From Wikipedia: Final Fantasy is a science fiction and fantasy media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science fantasy role-playing video games (RPGs). The eponymous first game in the series, published in 1987, was conceived by Sakaguchi as his last-ditch effort in the game industry; the title was a success and spawned sequels.
Final Fantasy
The iPhone version of Final Fantasy, first released in Japan in 1987. You set up a party of four players, choosing classes such as warrior or mage, and then you have to wander around a world map, building up your money and experience by questing and killing monsters, while completing the main quest. Battle is turn-based. According to reviews, there have been some tweaks made for the iPhone version: levelling is apparently quickly, you can save anywhere outside of battle, and there are no more “ineffective” attacks. This also means you can skip random battles by quitting the game on entering battle, and reloading a former save. The overall game is reportedly much easier than the original version.
Final Fantasy II
The iPhone version of Final Fantasy II. This has a different levelling mechanic than the original game: the more you use certain abilities, the stronger they become. (Similar to Elder Scrolls Morrowind/Oblivion possibly). Taking damage eventually gets you more hit points, and casting spells gets you more magic points. The dialogue system with NPCs is also more interactive than the original games.
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy III is the third instalment in the Japanese RPG series, it first came out in Japan in 1990, was released for Nintendo DS in 2006, and has finally arrived as a universal iOS app. Classic RPG fans will enjoy tactical, turn-based combat, albeit the pace can seem a little slow. There’s also a return of the experience point system from the first Final Fantasy game. The “job system” is introduced here, which works like interchangeable classes. There’s also summoning. There are a lot of random battle encounters. Some grinding will be necessary at certain points of the game. Reviewers warn that it’s a pretty difficult game.
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy IV is the fourth instalment in the Japanese RPG series, it first came out in Japan in 1991, was released for Nintendo DS in 2007, and has now arrived as a universal iOS app. The game’s story follows Cecil, a dark knight, as he tries to prevent the sorcerer Golbez from seizing powerful crystals and destroying the world.
Final Fantasy IV introduced innovations that went on to become staples of the Final Fantasy series, such as its “Active Time Battle” system. The iOS port features revamped 3D graphics, and there’s a jukebox feature that allows you to listen to the game’s soundtrack at any time. Game difficulty has also been adjusted for improved playability, which means less grinding. As with previous titles, FFIV features party-based play, and characters can impart “augments” that give their special ability to another member. The port also enables dungeon auto-mapping.
Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy V is the fifth instalment in the Japanese RPG series, it first came out in Japan in 1992 and has now been ported as a universal iOS app. The game’s story follows Bartz Klauser, “a lone wanderer who rides a chocobo named Boko”, as he leads a four-strong party to stop the evil warlock Exdeath shattering all the crystals. Final Fantasy V’s main innovation is a revamped job system, which allows all characters to potentially master up to 22 jobs. These involve a separate form of experience, “ABP”, as well as multi-classing. The Active Time Battle system was also reworked, allowing the player for the first time to see whose turn would come next. The Final Fantasy series’ first recurring mini-boss, Gilgamesh, was also introduced in this game.