Gameplay and design
The WonderSwan Color version of Final Fantasy faithfully recreates the core mechanics of the 1987 original. Players still assemble a party of four characters and set out on an adventure across a vast fantasy world. At the start, you choose four characters from six jobs—Fighter, Monk, Thief, White Mage, Black Mage, and Red Mage—and once selected, the lineup cannot be changed for the rest of the game. This design forces careful consideration of party balance before setting out, adding strategic depth to the experience.
The battle system retains the original's turn-based structure, with players issuing commands from a menu—attack, magic, item, and so on—to engage enemies in turn-based combat. Unlike the original, the WonderSwan Color version adds full background images to battle scenes, and the character and enemy sprites have been redrawn in a more refined style reminiscent of the Super NES era. This visual upgrade makes battles feel more immersive while preserving the menu-driven controls, so veterans can jump right in and newcomers can appreciate the charm of classic turn-based RPGs.
The random encounter system and leveling mechanics are fully preserved in this remake. While exploring fields or dungeons, players randomly encounter enemies, and by winning battles they earn experience points and gold, level up their characters, and learn new spells and abilities. This classic growth loop is the heart of the original Final Fantasy, and the WonderSwan Color version presents it without simplification or alteration, letting handheld players experience the same adventure rhythm as on the Famicom.
The job system is a standout feature, with each class having unique stats and tendencies. Fighters excel at physical attacks, Monks deal devastating damage with bare hands, Thieves are fast and can steal items from enemies, White Mages and Black Mages specialize in healing and offensive magic respectively, and Red Mages can use a mix of both. As the game progresses, characters can also undergo class upgrades to gain more powerful abilities, offering rich possibilities for party building and giving players new goals throughout the adventure.
The WonderSwan Color version optimizes the interface for the handheld's screen, with clear menu layouts, readable text, and responsive controls. While the hardware limits mean the visuals can't match home console versions, the development team carefully adjusted the game to ensure a smooth experience on the handheld. For players familiar with the original, this version offers a more comfortable visual presentation while retaining the classic gameplay, making it an excellent way to experience the first Final Fantasy.
Background and release
Final Fantasy was originally developed and released by Square for the Famicom in 1987, marking the beginning of the series. Created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the story follows four Warriors of Light who carry darkened crystals and embark on a quest to defeat the four elemental fiends. The original was a commercial success and received widespread acclaim, regarded as one of the most influential and successful RPGs on the Famicom. It played a significant role in popularizing the RPG genre and laid the foundation for the series' future.
The WonderSwan Color version of Final Fantasy was released in Japan on December 9, 2000, developed by Square and exclusive to the WonderSwan Color. The WonderSwan Color was a handheld console released by Bandai, which had a certain market presence in Japan but far less influence than Nintendo's Game Boy line. Square's decision to remake the original Final Fantasy for the handheld at this time was both a tribute to the series' classic roots and an attempt to expand into the handheld market.
This version was the first handheld remake of the original Final Fantasy and an important title for the series on the WonderSwan platform. It fully updated the 8-bit graphics, adding complete background images to battle scenes and redrawing character and enemy sprites in a style closer to the Super NES. Although the game was described as an action RPG in some promotional materials, the actual gameplay retained the original's turn-based battle system, a discrepancy that may have caused some confusion at the time.
The development background of the original Final Fantasy is somewhat legendary. The game was initially conceived under the title "Fighting Fantasy," but was renamed due to trademark issues. Sakaguchi, facing company difficulties at the time, viewed the game as a last-ditch effort, hence the name "Final Fantasy." The original development was led by Sakaguchi, with a core team of only seven people, including Koichi Ishii and Akitoshi Kawazu, and the music was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, his 16th video game score. These elements together shaped the unique character of the first Final Fantasy.
When the WonderSwan Color version was released, 13 years had passed since the original, and the series had grown into a benchmark of the RPG genre with multiple sequels. This remake not only allowed veteran players to revisit the classic on a handheld but also attracted new players to the series' origins. Although the WonderSwan Color had a short hardware lifespan, this remake holds a place in the series' history and provided a reference for later remakes such as the PlayStation version, Final Fantasy Origins.
Development
Details about the development of the WonderSwan Color version are scarce, but it is known that Square focused on upgrading the graphics. The original Final Fantasy's visuals were limited by Famicom hardware, with simple pixel art for characters and enemies. The WonderSwan Color version redrew these sprites in a style closer to the Super NES and added full background images to battle scenes, giving the game a fresh look that better matched contemporary player expectations.
The original Final Fantasy's development team was led by Hironobu Sakaguchi, with core members including Koichi Ishii and Akitoshi Kawazu, who later became key figures at Square. The original music was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, his 16th video game score, and tracks like "Prelude," "Opening Theme," and "Victory Fanfare" became series staples, still frequently discussed by players today. The WonderSwan Color version also adjusted the music and sound effects to suit the handheld's audio output.
Original programmer Nasir Gebelli included a sliding puzzle minigame in the game, considered the first RPG minigame, and this creative addition was preserved in the WonderSwan Color version. This minigame added a touch of lighthearted fun to the adventure and demonstrated the development team's ingenuity in incorporating casual elements into a serious RPG framework. When porting, the WonderSwan Color version faithfully retained these small details.
The development team faced the main challenge of presenting the original's full content on handheld hardware. The WonderSwan Color's screen resolution and color capabilities differed from the Famicom, so the team had to readjust the screen layout and color palette to ensure clarity on the handheld. They also optimized loading times and control responsiveness to provide a smooth gaming experience. Judging from the final product, these efforts paid off.
Although development materials for the WonderSwan Color version are limited, it can be inferred that Square referenced the original's design documents and assets, enhancing them with contemporary technology. This version was one of the first remakes of the original Final Fantasy, and the later PlayStation version, Final Fantasy Origins, followed a similar approach of upgrading visuals while preserving core gameplay. This remake philosophy later became a convention for series ports, influencing versions across multiple platforms.
Reception and legacy
The WonderSwan Color version of Final Fantasy received a score of 30 out of 40 from Famitsu, which was considered above average at the time and reflected the media's recognition of the version's overall quality. IGN's Peer Schneider also praised the graphical improvements, particularly the redrawn environments, characters, and monsters. Although specific sales figures for this version were not publicly disclosed, as a handheld remake of the original Final Fantasy, it left a positive impression among players.
This version was the first handheld remake of the original Final Fantasy and laid the groundwork for the series' remakes on handheld platforms. Since then, the original Final Fantasy has been ported to various platforms, including PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, and mobile phones, and the WonderSwan Color version's experience provided a reference for these later versions. In this sense, this handheld remake played a bridging role in the series' dissemination and classic legacy.
The original Final Fantasy has had a lasting impact on the RPG genre, with its turn-based combat, job system, and crystal narrative becoming series hallmarks and influencing countless later RPGs. Although the WonderSwan Color version is merely a remake, it allowed more players to encounter this classic through the handheld platform, further cementing the original's status in players' hearts. The original's "Prelude" and other music also became more familiar to players through this version.
The existence of the WonderSwan Color version also reflects Square's strategy in the handheld market. At the time, the WonderSwan Color competed with Nintendo's Game Boy Advance, and Square chose to support the WonderSwan Color by releasing a remake of Final Fantasy, attempting to attract players with a classic IP. Although the WonderSwan Color ultimately failed to dethrone Nintendo's handheld dominance, this game remains remembered by some players as a highlight of its software lineup.
Even today, the story and gameplay of the original Final Fantasy are still frequently discussed, with its influence extending to later works such as the Dissidia Final Fantasy series and the Final Fantasy XIV expansions. The WonderSwan Color version serves as a footnote in this history; although the hardware has long left the market, the classic content and remake philosophy it carried remain worthy of review by players and researchers. For fans of the Final Fantasy series, this handheld version offers a unique window into the series' origins.
