When was Final Fantasy III originally released?
Final Fantasy III was published by Square for the Famicom on the 27th of April, 1990. It sold 500,000 copies within its first week in Japan and reached 1.4 million shipped copies as of March 2003.
Questions about Final Fantasy III
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why was Final Fantasy III not released outside Japan for so long?
The original Famicom version was not released internationally until the 28th of July, 2021, as part of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series. An early localization plan was abandoned so Square could focus on developing for the Super Famicom, and a later WonderSwan Color remake was never completed because the original code was too large and complex to port.
What is the job system in Final Fantasy III?
The job system allows players to switch their four characters between different character classes, each with unique abilities and equipment options. Progression is handled through capacity points earned in battle, and jobs range from Onion Knight and Dragoon to Summoner and Ninja. The system was proposed by director Hironobu Sakaguchi, who initially called it the "Crystal" system.
Who composed the music for Final Fantasy III?
Nobuo Uematsu composed the soundtrack for Final Fantasy III. Working with new sound programmer Hiroshi Nakamura, Uematsu established the series-recurring "Prelude" and "Main Theme" during this game's production. The Final Fantasy III Original Sound Version album was released by Square/NTT Publishing in 1991.
Was a WonderSwan Color remake of Final Fantasy III ever released?
No. Bandai and Square announced remakes of the first three Final Fantasy titles for the WonderSwan Color in 2000, and both Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II appeared within a year, but Final Fantasy III was never completed. Hiromichi Tanaka explained in 2007 that the original Famicom code was too large and structurally complex to recreate on the WonderSwan Color.
How did Final Fantasy III influence later games in the series?
Final Fantasy III introduced the job system, summoned monsters, and the Moogle, all of which became recurring series elements. The script engine the team built for the game, called Ether, carried forward into future titles. Characters and locations from Final Fantasy III, including the Cloud of Darkness and the Crystal Tower, were later incorporated into Final Fantasy XIV (2013).