Classic Games

Final Fantasy

Square's desperate gamble

Final Fantasy was meant to be Square's last game. Instead, it saved the company and launched one of gaming's most enduring franchises.

NES rpgsjrpgssquare 1987–1987

Overview

The name wasn’t metaphor—it was literal. Square was failing, and Final Fantasy was their last shot. Designer Hironobu Sakaguchi poured everything into a console RPG that drew from Dungeons & Dragons, Ultima, and Dragon Quest. The gamble paid off. The “final” fantasy spawned dozens of sequels and became gaming’s most beloved RPG series.

Fast facts

  • Developer: Square.
  • Director: Hironobu Sakaguchi.
  • Composer: Nobuo Uematsu.
  • Release: December 18, 1987 (Japan).
  • Platform: Nintendo Famicom/NES.
  • Sales: 400,000+ (original), millions across remakes.
  • Legacy: 16+ mainline entries, countless spin-offs.

Origin story

Square was struggling:

  • Previous games underperformed.
  • Company faced bankruptcy.
  • Sakaguchi planned to return to university.
  • One more game—then quit.

The desperation informed the game’s ambition.

Design influences

Final Fantasy synthesised Western and Japanese approaches:

  • Dungeons & Dragons: Class system, party-based combat.
  • Dragon Quest: JRPG template on console.
  • Ultima: World exploration, NPC interaction.
  • Sakaguchi’s vision: Cinematic storytelling ambitions.

Party system

Four heroes, player-chosen classes:

  • Fighter/Warrior: Frontline damage dealer.
  • Thief: Speed, later evolves to Ninja.
  • Black Mage: Offensive magic.
  • White Mage: Healing and support.
  • Red Mage: Magic generalist.
  • Monk/Black Belt: Unarmed combat.

Class combinations encouraged experimentation.

Innovation

Final Fantasy introduced lasting conventions:

  • Airship: World traversal that became series tradition.
  • Crystals: Elemental plot devices throughout franchise.
  • Side quests: Optional content rewarding exploration.
  • Job system: Foundation for later, more complex versions.

Nobuo Uematsu’s score

Music elevated the experience:

  • Prelude: Arpeggio that became series signature.
  • Main theme: Orchestral ambition from FM synthesis.
  • Battle music: Energetic, memorable.

Uematsu’s contributions became inseparable from the series identity.

Commercial success

The gamble paid off:

  • Strong Japanese sales saved Square.
  • Western release (1990) found audience.
  • Proved console RPGs could succeed.
  • Funded increasingly ambitious sequels.

Legacy

Final Fantasy established Square as RPG royalty. The series would peak commercially with VII (1997) but maintain devoted audiences across every entry. The “final” fantasy never ended.

See also