Final Fantasy IX: 25 Years In Our Hearts ❤️

Everyone gathered here has a lot in common, maybe even more than we could ever imagine, but without a doubt, perhaps the most important thing we share is our taste and love for video games. We, gamers of different ages, have grown up or enjoyed either in our teenage years, youth, or even childhood, specific titles or entire sagas that managed to leave a mark in our memories, and that we’ll obviously carry with us forever. And of course, if we talk about franchises or iconic sagas that have managed to shape not one, but several different generations, without a doubt one of the first names that comes to mind is this one: Final Fantasy.

If we started talking about the franchise in general right now, surely a full page wouldn’t be enough to express how much this franchise means to the gaming community, and even to the video game industry itself, from its beginnings in 1987 it started to set new standards that would later define a whole sub-genre almost entirely. From that point on, the franchise would see many variations, although on several occasions it would return to the genre that gave birth to it: fantasy RPGs with visually stunning turn-based battles, supported by its ATB system (Active Time Battle), which would be used in many of the saga’s titles.

A Bit of Historical Context

Final Fantasy IX was released on July 7th, 2000 in Japan, and later in November of the same year it arrived in North America, marking a before and after in many aspects of the industry and the gaming community. But to understand this context, we have to go back a couple of titles, to Final Fantasy VII (1997). This epic story of Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, Aerith 😢, Garret, and their other companions not only debuted its super original new 3D look, but also became a widely spread global phenomenon in many countries. In this game, the character design was shown in a cartoony style during exploration, dialogue, story, etc., but it gradually turned into something more stylized and a bit more realistic during combat and the incredible cutscenes. FFVII also gave us, and it has to be said, one of the most iconic villains in video game history: the mighty Sephiroth!

A couple of years later, in 1999, Final Fantasy VIII was released, first in Japan in February, and then in the rest of the world between September and October of that same year. This time, Square bet on giving the game a more stylized and realistic look for the entire character and environment design, not only in battles, but also during exploration, dialogues, and other moments. In this game, the cutscenes in particular looked spectacular for what games were back then, raising the bar a lot for the titles that would come after. FFVIII was maybe a “misunderstood child” of the franchise at the time, since fans were used to a different design, and maybe didn’t quite connect with this new vision of the characters. However, its story was epic, and it stayed etched in the hearts of many, including mine, since it was the first FF I played and fully enjoyed from beginning to end, holding my personal number 1 spot from that moment on and for many years.

These two entries in the saga, VII and VIII, marked great milestones in video game history, although different from one another, and they set standards that were pretty hard to surpass for the titles that came later, so by the time the next title arrived, it had to be incredibly epic, original, iconic, or all of that combined in order to be remembered, or even just to live up to its predecessors. So, with the stage set and the lights on, we arrived at the revolutionary year 2000, and our beloved Final Fantasy IX took the stage.

Final Fantasy IX: The Right Way to Go Back to the Roots

This ninth installment of the franchise was directed by Hiroyuki Ito and produced by Hironobu Sakaguchi, original creator of Final Fantasy and driving force behind Square long before it merged with Enix. Barely a year had passed since the release of FFVIII, so both the eighth and seventh entries in the franchise were still “fresh” in the market and in the hearts of fans. At this “risky” point, we could say, the ninth installment aimed for a return to the roots that made the franchise epic in the first place. Its approach was an artistic style that kept the 3D designs, but with an overall cartoonish look, both in battles and during exploration, dialogue, and cutscenes. Its look could be a little misleading at first glance, but once we got into the story we discovered that FFIX had everything: drama, romance, action, and comedy in equal parts, in an epic adventure like its predecessors, performed by deep and adorable characters in many ways, whom we undoubtedly loved from their first appearance on our screens.

This game was so big that it hit the market on 4 CDs, throughout which humor had plenty of room, in different and justified moments in the story, which never felt forced or excessive. FFIX managed to stir up many strong and lasting emotions over time, giving us characters who are still remembered today with so much love, and who even have their own fan clubs individually! You’re thinking of Vivi, right? Of course, who wouldn’t XD… The story in this installment was a journey of evolution and growth, of redemption and change, of love and maturity, yes, even with that visual style! Its dialogues and dramatic moments could easily leave us speechless just like its battles and cutscenes did.

So…

Today, 25 years after its release, it almost feels unbelievable that the franchise has come and gone through so many other genres and styles, but those of us who enjoyed these titles back in the day know very clearly that this was, without a doubt, the golden age of the genre we love so much. Zidane, Dagger, Vivi, and the rest will stay with us for many more years, and no matter what happens with the franchise, they’ll remain in our hearts alongside Cloud, Tifa, Squall, Rinoa and all their friends, as the best representatives of one of the greatest moments in video game history.

If you feel, just like I do, that it’s time to turn on your old console again and enjoy once more those epic stories that marked you so many years ago… well… let yourself go gamer! Personally, I’ll do exactly the same 😉 So, since today’s a bit emotional, I’ll say goodbye for now, since as you know, my old joystick will need both of my hands, but not before inviting you to head over to the comments and tell us about your best moments playing the fantastic ninth installment of FFIX, or the ones you remember with the most love! You know gamer, we’ll be reading you! 🙂

Images Source: GameTrailers Official YouTube Channel, Final Fantasy IX Official Website