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Portable Final Fantasies
Game Boy Final Fantasies
Square released a series of RPGs for the Game Boy under the Final Fantasy banner. In reality, however, none of the games were actually from the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy Legend I, II, and III are actually SaGa games, while Final Fantasy Adventure is the first game in the Seiken Densetsu series - known in the States as Secret of Mana. Still, as carriers of the Final Fantasy name, the games deserve mention. Interestingly, in Japan Seiken Densetsu was actually intended to be an offshoot of the main Final Fantasy series - there are some common characters and weapon names in the two series.
The Plots
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Legend I: A giant tower in the center of the world is rumored to lead to Paradise. After climbing to the top, a group discovers that the top is not Paradise but a deranged Creator.
Legend II: Long ago, the Statue of Isis was split into 77 pieces called Magi and scattered across many worlds for safety. A group of adventurers rebuilds the statue and defeats a threat at the core of the worlds.
Legend III: An evil entity from the future is flooding the past. A group of youths fight the evil Xagor throughout past, present, and future to restore peace.
Adventure: The Emperor Julius has God-like ambitions. Only an escaped slave, helped by his friends and the Mana tree, stands between him and world domination.
The Games
Legends: Games from the SaGa series are less plot-intensive than Final Fantasy games. The game's focus is on infinitesimally customizable characters. Instead of all statistics improving simultaneously at staggered "levels", characters' skills slowly evolve and increase throughout the entire game. Battles are standard RPG fare, but weapons and shields can only be used a limited number of times before they must be replaced or repurchased.
Adventure: This game plays similarly to its US-released sequel, Secret of Mana. An action RPG, the focus is on traveling the world and dispatching your foes with a variety of weapons and spells. The Hero is often accompanied by a helpful companion. Adventuring is always easier with two!
The Histories
Truly games from other series, these titles play very differently from other Final Fantasy games. Still, they are excellent RPGs from Square and worth investigating by gamers looking for a portable. RPGs are the perfect genre for long and otherwise boring trips. The RPG fan will be hard pressed to find better titles for a portable system! After a multi-year absence, these titles were recently republished by Sunsoft.
Now show me WonderSwan Color Final Fantasies
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