Final Fantasy III

Although I wouldn't consider it my favorite Final Fantasy title (that place is held by FFII,) it isn't hard to see how Final Fantasy III was a game-changer for its series. Although it is quite similar in structure to the original, FFIII is the originator of the job system, allowing (and requiring) the characters in the party to change roles throughout the game in order to perform different attacks, use different weapons, have different magical capabilities, and more!

Although the interactivity between characters and the depth of the story suffered in this entry compared to its immediate predecessor, the world was opened up so much more. New magic and new jobs meant new opportunities for players to explore both the overworld and dungeons in ways unprecedented for the series. Unfortunately, save for the final tower, I feel as though the dungeons were still far more linear than in FFII, removing a lot of challenge and excitement from each of those sections.

I also want to point out that, because this game was never released in the US in its original form, the only way to play it in the delightful 2D style is either in Japanese or via a fan-translation (my preferred method). Otherwise, there is a 3D remake originally released on the Nintendo DS that ramps up the difficulty and, in my opinion, loses some of the game's charms. However, it does feel far more similar to the early Playstation entries, if that's what you're into. Ultimately, this game is a wonderful piece of Final Fantasy history, but it is not as accessible in its original form than I believe it should be.
The remake is available on Steam here (as of 9/5/19): https://store.steampowered.com/app/239120/FINAL_FANTASY_III/
The remake is available on PSP and PSVita here (as of 9/5/19): https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0082-NPUH10125_00-FINALFANTASY3PSP
The remake is available on Android here (as of 9/5/19): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FFIII_GP&hl=en_US
The remake is available on iOS here (as of 9/5/19): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-fantasy-iii/id424591347?mt=8

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