Editing Final Fantasy III

{{Short description|1990 video game}}
{{about|the 1990 video game|its remake|Final Fantasy III (2006 video game){{!}}''Final Fantasy III'' (2006 video game)|the 1994 Super NES game|Final Fantasy VI{{!}}''Final Fantasy VI''}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Final Fantasy III
| image = ff3cover.jpg{{!}}border
| developer = [[Square (video game company)|Square]]
| publisher = Square
| director = [[Hironobu Sakaguchi]]
| producer = [[Masashi Miyamoto|Masafumi Miyamoto]]
| designer = {{Plainlist|
* [[Hiromichi Tanaka]]
* [[Kazuhiko Aoki (video game designer)|Kazuhiko Aoki]]
}}
| programmer = [[Nasir Gebelli]]
| artist = [[Yoshitaka Amano]]
| writer = {{Plainlist|
* [[Kenji Terada]]
* [[Hironobu Sakaguchi]]<ref name="famitsusakaguchi" />
}}
| composer = [[Nobuo Uematsu]]
| series = ''[[Final Fantasy]]''
| platforms = {{collapsible list|title=[[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]]|
{{Plainlist|
* [[iOS]]
* [[Android (operating system)|Android]]
* [[Windows]]
* [[Nintendo Switch]]
* [[PlayStation 4]]
* [[Xbox Series X/S]]
}}}}
| released = {{collapsible list|title=April 27, 1990|{{Plainlist|
* '''''Original'''''
* {{Video game release|JP|April 27, 1990<ref>{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy III |publisher=[[Square Enix]] |url=http://www.square-enix.com/jp/archive/ff3/ |language=ja |access-date=July 11, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512233133/http://www.square-enix.com/jp/archive/ff3/ |archive-date=May 12, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Final Fantasy VII: In the Beginning... |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=93|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=April 1997|page=72}}</ref>}}
* '''''Pixel Remaster'''''
* '''Android, iOS, Windows'''
* {{Video game release|WW|July 28, 2021<ref>{{cite web |last=Diaz |first=Ana |date=June 30, 2021 |url=https://www.polygon.com/22557810/square-enix-retro-final-fantasy-pixel-remake-steam |title=Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster's first three games come to PC and mobile in July |publisher=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=June 30, 2021 |archive-date=June 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630213604/https://www.polygon.com/platform/amp/22557810/square-enix-retro-final-fantasy-pixel-remake-steam |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
* '''Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4'''
* {{Video game release|WW|April 19, 2023}}
}}'''Xbox Series X/S'''{{vgrelease|WW|September 26, 2024}}}}
| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}

{{nihongo foot|'''''Final Fantasy III'''''|ファイナルファンタジーIII|Fainaru Fantajī Surī|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha <!-- See [[WP:JFN]] -->}} is a 1990 [[role-playing video game]] developed and published by [[Square (video game company)|Square]] for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]]. The third installment in the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series, it is the first numbered ''Final Fantasy'' game to feature the [[Final Fantasy character jobs|job-change system]]. The story revolves around four orphaned youths drawn to a crystal of light. The crystal grants them some of its power, and instructs them to go forth and restore balance to the world. Not knowing what to make of the crystal's pronouncements, but nonetheless recognizing the importance of its words, the four inform their adoptive families of their mission and set out to explore and bring back balance to the world.

The game was originally released in Japan on April 27, 1990. The original Famicom version sold 1.4 million copies in Japan. It had not been released outside Japan until a [[video game remake|remake]], also called [[Final Fantasy III (2006 video game)|''Final Fantasy III'']], was developed by [[Matrix Software]] for the [[Nintendo DS]] on August 24, 2006. At that time, it was the only ''Final Fantasy'' game not previously released in North America or Europe.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gantayat |first=Anoop |date=October 7, 2004 |title=Miyamoto Speaks to Final Fantasy Producer |website=IGN |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/08/miyamoto-speaks-to-final-fantasy-producer |access-date=September 3, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227084356/http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/08/miyamoto-speaks-to-final-fantasy-producer |archive-date=February 27, 2014}}</ref> There had been earlier plans to remake the game for [[Bandai]]'s [[WonderSwan|WonderSwan Color]] handheld, as had been done with the first, second, and fourth installments of the series, but the game faced several delays and was eventually canceled after the premature cancellation of the platform. The [[Nintendo DS]] version of the game was positively received, selling nearly 2 million copies worldwide.

It was also released for many other systems: the Japanese Famicom version via the [[Virtual Console]] on July 21, 2009 ([[Wii]]) and January 8, 2014 ([[Wii U]]), an [[iOS]] port of the [[Nintendo DS]] remake on March 24, 2011, an [[Android (operating system)|Android]] port on March 12, 2012, a [[PlayStation Portable]] port in late September 2012 (downloadable-only format outside Japan via [[PlayStation Network]]) and a [[Windows]] port via [[Steam (service)|Steam]] in 2014. An updated release based on the Famicom version of ''Final Fantasy III'' was released as part of the ''[[Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster]]'' collection, marking the first time the original version of ''Final Fantasy III'' was released outside of Japan. This version was released in July 2021 for Windows, Android and iOS, in April 2023 for [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Nintendo Switch]], and in September 2024 for [[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]].

==Gameplay==
[[File:Final Fantasy III NES interface.png|left|thumb|alt=display showing monster and character sprites on top of screen, text boxes on bottom|The battle screen. Messages such as "Miss" appear in text boxes, like earlier games in the series. Animated messages or digits are also shown on the characters, like later games.]]

The gameplay of ''Final Fantasy III'' combines elements of the first two ''Final Fantasy'' games with new features. The [[Turn-based strategy|turn-based]] combat system remains in place from the first two games, but [[Health (gaming)|hit points]] are now shown above the target following attacks or healing actions, rather than captioned as in the previous two games. Auto-targeting for physical attacks after a friendly or enemy unit is killed is also featured for the first time. Unlike subsequent games in the series, magical attacks are not auto-targeted in the same fashion.<ref name="manual">{{cite book|title=Final Fantasy III instruction manual|year=1990|author=Square Enix}}</ref>

The [[experience point]] system featured in ''[[Final Fantasy (video game)|Final Fantasy]]'' makes a return following its absence from [[Final Fantasy II|the second game]]. The [[Final Fantasy character jobs|character class]] system featured in the first game also reappears, with some modifications. Whereas in the original game the player chooses each character's class alignment at the start of the game and is then locked into that class for the duration of the game, ''Final Fantasy III'' introduces the "job system" for which the series would later become famous. Jobs are presented as interchangeable classes: in the Famicom version of the game, all four characters begin as "[[Final Fantasy character jobs#Onion Knight|Onion Knights]]", with a variety of additional jobs becoming available as the game progresses. Any playable character has access to every currently available job and can change from job to job at will.<ref name="ugo">{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy III |work=The World of Final Fantasy |publisher=[[UGO Networks|UGO.com]] Games |author1=Roschin, Oleg |author2=Vitaglione, Erik |url=http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features/finalfantasy/finalfantasy3.asp |access-date=July 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622080425/http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features/finalfantasy/finalfantasy3.asp |archive-date=June 22, 2008}}</ref> Switching jobs consumes "capacity points" which are awarded to the entire party following every battle, much like [[Gil (Final Fantasy)|gil]]. Different [[Excalipur!|weapons]], [[Final Fantasy armor and accessories|pieces of armor]], and [[Final Fantasy magic|magic spells]] are utilized by each job. A character's level of proficiency at a particular job increases the longer the character remains with that job. Higher job levels increase the battle statistics of the character and reduce the cost in capacity points to switch to that job.<ref name=manual />

''Final Fantasy III'' is the first game in the series to feature special battle commands such as "Steal" or "Jump", each of which is associated with a particular job ("Steal" is the [[Final Fantasy character jobs#Thief|Thief's]] specialty, while "Jump" is the Dragoon's forte). Certain jobs also feature innate, non-battle abilities, such as the Thief's ability to open passages that would otherwise require a special key item.<ref>{{cite web |title=Final Fantasy III Cheats |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |url=http://cheats.gamespy.com/nes-cheats/final-fantasy-iii/ |access-date=July 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625040014/http://cheats.gamespy.com/nes-cheats/final-fantasy-iii/ |archive-date=June 25, 2008}}</ref> It is also the first game in the series to feature [[Summoner (Final Fantasy)|summoned creatures]], which are called forth with the "Summon" skill.<ref name="ugo" />

==Plot==
<!-- Please do not add any unnecessary information. If you do wish to add detail on certain events, please discuss the additions on the talk page first or direct your proposed addition to a more detailed subarticle that pertains to the topic at hand. Any unneeded info added to this plot will be quickly removed, including any addition of spoiler tags. This plot is meant to be as comprehensive as possible, while only containing the details needed to understand plot at its most basic level. -->

===Setting===
One thousand years before the events in the game, on a floating continent hovering high above the surface of an unnamed planet, a technologically advanced civilization sought to harness the power of the four [[classical element|elemental]] crystals of light. They did not realize that they could not control such fundamental forces of nature. This power of light would have consumed the world itself had the light crystals not had their natural counterparts: the four dark elemental crystals. Disturbed by the sudden interruption of the careful balance between light and dark, four warriors were granted the power of the dark crystals to recapture the power of the light crystals. These so-called Dark Warriors succeeded in their quest, and restored harmony to the world. But their victory came too late to save the doomed civilization, whose culture was reduced to ruin, though their floating continent remained. On that continent, the circle of Gulgans, a race of blind [[Haruspex|soothsayers]] and fortune-tellers, predicted that these events will ultimately repeat.<ref name=game>{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy III|developer=Square|publisher=Square|date=April 27, 1990|platform=Family Computer|isolang=ja}}</ref>

===Characters===
''Final Fantasy III'' focuses around four orphans from the remote village of Ur (while in the remakes players only begin as Luneth, slowly picking up the other three characters as they progress; a change from the original and from other early ''Final Fantasy'' titles), each starting off as an Onion Knight in the original game.

{{nihongo|Xande|ザンデ|Zande}} is the antagonist the party seeks to stop for most of the game, though he is eventually revealed to merely be a pawn of the {{nihongo|Cloud of Darkness|暗闇の雲|Kurayami no Kumo}}: a malevolent and vicious [[deity]] who wishes to push the world into a state of chaos and destruction by upsetting the equilibrium between light and darkness, allowing the Void to consume the world. Appearing in a female-like form, the Cloud of Darkness refers to herself in [[Grammatical person|first-person plural]] because her two tentacles have minds of their own.

===Story===
{{More plot|section|date=July 2023}}
An earthquake opens up a previously hidden cavern in Altar Cave near the village of Ur on the floating continent. Four young orphans, under the care of Topapa, the village elder, explore the earthquake's impact and come across a crystal of light. The crystal grants them a portion of its power and instructs them to go forth and restore balance to the world. Not knowing what to make of the crystal's pronouncements but recognizing the importance of its words, the four inform their adoptive family of their mission and set out to explore an [[overworld]] outside the area where they were brought up to bring balance back to the world.<ref name=game />

Their adventures led them to discover a whole world beyond the boundaries of the floating continent upon which they were living. In the world below, they discover a warlock named Xande, one of three apprentices to the legendary Archmage Noah, trying to possess the crystals of light to bring forth chaos. The four warriors eventually arrive at the Crystal Tower, discovering that the Cloud of Darkness is the source of the recent events. The Cloud attempts to create a similar situation to the Flood of Light a millennium earlier to pull the world into the Void. The Light Warriors traverse the domain of the dark crystals to free the imprisoned Dark Warriors and defeat the Cloud of Darkness, thereby restoring the crystals and bringing balance to the world. In the DS remake, several "side quests" can also be completed.<ref name=game />

The story is virtually the same in the remakes but has significant differences in the introductory sequence. In the remakes, Luneth goes to the Altar Cave alone; while exploring, he trips and falls into a hole created by the earthquake. Goblins beset him, and while he is frantically searching for a way out, he comes upon a room where a Land Turtle ambushes him. After defeating it, he finds the Wind Crystal, which tells him that he has been chosen as a Warrior of Light, destined to restore balance to the world, and there are three others like him. Still, before Luneth can ask it to elaborate, he is teleported to the surface. He returns to Ur, but Elder Topapa does not elucidate much on the matter besides stating that someone had brought him to Topapa. Going to a corner of town, Luneth finds his friend Arc being bullied by some of the kids. When Luneth intervenes, the kids run away, with Arc running to Kazus, proving that he is not scared of ghosts.

Luneth chases Arc to Kazus and, upon reuniting with Arc, discovers that the rumors of a curse on Kazus are not false. The people there are see-through, and one such person, Cid of Canaan, instructs the two boys to take his airship and look for Refia, the Mythril Smith Takka's adoptive daughter. They find her on the airship and accompany her to Castle Sasune as per her suggestion. There, they meet Ingus, a soldier of Sasune who had been away during the curses. He joins the trio after an audience with the king, who instructs them to find his daughter, Sara. They catch up to her in the Sealed Cave behind a wall that could only be accessible by interacting with 'the skeleton key.' With her accompanying them, they battle the monster who cast the curse: the Djinn. Just as Sara seals the Djinn away, Luneth, Arc, Refia, and Ingus disappear before her eyes. As it transpires, the wind crystal summoned the four youths to grant them a portion of its power, which allows you access to the jobs Thief, Warrior, Black Mage, White Mage, and Red Mage. After this, Luneth and company reunite with Sara at Castle Sasune. She completely dispels Djinn's curse by tossing the ring into a fountain of water underneath the castle but becomes depressed when Luneth reveals that he and his companions must leave at once. After Sara stops crying long enough to see them off, they return to Kazus, where Takka drags Refia home. The three boys consult with Cid and Takka, who build a Mythril ram on the ship. Refia is not with Takka when the boys return to ask for a Mythril ram, and when the party once more finds her aboard Cid's airship, the player would be able to piece together why she wasn't with him. She had told Takka that she was a Warrior of Light like the boys and, therefore, had to leave. The new introductory sequence ends with the airship being used to demolish the boulder in Nelv Valley along with the ship.

==Development==
Director and story writer [[Hironobu Sakaguchi]], designer [[Hiromichi Tanaka]], character designer [[Yoshitaka Amano]], scenario writer [[Kenji Terada]], and music composer [[Nobuo Uematsu]] returned from the two previous ''Final Fantasy'' games to contribute to the development of ''Final Fantasy III''.<ref name="famitsusakaguchi">{{cite magazine|title=Interview with Hironobu Sakaguchi |url=http://playstationjapan.tripod.com/Sakaguchi.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717103402/http://playstationjapan.tripod.com/Sakaguchi.html |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |date=June 5, 1998 |magazine=[[Famitsu|Shūkan Famitsu]] |publisher=[[ASCII (company)|ASCII Corporation]] |access-date=February 6, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game |title=Final Fantasy III |developer=[[Square (video game company)|Square]] |publisher=Square Co., Ltd. |platform=Family Computer|date=April 27, 1990 |scene=staff credits}}</ref> As with the previous two installments of the series, ''Final Fantasy III'' was programmed for the Famicom by [[Nasir Gebelli]]. It was the last original ''Final Fantasy'' title on which Gebelli worked.<ref>{{cite web | last=Lau | first=John | publisher=University of Hawaii | title = The Secret of Nasir | url = http://www2.hawaii.edu/~johnlau/nasir.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070716125605/http://www2.hawaii.edu/~johnlau/nasir.html | archive-date = July 16, 2007 | date = January 22, 2005 | access-date = July 14, 2008}}</ref> Midway through the development of the game, Gebelli was forced to return to [[Sacramento, California]] from Japan due to an expired work visa. The rest of the development staff followed him to Sacramento with necessary materials and equipment and finished production of the game there.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Mielke |first=James|author2=Hironobu Sakaguchi |title=Hironobu Sakaguchi Interview |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly|EGM]] |issue=232 |quote=[...] So for ''Final Fantasy II'' and ''III'', our staff actually brought all the equipment, everything that was necessary to finish those games, to Sacramento, because (Gebelli) couldn't come back to Japan. [...] We finished ''Final Fantasy II'' and ''III'' in Sacramento, California. [''Laughs''] |author2-link=Hironobu Sakaguchi}}</ref> The completed game was one of the largest ever released for the Famicom, published on a 512 [[Kilobyte|KB]] cartridge, the second-highest capacity available for the console.<ref name="euro">{{cite web|author=Rob Fahey |date=March 13, 2007 |title=Fantasy Reborn |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/fantasy-reborn-interview |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=March 10, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626022240/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/fantasy-reborn-interview |archive-date=June 26, 2010}}</ref> Like many console role-playing games of the era, ''Final Fantasy III'' is noted for its difficulty.<ref name="euro" />

[[Square (video game company)|Square]] developed and released ''Final Fantasy III'' during the same period that Nintendo released its 16-bit [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]] console, intended as the successor to the original 8-bit Famicom. Designer Hiromichi Tanaka said that the original game was never released outside Japan because [[Square (video game company)|Square]] was focused on developing for Nintendo's new console:

{{blockquote|Nowadays we know that when you've got a platform like [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], you'll have [[PlayStation 2]] and then [[PlayStation 3]], and where you've got Xbox, you move on to [[Xbox 360]] - you can sort of assume what's going to happen in the future. But back then, that was the first time that we'd seen a new generation of consoles, and it was really difficult to predict what was going to happen. At that time, then, we were working so hard to catch up on the new technology that we didn't have enough manpower to work on an English version of ''Final Fantasy III''.|author=Hiromichi Tanaka<ref name="euro" />}}

[[Square (video game company)|Square]] planned to localize and release the game outside Japan; however, plans to localize the game were scrapped.<ref>[http://www.siliconera.com/2013/06/24/flyer-shows-square-planned-on-localizing-final-fantasy-iii-for-the-nes-too/ Flyer Shows Square Planned On Localizing Final Fantasy III For The NES Too – Siliconera<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031025145/http://www.siliconera.com/2013/06/24/flyer-shows-square-planned-on-localizing-final-fantasy-iii-for-the-nes-too/ |date=October 31, 2013}}</ref>

===Music===
{{Main article|Music of Final Fantasy III{{!}}Music of ''Final Fantasy III''}}
The music of the ''Final Fantasy III'' was composed by regular series composer [[Nobuo Uematsu]]. ''Final Fantasy III Original Sound Version'', a compilation album of almost all of the music in the game, was released by Square/[[NTT Publishing]] in 1991, and subsequently re-released by NTT Publishing in 1994 and 2004.<ref name="RPGFOSV">{{cite web|author1=Gann, Patrick |author2=Schweitzer, Ben |title=Final Fantasy III OSV |url=http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff3ost/index.html |publisher=RPGFan |date=June 17, 2006 |access-date=March 27, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116213527/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff3ost/index.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013}}</ref> A vocal [[arrangement]] album entitled ''Final Fantasy III Yūkyū no Kaze Densetsu'', or literally ''Final Fantasy III Legend of the Eternal Wind'', contains a selection of musical tracks from the game, performed by Nobuo Uematsu and Dido, a duo composed of Michiaki Kato and [[Sizzle Ohtaka]]. The album was released by Data M in 1990 and by Polystar in 1994.<ref name="RPGFYKD">{{cite web|last=Gann |first=Patrick |title=Final Fantasy III Yūkyū no Kaze Densetsu |url=http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff3legend/index.html |publisher=RPGFan |date=May 6, 2000 |access-date=March 27, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116220454/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff3legend/index.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013}}</ref>

Selected tracks the game were featured in various [[List of Final Fantasy compilation albums|''Final Fantasy'' arranged music compilation albums]], including ''[[Final Fantasy: Pray]]'' and ''[[Final Fantasy Vocal Collections II: Love Will Grow|Final Fantasy: Love Will Grow]]'' (with lyrical renditions performed by singer [[Risa Ohki]]),<ref>{{cite web|last=Gann |first=Patrick |title=Final Fantasy Vocal Collections II [Love Will Grow] |publisher=RPGFan |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/fflove/index.html |access-date=July 24, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531231702/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/fflove/index.html |archive-date=May 31, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Gann |first=Patrick |title=Final Fantasy Vocal Collections I -Pray- |publisher=RPGFan |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ffpray/index.html |access-date=July 24, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531231708/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ffpray/index.html |archive-date=May 31, 2008}}</ref> and the [[The Black Mages II: The Skies Above|second]] and [[The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight|third]] albums from Uematsu's [[progressive metal]] group, [[The Black Mages]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Jones |first=Jesse |title=Final Fantasy ~ The Black Mages II: The Skies Above |publisher=RPGFan |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ffbm2/index.html |access-date=July 14, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714102758/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ffbm2/index.html |archive-date=July 14, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Castonguay |first=Logan |title=Final Fantasy ~ The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight |publisher=RPGFan |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ffbm3/index.html |access-date=July 14, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714060956/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ffbm3/index.html |archive-date=July 14, 2008}}</ref> Several tracks from the game were subsequently remixed and featured in later Square or [[Square Enix]] titles, including ''[[Chocobo Racing]]''<ref name="SEMOCR">{{cite web|author=Kie |title=Chocobo Racing Original Soundtrack: Review by Kie |publisher=Square Enix Music Online |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/kie/chocoboracing.shtml |access-date=February 26, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323204755/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/reviews/kie/chocoboracing.shtml |archive-date=March 23, 2012}}</ref> and ''[[Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon]]''.<ref name="RPGFFFF">{{cite web|author=Jeriaska |title=Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon ~Labyrinth of Forgotten Time~ OST |publisher=RPGFan |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/chocod-time/index.html |date=March 14, 2008 |access-date=February 26, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116215357/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/chocod-time/index.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013}}</ref> Several pieces from the soundtrack remain popular today, and have been performed numerous times in [[Final Fantasy concerts|''Final Fantasy'' orchestral concert series]] such as the ''Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy'' concert series and the ''Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy'' series.<ref name="SEMOTDJinfo">{{cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/dvds/tourdejapon.shtml |title=Album Information - Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy DVD |publisher=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=February 22, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120065505/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/dvds/tourdejapon.shtml |archive-date=January 20, 2013}}</ref><ref name="SEMOFFDWinfo">{{cite web|url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/f/ffdistantworlds.shtml |title=Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy - Album Information |publisher=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=February 22, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409215604/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/f/ffdistantworlds.shtml |archive-date=April 9, 2012}}</ref>

===Cancelled WonderSwan Color remake===
Bandai unveiled their [[WonderSwan]] Color handheld system in 2000 and had immediately headed up a deal with Square to release enhanced remakes of their first three ''Final Fantasy'' titles on the new console.<ref name="IGN">{{cite web|author=Harris, Craig |date=September 8, 2000 |title=Final Fantasy Goes WonderSwan Color |url=http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/084/084736p1.html |website=IGN |access-date=September 3, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307014218/http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/084/084736p1.html |archive-date=March 7, 2007}}</ref> Although ''Final Fantasy'' and ''Final Fantasy II'' were both released within a year of the announcement, ''Final Fantasy III'' was ultimately delayed from its late 2001 release date, even after Bandai picked up the game's publishing rights.<ref name="Delayed">{{cite web |author=Joseph Witham |year=2003 |title=Final Fantasy III Still WonderSwan Bound |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2003/030603b.html |publisher=RPGamer |access-date=September 4, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061106181042/http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2003/030603b.html |archive-date=November 6, 2006}}</ref> While a port of ''[[Final Fantasy IV]]'' was eventually released for the [[WonderSwan|WonderSwan Color]], [[Square (video game company)|Square]] remained silent regarding ''Final Fantasy III''. Although the game was never formally cancelled, the official website was taken offline once production of the WonderSwan Color consoles ceased in 2002.<ref name="Website">{{cite web|author=Eve C. |year=2002 |title=WSC FFIII Vanishes, FFI-II Remake In The Works |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2002/1717.html |publisher=RPGFan |access-date=September 4, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315205600/http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2002/1717.html |archive-date=March 15, 2007}}</ref>

In 2007, Hiromichi Tanaka explained in an interview that the WonderSwan Color remake had been abandoned because the size and structure of the coding of the original Famicom game was too difficult to recreate on the WonderSwan Color:

{{blockquote|When we developed ''FF3'', the volume of content in the game was so huge that the cartridge was completely full, and when new platforms emerged, there simply wasn't enough storage space available for an update of ''FF3'', because that would have required new graphics, music and other content. There was also a difficulty with how much manpower it would take to remake all of that content.|author=Hiromichi Tanaka<ref name="euro" />}}

==Versions and re-releases==
{{unsourced section|date=April 2025}}
There are two distinct ''Final Fantasy III'' versions: the original 2D Famicom version, and a [[Final Fantasy III (2006 video game)|completely remade 3D version]].
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Chronology of ''Final Fantasy III'' 2D versions and remasters
|-
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! scope="col" | Release
! scope="col" | Country
! scope="col" | System
! scope="col" | Developer
! scope="col" | Publisher
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 1990 || Japan || [[Family Computer]] || [[Square (video game company)|Square]] || [[Square (video game company)|Square]] || The original version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2009 || Japan || [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]] ||  || [[Square Enix]] || Virtual Console release of the original Famicom version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2014 || Japan || [[Wii U]] [[Virtual Console]] ||  || [[Square Enix]] || Virtual Console release of the original Famicom version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2014 || Japan || [[Nintendo 3DS]] [[Virtual Console]] ||  || [[Square Enix]] || Virtual Console release of the original Famicom version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2016 || Japan || [[NES Classic Edition|Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer]] || [[Nintendo]] || [[Nintendo]] || Emulated release of the original Famicom version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2021<br />2023<br />2024 || worldwide || [[Android (operating system)|Android]]<br />[[iOS]]<br />[[Windows]] (via [[Steam (service)|Steam]])<br />[[Nintendo Switch]]<br />[[PlayStation 4]]<br />[[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]] || [[Square Enix]] || [[Square Enix]] || 2D remaster based on the original game.
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Chronology of ''Final Fantasy III'' 3D remake
|-
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Release
! scope="col" | Country
! scope="col" | System
! scope="col" | Developer
! scope="col" | Publisher
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| ''[[Final Fantasy III (2006 video game)|Final Fantasy III]]'' || 2006<br />2006<br />2007<br />2007 || Japan<br />NA<br />AUS<br />EUR || [[Nintendo DS]] || [[Matrix Software]] (Japan),<br />[[Square Enix]] || [[Square Enix]] || A complete 3D remake of the original game.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2011 || worldwide || [[iOS]] || [[Square Enix]]|| [[Square Enix]] || Port of [[Nintendo DS]] version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2012 || worldwide || [[Android (operating system)|Android]] || [[Matrix Software]] (Japan)<br />[[Square Enix]] || [[Square Enix]] || Port of [[iOS]] version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2012<br />2012<br />2012 || Japan<br />NA<br />PAL || [[PlayStation Portable]] <br />[[PlayStation Store]]  || [[Matrix Software]] (Japan)<br />[[Square Enix]] || [[Square Enix]] || Port of [[iOS]] version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2013 || worldwide || [[Ouya]] || [[Square Enix]] || || Port of [[Android (operating system)|Android]] version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2013 || worldwide || [[Windows Phone]] || || [[Square Enix]] || Port of [[Android (operating system)|Android]] version.
|-
| ''Final Fantasy III'' || 2014 || worldwide || [[Windows]] (via [[Steam (service)|Steam]]) || [[Matrix Software]] (Japan)<br />[[Square Enix]] || [[Square Enix]] || Port of [[Android (operating system)|Android]] version.
|}

==Reception==
{{Expand section|with=expanded content from the new ratings of the game|talk=Reception|small=no|date=April 2025}}
{{Video game reviews
| MC = PC (''Pixel Remaster''): 79/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[Red Ventures]] |access-date=August 7, 2021 |archive-date=December 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209063917/https://www.metacritic.com/game/final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Fam = FC: 9/10, 9/10, 10/10, 8/10<ref name="famitsu review">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Famitsu|Biweekly Famicom Tsūshin]]|issue=100|date=May 11, 1990|publisher=[[ASCII Corporation]] | page=16 | language=Japanese | title=新作ゲームクロスレビュー|trans-title=New Game Cross-Review}}</ref>
| HCG = 8/10 (''Pixel Remaster'')<ref name="HCG">{{Cite web|url=https://hardcoregamer.com/reviews/review-final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster/407720/|title=Review: Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster|date=July 28, 2021|first=Chris|last=Shrive|publisher=Hardcore Gamer|access-date=December 26, 2021|language=en-US|archive-date=December 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227025511/https://hardcoregamer.com/reviews/review-final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster/407720/|url-status=live}}</ref> 
| TA = iOS (''Pixel Remaster''): {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toucharcade.com/2021/08/03/final-fantasy-3-pixel-remaster-review-iphone-ipad-android/ |title='Final Fantasy III' Pixel Remaster Review – Slicing Onions Make Me Weep With Joy |last=Musgrave |first=Shaun |date=August 3, 2021 |website=[[TouchArcade]] |access-date=August 5, 2021 |archive-date=August 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805091705/https://toucharcade.com/2021/08/03/final-fantasy-3-pixel-remaster-review-iphone-ipad-android/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| RPGFan = 8/10 (''Pixel Remaster'')<ref name=RPGFan>{{cite web|first=Zach|last=Wilkerson|date=July 30, 2021|title=Final Fantasy III (Pixel Remaster)|url=https://www.rpgfan.com/review/final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster/|work=RPG Fan|access-date=December 26, 2021|archive-date=December 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227025525/https://www.rpgfan.com/review/final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster/|url-status=live}}</ref> 	
| rev2 = ''Siliconera''
| rev2Score = 7/10 (''Pixel Remaster'')<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.siliconera.com/review-final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster-is-a-piece-of-history/|title=Review: Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster is a Piece of History|first=Jenni|last=Lada|date=July 28, 2021|access-date=December 26, 2021|archive-date=December 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227025515/https://www.siliconera.com/review-final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster-is-a-piece-of-history/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev1 = ''RPGSite''
| rev1Score = 7/10 (''Pixel Remaster'')<ref name="RPGSite">{{cite web|first=Scott|last=White|date=July 28, 2021|title=Final Fantasy 1-3 Pixel Remaster Review|url=https://www.rpgsite.net/review/11523--final-fantasy-1-3-pixel-remaster-review|work=RPG Site|access-date=December 26, 2021|archive-date=January 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108042022/https://www.rpgsite.net/review/11523--final-fantasy-1-3-pixel-remaster-review|url-status=live}}</ref> 
}}

Upon release, the four reviewers in ''Famicom Tsūshin'' (now ''[[Famitsu]]'') with two reviewers praising the job system as fun, while one stated that it was "a bit of a hassle, but you get used to it."<ref name="famitsu review" /> One reviewer compared the game to ''[[Dragon Quest IV]]'' (1990), saying some parts of ''Final Fantasy III'' surprass it.<ref name="famitsu review" />

In ''Famicom Tsūshin''{{'}}s 1990 [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]] awards, ''Final Fantasy III'' was voted the runner-up for the Grand Prize, with 37,101 points, behind ''Dragon Quest IV''.<ref>{{citation|magazine=[[Famitsu|Famicom Tsūshin]] |year=1990 |title=Best Games of 1990 |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.games.video/OccmuafYtzc |access-date=January 9, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20110122130054/https://groups.google.com/forum/ |archive-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref> In 2006, readers of the Japanese gaming magazine ''[[Famitsu]]'' voted the original ''Final Fantasy III'' the eighth [[List of video games considered the best|best video game of all-time]], above ''Dragon Quest IV''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Carless |first=Simon |title=Famitsu Reveals Top 100 Reader-Voted Games of All Time |website=[[Gamasutra]] |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/famitsu-reveals-top-100-reader-voted-games-of-all-time |date=March 3, 2006 |access-date=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624124427/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8378 |archive-date=June 24, 2008}}</ref> As of March 2003, the original Famicom game had shipped 1.4 million copies in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.square-enix.com/jp/ir/e/explanatory/download/0404-200402090000-01.pdf#page=27 |title=Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies |date=February 9, 2004 |access-date=March 1, 2008 |publisher=[[Square Enix]] |page=27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213144948/http://www.square-enix.com/jp/ir/e/explanatory/download/0404-200402090000-01.pdf |archive-date=February 13, 2012}}</ref>

==Legacy==
From 1991 to 1992, [[Kadokawa Shoten]]'s Famicom gaming magazine, {{nihongo|''Maru Katsu Famicom''|マル勝ファミコン}} published {{nihongo|''Legend of the Eternal Wind, from Final Fantasy III''|悠久の風伝説 ファイナルファンタジーIIIより|Yūkyū no Kaze Densetsu Fainaru Fantajī Surī-yori}}, a [[manga]] [[serialization]] of ''Final Fantasy III'' illustrated by Yu Kinutani. Based on the original story by [[Kenji Terada]], the manga chronicles the events that take place throughout the course of the game. It was subsequently collected into three [[tankōbon]] under Kadokawa Shoten's Dragon Comics imprint: ''Legend of the Eternal Wind 1'', ''2'', and ''3''.<ref name="LotEW">{{cite web|url=http://www.ebookjapan.jp/ebj/title/11898.html |script-title=ja:悠久の風伝説 『ファイナルファンタジーIII』より |language=ja |publisher=eBook Japan Initiative |access-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328130800/http://www.ebookjapan.jp/ebj/title/11898.html |archive-date=March 28, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Onion Knight and the Cloud of Darkness are the respective hero and villainess representing ''Final Fantasy III'' in ''[[Dissidia Final Fantasy]]'', where they are voiced by [[Jun Fukuyama]] and [[Masako Ikeda]], respectively, in the Japanese version, and by Aaron Spann and [[Laura Bailey (voice actress)|Laura Bailey]], respectively, in English.<ref>{{cite game |title=[[Dissidia Final Fantasy]] |developer=[[Square Enix]] |publisher=[[Square Enix]] |date=August 25, 2009 |platform=[[PlayStation Portable]]}}</ref> The characters reprise their roles in the sequels, ''[[Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy|Dissidia 012]]'' and ''[[Dissidia Final Fantasy NT|Dissidia NT]]''.<ref>{{cite game |title=[[Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy]] |developer=[[Square Enix]] |publisher=[[Square Enix]] |date=March 22, 2011 |platform=[[PlayStation Portable]]}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Square Enix video game franchises]]
{{Portal|Japan|Video games|1990s}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book | title=Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive | publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] | year=2018 | isbn=978-15-0670-644-3 | volume=1 | publication-place=Milwaukie}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{MobyGames|id=/final-fantasy-iii}}
* {{IMDb title|0207486}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080625120148/http://na.square-enix.com/ff3/ Official North American website]
* {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20080129112533/http://www.finalfantasy3.eu.com/|Official European website}}
* [http://www.square-enix.co.jp/ff3/ Official Japanese website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Final Fantasy series|FF=FFIII|state=expanded}}
{{Matrix Software}}

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