Final Fantasy

Inspired by the success of Enix's Dragon Quest game, Square decided to release a similarly styled role-playing game with a different theme for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The title, Final Fantasy, debuted on Japan's Famicom in 1987 to critical and fiscal success. Final Fantasy's storyline, which dealt in mythological archetypes and confusing time loops, was deeper and more engaging than the one that powered the original Dragon Quest. Square's RPG also established left-against-right turn-based battle and magic systems that have been copied by competitors ever since.

In Final Fantasy, the tale begins when four young warriors, each possessing a Crystal, are summoned to bring the world back to a harmonious elemental balance. During their voyage, they discover a nefarious entity has created turmoil in the structure of time in order to take control of the world, causing the heroes to travel to places they never imagined possible.