Guide Note

The DS remake of the classic 1991 RPG Final Fantasy IV was first announced in May 2007.¹ The remake was developed by Matrix Software, published by Square Enix and released in the U.S. on July 22, 2008.²³

Fast Facts

1. Publisher: Square Enix
2. Developer: Matrix Software
3. Platform: DS
4. Genre: RPG
5. Mode: Single-player
6. ESRB rating: Everyone (E)
7. Release date: July 22, 2008
8. Originally titled Final Fantasy II when released in the U.S. in 1991⁴
9. Full voice cast added⁵

• Final Fantasy IV DS Walkthrough (now complete)

Final Fantasy IV was originally released in the U.S. as Final Fantasy II (1991) for the Super Nintendo console. In the U.S., this game was the first sequel to the 1987 original game Final Fantasy for the NES.⁶ However, the "true" sequels to the original game—Final Fantasy II (1988) and Final Fantasy III (1990)—were only released in Japan originally.⁴ This technically incorrect titling system was used in order to maintain numerical consistency for the American audience.

In Final Fantasy IV, you play as a Dark Knight named Cecil, who lives in the kingdom of Baron under the rule of the evil lord Golbez. At first, Cecil operates as the evil lord's pawn. Cecil eventually turns against Golbez, and sets out to stop him from gathering four powerful crystals from around the world. Together with his Dragoon friend Kain and girlfriend Rosa, Cecil must travel to three different realms in his quest to regain the four crystals from Golbez and restore peace to the world.⁴

There are two main gameplay additions to the DS version of Final Fantasy IV: the new "augment" system, and a higher level of difficulty. With the new augment system, the player can find "augments" hidden throughout the game. Augments add new powers and abilities, and can have significant strategic advantages. Additionally, the DS version of the game has a series of mini-games that utilize the DS touch-screen.⁵