Jim Barraud

Dateline: Mario from Eric Grissom on Vimeo.

I’ve defeated Bowser. Now on to 120 stars.

I’ve finally had the pleasure of completing Final Fantasy III. Being one of the games that initially made me want a Nintendo DS, it wasn’t a let down. I think it’s safe to say I’ve been out of the gaming loop for some time, especially in terms of RPG’s. Be it because of the game of life or the fact that I opted for the Gamecube in the last round of the console wars. The Gamecube isn’t exactly known for it extensive library of games, much less any RPG’s (though Resident Evil 4 totally kicked ass). The last RPG I played was Final Fantasy VII for the PS1. It was the only reason I bought a PS1.

Back in my SNES years I was all about the Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior games, so when I heard that Final Fantasy III was coming out for the DS it peaked my interest. Then because of the fact that it was a version that had never been released in the US and was being totally redone in 3D, I knew I’d have to play it.

I’m not going to get into a total review of the game, that’s been covered in detail elsewhere. But I can say it was a joy to play. It reminded me of playing turn-based RPGs when I was younger. Challenging, enthralling, tedious, frustrating… a ton of fun. If you’re looking for a solid RPG for you’re Nintendo DS, this is the one to get.