Square Enix has announced that The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series will launch for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on April 19. All games in the series can be purchased separately or as a bundle for $74.99. Pre-orders are available now via the Nintendo eShop, and the PlayStation Store at a later date. A release date trailer was also released.
The full details via Square Enix:
What is the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series?
The first six Final Fantasy games have been updated with beautiful new 2D pixel graphics designed to look great on HD displays, rearranged soundtracks overseen by original composer Nobuo Uematsu and improved gameplay features, including modernized user interface, auto-battle options and more.
Originally released on PC and mobile in 2022, the games are now coming to PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. They’ll be available to buy digitally, either separately or as a collection comprising Final Fantasy I through VI.
What can you expect from the console version?
The PlayStation 4 and Switch versions of these games have some awesome features that make them even more enjoyable to play than before.
These include the option to:
Change Soundtracks – The Pixel Remaster series features utterly superb new orchestral arrangements of Final Fantasy I through VI‘s soundtracks. However, we know some of you may want to recreate the original experience of playing these games, so you’ll be able to switch between the original and rearranged soundtracks.
Change Fonts – The console release of Final Fantasy I through VI gives you the option to switch between two different fonts: the default font and a new pixel-based font that recreates the feel of the original games.
Turn Off Random Encounters – Sometimes you just want to explore in peace, so a feature in the Pixel Remaster games lets you turn off random encounters completely. This means you can roam the world without being harassed by monsters. That also means you won’t get stronger, so be careful how you use it…
Adjust Experience – Speaking of getting stronger, want to speed things up a little? Boost features let you adjust the experience gained by up to four times. Perfect if you want an easier run through the games.
All these features are, of course, optional, but they mean that players of all types—from those who played the originals to those who have never played a classic Final Fantasy game before—can have a great time with these six awesome adventures.
What games are part of Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series?
For those who haven’t experienced these incredible games on PC and mobile, the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series comprises Final Fantasy I through Final Fantasy VI, giving fans a chance to relive some of the most beloved RPGs of all time in a way that perfectly captures the spirit of those original games.
But if anything, we’re even more excited for new fans who’ll get to experience them for the very first time. These games are true masterpieces, and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series offers the best way to play them yet!
Let’s take a closer look at the games in the series.
Final Fantasy
This is the ironically named game that started it all. You take control of the Warriors of Light, off on a journey to defeat four fiends and restore peace to the world.
So many of the elements of the series that we’ve come to know and love make their debut right here in this very first entry: a massive world full of mystery, some iconic monster designs and that incredible music.
Final Fantasy II
The second game in the series introduces a new world, new characters and something that would become a trademark of the series: innovation.
The story focuses on the conflict between the hostile Empire of Palamecia and the rebel resistance. A small group of heroes is all that stands between the world and ruin.
Final Fantasy II demonstrates the developers’ willingness to push their boundaries and try new things. For example, rather than sticking to the predictable, the game features a proficiency system in which characters skill with weapons and abilities increase the more they used them.
Fun fact: this is the Final Fantasy game that introduced the world to chocobos! Now that’s a legacy.
Final Fantasy III
When darkness falls and the land is robbed of light, four young heroes are chosen by the crystals to head off an exciting journey across a vast and hostile land.
This critically-acclaimed entry in the series innovated with a flexible job system, which lets characters change their roles in combat at any time. Many of the most famous elements of Final Fantasy started here too—for example, it was the first to introduce summons, including series mainstays Bahamut and Shiva!
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy IV delivers one of the richest and most powerful stories in the series. It’s filled with characters and scenarios that fans continue to love to this day.
It focuses on the dark knight Cecil, who finds himself stripped of his position and rank when he questions his king’s increasingly troubling orders. When he’s sent on a simple delivery mission with his friend Kain, the shocking events that follow send him and a group of allies on an incredible journey of betrayal, love and redemption.
This is the first game to feature the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which combines turn-based and real-time elements to create fast-paced and strategic combat.
Final Fantasy V
The world of Final Fantasy V is on the verge of destruction because the elemental crystals that bring life and prosperity to the lands have lost their power.
The only hope lies in four heroes: Bartz, Princess Lenna of Castle Tycoon, pirate Faris and the mysterious Galuf. Driven together by fate, they set off on a quest that to save the planet itself.
As well as refining the ATB system, Final Fantasy V expands your strategic options massively through a greatly expanded job system, which let you customize your characters with 22 different jobs.
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI is a game that’s beloved by fans and critics alike.
That’s partly thanks to its incredible setting and story. It’s set in a land where magic has disappeared, and humanity has instead turned to iron, gunpowder, steam and other technology.
Actually, it would be more accurate to say that magic is mostly gone—a young woman enslaved by the evil Empire still has the power. When she encounters a powerful ancient being called an Esper, she sets off a chain of events that will have epic and terrible consequences.
How do you get the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series?
All six games in the Final Fantasy pixel remaster series will be available to buy digitally on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. Each title can be bought individually or as a complete series in the “Final Fantasy I – VI Bundle.”
The Switch version is available to pre-order now. Purchase the game by May 25, 2023 to receive two themed wallpapers for each individual game. Buy the complete series in the “Final Fantasy I – VI Bundle” to get all 12 themed Wallpapers.
The PlayStation 4 version will be available to purchase at a later date. Those of you who buy the games digitally on PlayStation 4 between April 20, 2023 and May 25, 2023 will get a theme and avatar for each title purchased. Players who purchase the complete series in the “Final Fantasy I – VI Bundle” will receive every theme and avatar included with the individual games—a total of six themes and six avatars.
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Includes several titles.
Which was showcased at E3 2003.