RRPG’s Final Fantasy Retrospective – Episode 13 (Anniversaries & Crossovers)

Attention everyone, today Hero-Club is proud to present RRPG’s Final Fantasy Retrospective – Episode 13! In this episode, I, RRPG discuss how the Final Fantasy franchise has produced games that take place during anniversary benchmarks. However, I focuses on how the games produced, mostly end up becoming crossovers between all the other games. So, I go to great lengths to explain what the goes on with each crossover. Especially, since most of these games tend to not be the best things released within Square Enix’s flagship series.

 

Now, the projects I am looking at are the Dissidia series, Theatrhythm series, and the World of Final Fantasy! Beginning with the franchise’s 20-year benchmark, Dissidia Final Fantasy began as a single game that expanded into its own sub-series. Interestingly, the game was Square Enix’s attempt bring the franchise into the fighting game genre since Street Fighter IV released. However, Dissidia became an unorthodox 3D fighting game with elements similar to the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series. Surprisingly, the game was successful, and spawned multiple sequels with the best installment being Dissidia Final Fantasy NT. Coincidentally, that game could have been the end to the sub-series had Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia not be made. Then for the next project, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy commemorated the franchise’s 25th birthday. Also, it was Square Enix’s attempt to bring the franchise into the rhythm-based genre to compete with Guitar Hero. The game was released on the Nintendo 3DS, and it successfully turned Nobuo Uematsu’s scores into a rhythmic game. Furthermore, it would go onto receive another sequel on the Nintendo 3DS, and saw a release within Japanese arcades.

 

Finally, the game that celebrates Final Fantasy’s 30th anniversary is the World of Final Fantasy. Interestingly, it is unanimously viewed as the project that paid more honor to the franchise’s roots in the gameplay department. However, it also borrowed influence from games that feature monster-collecting elements like Pokémon, and the Dragon Quest Monsters sub-series. On top of that, the game would feature an adorable and whimsical art-style trying to introduce kids into Final Fantasy. At the center of the game was Tetsuya Nomura, hoping to expand the franchise, but the game was fairly received. Surprisingly, the Kingdom Hearts series did not make appearance or crossover with the game to many fans displeasure. However, I assume that is probably because Final Fantasy became less prevalent in the Kingdom Hearts games.

 

Unfortunately, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is not included in this retrospective due to time constraints. Yet, there is footage of the game that does appear within the following video. Hopefully, there will be more anniversary games for Final Fantasy in the future, so that game can join them. Anyway, I hope viewers enjoy this deep dive into these Final Fantasy anniversary titles, as it took ages to produce.

Original Heroic Opener Intro create by Epicdreamz
Thanks to The Nostalgic Gamer for the inspiration!

 

Also, here are my social media contacts and information on The Geek Fighters!

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