Music is an important part of daily human life, and that goes for both musicians and everybody else. I listen to music everyday and while I am no musician, I feel music is the true reason why I get up every morning. Without music, my life would be too dull and grey to carry on and since I love music so much, especially video game music, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about my love affair with this art.
Specifically, I want to talk about the music that plays in my daily life. That is, music that I commonly listen to during everyday tasks such as work, exercise, or even relaxing. I'm sure many of you out there do the same thing - you have that one song you must listen to while doing a certain thing. I know many people who cannot break a sweat unless if they have Lady Gaga blasting in their ears. But this is a Final Fantasy blog, so I'll be talking about the Final Fantasy tunes I frequently absorb myself in.
It would only be appropriate to start with the song that wakes me up every morning: Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony from Final Fantasy VII. I have this song set as a ringtone-alarm on my cellphone so it's actually quite convenient. This song is perfect for waking up since the tune is essentially a marching song and some mornings I just want to get up and march to the bathroom while screaming, "All hail Rufus!" Right now, this song is the reason why I can get to school on time and get a good start to every day. Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony plays during the party's first visit to Junon Harbour.The song is just below if you're interested in hearing it.
Next up, I'd have to talk about the songs that I listen to while exercising, which include Worlds Collide and Limit Break! from Final Fantasy XIII-2, Clash on the Big Bridge from Final Fantasy XII, and Blitz Off! and Otherworld from Final Fantasy X. What all of these songs have in common is that they're energetic and most importantly, loud. They help keep me going past what my endurance and stamina are normally capable of, so these songs are of great help in building my physical ability. In the games, Worlds Collide and Limit Break! play during certain boss battles, Clash on the Big Bridge plays during the boss battle with Gilgamesh, Blitz Off! plays during the blitzball mini-game, and Otherworld plays in the opening cutscene of X as well as the second last boss battle. I should mention that Worlds Collide, Limit Break!, and Otherworld contain lyrics, which is actually not a common element in video game music. Tracks of these songs are just below.
Whenever I'm studying or working on various other things, I tend to listen to orchestral music. The Grand Finale was an orchestral arrangement of various Final Fantasy VI tracks released in 1994. The whole thing is a great piece of work and it's such a joy to listen to. I also like to listen to Challenge from Final Fantasy X, which is the track that plays during the boss fight with Yunalesca. The track is an intimidating one so it's good whenever I'm writing a self-test to prepare myself for upcoming exams since it keeps me on my toes and my tension high.
I often relax outside outside my front door while drinking a hot beverage and listening to music. Since I usually go outside during the night time, it's only appropriate that I listen to music that's steady, low, and somewhat dark. Final Fantasy tracks that fits this profile are Underneath the Rotting Pizza and Oppressed People from Final Fantasy VII and Besaid Island from Final Fantasy X. Both tracks from VII exhibit a feeling similar to something you might hear in a noire film, while Besaid Island feels perfect for an evening of relaxation as it provides a calming mood to a long, tense day.
If anyone out there has taken the time to read this: what do you like to listen to in your daily life and for what purpose? I'd like to hear what you guys have to say. This is the Onion Knight signing off. Have a good day!
A while ago I was going through old Final Fantasy commercials here on the blog, but I only got as far as the sixth instalment of the series. I'm back today with another commercial on Final Fantasy VI, although this commercial is actually for Final Fantasy III on the Super Nintendo. The video for said commercial will be posted at the end of this article.
This commercial is actually quite interesting and very well done. The advertisement centres around Mog who is recruiting monsters to appear in Final Fantasy III, although in the end he recruits none because not even the Grim Reaper himself could make the cut! It's actually quite a genius marketing idea because it gives the impression to the viewer that this upcoming game is going to be difficult and BADASS as hell.
This is certainly one of my more favourite commercials. I like the look and artistic design of the puppets, and I know some friends who would agree with me on this. In my opinion, this commercial just screams "this is a Final Fantasy game of the 90s", and it shows no hesitation of holding back.
The Onion Knight hath returned, and today I've whipped up something a little different. I've been playing video games since the age of three and I've beaten hundreds of video games. I would like to present to you a list of what I think are the 10 best video games I have ever played in my 19-year gaming career. Many of these games are not just fun and rewarding experiences, but have also resonated strongly with my feelings and forced tears from my eyes.
10. Uncharted 2
Just as any Uncharted begins, this list starts off with a bang! Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was not just any adventure game; it didn't just rise above the original in every way possible - this game redefined action. The story was deeply involving of the player's emotions, the gore-less action was intense, and the orchestral track pounded hard with every beating moment of the game. The player assumes the role of Nathan Drake, the protagonist from the first Uncharted, and you're hunting the trail that Marco Polo once trekked in search of the ancient lost city, Shangrila. Along the way, you'll face terrorists and monsters alike, all while collecting treasures, climbing mountains, and solving puzzles.
The first time I played Uncharted 2, I didn't really know what to expect. I had never played an Uncharted game before and this game was just something that a friend suggested to me. I was instantly absorbed by Uncharted as soon as the opening began. I would describe the first scene but for you readers out there who have not played Uncharted 2, or any Uncharted game, I would prefer not to spoil anything. Uncharted 2 and 3 are all about first experiences.
9. Resident Evil 4
I'll be honest folks. I'm not a fan of the horror genre, at least when it comes to movies. As a young child, I was scarred many times whenever my cousin watched Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street films in our living room. For that purpose, I avoided horror video games with a great fear. It wasn't until a dark day in 2005 that I finally decided to give the horror genre a chance - and if it was a game other than Resident Evil 4, I probably would've left the genre right there. But Resident Evil 4 wasn't just a game.
It was a turning point in my life.
Resident Evil 4 pits you, U.S. agent Leon S. Kennedy, in the middle of rural Europe and you are on the lookout for the American President's daughter, Ashley Graham. While the setting sounds like something out of Bad Dudes, it was actually quite easy to take the plot seriously. As Leon deals with the evil cult known as the Los Illuminados, he must protect Ashley and guide her to safety. Luckily, acting as babysitter is not a major part of the gameplay. Most of the time, you'll be focused on surviving, shooting out the varied enemeies of the game, and upgrading and customizing your inventory.
Resident Evil 4 was life turning for me in two ways. First, it introduced me to the horror genre. Nearly the whole time, I was in complete suspense and terror of 'what was around the next corner'. Even to this day, there are certain parts of the game that still put me on the edge of my seat due to terror. Second, it helped me prepare for the many RPGs that I would enjoy and complete later in my life. Up until that point, I never truly played any RPGs. While Resident Evil 4 is not an RPG, the customization of your guns and the statistics felt similar to aspects of RPGs and it was those simplicities that began to curve my interest to the role-playing-genre.
8. A Link to The Past
By putting The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on this list, I am also acknowledging that this Super Nintendo Zelda just might be the best one in the series. At least, it's my favourite. You might say, "But Onion Knight, WHAT ABOUT OCARINA OF TIME?!" Yeah yeah, I know. Ocarina of Time, Ocarina of Time, Ocarina of Time. We've all played it. Heck, I've finished the game like a bajillion times. In my opinion, Ocarina of Time was just too easy - I could even finish that game as a kid and I wasn't very good at games back then.
A Link to the Past on the other hand 'makes you use faires', so to speak. The game is also very colourful, it's got a great soundtrack (DarkWorld anyone?), and intimidating enemies and bosses. The puzzle and dungeon aspects of the game, important to any Zelda title, were very well done. A Link to the Past really made you think hard and I even found myself trying many things over and over again until I finally solved something. While that sounds frustrating, it's actually very rewarding. A Link to the Past is not only a great Super Nintendo game but an excellent Zelda game to boot.
7. Earthbound (Mother 2)
Now now readers. No crying until the end - we're only at number 7! There are RPGs, and then, there are RPGs. The kind of RPGs I'm talking about are not the ones that are primarily focused on the gameplay, but more-so on the story and the writing. The characters you control, meet, and fight are all an important part of the game. The places you go and the memories you create on your journey collectively create an unforgettable and life-changing experience. That is what Earthbound taught me. This game is far different from any RPG - nay, any game I have played- because it figuratively reaches into your heart and plays a soft tune. The game connects with you in a sweet, deep way - much like how eating your mother's baked apple pie on a breezy summer's day will make you remember just how important your home is.
If you have never played Earthbound, I highly suggest you play and finish this game. Describing the game to you would be nearly impossible using words, not only because of the game's general weirdness, but also due to the emotions that are created from the enjoyment of Earthbound.
6. Final Fantasy X
You didn't think I was going to make a top ten list and not include a Final Fantasy game? This is a Final Fantasy blog after all. So at number 6 I'm placing what I consider a very special game, to me. Final Fantasy X isn't a game that's too focused on gameplay mechanics. Instead, players take on the role of Tidus, a cocky all-star athlete, who is brought along on a journey with a group of misfit characters. During the group's adventure to save the world of Spira, Tidus (and others) will be faced with many obstacles, both physical and mental. The largest focus of X is definitely the characters, because everyone in the group is supportive of each other. They all share everyone's problems and form together to solve them, which is usually how the group overcomes seemingly impossible obstacles. The characters' problems, feelings, emotions - they all feel real and it's easy to relate to them. It's easy to relate to Tidus' troublesome relationship with his father. It's easy to relate to Wakka's feelings of being betrayed by the very religion he believed in. It's easy to relate to Yuna's feelings of wanting to do good for others but at the same time shirk one's own duties to enjoy one's self. The dilemmas presented before the characters makes it easy for players to connect with the people they are controlling in this game.
Final Fantasy X was one of the first games to really play with my emotions deep down - so much that I actually cried. And many other players have, too. Seriously, if you finish this game and feel nothing, then you just might not have a soul. I've also posted the opening credit sequence and I would like you, the reader, to take a look at it. This video perfectly illustrates the tone and mood of Final Fantasy X.
NOTE: Viewed best in 1080p and fullscreened.
5. Shenmue
Ever wanted to explore a virtual Japan set in 1985 where you play as a martial artist who is set on avenging the murder of his father? Well you're in luck, readers! I've got one word to quench your Japan-ophile appeties: Shenmue. The number 5 spot represents of the most innovative and unique adventure games Sega has ever developed, (and one of the most addicting I may add). You play as Ryo Hazuki, of the Hazuki clan, who is on a mission with a single objective: find and kill the man that murdered your father. If you like exploring, swapping punches, and finding answers to problems, then I suggest you check out this game. I should also mention the amount of things you can do in Shenmue, which include practising martial arts, fighting with martial arts, collecting gachapon toys, playing arcade games (including Sega classics Space Harrier and Hang-On!), advancing the plot, checking out stores and buying things, fiddling around with your items, (such as your gachapon toys or your cassette player), and solving NPC's issues, such as helping a little girl take care of an abandoned kitten.
If you plan to play Shenmue, it's avaliable on the Sega Dreamcast although it will be released as part of a HD collection on both XBox Live and the Playstation Network in the near future.
4. Dragon Quest VIII
If you want to ever play the most perfected video game ever, (at the very least, the most perfected RPG), then you need to look no farther than Dragon Quest VIII. The story and writing, the art, the music, the gameplay - it's all perfect. Everything is done with a true magnificence and, if there any completionists out there who are looking for an RPG challenge, Dragon Quest VIII just might satisfy your wish. Although the story presented higher-than-average difficulty, the sidequests and after-game was a different thing. The challenges you'll face are somewhat extreme and much grinding will be required in order to survive past endgame. That is also something I should warn you of: if you are easily discouraged when it comes to high difficulty, then Dragon Quest VIII may not be for you. This RPG will tax many hours of grinding if you want to finish the story, so a high degree of patience is a must. My final comment will be that Dragon Quest VIII contains the most satisfying ending I've ever experienced out of any video game to date. Everything was tied up perfectly - there were no loose ends and it was a happy ending, too.
3. Metal Gear Solid
These days, the gaming industry is caulk-full of first-person shooters and action games that focus on killing your enemies. But have you ever played a game where it would be logical to run away from your enemies? That's what Metal Gear Solid is all about: stealth and avoidance of foes. In Hideo Kojima's Playstation classic, you take on the role of Solid Snake who is a legendary soldier in the U.S. military. You have been sent on a secret mission to the fictional location, Shadow Moses Island, in the Fox Archipelago to stop terrorists from launching a nuclear attack and rescue two high-profile hostages. Snake will not only need to stealth his way through the terrorist's base but fight their commanders as well. This game I actually found quite difficult at first, but that was probably because I was too well moulded to other shooter games. Once I learned how to properly stealth around enemies, (cardboard box = WIN), I was able to complete my objectives with much more ease.
Metal Gear Solid, although being a much older game, actually has some pretty great voice acting and features voice actors such as David Hayter (script writer for the X-Men and Watchmen movies), Jennifer Hale (Sheena Fujibayashi in Tales of Symphonia), and Quinton Flynn, (Reno in Final Fantasy VII Compilation). The characters were dynamic, the story was very well written while filled with much intrigue, and the gameplay is very, very tight. If you want a good stealth game that will keep your interest and exercise not just your thumbs but your brain as well, then I recommend a healthy dose of Metal Gear Solid.
2. Metroid Prime
Like Resident Evil 4, Metroid Prime was the first of its series that I played. I remember I rented this game on a cold Winter's day, and I was anxiously awaiting to pop it into my Gamecube. Unlike previous entries in the Metroid series, Prime is actually a first-person shooter, (or First-person Adventure if you ask Nintendo), and at the time, I had only played shooters such as 007 games and Medal of Honor. Although my FPS experience is actually quite limited, Metroid Prime is the only game of its genre I still play to this day. So what's so great about this game, you ask?
You are famed bounty hunter, Samus Aran, and you discover a Space Pirate ship floating just near the planet of Tallon IV. After the entire ship explodes, Samus flies to Tallon IV to further investigate the Space Pirate presence and discover what is corrupting the planet. The plot may not be deep, but it doesn't have to be because it allows the player to focus more on exploring and completing objectives as opposed to losing focus on the gameplay due to plot thickness.
While Prime is quite different from its predecessors, it still manages to 'act' and feel like classic Metroid. The player's main objectives are still to find important upgrades such as beam upgrades, High Jump Boots, missiles, and the ever undenyable 'stamp-of-coolness' - the Morph Ball. The music is great and perfectly fits the varied settings while the graphics are absolutely gorgeous and its thanks to these elements that create the best aspect of Prime - the atmosphere.
Its the nostalgia and the feel of this game that brings me back every time. I swear, when the developers were working on this game, their entire focus were probably set on one word: atmosphere. Not just the most important things, such as music, contribute to the atmosphere but the even the little things add their own flair, too. For example, when you're on the wet Tallon IV overworld and look up with the analog stick, raindrops will actually collect on Samus' visor, or if you run through a hallway full of steam, your visor will fog up.
Metroid Prime has forever been a favourite of mine and it actually used to be my number 1 game for many years. That is, until I became addicted to Final Fantasy.
1. Final Fantasy VI
I frequent video game message boards and whenever the debate of 'the best Final Fantasy game ever' is brought up, it's usually between Final Fantasy VI and VII. While I truly enjoyed VII, I have to admit that VI is, for the most part, a better game. The story is well-written, the music is incredible, and the gameplay makes more sense, (to me, anyways). While the materia system in VII was quite neat, I found the Esper system in VI to be much more rewarding and deep. And who can forget the main villain, Kefka Palazzo? He is, by far, not only the greatest villain in the series, but I might also argue he's the greatest villan in any video game. Comparing him to Sephiroth from VII is like comparing Jack Nicholsen's Joker from Batman to Woodrow Wilson, who was a complete momma's boy. The dude just screams insanity and evil.
But enough about Kefka. If I were to sum up this game in six words, it would be: YOU NEED TO PLAY THIS GAME.
And so, my top ten comes to a conclusion. Some of the games on this list are quite old while some are more recent, like Uncharted 2. If there's a game on this list that you haven't played, then you should check it out. While my tastes in video games can be quite different from most people, I assure that these games are actually quite good and deserve a look.
I also have a strange feeling that this list just might change some time soon, so be on the lookout if I ever make an update. This is the Onion Knight signing off. Have a good day!
There is never much talk of programmers these days - instead, gamers tend to bring up topics concerning industry giants like Shigeru Miyamoto, Hideo Kojima, or even Hironobu Sakaguchi. Today, I would like to go over a brief history of someone who is considered a programming legend in the video game world: Nasir Gebelli. Nasir? To you Final Fantasy fans, does it ring a bell? Take a look at the picture below and then you will know how Gebelli is a part of Final Fantasy history.
Nasir Gebelli is an Iranian-American programmer who began his career in the era of the Apple II, and eventually went on to program a handful of games for SquareSoft. Gebelli is legendary because his games were fun, unique, and tended to push the graphics of a system's hardware. Gebelli could be considered much like a Michelangelo of games; able to paint games with such artistry while being limited by present technology.
Gebelli began his career down the programming path when he moved to the United States to study computer science. After receiving his education, he started a game programming company called Sirius Software in 1980. As co-founder alongside Jerry Jewell, Gebelli began producing games at a fast pace - with one year yielding twelve games! Gebelli was known for his rapid production probably due to his method of programming - anything he planned for a game he would memorize in his head, so Gebelli would have to finish his work as fast as possible. During his time at Sirius, Gebelli programmed games such as Space Eggs and Gorgon, the latter becoming the best selling Apple II computer game at the time. It was also during his time at Sirius that Gebelli founded Gebelli Software, although this company closed its doors in 1984. It was shortly after this that Gebelli took a break from his work and travelled around the world.
Gebelli's 'Gorgon' proved to be one of the most popular Apple II games.
In 1986, Gebelli returned from his vacation and visited a friend of his: Doug Carlston, owner of Broderbund. Gebelli was interested in working again as a programmer and asked Carlston where he should begin. Carlston pointed Gebelli in the direction of Japan - specifically at two video game companies, Nintendo and SquareSoft. Then, Gebelli flew to Japan with Carlston and he was introduced to both Nintendo and the development team at SquareSoft. Although Nintendo did not show much interest in him, Sakaguchi knew of Gebelli's work and it was then that Gebelli was added to Square. Nasir Gebelli was now a part of the Square A-Team, which also consisted of Hironobu Sakaguchi, Nobuo Uematsu, and Yoshitaka Amano.
Rad Racer
In the early days of Square, Gebelli programmed both 3D World Runner and Rad Racer. Although 3D World Runner was considered a flop, Rad Racer did show some success in North America on the NES. Even Square translator Ted Woolsey recognized Gebelli's work in Rad Racer, with its beautiful graphics and "disappearing horizon-lines". But when Square was experiencing financial troubles, Sakaguchi came up with the idea of a role-playing video game to feed on Dragon Quest's success: Final Fantasy. Although Final Fantasy is one of the most popular video games on the NES, programming an RPG proved somewhat difficult for Nasir. According to Sakaguchi, "it was the first time he had programmed anything like an RPG". Gebelli did not fully understand what an RPG was and how the battle system for such a game should work. I believe that Final Fantasy may have suffered from so many bugs and glitches due to Gebelli's understanding of RPGs. Nevertheless, Final Fantasy is still a fantastic game and Gebelli did not cease to amaze. Players were in awe at the battle system that Nasir programmed; being able to use four characters at once, the turn-based combat, and especially the spells and their glorious 8-bit animations.
An RPG proved difficult for Nasir to program.
After the success of Final Fantasy, Square proceeded to work on both Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III. The programming was even better in these sequels, especially since Final Fantasy III added 'auto-targeting'. However, there were some hiccups during the development of these games. Gebelli's work visa for Japan expired and he was forced to move back to Sacramento, California. Despite that, Square proved their diligence by moving the development staff temporarily to California with Gebelli, where both Final Fantasy games had their programming completed. After Final Fantasy III, Gebelli began working on a new project with Square which was to be a title for the supposed CD based add-on for the Super Nintendo. The game, Secret of Mana, proved to be one of the most legendary RPGs on the system, meaning that Gebelli had done it once again.
After his work with Square, Gebelli retired with Square royalties to travel the world. It was at this time that Gebelli was finished with the world of programming. It wasn't until August 8, 1998 that Gebelli re-surfaced again, this time at John Romero's Apple II Reunion Party. Romero had an interview with Gebelli, as they recounted on their early days of programming. Gebelli proved not only to be quite humorous, but very humble as well.
Nasir Gebelli currently lives in California and both he and Sakaguchi remain good friends.
April Fools has come and gone. Pranks have been pulled with laughter and tears abound but Google's prank has taken the day, (and many old-school gamers' hearts). Yesterday, Google released a fake advertisement of an upcoming product for the Nintendo Famicom: Google Maps 8-bit. Built like a Famicom cartridge and featuring a style ala Dragon Quest, Google Maps 8-bit uses its own line to connect to the internet. Of course, this product isn't real, but you can check out what our world would like in Dragon Quest. Just go to Google Maps and click the 'Quest' option in the upper right-hand corner - and voila! 8-bit conversion complete! EDIT: Unfortunately, this feature seems to be no longer available.
I thought this was a really cool, (yet cruel), prank. I own a Famicom and if this product was real, I would buy it immediately. Unfortunate as that is, the internet version is sufficient to satisfy my Famicom fanboy-ism. Either way, Google has excellent taste and I have even more respect for the Google team.
AND YES, this does mean there will be more Dragon Quest related posts in the future! I've been experiencing this great series as of late and I plan to share my experiences with these games.
This is probably the tardiest post I've written, but it's better than a sharp stick in the eye! Welcome to the Grove, folks! I am your gardener, The Onion Knight, and today I want to give my thoughts on the XIII-2 demo that was released about two weeks ago.
By 'tardiest post', I meant that this is something I should have documented when I first played the demo, (I just haven't had the time, I apologize!). Final Fantasy XIII-2 was released nearly two weeks ago on January 31. I haven't played it yet, but I've heard multiple good things about it. Of course, many people were upset with Final Fantasy XIII and Square, hoping to heal the fan's broken spirits, made many changes to its sequel to satisfy gamer's tastes. I'll talk more about the full game itself after I've played it, since I plan to review it eventually. For the time being though, I'll talk about the demo.
Once you start the demo and play past the title menu, the player is treated to a cutscene with Lighting's narration thrown in. I didn't really pay much attention since I would be seeing this again anyways. Immediately, you're thrown into a boss battle. It's a pretty easy one, and during the battle you'll perform these actions called 'active cutscenes', where you have to time button commands in order to deal damage, (and get a better reward with victory). After the battle, you can walk around the Bresha Ruins, talk to some NPCs, fight monsters, collect items - typical Final Fantasy fare. For a demo, XIII-2 was fairly customization-oriented. You can change your party leader, capture monsters for your party, gain and change equipment, level up your characters freely, and change many options - which, to my knowledge, isn't seen in many video game demos. The battle system is essentially the same as its predecessor, XIII, except now you can command monsters and change your party leader during battle, which is a nice touch.
The element of this demo I liked the most was the atmosphere of the game. Although I could only explore Bresha Ruins, it was a great setting to begin with. The rain droplets falling into your tv screen, the serene music, and the overall mood - it was like something out of a Metroid game!
Overall, I enjoyed the demo and I know that what I'm getting will be a great title. I pre-ordered the Collector's Edition a while ago on Amazon and I also hope to pick up some DLC for the game. If you liked XIII, I'm quite certain you'll like the sequel and if you didn't enjoy it - well, why not give it a try?
This is the Onion Knight signing off. Have a good day!
It's been a few days folks, but I am back once again! Today is our eighth commercial and while our look at Final Fantasy V commercials were somewhat lacking, the next three commercials for Final Fantasy VI are quite unique. The commercial I have for you today is another personal favorite of mine, and I'm glad to finally talk about this one. So what are we waiting for? Let's delve right in!
Wow, now that's what I call a commercial! Beautiful actress possibly portraying Terra (Tina in Japanese)? Check. Gameplay footage? Check. Classic Final Fantasy nostalgia? Major check! This commercial really hit all the chords for me. From the music to the editing of gameplay and appropriate Tina actress, it's quite well done. So what's the commercial about? Well, it just seems to be Tina standing in the wind, (maybe she's thinking about her adventure?), as scenes from the video game itself play in and out during the advertisement. Is the game represented well? I think so! The game is advertised well, since not only do we have gameplay but Tina is prominently displayed. Her expressions are important, as well as the dreary setting of the commercial. Tina looks sad in this video; maybe even depressed, which I think is symbolized by the background, (grey clouds; a moody, stormy atmosphere). Final Fantasy VI is not a 'cheery' game, (it does have its comical moments, though), and in fact, many scenes are quite despondent and tragic.
The music is very fitting, I think. The title of the song is "Roaming Sheep" and it's actually from Final Fantasy III. The title is very appropriate for the game, because it effectively describes the characters and the setting in two words. The characters in the party of FFVI could be viewed as 'roaming sheep', because many times throughout the story, the characters are constantly separated and re-grouped, usually making them vulnerable in a dangerous and dark world - similar to a herd of sheep in a world of wolves.
NOTE: The video below is the track played in the commercial, "Roaming Sheep", which is from Final Fantasy III on the Famicom.
Overall, I really like this commercial! It fits the game quite well and it gives me the energy to want to play Final Fantasy VI again. Great commercial for a great game. I give this one an 8/10.
This is the Onion Knight signing off. Have a good day!
Greetings readers! This is your adventurous writer, the Onion Knight! This is the seventh installment in our look at Final Fantasy commercials. Today's post is going to be a little special because not only will we be looking at two commercials, I also had to dig deep into the depths of "YouTube Hell" to find these hidden gems.
These commercials, like the previous post, centre around a chocobo. The exuberant bird runs around a hole placed in the ground as monsters, (presumably from FF V), jump out of the hole; monsters such as Iron Giants and Bombs. Nothing else can be described since that is all that happens.
Do both of these commercials represent the product well? They certainly represent the series, but the commercials themselves are not very interesting nor exciting. In fact, these commercials remind me of those cheesy toy or children's show advertisements you would normally find on a Saturday morning. Still, the commercials do present the game as a Final Fantasy game; a statement that holds weight when compared to earlier commercials we've looked at thus far.
I don't really have much to say on these two, since not much happens and there's not enough substance to really dig into. At least, not from what I can see. Overall, these commercials are mediocre and slightly hint in the beginning that the game being advertised is specifically Final Fantasy V. The only connection I can make is the chocobo - since chocobos (Remember Bartz's pet chocobo, Boco?) are prominent in FF V more so than any other Final Fantasy title before it.
So here is my question: why are both of these commercials so similar and how are they different?
Welcome to the Grove folks! I am your illustrious writer, the Onion Knight, and today is our sixth commercial. Last time, we travelled to Europe and discovered that, sometimes, a Final Fantasy commercial is actually a Zelda commercial. Now we have left our European friends and return to the land of Japan. Today, we'll be looking at a Japanese commercial for Final Fantasy IV on the Super Famicom. If you thought the English ad for Final Fantasy II on the Super Nintendo was weird, this next commercial blows the competition out of the water - in terms of strangeness.
The first thing you'll notice (I hope you notice) is that the commercial has the chocobo theme playing in the background. Nice! It's such a classic theme and it fits the outlandish mood perfectly. Next, an ostrich, (an ostrich?! NOW I've seen everything), runs along a beach while a person laughs in the background. Wait, what?
What... just happened?
Why is the chocobo theme... ostrich... choco- OH! I see what Square did there. Clever!
The chocobo, of course, is an animal in the Final Fantasy world based upon a real bird: the ostrich. So they used an ostrich to represent the chocobo in the commercial, thus the theme. Well, the theme makes more sense than ever!
This is what a typical chocobo looks like in FFIV.
Overall, the commercial is good and I personally like this one. It's something only Final Fantasy fans will understand, while others will become perplexed, which usually leads to interest of the game - advertised as Final Fantasy IV for the Super Famicom.
Hello readers! Welcome back to the Final Fantasy Grove. I am your writer, the Onion Knight, and today we are looking at our fifth commercial! Gee, is it really day #5 already? Time just flies, doesn't it? Any German speakers in the house? I've managed to find an interesting television snippet that comes from the far-off land of Germany! This is a commercial for the Game Boy game, Mystic Quest. This is not to be confused with the Super Nintendo game of the same title. The Mystic Quest seen here is actually Final Fantasy Adventure; the game was simply re-named in Europe. Although, everything is not all that looks, and today's post will discuss an element of controversy.
Of course, the commercial has German audio, not English. The ad starts with a scruffy, curly-haired man, (Richard Simmons?!), climbing a cliff face. When he reaches the top, he runs toward a sword as lighting rains all around him. He pulls out the sword and lifts it into the air, and the commercial cuts to that of the Game Boy, and the title, Mystic Quest, is displayed. So where does the controversy come into play here?
After viewing the ad, I began reading the YouTube comments. Even though they were all in German, (a language I do not understand very well), one comment caught my interest:
"OMG! Das Schwert ist aus Zelda! Wie peinlich :-)
Aber das SPiel ist trotzdem eines meiner Lieblingen"
Final Fantasy Adventure in Europe
Notice that I highlighted the word Zelda. Being a video game commercial, I immediately thought of the Legend of Zelda franchise. I was a little confused, so I replayed the commercial and that's when I noticed it - the sword. What's so special about it? I knew I had seen the sword somewhere before, because it's the exact same sword seen on the cover of Zelda: Link's Awakening. To throw further in further speculation, the Triforce symbol (an important icon in the Zelda series) is on the sword. Readers, do you know what this means? It means that this commercial was originally an ad for a Zelda game, not a Final Fantasy game. Therefore, the game is (somewhat) falsely advertised. The only 'relatable' Final Fantasy element is the sword, which is false itself since it's clearly a sword from the Zelda series.
I don't really have much else to say about this one. It's not actually a Final Fantasy commercial, so the only thing discussable is the illegitimacy. Tomorrow, we'll have a true Final Fantasy commercial for sure.
Hello readers, this is the Onion Knight and I'm back with another commercial. As we step out of the era of the 8-bit years, new paths are ventured into the world of 16-bit: the Super Nintendo, and its Japanese counterpart, the Super Famicom. I've got an exciting commercial to analyze today as we look at the first Final Fantasy on the Super Nintendo, the 'radness of the 90s' and that early American video game commercials can be just as silly when compared to Japanese ads.
So let's get down to the grit. As with every other commercial, does this advertisement represent the game well? Woah, first and foremost, before we do begin our analysis, I should remind you readers out there that while the game in the commercial is titled "Final Fantasy II", it is actually Final Fantasy IV. Let me explain that statement. After the success of the first Final Fantasy in North America, Square wanted to release more of their games. By the time Final Fantasy was released, however, the next two installments in the series were already released in Japan, and FF IV was already on the way. Since RPGs were very much a niche genre in North America, Square decided it would be wise to skip on porting FF II and III to their American friends, and instead ported FF IV next. Final Fantasy was the only one brought over, thus Final Fantasy IV was re-named Final Fantasy II in North America.
So, back with the analysis. To answer the question, we'll have to look at several aspects of the commercial, and let's keep in mind the time period Final Fantasy II was released, (man, I'm old).
A teenage boy is shown playing Final Fantasy II on his Super Nintendo, (why does it look he has a lunch table in his bedroom?), and his father is outside the bedroom window trying to beckon his son to go outside, (probably to rake leaves). Instead of doing what a son should be doing, he ignores his parent and continues to play the game for what seems to be several months without stopping, (apparently FFII was the World of Warcraft in the early 90s). To quote a YouTube commenter, "...[he] makes it look cool to piss his life away".
The SNES box for Final Fantasy II.
Since we've hit our first American commercial, I'd like to comment on the setting of the ad. Ignoring the lunch table, the commercial has a strong influence of typical 90s attributes. Remember how dinosaurs were the thing for kids back then? No? (I'M SO OLD). Well, just stop the commercial to pinpoint all the things in the room, and suck in that nostalgia if you can. We've also got colors that were quite characteristic of the time, such as the intense pink, or 'radical', colors. Even the sky is a really intense plethora of brightness. Does this family live in some alternate dimension?
From what I've seen, I think the advertisement does an alright job of representing the game. It's a little short on the Final Fantasy eeriness that was displayed in some Japanese commercials. I mean, it's just some kid playing Final Fantasy in his bedroom. That's not an adventure! An adventure in the world of Final Fantasy is flying on airships and riding chocobos and saving the world from monsters hell-bent on the destruction of the planet.
All in all, I do like this commercial but just for its ridiculousness. The kid 'pissing' his life away, his creeper Dad who, after some tragic accident, can only speak in guitar whines, and the fact it took the kid somewhere between 4-8 months to beat a 25 hour video game. If I were to rate this one, I think I'd give it a 5.5/10 - a barely passable commercial.
This is the Onion Knight signing off. Have a good day!
Hey guys, how's it goin'? Onion Knight here and this is the third day in our commercial extravaganza! Yesterday, we looked at an odd (and unexciting) advertisement for Final Fantasy II. Today, we'll talk about a Japanese commercial for Final Fantasy III. This will be the last 8-bit commercial I'll be looking at, which saddens me because I love talking about the older Final Fantasy's. O, but alas, thou must move on.
This commercial for Final Fantasy III is interesting, although I can think of one word that effectively summarizes this ad: nice. Why do I say that? That's really all it is. It's nice, but let's move on, pick this commercial into pieces, and see if we can find anything in the deep.
FFIII art cover of the box
The advertisement starts off with a somewhat spooky, but mostly mysterious atmosphere. What the viewers, us, see are rock pillars jutting out above dark clouds, (I would say that could be a reference to the Cloud of Darkness but I'm just looking too much into it). Next, what looks like TV screens manifest onto the rock faces while bolts of lightning shower the pillars. Well, this is something! Certainly a lot better than the FFII commercial we looked at yesterday. "Okay commercial, you've got my interest!" Then, a crystal forms from the lighting storm among the clouds in the sky and another television screen begins to emerge from said crystal. The TV screen separates from the crystal and it then begins to... rotate? Yeah, the crystal TV (Crystal TV? Now I've seen everything) is actually a cube formed of multiple television screens, each showing a different gameplay element from Final Fantasy III. Well that's awesome!
The atmosphere is really nice. As I mentioned earlier, the setting is quite mysterious and keep in mind the clouds - as clouds were a very important element in the setting of the game. Now that I think about it, the clouds probably represent the dark cloud cover that enveloped most of the world, which is discovered after the characters have left the Floating Continent.
Once again, like previous posts, I want to comment on the music. Here, they use the Prelude theme. This theme is great, and once again it's the arranged version! It's also the only piece that plays in the commercial, unlike the first commercial we looked at where the prelude theme was cut short by the Main theme. Well done!
Artwork of FFIII; Yoshitaka Amano. Note the prominence of clouds.
Overall, the commercial is good and caught my interest from the beginning. I really like this one, although not as much as the FF I&II ad. Speaking of which, at the end our extravaganza, I'll probably list my top 3 commercials and I'll explain why I chose them.
I hope you liked today's commercial! Have a good day!
Onion Knight out.
New day, new commercial! Welcome back to the Grove folks. I am your exuberant host, The Onion Knight, and today we are looking at our second commercial in this advertisement fiesta. Last time, we looked at a commercial for Final Fantasy I & II, and since I couldn't find any ads for the first Final Fantasy, we'll be analyzing a somewhat different and unique commercial for the second title.
Final Fantasy II was released in 1988 and this was probably the first TV ad for a Final Fantasy. Keep in mind that the quality of the YouTube video is very low, (perhaps suggesting just how rare and old this ad is), and that the real purpose is to analyze the commercial itself.
Of course, it's all about Final Fantasy II. But what does the commercial tell us about this game? The first thing we see are Square employees coding the game. This is such a strange way of advertising the game, and it might not be an effective strategy marketing idea in today's world. Showing the developers themselves coding and creating the game? Weird, different, and unique is all I can really say about that. Advertising the names of the people who were behind these games was apparently a popular thing to do during this time, however, this method must have been cut short since I haven't see this kind of stuff after Final Fantasy III.
Look at the bottom of the box here. Notice that the creators' names are presented, even the programmer.
So is there anything about this commercial that speaks Final Fantasy? Well, we have the battle theme from the game playing throughout the commercial, and some of Amano's artwork is even shown throughout; the first being Leon, the next Minwu, then Maria, a boss character(whose name I'm forgetting at the moment), and finally Firion. So we've got developers, artwork, and music, but what's my opinion?
Although the commercial is different from anything I've seen, it's anything but exciting and not much information is given in the commercial. Although the developers are shown, we don't know their names or who they are, and nothing is explained about the game at all. All I can gather is that it's for the Famicom, it has artwork, music, and people are making it. That being said, the commercial is still a rare find and something worth noting.
Tomorrow, we'll finish up the last commercial for an 8-bit Final Fantasy, (unless if I come across any more for the Famicom/NES, or any for the Game Boy FFs).
Hey everyone! I, the Onion Knight, your Final Fantasy Grove writer, hath returned from thou's ever-so long writing hiatus. I sure hope everyone enjoyed their holidays, because I sure did! I even got some interesting Final Fantasy stuff that I'll have to blog about another day. Since I haven't posted in quite some time, I've decided to blog on commercials advertising Final Fantasy. We'll explore and analyze commercials from the early 80's (mostly Japanese ads) right up to the present. Of course, it won't be only Japanese commercials, but other regions such as North American and European, (if I can find them). All of the commercials will be embedded from YouTube and I will be posting a commercial every day until I've run out of any left to find.
Today, I'm posting one of my favorite Final Fantasy commercials; a short but great ad. The commercial advertises Final Fantasy I & II, which was a 'compilation' cartridge released on the Famicom during it's later years of retail. The newer version of the Famicom, (also known as the version with the 'dog-bone' controllers), is also advertised at the end of the commercial. With each commercial I analyze, I'll ask one pertinent question: how well does the advertisement represent the product?
Note: the characters are from FFI while the chocobo is from FFII.
Well, let's look at the visual representation first. Does it look like Final Fantasy? Heck yes. The artistic style, such as the clouds, mountains, and the actors' costumes, all look like some work of Yoshitaka Amano. The airship seen here, (which is a staple in the Final Fantasy games, I should add), seems to be deriven from the artwork seen in the guide released by Nintendo Power for the original Final Fantasy, although that artwork most likely originated from the development team at Square HQ in Japan. Judging from the look of the commercial, it would seem that it's mostly advertising Final Fantasy, not II. The characters seen here do not have similar appearances to characters in FFII, who were Firion, Maria, Guy, and Leon. Although, this is fair since Final Fantasy was probably more popular than the second installment and thus it would be wiser to fully advertise that game. I really like the look of this commercial; it 'oozes' Final Fantasy and seeing the characters riding on an airship into such an inspiring setting spurs me to play Final Fantasy again.
The AV Famicom, aka dog-bone.
Just as important with anything Final Fantasy related is the subject of music. What are the sounds like in the commercial? Are they relatable to Final Fantasy? They sure are! There are two peices that play in the commercial: the first one is an arranged version of the prelude, and then halfway through the commercial, the main theme kicks in. The prelude fits the mood and setting of the commercial perfectly, and personally I wish it lasted a little longer. The main theme comes in somewhat abruptly, although it would only be inexcusable to not put in the main theme in there somewhere. Overall, the music of choice is very good. And did you notice that the airship makes 'wooshing' sounds? Nice touch!
Like I said, this one stands as one of my favorite commercials and I JUST CAN'T FREAKIN' WAIT TO PLAY FINAL FANTASY! But I will pose one last question to you folks: who's flying the airship?
