The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster brings six classic JRPGs into one collection, offering a comprehensive look at the 2D roots of the long-running and venerable franchise. In fact, even for new fans, this is a wonderful place to start with the series and this new collection offers the most pain-free and pleasant way to experience the originals without wholly changing the experience to make it unrecognizable.

Ported to the Switch and PlayStation 4, this collection features a few new additions for consoles, such as the ability to switch between the newly arranged soundtrack and the original, as well as new font options, the ability to turn off random encounters, and changing the speed of the gameplay. These are welcome additions to help make each title as approachable as ever, and the collection offers a pain-free way to play these classic games, although there are a few changes that are not as welcome to purists. But, short of grabbing an NES or SNES and finding an original (albeit very expensive) copy, this is the way to play this classic series and a great place to start for any new fan. 

The Good

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a mostly pain-free way to experience these classic games. As a fan of the series who is most familiar with Final Fantasy X and on, it was enjoyable to experience games I had spent years hoping to play. On top of that, the new ease of use features makes this a snappy, cute, and colorful series of JRPGs that feel streamlined and simple in a way that few RPGs are today, much to the game’s benefit. The new pixel art is beautiful, with sprites even being re-drawn by Kazuko Shibuya, the same artist who has worked on sprites since the series’s inception. On top of that, a newly arranged soundtrack offers a glimpse into how things would sound without the limitations of technology. However, I prefer the catchier and more memorable original soundtrack. While the new orchestrations are beautiful and faithfully created with the oversight of the original composer, Nobuo Uematsu, the iconic original soundtracks cannot be beaten.

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster represents a rare example of dedication to archiving classic games in a way you don’t often see today. Most original games are delisted when remasters arrive, and the remasters rarely capture the magic of the originals or change too much to even be considered comparable, even if they are excellent in their own right. This collection offers a faithful remaster of classic games in an easy-to-play format with plenty of features to make them feel modern. I wish more publishers allowed this sort of archiving of their classic and current games as so many titles are becoming vaporware in this age of online-only games and live service nightmares.

The Bad 

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster has a little missing content; certain dungeons from other versions have been removed, but ultimately those were from different game releases. This collection is based on the original NES and SNES versions. Otherwise, some of the titles vary in quality, and while most are classics of the genre, one or two are feeling their age in terms of narrative and lack of gameplay additions.

What Surprised Me

I found this remaster collection very easy to pick up and play, and the collection does much to alleviate the age of these titles. They feel as modern as many indie JRPGs today and would stand alongside many current greats. The updated ease-of-play mechanics and HD visuals make them a joy to experience and taking them on the go on the Switch will breathe new life into these pint-sized powerhouses.

What Was Predictable 

While this is a beautiful and faithful collection, all six games' truncated development time makes them feel mechanically and visually homogenous. Certain games stand out for sure, especially when it comes to individual narratives, but if you are playing all of them together, they can bleed into one experience over time.

Bottom Line

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful piece of archival gaming, and an example of how older titles should be ported and collected for future generations. Games are an art form like any other, and while they grow increasingly nebulous and online, a push for archiving games, old and new, must be made for the medium’s sake. This collection is a small but significant step on that road, and I hope other publishers take note.

Visuals: 8.5

Vibrant and expressive pixel art makes this collection a joy to experience, with remastered sprites and HD resolutions. Pixel art is a timeless form, and this collection shows that with aplomb, leaving me marveling at some of the effects and details in the environments. While the limitations of the time make the sprites feel simple compared to some modern pixel greats, these games still stand alongside some of the best.

Sound: 9

The newly arranged soundtrack will surely be a treat for fans, and the original tunes remain as iconic as ever. The simple sound effects are pure nostalgia, and the soundscape is faithful to the originals.

Playability: 8

This collection works hard to make playing these older titles as painless as possible with plenty of quality-of-life features. Sped-up battles, skippable random fights, and more are available at the press of a button as well as the inherent simplicity of the series’ earlier entries compared to many modern JRPGs and RPGs in general.

Story: 9

The story varies from title to title, and the limitations of the technology at the time affect the storytelling capabilities of some of the earlier games, even in this collection. The iconic games remain as compelling as ever when they need to be, and this collection feels essential for fans.  

Replay Value: 7.5

Realistically these games have been replayed for over twenty years at this point. They are timeless classics that will likely remain a staple of JRPG fans for as long as games are in their current form. New fans may find the repetition set in when playing all these titles in a row, but your mileage may vary.

Overall Grade:

8/10

Reviewer played Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster on Nintendo Switch