Final Fantasy III for iOS systems has been released (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) at a price point of $16 for an enhanced version of the hit Nintendo DS version of the game.
And yes, this is the same exact game as the DS version, no features have been cut. Currently the Final Fantasy III DS version retails for around $20 on Amazon (although they have it on sale right now for $15! Snap that up!) so you may be able to get the game cheaper than you would on DS by buying it on iOS.
Enhancements to the iOS version include super crisp HD graphics that are far and away sharper than the DS version (with higher quality textures and support for Retina Displays) and reworked controls built to take advantage of the iOS systems. Including a virtual analog stick and tap-friendly menus.
The DS version that this game is based off of was itself a complete remake of the original Famicon (NES) version of the game from 1990, which was never released outside of Japan. The game includes a unique Job system where over 20 Jobs are available for any of your 4 party members to switch to at any time, with each job offering unique abilities and also physically changing the appearance of your character. Making it even more fun, is the fact that the different Jobs level-up as their own entities, separate from the character using it. All of this equals a new level of strategy and fun as you swap Jobs in and out in different combinations and to see what new look and effects they will add.
Battles in the game are turn-based, as you’d expect from an early Final Fantasy title, with the typical “group of adventurers save the world” storyline (hey it’s 20 years old so you can’t knock it). It’s also to be noted that random encounters with enemies cannot be turned off, which may be a turn-off in and of itself to those not familiar with the old-school RPG staple.
The game is also extremely brutal, although you can do a Quick Save (at anytime) or a hard save at any point on the word map. Quick Saves cannot be loaded repeatedly though, meaning you can die at the end of a dungeon and have to replay it over again based on your last hard save. Additionally, an exact save point is given upon an interruption or an exit from the game due to a call or text or whatnot, which is an important feature in a portable iOS title.
Here is the Final Fantasy III iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad launch trailer for iOS sysetms.