Final Fantasy Legend

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Final Fantasy Legend
Original title Saga
developer Square
Publisher Square
First title Final Fantasy Legend (1989)
Last title Final Fantasy Legend III (1993)
Platform (s) Game Boy , WonderSwan Color
Genre (s) Computer role playing game

Under Final Fantasy Legend is defined as a three-part series of role-playing games , by Square for the Game Boy were developed and thematically the first trilogy in the SaGa represent series.

Makai Tōshi SaGa / Final Fantasy Legend

The first part of the series appeared on December 15, 1989 under the title Makai Tōshi SaGa ( Japanese 魔界 塔士 Sa ・ Ga, Eng . "SaGa: Warriors of the Demon Empire") in Japan and was the first role-playing game published for the Gameboy. In the USA it was published on September 30, 1990 under the title The Final Fantasy Legend in order to facilitate marketing through the then well-known Franchise brand Final Fantasy . In 1998 the game (as well as the two successors and the Final Fantasy Adventure, which does not belong to this series ) was released a second time in America after a license transfer, this time by Sunsoft , which led to some misunderstandings among gamers. A porting and simultaneous modernization of the graphics took place in 2002 for the Wonderswan Color , but remained limited to the Japanese market.

In this part you control a group of four heroes who want to climb a tower in the middle of the world. It is said of this that it represents a connection to paradise and that many adventurers have already failed in the attempt to climb it. In order to get access to this tower, and later to be able to climb it further, you have to fulfill various tasks in the world you are currently in. If you have successfully mastered this, you can step onto a new level in the tower itself, which leads to a new, thematically different world in which new tasks await the group. The view of the world shown in tile graphics is always from a top view, only friendly non-player characters (NPC) and characters important for the game are visible , opponents are met through chance encounters.

These chance encounters represent a large part of the fights in this game. They run on a turn-based basis, with the opponents shown in a simple frontal representation next to and one below the other; your own characters only appear in the menu display. Each figure has the possibility of an action in its turn, which is mainly of an offensive nature. Even if you start the game solo at the beginning, you can hire up to three additional heroes at any time. The possible class / race selection includes three different options that differ not only in the abilities of the characters but also in the way and how they develop. In addition to the class-dependent developments, there is an experience-based development in the classic sense, in which experience acquired through combat practice is used for a general development of the character. In addition to natural development, it is possible to equip some of the characters with equipment that has been purchased or found. With a few exceptions, weapons have a limited number of possible uses, so they wear out over time.

Humans develop through the ingestion of magical potions, and they can also carry multiple weapons at the same time. These weapons are divided into different types, some where the strength of the user determines the efficiency (e.g. axes), and others where the mobility is crucial (like firearms). Mutants continue to evolve through the application of their skills, but this is to a certain extent random. They also have the ability to use magic and certain random properties that take the place of equipment. These are offensive or defensive skills that are used in a similar way to magic or are activated automatically in certain situations. These properties are learned and lost again by chance and are limited in their use. As a third possible character you can recruit monsters. These automatically have certain abilities that depend on their type and cannot be changed. Instead, you can convert the monsters into different types by eating meat from defeated enemies. Depending on the type of meat and the current shape, one then takes on a new shape with new capabilities.

SaGa 2: Hihō Densetsu / Final Fantasy Legend II

On December 14, 1990, the next part of the series was published in Japan by Square under the name SaGa 2: Hihō Densetsu (Japanese Sa ・ Ga 2 秘宝 伝 説 , Eng . "SaGa 2: Legend of the Secret Treasure"). It was released under the name Final Fantasy Legend II on November 1, 1991 in the USA and was reissued by Sunsoft in 1998.

This time the task of the game is to collect the MAGI pieces that are scattered across 12 worlds, which are relics of the goddess Isis. Each of these MAGIs has a property that can range from pure value bonuses to resistance bonuses against various elements to properties that can be activated. As in the previous one, each world has its own background theme, which this time often represents a combination of a deity with an environment that is closer to the present in terms of contemporary history. If the player should manage to collect all 78 MAGI parts occurring in the game, he can revive the goddess Isis and thus successfully end the game.

The game and combat system is almost identical to its predecessor (unlike in the past, humans can use magic). In addition to the normal four characters, this part also has the position for a fifth, situation-dependent NPC, who only stays with the group for a certain period of time. The choice of possible group members was supplemented by the robot. Unlike the other classes, the robot evolves through the equipment it wears. There are no restrictions on the type and number of equipment that apply to other classes, for example a robot can wear several gloves or helmets at the same time. For objects with a limited number of uses, a robot can only use half of it, but refresh the number of uses by taking a break.

Remake for the Nintendo DS

On September 17, 2009, the remake SaGa 2: Hihō Densetsu: Goddess of Destiny was released for Nintendo DS with completely redesigned 3D graphics. Akitoshi Kawazu is the executive producer of the remake, while Hiromichi Tanaka is co-producer and supervisor. Kenji Itō is working on the soundtrack and Gen Kobayashi is working on the character design for the remake.

SaGa 3: Jikū no Hasha / Final Fantasy Legend III

This ended with SaGa 3: Jikū no Hasha (Japanese Sa ・ Ga 3: 時空 の 覇者 , Eng . "SaGa 3: The Master of Time and Space"), which was published again on December 13, 1991 by Square in Japan Series. In the United States, the game appeared on September 29, 1993 under the title Final Fantasy Legend III and was reissued again in 1998 by Sunsoft.

After individual elements of science fiction came to fruition in the predecessors , this time they have a decisive influence on the background story of the game. A group of children from the future is sent into the present to fight an aquatic being that floods cities in different time periods. First, a modern time machine , the Talon, has to be completed and put into operation. When this has happened, one can advance into the home of the entity and ultimately prevent it from threatening the world.

The basic gameplay was retained as in the predecessor, both visually and in terms of operation, and fifth place in the group was still used for situation-related NPCs. Even so, there are various changes in the class system. Game characters can only start as humans or mutants. The change to other forms of play takes place in this part through actions of the player himself and is reversible at any time. The change always takes place via the intermediate level and not directly from one extreme class to another. The alternating image is as follows: Monster / Beast ↔ Human / Mutant ↔ Robot / Cyborg.

If a basic class eats meat left by opponents, it turns into a monster (if it is monster meat) or a beast (if it is other types of meat). The new class Beast is a mixture of human and monster, it can use equipment and complements this with specific properties that depend on the current beast shape. New beast forms are automatically accepted when leveling up and not by eating meat, as is the case with monsters. If a basic class creates a robot part, it becomes a robot, with every other mechanical or electronic part the result is a cyborg . In contrast to the past, robots are like humans; you have to develop them further using capsules that you can buy separately, and they can now have their own capabilities. Cyborgs, on the other hand, behave like the robots in the past and develop through equipment.

Remake for the Nintendo DS

As for the second part of the series, SaGa 3: Jikū no Hasha: Shadow or Light was released on January 6, 2011, a remake for the Nintendo DS. This remake will also retain the basic system of the original, albeit optically completely converted to 3D graphics.

German version

There is no official German version of these three games, as none of them was ever officially released in the European Economic Area. However, all three parts were translated through unofficial fan projects.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ Final Fantasy Legend II: official website shows development team. (No longer available online.) In: Final-Fantasy-Future. January 19, 2009, formerly in the original ; Retrieved February 19, 2009 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / final-fantasy-future.de  

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