVI-GSDetails-46] "Final Fantasy III (SNES) - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-27.

[FFVII-GSDetails-47] "Final Fantasy VII - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-27.

[FFVIII-GSDetails-48] "Final Fantasy VIII - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-27.

[FFIX-GSDetails-49] "Final Fantasy IX - Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-09-29.

[50] "Kingdom Hearts II Tech Info". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

[51] GameFAQs staff (2003-11-20). "Final Fantasy XI Info". Retrieved 2007-04-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[FFVII-Dev-52] The Final Fantasy VII Citadel site staff (2005). "Hironobu Sakaguchi Interview". The Final Fantasy VII Citadel. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[53] Sutherland, Kenny. "Elusions: Final Fantasy 64". Lost Levels Online. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

[54] PSM Staff (September 2007), "10 Years of PlayStation Through the Eyes of PSM", PSM, no. 127, Future US Inc., pp. 34–43

[55] Kasavin, Greg (1997-09-29). "Final Fantasy VII -Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[56] "Final Fantasy VII (PS1) - Review". 1UP.com. 2004-05-09. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[development2-57] Coxon, Sachi (1998). "Interview with Final Fantasy VIII developers". PlayStation Japan. Retrieved 2007-09-30.

[58] Square Enix North America site staff (2001). "Behind The Game The Creators". Square Enix.com. Square Enix. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[59] IGN Staff (2002-05-10). "Final Fantasy XI -- Big Plans, Big Money". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

[60] Thorsen, Tor (2006-04-17). "Shippin' Out 4/17-4/21: Final Fantasy XI Online, Brain Age". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

[61] "Find Articles - Final Fantasy XII 1UP". FindArticles.com. 1UP.com. 2003. Retrieved 2007-10-08. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)^{[dead link]}

[62] Winkler, Chris (2003-12-04). "Final Fantasy XII - Preview First Look". RPGFan. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[63] Shoemaker, Brad (2006-05-08). "E3 06: Square Enix announces trio of Final Fantasy XIII games". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-10-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

[64] Yoon, Andrew (2008-02-22). "GDC08: Square Enix unveils Crystal Tools engine". Joystiq. Retrieved 2008-07-05.

[65] "Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals (OAV)". AnimeNewsNetwork. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[MC-Spirits-66] "Overview over Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-07-23.

[FFMovie-RPGamer-67] Long, Andrew (2003). "Square-Enix Gives Chrono Break Trademark Some Playmates". RPGamer. Retrieved 2007-07-25.

[68] Bracke, Peter (2007-08-06). "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". High-Def Digest. Snugglefish Media. Retrieved 2008-03-15.

[69] "Final Fantasy: Unlimited (TV)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[70] "ファイナルファンタジー2 夢魔の迷宮". Yahoo! Japan: Books (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[71] "悠久の風伝説ファイナルファンタジー3より 3". Yahoo! Japan: Books (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[72] "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (Mass Market Paperback)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[73] IGN staff (2003-12-18). "FF Crystal Chronicles Goes Comic". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[74] "ファイナルファンタジー11 星の誓い". Yahoo! Japan: Books (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[75] "Final Fantasy XI T-1". Fleuve Noir (in French). Retrieved 2007-10-08.

[76] "Square Enix U.S.A. announces details for FINAL FANTASY XI". Square Enix. 2003-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-03.

[77] "(Official Xbox Magazine press release) Playable Beta Disc for Xbox 360 Console to be included with February 2006 Issue". Square Enix. 2005-12-19. Retrieved 2008-01-03.

[GWR08-RPG-78] Craig Glenday, ed. (2008-03-11). "Record Breaking Games: Role-Playing Games". Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. Guinness World Records. Guinness. pp. 156–167. ISBN 978-1-904994-21-3. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[79] "Square Enix Announces Release Date of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children". Square Enix. 2005-05-15. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[charts-80] IGN staff (1999). "Final Fantasy VIII Tops Videogame Charts". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

[81] IGN staff (2000-12-19). "Final Fantasy IX Is Number One". IGN. Retrieved 2006-03-07.

[82] "Japan Platinum Game Chart". the-magicbox.com. Retrieved 2006-03-07.

[83] "US Platinum Videogame Chart". the-magicbox.com. Retrieved 2006-03-07.

[84] IGN Staff (2001-07-19). "Final Fantasy X Sells Like Crazy; World Not Shocked". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[85] Jenkins, David (2006-03-24). "Japanese Sales Charts, Week Ending March 19". Media Create. Gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[86] Square Enix (2006-11-06). "Square Enix Announces Record Shipment With Final Fantasy XII". Square-Enix.com. Square Enixe. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[IGNReview8-87] Lundigran, Jeff (1999-09-10). "IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-17.

[IGNReview9-88] Smith, David (2000-11-22). "IGN: Final Fantasy IX Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-17.

[89] Isler, Ramsey (2007-12-17). "Gaming to Anime: Final Fantasy VI". IGN. Retrieved 2007-12-20.

[gamefaqs2-90] GameFAQs Site Staff (2005). "Fall 2005: 10-Year Anniversary Contest - The 10 Best Games Ever". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

[91] "Summer 2006: Best. Series. Ever". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2006-10-01.

[92] "IGN's Top 100 Games". IGN. 2003. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[93] "IGN's Top 100 Games". IGN. 2005. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[94] "Top 99 Games of All Time: Readers' Pick". IGN. 2005. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[95] IGN PlayStation Team (2007-03-16). "The Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-03.

[Top100-famitsu-96] Campbell, Colin (2006). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100". Next Generation. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

[97] "Summer 2003: The Great GameFAQs Character Battle II". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

[98] "Summer 2004: The Great GameFAQs Character Battle III". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

[99] "Spring 2005: Got Villains?". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

[100] "Poll of the Day #2566". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

[101] "Top Ten Coolest Characters". GameTrailers. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2008-01-03.

[gamefaqs3-102] GameFAQs Site Staff (2004). "Spring 2004: Best. Game. Ever". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

[103] GameSpy Staff (2003). "25 Most Overrated Games of All Time". GameSpy. Retrieved 2007-11-21. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

[104] "Top 10 Weekly Software Sales (January 23 - January 29, 2006)". Archived from the original on 2006-02-05.

[105] "Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Reviews". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[106] "Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (ps2:2006): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[107] Dormer, Dan (2006-02-08). "Famitsu Digs Into Dirge of Cerberus". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

[108] Woodard, Christopher (2006-03-24). "GDC: Creating a Global MMO: Balancing Cultures and Platforms in Final Fantasy XI". Gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

[109] Ebert, Roger (2001-07-11). "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

[110] "Reviews: FF: Crystal Chronicles". 1UP.com. 2004-05-09. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

[45]

[46]

[47]

[48]

[49]

[50]

[51]

[52]

[53]

[54]

[55]

[56]

[57]

[58]

[59]

[60]

[61]

[62]

[63]

[64]

[65]

[66]

[67]

[68]

[69]

[70]

[71]

[72]

[73]

[74]

[75]

[76]

[77]

[78]

[79]

[80]

[81]

[82]

[83]

[84]

[85]

[86]

[87]

[88]

[89]

[90]

[91]

[92]

[93]

[94]

[95]

[96]

[97]

[98]

[99]

[100]