TOGP #81: "That One Game: Final Fantasy IV"

This week we’re discussing Final Fantasy’s first entry on the Super Nintendo, That One Game: Final Fantasy IV. Released in Japan on July 19 of 1991, Final Fantasy IV introduced the series’ famous Active-Time Battle system which involved players inputting commands during battle in real-time rather than a traditional turn-based system. Characters’ turns were determined by a bar that would gradually fill at a rate based on the stats of each respective character. This system would go on to be iterated on and refined throughout the next several games in the franchise. Notably, the game also featured a much larger emphasis placed on story and characters than previous entries, following the Dark Knight Cecil on his journey of redemption and quest to save the world from an ancient evil intent on using the world’s crystals to reap destruction. The game’s cast is full of memorable characters, from Cecil the protagonist to his best friend Kain the Dragoon, to Rydia the young summoner and Cid the energetic engineer.

Interestingly, when Final Fantasy IV arrived in North America on November 23 of 1991, it did so under the name Final Fantasy II instead. Square’s logic at the time was to do this so as not to confuse American players since at the time the only other game in the series they had access to was Final Fantasy 1, which released for the NES just a year prior. Later, subsequent rereleases would restore its rightful title.

---------------------------------

That One Gaming Podcast website
https://thatonegamingpodcast.buzzsprout.com

Join the official TOGP Discord!
https://discord.gg/2UZBf9wAZ5


Find all our links...in the trees!
Colin:
https://linktr.ee/DeliciousMorsels

Lucas:
https://www.linktr.ee/karn_evil_999

Neal:
https://linktr.ee/vmk89