Why the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster Series is the greatest way to play the classics

Here’s what you need to know about the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster series before the first three titles arrive on Steam and mobile platforms from July 28.
By Edward Price

With the first three FINAL FANTASY titles each receiving their own pixel remaster at the end of the month and FINAL FANTASY IV to VI to arrive in the future, let’s look at why you should be excited to relive these classic adventures when they arrive on Steam and mobile devices from July 28.

You can pre-order the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster series here:

FINAL FANTASY Pixel Remaster trailer

Everything is pixel-perfect

The original pixel graphics of the FINAL FANTASY series are iconic. There’s nary an RPG adventurer who can’t instantly spot the Black Mage or the Fighter, and few can deny the fashion sense of the Red Mage. Ever since the first FINAL FANTASY released and the world got to meet the Warriors of Light and the monsters of their world, the pixel art of Kazuko Shibuya has stood the test of time.

With the release of the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster series, Kazuko Shibuya once again enters the fray as the lead pixel artist, helping to update and upgrade the very pixel characters that she first helped pioneer nearly 35 years ago, allowing you to experience the original essence of the game as though you were playing it for the first time in 1987.

Not only that, but the pixel remaster series will allow you to play the first six mainline FINAL FANTASY titles in widescreen and on the go with a consistent pixel style, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful worlds that have come to define generations of gaming in HD and without compromising graphical quality.

The mighty re-arrangements

The improvements don’t just stop there, either. Along with the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster series giving a new lick of paint and delivering a consistent, beautiful style between every title in the collection, the same love and care is also being applied to the soundtracks. The music tracks that people fell in love with all those years ago are getting upgraded and re-arranged.

Those NES and SNES tunes that inspired generations have been remade into full-scale musical pieces that still remain faithful and pay reverence to their original counterparts, supervised by FINAL FANTASY legend Nobuo Uematsu, who composed iconic and much-loved tracks across the series and on all of the titles receiving a pixel remaster in this collection.

Our ears are positively perked up at the idea of being able to hear rearrangements of songs that have defined the series, from the catchy Chocobo theme, to those timeless battle and boss music tracks, and even the unforgettable menu music that soothes our souls for the adventures that lie in wait.

Can you imagine what FINAL FANTASY VI’s Opera scene will sound like, backed by new rearrangements from Nobuo Uemastu? We can’t wait to find out.

The first time Final Fantasy III is available in 2D in the West

When FINAL FANTASY III first released, it helped revolutionise the formula of the series. With the introduction of the Job system and the ability to conjure summons to the battlefield, it allowed us to experience what would become long-running features of the franchise for the first time.

…at least if you lived in Japan. Unfortunately, players in America and Europe never got to experience this for ourselves, and would have to wait for later entries in the series to make their way to our shores before we’d be able to enjoy the innovations the game bought us.

While FINAL FANTASY III was eventually released worldwide on Nintendo DS and on Steam, PSP, and mobile devices as a 3D remake, players outside of Japan have yet to be able to play this classic adventure in its original 2D style. With the release of FINAL FANTASY III pixel remaster, you’ll finally be able to experience this piece of gaming history as it was when it was first released, lovingly updated with Kazuko Shibuya’s art, a re-arranged soundtrack courtesy of Nobuo Uematsu, and widescreen resolution.

That unshakeable nostalgia, that undeniable quality

Those who’ve played FINAL FANTASY I through VI know that these titles are something special. Whether it’s spending time contemplating what configuration of classes forms your Warriors of Light in the original FINAL FANTASY, naming your first band of heroes in FINAL FANTASY II only to see them taken away from you in an unwinnable battle, or the first time you witness Shiva’s Diamond Dust, there’s never time wasted, only enjoyed.

The FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster series represents the perfect opportunity to dive into the classics, whether you’re in for the nostalgia ride, or preparing to set off on your first foray into the franchise. There’s always challenge, intrigue, and battles to be had at every corner, and with the revamped music and upgraded graphics, you can witness some of the greatest stories and moments around once again, or for the very first time.

Who will make up your line-up in the first FINAL FANTASY? Will you go with an even spread of classes, go for glory with a party of solely Fighters, or take a self-imposed challenge with four White Mages? How will you react to first meeting a Chocobo in FINAL FANTASY II? What classes will you outfit your team in FINAL FANTASY III? Will you follow Cecil on his journey to redemption in FINAL FANTASY IV? Clash with Gilgamesh in FINAL FANTASY V? Put an end to Kefka’s machinations in FINAL FANTASY VI, and achieve everyone’s life goal of suplexing a train?

No matter if you’re playing on mobile, or you’re playing on widescreen in the comfort of your home, there truly is nothing as amazing as diving into the world of FINAL FANTASY - whether it’s for the first time, or all over again.

With six titles coming to your fingertips, the pixel remaster series is undeniably the best way to play these classics.


The first three entries in the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster arrive on Steam and mobile devices from July 28, while FINAL FANTASY IV to VI will release periodically in future. Each of these titles can be purchased individually upon their release, or you can enjoy all six titles as part of a bundle, allowing you to enjoy the first three FINAL FANTASY titles upon their arrival, and each subsequent title as they release.

For more information on the release dates of FINAL FANTASY IV through VI, make sure you follow the FINAL FANTASY team on social media to stay up to date with the news:

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