FF III may not be perfect, but it's still the best RPG the DS has for offer.
FF III marks the birth of the signature job system which is to be used extensively in the series' future games. There is a huge variety of jobs each character can undertake, ranging from the likes of White Mages to Dragoons. As the story unfolds, more jobs will be unlocked and expectantly, the usefulness of which will also progressively increase.
Rather disappointingly, as much as the promise in providing in-depth character customisation; FF III falls short, managing only in giving us different designs for each job. The cute design did little to hide away the fact that each character plays almost the same: attackers attack and magic users cast spells. There isn't any incentive to master a job, since there is no skills and abilities for one to master from. It's almost safe to say that the games' most promising feature has become its greatest undoing.
One well known fact of the game is its tremendous difficulty. Despite its innocuous appearance, FF III is a unforgiving, old-school RPG right at its core. Expect lots of grinding and leveling up to beat the game, a trait prevalent in earlier RPGs but washed down considerably since then. The save-anywhere-you-want function come to expectation in portable RPGs is also found wanting in this remake. Battles are typically hard, and the challenging boss at the end of each dungeon means that gamers shouldn't find the 'game over' screen too unfamiliar. New comers may find FF III a nightmare, but veterans of the genre may find this new-found difficulty refreshing, rather than that much-maligned apprehension.
It's also difficult to take this game for granted. Items such as Phoenix Downs, which revive a fallen comrade, are distributed sparingly. Mega healing potions, save the occasional Elixirs, are non-existent in the game. This inevitably forces players to make intelligent use of their limited resources in order to last the whole game. Noteworthy, there also isn't any save points in dungeons; piling up the frustration, or satisfaction meters, depending on the breed of gamer one belongs.
Game play wise, FF III returns to its roots with traditional turn-based battles. While hardly exciting, this system makes short works of battles, saving much in-game disruptions in the form of random battles; a fact helped by the high enemy encounter rate. The combination of using a stylus and the D-pad to work through menus and battles ends up surprisingly great, and controls has been fantastic.
For all shortcomings in game play, if any, they are more than made up for with the amazing graphics. Especially impressive is the opening FMV, which seems to have broken all rules on how a DS title ought to look like. The game itself isn't bad-looking either, where actions such as summoning and magic have their desired graphical effects. Characters designs are also given a modern uplift; and as much as its development falling short in this remake, it's a welcomed change from the homogeneity in the original game. It's no exaggeration to say that FF III reminds you of how an older PSone title would look like, and it is perhaps the best looking game the DS has churned out.
The game didn't skimp on its sound department either. The scores come from the strokes of the Master-Nobuo Uematsu himself, and that is good assurance. There isn't a particularly piece of tune which really stood out, but all pieces manages to fit nicely into their respective places, making each musical transition a smooth affair. Sound effects should also be given much credit, as the sound of each sword slash, fist punch, or firing cannons are genuine enough for this DS title.
It is the use of the DS functions, or the lack of it, where FF III bears most criticism. Majority of the game's actions are orchestrated in the bottom screen, limiting its counterpart to doing meagre functions such as showing maps and menus, or worst- perpetual darkness. The game supports Wi-Fi in the most obnoxious way- letter exchange with friends, and as little fun as it sounds, this is the sole way to obtaining a secret class and a hidden dungeon after one completes the game. Being a DS title, more innovation is expected; and that just didn't happen with FF III.
With the huge hype surrounding the game even before its release, it's hard not to feel a tad disappointed with the final product. Unlike other Final Fantasy titles, the story isn't much to write home about. But considering the age of the original title, this remake hasn't done too much wrong. Right at its core, FF III is a charming, enjoyable and challenging; albeit short RPG which should satisfy the role-playing needs of most DS owners. Fans of the genre shouldn't be too disappointed by this remake either.