Final Fantasy IV getting the 3D treatment on DS
by John Bardinelli 
{ May 9th 2007 at 11:05AM }
Clunky machine-translated rumors circulated yesterday that Square-Enix was working on another 3D remake of a Final Fantasy title for DS: Final Fantasy IV. Today, Japanese magazine Shonen Jump confirmed the speculation with a few grainy images. The game will use the same engine as the FFIII remake with at least one notable addition: skin-tight leather outfits.The inevitable re-hashing of yet another Final Fantasy game by Square Enix. We would complain, but the thought of FF IV in 3D sooths our inner demons. Gamers who missed the original release can enjoy modern 3D visuals, Square Enix can make loads of cash while expending minimal resources, and veteran gamers can re-visit an old game in an entirely new way.
[Via DS Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JodyAnthony @ May 9th 2007 11:10AM
day one purchase.
Jacob @ May 9th 2007 11:14AM
Ugh. They used THAT character designer again.
Something about his designs just bothers me. Completely. They're not right for FFIV.
Jon @ May 9th 2007 11:13AM
Must have. Dark Cecil looks amazing!
Lates @ May 9th 2007 11:22AM
I AM SO HARD RIGHT NOW I AM NOT EVEN JOKING.
Martin Austin @ May 9th 2007 11:21AM
I might pick this up, though FF IV is one of my favorite RPGs of all time, so if I get even a whiff of it tainting perfection, it's up on eBay.
Keif @ May 9th 2007 11:21AM
gunna have to buy that
Samuel McConnell @ May 9th 2007 11:29AM
THAT character designer (Yoshitaka Amano) -originally- designed the characters for FFIV. And...well, every other Final Fantasy game until FF7.
Zertoss @ May 9th 2007 11:29AM
So I guess all the 2D FFs are going to get 3D remakes, so maybe all the 3D FFs will get new-gen remakes. The way some of the later FFs have been, this seems like a good strategy to me. If you can't make a good new FF, remake a good old one.
Matthew @ May 9th 2007 11:55AM
Ugghhhh. Remakes are beginning to annoy me greatly.
Jacob @ May 9th 2007 11:36AM
You misunderstood what I meant. In FF games, Yoshitaka Amano designs the concepts for the characters. Another designer then translates those concepts into on-screen characters.
I don't like the job that this one did on FFIII DS, and now FFIV.
sheppy @ May 9th 2007 11:38AM
"You misunderstood what I meant. In FF games, Yoshitaka Amano designs the concepts for the characters. Another designer then translates those concepts into on-screen characters."
Umm, no. In an anamo interview, Amano even stated they gave him Grid paper so her could translate his concepts to how he wanted to see them in game.
My only problem is the FFIII 3D was ass. Why not save these remakes for a more capable system?
Jon @ May 9th 2007 11:42AM
What is wrong with FFIII's DS graphic? I think they look wonderful.
Deformed character design FTW.
Keif @ May 9th 2007 11:45AM
FFIII on ds looked perfectly fine. as to why they chose ds? it has a better install base. ps2 was the least capable system last gen but it had install base and thus got games.
this is mostly why nintendo handhelds dominate. big install base brings more developers, and that brings a better game library
Phillip @ May 9th 2007 11:46AM
The most exciting thing about all these remakes is the thought of a FFVII remake. :)
Stitch Faced Angel @ May 9th 2007 11:49AM
OK, I have played and beaten 4 and when it got here in the early 90s, has 2. I have replayed it over and over again.It was the game that got me into RPGs. So to say the least, this is a great surprise for my morning. Having it in 3D is the best thing, being that they have just reused sprites so many times that it got a bit boring. This is a 1st day buy for me!
sheppy @ May 9th 2007 11:48AM
It wasn't the deformed character design...
Texture maps were small, lighting effects sucked, transparency maps left artifacts, textures were pixelated messes, character models were too low poly, particals, what few there were, was ass.
I have no complaint about the art style, just the 3D abilities of the hardware.
Jason @ May 9th 2007 11:49AM
Couldn't they have gone with a better Final Fantasy? Not that there is anything wrong with IV per say, I just didn't care for it. Now a 3D remake of V or VI, and I'll sell one of my kidneys to get it...along with a DS
polly @ May 9th 2007 12:04PM
My hypocrisy knows no bounds. I have to get this. It is THE final fantasy game.
Jon @ May 9th 2007 12:09PM
@sheppy, I understand what you mean though the graphically FFIII-DS didn't bother me. Maybe I lowered my expectations a little bit because, well, it was on a DS after all. It isn't a graphical powerhouse and I understood that.
S-E is doing this to make money. Developing FF IV on a more powerful system would cost them more, and it being a remake would not guarantee them a huge sale. Developing for a successful platform (like the PS2, despite it being the 'weakest' of the last-gen in terms of visual capabilities) is the only way to please your stock holders.
Jack of No Trades @ May 9th 2007 12:12PM
I want a FF7 remake in HD visuals. Screw this DS crap.
Neil @ May 9th 2007 12:21PM
Having another FF game remade in 3D is nice but wheres Chrono Trigger 3D for the DS?
JodyAnthony @ May 9th 2007 12:26PM
chrono trigger should never be made into 3d. it is already the height of perfection.
Karen @ May 9th 2007 12:31PM
I still have my GBA copy of the game I haven't had time to play yet. But I don't mind remakes at all, I wouldn't get a chance to play these games without remakes. I've seen only a 2 FFVI SNES cartridges in the last 5 years both at 50+. I bought the GBA ones for $19 on sale.
I've really enjoyed playing the FF handheld games a lot as a portable game. While watchinng TV I can level up my character then when I want to get back to the story I'm ready. No load times too :)
Martin Austin @ May 9th 2007 12:34PM
I hope they give this incarnation of Final Fantasy the same treatment they are giving 1 and 2 on the PSP as well. Updated 2D visuals > Updated 3D visuals
theLoneYoshi @ May 9th 2007 12:56PM
Man, now I feel like I wasted money buying FFIV and FFVI Advance... I've played the original Super NES games anyway, but now their remaking them in full 3D... well, FFIV is confirmed at least... Soon V and VI will be more likely than not.
hegemonyhog @ May 9th 2007 1:09PM
After playing this on SNES, PS1, GBA, emulators, and, I think, Gizmondo, I might be FFIV'd out.
Anyone remember back when a new Square release was something rare, to be appreciated? Between this and the dozen-plus "new" FF games coming down the pike by the end of next year, what investment do I actually have in this future bargain-bin fodder?
SquareEnix Intern @ May 9th 2007 1:32PM
Wow, this really must be the year of the remake for SquareEnix. Just like they said.
I guess FFV, FFVI and FFVII can't be too far behind. So all the FFVII fanboys and girls should be happy.
I mean if there going to remake this game, those other games are most likely in some form of development.
The sad part is, we're all going to buy them. An you know its true.
point09micron @ May 9th 2007 1:59PM
So are all the 2D FFs getting 3D remakes now? Does that mean FF7-12 will be remade in 4D on the PS3?
DVersion @ May 9th 2007 2:10PM
no! remake it for the ps2 or the ps3! the world needs to be realized in full glorious graphics. not peasly DS chibiness. It was okay for ff3 because that wasn't a fully fleshed out game to begin with but IV had so much behined it that you just wanted to know what the creators were imagining the characters and world were like. I'm kinda pissed off about this now. i sware if they do this to ffVI i'm going melt each and every Squeenix employee's face off.
AP @ May 9th 2007 2:54PM
When they remake V and VI camping out late for them... But considering how both were just given GBA treatment i would have to assume it will be another year or 2 before we see them...
benzitor @ May 9th 2007 3:04PM
I think the number 3 on ds was fine...at least fine enough, but its strange but i loved the first one on psp more. I cant explain why, but the psp fits rpg more for me. Every rpg i played on ds ( i finished only one, it was ff3 ) are feeling strange on it. I loved them on my gba, i dont like them on the ds...
I would love to see this FF4 on psp, but the DS will be fine...
How about the 3 and 4 on psp with enhanced 3d...in the style of GURUMIN... That would be sweet...
Then again...The DS will do, and i will buy it.
mike @ May 9th 2007 4:00PM
the day they make a Final fantasy 6 remake, is the day I buy a DS. Until then, Ill continue to pass
Juan @ May 9th 2007 4:07PM
A 3D remake, because they apparently thought Cecil looked too butch the first time around as a dark knight.
Now, through the magic of polygons, Cecil can look as effeminate as a dark knight as he did as a paladin! Yea!
They better not ruin my favorite FF.
Ninegauger @ May 9th 2007 4:46PM
Awesome... I'll probably pick this up. I only discovered it because it was packaged with Chrono Trigger on the Playstation. I only avoid III because they said it had some pretty archaic save options and I know IV is better in that regard (at least in 2D it was).
Bluebreaker @ May 9th 2007 6:44PM
Ever since Romancing Saga: Minstrel's Song I had feeling something like this would be coming soon.
Would we have all the same content from Advanced, cause changing out the party even for a little bit really skyrocketed the play value for me.
Even if this was the game that made me want to play RPG's more so that's saying something!!
Joseph Villalobos @ May 10th 2007 10:14AM
OMG!!!!!
NekoMode @ May 10th 2007 2:07PM
Yea I am not much a fan of these new character designs. I would take SD chibis over awkward 3D like this... At least the SD sorta resembled the sprites this is like... ack!
Anthony @ May 19th 2007 12:30AM
Should be good. I think pre-rendering backgrounds would work really well for the DS, specially with two screens.. I wonder why they aren't doing so.