On December 18th, 2024, Final Fantasy 1 will turn 37 years old. Almost four decades ago, it started the illustrious JRPG franchise. At the time, there was no guarantee of sequels or growth. It was just another game in Squaresoft’s growing catalog. Doing well in Japan and internationally, it became Square’s most prominent IP in the years to come.
Sequels and spinoffs would grow from this starting point, with every new game being someone’s first idea of what Final Fantasy was. However, this game was the blueprint. Each new title would consider its past before it grew, and the lessons began here.
A Collaborative Masterpiece
When a new franchise begins, what will become iconic cannot be predicted. Final Fantasy 1 brought together creative talent who would go on to be visionaries in their field. Hironobu Sakaguchi would direct the title and help write the story, which would grow to be the series’ main appeal.
The concept designs were done by Yoshitaka Amano, whose unique flair rarely translated entirely into pixel art. Despite this, his art would be remembered and serve as designs for modern interpretations of these legacy characters. Nobuo Uematsu’s work on sound design and music would further define the franchise, with tracks like the Prelude and Prologue themes being a constant.
Reused Elements
Final Fantasy 1 would of course provide elements to be reused in later games, even literally. The iconic trio of Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder magic wielded by the game’s jobs would persist as the most common of Black Magicks. The job names as well would become iconic, with different-colored Mages accompanying Thieves and Monks borrowed from Dungeons & Dragons.
Final Fantasy could in many ways be seen as an amalgamation of fantasy and myth itself, bringing aspects from fiction and religious iconography together to create something of an ur-myth. Weapons like the Excalibur and Masamune were drawn out of history itself to be wielded by the game’s heroes.
Crystals
The single most specific thing that Final Fantasy 1 brings into play is the iconography of crystals. While not something invented by the series, it would recur in most of the follow-ups (directly in 3, 4, and 5) with crystalline objects often serving as major McGuffins for the games.
The idea of the crystal in its classical diamond-esque shape became a symbol for the series, considered by some to be the series’ singular unifying icon. While there’s seemingly nothing too special or important about the crystals, they help give the franchise something of an identity. It always feels odd when the crystals are de-emphasized or not quite present.
Final Thoughts
Final Fantasy 1 is the starting point for something great. It is inevitable that through iteration, of course, its successors would improve upon its ideas and create more unique gameplay and stories. What began as inspiration from myriad other fantasy sources would become a juggernaut of the medium. What the series often lacks in a singular unified identity it makes up for with inspired ideas and talented creators.
Though much of the original talent mentioned has moved on, their proteges and mentees continue to run the show and produce works of terrific art. If you’ve never given it a chance before, give a thought to Final Fantasy 1 around its birthday this year.
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