It was only last month when Final Fantasy III was released onto the iPhone at a premium price of $15.99 and Square-Enix promised the iPad version of the game would follow and be released in April. That time has finally come as Final Fantasy III for iPad has just been released onto the App Store at an equally premium price of $16.99.
There isn’t much difference between the iPhone and iPad version, except for the interface that makes better use of the iPad’s extra screen size and improved 3D visuals on the iPad. I felt more comfortable playing an epic RPG like Final Fantasy III on my iPad as I can just sit back and enjoy the experience without hovering over my iPhone’s small screen. Both iPhone and iPad versions of Final Fantasy III are enhanced ports of the 2006 Nintendo DS version, which was a complete 3D remake of the NES title that was only released in Japan in 1990.
If you already own the iPhone version of Final Fantasy III, there isn’t much here to warrant spending $17 on. If you have yet to experience Final Fantasy III on an iOS device, then the extra dollar you’ll spend for the iPad version will be well spent as you’ll enjoy the game a little more thanks to the iPad’s extra screen space. Either way, you can now experience Final Fantasy III on the iOS device of your choosing. I’m hoping Square-Enix continues this track of releasing Final Fantasy titles on mobile platforms as I would love to play through Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI on my iOS devices as those were two of my favorite old-school Final Fantasy titles.
If the price of admission is too rich for your blood, then you can always wait for an upcoming holiday as majority of companies offer their games at discount prices. Don’t bet on Final Fantasy III going on sale for Easter though, as Square-Enix typically doesn’t mark down newly released games.
Final Fantasy III for iPad ($16.99) – [iTunes Link]