Product details

Abstract

Final Fantasy IX gives fans of the franchise the nostalgic thrill of re-experiencing the visual style, gameplay elements and overall spirit of the 16-bit Final Fantasy games of the 8/16 bit eras.

ESRB rating

Animated Violence, Mild Language

Full description

Final Fantasy IX, the third incarnation of Square's acclaimed RPG series on PlayStation, follows the story of an impetuous thief, a mysterious mage, a lonely princess, and a dedicated knight. All are united in their desire to save the kingdom of Alexandria from a queen gone mad. Eight characters are playable in total, with heroes leaving and rejoining your party at certain points in the narrative as they complete specific tasks.

Whenever characters leave the party, you will be updated on their progress with the "active time event" system. An icon at the bottom of the screen will flash when something significant happens outside your party. Selecting an event pauses the current action and displays dialogue sequences or cut-scenes. Although these story segments are optional, viewing them can reveal new character developments.

Final Fantasy IX retains many features from the two previous PlayStation games in the series, including pre-rendered backgrounds, polygonal characters, random battle sequences, and summon attacks. Yet instead of guiding three people in combat, you can battle with up to four. An "active time battle" gauge indicates when a character can attack, while the "trance" gauge builds as characters receive damage. Once this meter is filled, powerful special moves become available.

Final Fantasy IX also includes a card game called Tetra Master and reintroduces the Moogles, a race of creatures that will save your game or give you messages to deliver to others of their kind. On the world map, you can also locate forests populated by the bird-like Chocobos, which can be used as mounts or as part of a "Hot and Cold" mini-game that involves digging up buried treasure. The four-disc Final Fantasy IX requires a memory card with one free block to save progress and character data.

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Special features

Features eight playable characters, each offering distinct skills in combat

Acquire items, weapons, and equipment that grant characters new abilities

Compete in a monster battling card game called Tetra Master