For a game whose initial Western release wasn't until 16 years after it debuted in Japan, Final Fantasy III seems intent on making up for lost time. Square Enix has announced that the title will be making an appearance on the Kindle Fire.


With the Kindle Fire release, Final Fantasy III will be available in 8 different formats, with another planned release for the OUYA. This version will cost $15.99, but considering the quality of game we have on our hands, it seems far less exorbitant.

Will any other titles see a Kindle Fire release? We'll let you know!

[Source: siliconera] ...

The team over at TheLifestream.net have been very busy preparing something very special. Going by the screen name Pixel both at TheLifestream.net and here at our very own EoFF, one dedicated FF enthusiast Joseph Knight has assembled a team and created audio book versions of the On the Way To a Smile short stories that bridged the gap between Final Fantasy VII's finale and Advent Children's opening act.

You can check out "The Case of Tifa" here, free for download, along with the other short stories. If you've got a long commute to work, this is the perfect way to pass the time. Let your inner FF nerd out a little!

I chatted with Joseph a little just to find out what kind of FF fan he really is.


Q: What got you into Final Fantasy in the first place? Do you love the stories?
JK: FF7 was my first, so it has always had a special place in my heart. These stories [On the Way to a Smile] added so much more to the characters we all love, even more than we saw in the original game or Advent ...

As the preparation for Final Fantasy XIV's final save maintenance begins, Square Enix have revealed a fun little easter egg. That 'moon' you see up in the sky, casting an ominous shadow over Eorzea, is Dalamud. And it's set for a collision.


The final save maintenance is scheduled between 2pm and 10pm on October 31 PDT, so nothing after that will count towards your characters in A Realm Reborn. But the game will be playable up until November 11, at which point Dalamud is expected to crash into Eorzea and - presumably - wipe everything out!

Make sure you're a part of this memorable moment! Robert Peeler, community manager at Square Enix NA has invited everyone to join him and fellow Square Enix employees in these final moments. It certainly will be a climax to remember!

Following the end of Final Fantasy XIV 1.x, producer/director Naoki Yoshida will be hosting a Letter from the Producer LIVE Part IV, so keep tuned here ...

Ever wanted the classic Chrono Trigger at your fingertips wherever you went? Well your prayers have been heard, because Square Enix has just announced the game's debut on the Google Play store.


Help Crono defend the world from the greatest threat by travelling through time itself. Time travel is literally the coolest thing ever. For those of you who've never given this gem a go, here's your chance to experience the wonder that is Chrono Trigger.

It's going to cost you a cool $9.99, but with the number of top gaming lists Chrono Trigger has topped, you'd be a fool not to give it a shot! ...

This oddly named title has been getting all of praise in Japan. While we still haven't heard wind of it heading to Western shores, our Japanese brothers and sisters are getting ready to enjoy even more of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy with a free PC companion being released.

Square Enix says there'll be a way to link up the two games, with the PC version no doubt being used to unlock things in the main game. This is building off the city building elements (pun intended) that we reported last month. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is shaping up to be an awesome game, so Square Enix: why haven't you let us play it yet?


[Source: siliconera] ...

Epic Games have been hard at work creating its Unreal Engine 4 and Square Enix are the first ones to publicly license it. With the latest technology at its back, Square Enix will be able to realise all of its gaming goals. Or at least, that's what I'm hoping! Perhaps now with the Unreal Engine 4, SE might put Final Fantasy Versus XIII together and release it for us. I'm expecting sexy, sexy characters graphics like we saw in the Agni's Philosophy tech demo. Wait, that was from the Luminous Engine, not Unreal 4. Who owns the Luminous Engine again? ...Oh.


[Source: Joystiq] ...

Remember how there was a sequel teased at the end of the iOS port of The World Ends With You? We might very well have it on the way, in a sense. Continuing with Square Enix's complete and utter focus on social and mobile gaming, The World Ends With You: Live Remix is set to be released for smartphones too.


There's still no news on exactly what TWEWY: Live Remix is all about - it could very well be a spin off and not a true sequel - but Kotaku are predicting a release "in Winter." That's Summer for you Southern hemisphere folks. Only way to find out if this is the sequel we're all waiting for is to pick it up, I suppose!

[Source: Kotaku] ...

The battle systems in Final Fantasy form the crux of the gameplay; without battles, there would be very little else to pass the time between story events. With such an important role to play, it's a wonder that Hiroyuki Ito is an uncommon name. Ito created the turn-based battle system that Final Fantasy began with, and has played a major role in shaping each subsequent version, even pioneering the ATB system.

In an interview with 1UP, Ito revealed the inspiration behind Final Fantasy's turn-based battle system: American Football. He cited the concept of two teams lining up on opposite sides, each with pre-set plays, ready to execute. Ito had another interesting influence when it came down to creating the Active Time Battle system too; he tried to create "action-like game with no action elements" by using techniques from racing games.

"At the time, there was a shift going on in Formula One racing, where they introduced semi-automatic transmissions," ...

Square Enix's celebrations for Final Fantasy's 25th Anniversary have been quite extensive. From collectible merchandise, to new Final Fantasy novels, new (and very collectible) Ultimania guides, as well as new game announcements, Square Enix has really been going all out in this milestone of a year. While Square Enix is searching for their No. 1 Fan, an event for the FF fanatics has already taken place. The FINAL FANTASY Experience was held in Seattle, WA on August 31 and and brought people together with a shared love of the series. For those of us who couldn't make it, the guys at iam8bit compiled a short video (below) giving us a glimpse of what the event was like.


Also, the winners of our limited edition Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary posters will be revealed live very soon in our chatroom! Join in and see if you've scored one! ...

There aren't many people as well known in Final Fantasy as Yoshitaka Amano. The legendary artist has created some very iconic pieces, and his art is highly collectible; just ask our very own Amano-enthusiast, espritduo! Not only that, but it is Amano's art featured on the limited edition posters we're giving away!


He was recently interviewed by Kotaku and revealed his two favourite characters: Kain and Terra. For him, they were the closest to real actors, come to life through his artwork. They're also two of my personal favourite characters and were given powerful parts to play in their respective games.

The interview also revealed some other interesting facts, like Amano has never played a Final Fantasy game; his children would always snatch them up before he could.

For the full interview, click the link at ...

Last month we brought you news of the Square Enix hacking that took their Official Online Goods Store offline. Though there was apparently no financial threat to customers with credit card details not being stored online, other information such as names and mailing addresses might have been compromised.

A month after the breach was discovered, Square Enix has announced the permanent retirement of the site.


The products previously vendored through the Official Online Goods Store - which was primarily focused on collectibles and character goods - aren't gone forever though. Square Enix will shift it all over to their official e-store, which has previously been only for games and music.

Consolidating their products into a single online store after a successful breach seems like a risky idea to me though. What do ...

Last month we brought you some info on an iOS rhythm game from Square Enix and iNiS - the guys behind Elite Beat Agents. Demon's Score looks like another enjoyable rhythm based game, perhaps an attempt to revive the genre. But Square Enix also seems to be using it to screw over its Western fanbase.


While the initial $6.99 price tag for Demon's Score looks relatively affordable -- especially compared to the ~$19.99 price in Japan -- it is actually a trap. Cue Admiral Ackbar. The actual version released to western audiences is heavily scaled back, with a number of DLCs required to actually unlock the full game. Japanese customers are saved the hassle in their one-time fee, but western gamers are going to be forced to buy $2.99 and $3.99 DLCs if they want the same experience, totally somewhere around $40 for the same ...

There seems no end to the little packs that Square Enix is throwing together to celebrate Final Fantasy's 25th Anniversary. Now, just a couple months out from the official date, Square Enix has announced a series of vinyl records to celebrate the series' music.

Only 30 tracks will be featured across the 5 record compilation, so we're going to be getting a Best Of collection and not the entire discography. Don't panic though; Nobuo Uematsu is involved, so you just know it's going to be great.

The vinyls are set to be release on November 11 and will cost around US$150, so it's certainly one for the true collectors. If you're a dedicated fan of the Final Fantasy series and collector of memorabilia, then this Anniversary year is shaping up to be a goldmine, albeit an expensive one!

Source: Destructoid ...

Do you rate yourself as a bit of a singer? Too shy or socially awkward for those singing contests on the TV? Then why not audition for a spot in an upcoming Square Enix game!


Square Enix are holding auditions for a spot in an unspecified upcoming title. The first round requires hopefuls to sing a cover of one of five The World Ends With You songs though, so here's hoping it's that sequel we're all wanting!

If you can read Japanese then check out the official Square Enix page yourself. Otherwise, just get your recordings done by September 24 and fire them off to Square yourself! Good luck~

Source: Anime News Network AU ...