Welcome back to Famicom Fridays, where we spotlight hidden gems, timeless classics, and historic oddities from the Famicom era. This week, we’re shining a light on one of the most ambitious RPGs of its time — Final Fantasy III!
🌟 The Epic That Almost Didn’t Leave Japan
Released in 1990 by Square, Final Fantasy III was the final entry in the series for the original Famicom (NES in the West). Despite being a major milestone for the franchise, this title was never officially released outside of Japan until years later — and that’s a shame, because it introduced game-changing mechanics that would shape the series and the RPG genre for years to come.
🛡️ Why It Matters
Final Fantasy III expanded on its predecessors in nearly every way:
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The Job System was fully fleshed out, allowing players to customize their party with over 20 unique job classes — from classic warriors and mages to summoners, dragoons, and even scholars!
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It was one of the earliest RPGs to offer true flexibility in gameplay, encouraging experimentation and strategy based on enemy weaknesses and dungeon design.
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The storyline, while still rooted in elemental crystals and saving the world, introduced richer lore and characters that hinted at the storytelling heights the series would later reach.
🎨 The Art & Design
The box art — created by legendary artist Yoshitaka Amano — is instantly iconic. His ethereal, flowing style captures the grand fantasy tone of the game perfectly and remains a key part of the Final Fantasy identity to this day.
📖 Legacy and Modern Access
Despite being a Famicom classic, Final Fantasy III didn’t see an English release until 2006, when it was completely remade for the Nintendo DS. That version featured 3D graphics and tweaked mechanics but stayed faithful to the original vision. Today, you can also play it via the Pixel Remaster collection on modern platforms — but nothing quite matches the charm and challenge of the original 8-bit version.
✨ Why You Should Play It
If you’re an RPG fan, Final Fantasy III is required reading. It’s the prototype for so many ideas that define the series and JRPGs in general — job systems, large overworlds, deep dungeon crawling, and tactical combat. For retro gamers, it’s a reminder of just how much ambition and creativity could be packed into a tiny 8-bit cartridge.
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