Square Enix has announced "Final Fantasy IX" port for mobile devices has finished production. The company streamed this video on their official YouTube channel yesterday:
The video not only contains high-quality gameplay footage, but also some very nice little nuggets of information - for those who can understand Japanese, at least. Those who can't can just sit back and watch the action. One such piece of information is the announcement that the mobile port is completely finished and essentially ready to sell on the App Store, according to Touch Arcade. Also described in the video is commentary on the game's systems, its faster loading times, iCloud support and more.
The game's animation looks very smooth, resembling its Playstation console counterpart, but the framerate supposedly takes a hit while in combat sequences, according to Pocket Gamer. Also of note is the fact that the full motion video (FMV) cinematic will remain in the original 4:3 ratio.
The game retains its roster of eight playable characters and boasts high-definition graphics, new achievements, an auto-save function, a high-speed mode and game boosting features, as stated on the game's official website. There will also be a slew of minigames to enjoy in between main game play. Another neat feature is the Active Time Battle system, which allows players to fight enemies in real-time, as well as optional scenes revealing insight into the "lives" of the game's characters.
If the game is completely finished and ready to sell, then players in Japan will almost certainly be enjoying it as soon as the coming weeks. The global release might come almost immediately afterward as it has been seen with previous releases of the mobile "FF" port, according to Touch Arcade. It would certainly not surprise anyone if Japan got it first, at least for a little while.
Nonetheless, the burning questions remain: When will it launch? And what will it cost?
We will find out - likely in the near future.
