Sentences written about this title, gathered by type from the Japanese and English Wikipedia articles (as of 2026-8-30).
In an interview during production, he replied: "It is no exaggeration to say that the Super Famicom's rotation, enlargement and reduction functions exist precisely for the airship."
This had been revealed by Uematsu, who was in charge of sound, in interviews such as one with the game magazine Famitsu.
However, Clyde Mandelin has noted that some Japanese blogs claims that Sakaguchi later said in an interview that the Famicom version was actually approximately 80% complete and certain ideas were reused for the Super Famicom version; the interview remains unverified.
He said that there was a lot of pressure and that the project would not have been completed if he did not work diligently on it.
In its November 1991 issue, Nintendo Power proclaimed it set a "new standard of excellence" for role-playing games.
They praised the battles as being "more interesting than in previous RPGs" because the player "must make snap decisions" and the "enemies don't wait for you to make up your mind" and concluded that the "story, graphics, play and sound will keep fans riveted".
In its December 1991 issue, Ed Semrad, who gave it a 9, wrote that "Square has just redefined what the ultimate RPG should be like", noting the "spectacular Mode 7 effects, outstanding graphics and a quest unequalled in a video game", concluding that it "makes use of all the Super NES has to offer" and is "the best made to date!
Ken Williams (as Sushi-X), who gave it an 8, said that it is "a totally awesome RPG", the "storyline is actually coherent and the plot moves along with a combination of speaking sequences and battles".
They gave the game an award for 1991's Best RPG Video Game, stating that the "Mode 7 is great here and Square does a spectacular job in using it to zoom in and away from the planet" and that the "quest is huge and also one of the most difficult ever attempted in a video game".
The reviewer Monty Haul stated that it "truly redefines the standards for fantasy adventure games", proclaiming that "one-dimensional characters, needless hack 'em combat, and linear gameplay will be things of the past if other RPGs learn a lesson or two from this cart", concluding that it "is one small step for Square Soft, and one giant leap for SNES role-playing games".
He criticized the "stylized" combat system and the graphics as "inferior" to Zelda, but praised how every "spell has a different on-screen effect" and the difficulty for being "just about right" where bosses "nearly beat you every time" unlike other RPGs such as Ultima where enough "adventuring" makes it possible to "trash" enemies "with ease".
He praised the "great" music, preferring it over Zelda, stating what it "lacks in graphics, it more than makes up for in sound".
He praised the story in particular, noting that, in a departure from other RPGs where the party always "sticks together through thick and thin", the characters have their own motives for joining and leaving the group, with one that "even betrays" them.
He said that it is like "following the storyline of a fantasy novel", comparing it to The Lord of the Rings and Man in the Iron Mask, concluding that, because "the characters often spoke up for themselves", he "got much more attached" to the party "than in any other computer game".
In a 1997 retrospective, GamePro credited it as "the first game where a turn-based combat system allowed you to change weapons, cast spells, and use items during a battle, and it featured some of the most exciting villains to date".
Nintendo Power included it in the "100 Greatest Nintendo Games" lists, placing it ninth in 1997's issue 100, and twenty-eighth in 2005's issue 200.
According to Kenji Terada, who wrote the scenarios for the previous 3 titles in the series, the project was shelved because management intervened in development. He also said that management interfered even with the game content of the SFC version, so he stepped down from the scenario of the new Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy IV on the SFC.
In the "Game Report Card" reader poll run by Family Computer Magazine,it scored 27.57 out of 30, as shown below.
This score placed it 2nd among all Super Famicom titles (323 titles in total, as of 1993).
In addition, in the "Best 30 by Category" printed at the end of the "Super Famicom All Catalog '93", a special supplement to the 1993-8 information issue of SUPER FAMICOM Magazine, it took No. 2 overall, No. 3 for characters, No. 1 for music and sound effects, No. 2 for controls, No. 3 for absorption, No. 2 for value for money, and No. 3 for originality.
In the "Cross Review" feature of the magazine Famitsu, the game scored a total of 24 out of 40
However, Clyde Mandelin has noted that some Japanese blogs claims that Sakaguchi later said in an interview that the Famicom version was actually approximately 80% complete and certain ideas were reused for the Super Famicom version; the interview remains unverified.
Weekly Famitsu gave Final Fantasy Collection a score of 54 out of 60 points, scored by a panel of six reviewers.
The PlayStation version sold an additional 261,000 copies in Japan in 1997.
By March 2003, the game, including the PlayStation and WonderSwan Color remakes, had shipped 2.16 million copies worldwide, with 1.82 million of those copies being shipped in Japan and 340,000 abroad.
The Game Boy Advance version of the game sold over 219,000 copies in Japan by the end of 2006.
As of 2007, just before the release of the Nintendo DS version, nearly 3 million copies of the game had been sold around the world.
By May 2009, the DS version of the game had sold 1.1 million copies worldwide.
According to Steam Spy, another 190,000 copies of the PC version were sold by April 2018.
In addition, Final Fantasy Collection, which includes Final Fantasy IV, sold over 400,000 copies in 1999.
The original version was released on 1991-7-19 as the series' first title for the Super Famicom (SFC).
Among the titles released in 1991, Final Fantasy IV (1991/7) — a numbered entry in the Final Fantasy series that had been popular on the Family Computer — was highly anticipated and ultimately became the first third-party million-seller.
Final Fantasy IV was lead designer Takashi Tokita's first project at Square as a full-time employee.
The first album, Final Fantasy IV: Original Sound Version, was released on June 14, 1991, and contains 44 tracks from the game.
The first of these was Final Fantasy IV Easy Type, a modified version of the game which was released for the Super Famicom in Japan.
Famitsus panel of four reviewers gave it ratings of 9, 9, 10, and 8, adding up to an overall score of 36 out of 40, one of the highest scores it awarded to any game in 1991, second only to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
In a 1997 retrospective, GamePro credited it as "the first game where a turn-based combat system allowed you to change weapons, cast spells, and use items during a battle, and it featured some of the most exciting villains to date".
Reviewers have praised the game for its graphics, gameplay and score, and have noted that Final Fantasy IV was one of the first role-playing games to feature a complex, involving plot.
Upon release in Japan, Final Fantasy IV sold about cartridges on its first day, about less than what Final Fantasy V sold on its first day a year later, no doubt because audiences were hoping for more of the same.
The first two chapters of the game were released in Japan in February 2008 for NTT DoCoMo FOMA 903i series phones, and for au WIN BREW series phones in spring.
The first two chapters were released in June 2009, in North America and PAL territories, with the additional chapters being released in the following months.
At a time less than 1 year after the launch of the Super Famicom, the music of this game was highly rated, with comments such as "so this is how far Super Famicom music can go".
Among the titles released in 1991, Final Fantasy IV (1991/7) — a numbered entry in the Final Fantasy series that had been popular on the Family Computer — was highly anticipated and ultimately became the first third-party million-seller.
Final Fantasy IV was well received and was praised for its graphics, story, characters, and soundtrack.
The score was well received; reviewers have praised the quality of the composition despite the limited medium.
They praised the battles as being "more interesting than in previous RPGs" because the player "must make snap decisions" and the "enemies don't wait for you to make up your mind" and concluded that the "story, graphics, play and sound will keep fans riveted".
He criticized the "stylized" combat system and the graphics as "inferior" to Zelda, but praised how every "spell has a different on-screen effect" and the difficulty for being "just about right" where bosses "nearly beat you every time" unlike other RPGs such as Ultima where enough "adventuring" makes it possible to "trash" enemies "with ease".
He praised the "great" music, preferring it over Zelda, stating what it "lacks in graphics, it more than makes up for in sound".
He praised the story in particular, noting that, in a departure from other RPGs where the party always "sticks together through thick and thin", the characters have their own motives for joining and leaving the group, with one that "even betrays" them.
Reviewers have praised the game for its graphics, gameplay and score, and have noted that Final Fantasy IV was one of the first role-playing games to feature a complex, involving plot.
However, some retrospective reviews have criticized the game's original English-language translation.
The Nintendo DS version of the game was praised for its visuals, gameplay changes and new cutscenes.
It was ported from the DS version, but the 3D graphics were remade to suit iOS and Android devices, and the events were also changed.
This is carried over in other versions for outside Japan, such as the ports.
For example, Final Fantasy II — the North American version of Final Fantasy IV — was released with the difficulty lowered from the Japanese version to suit local conditions, and the developers expected it to be easier for North American players than conventional turn-based RPGs, but it did not turn out as hoped.
titled Final Fantasy II in its initial North American release, is a 1991 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
All later localizations of Final Fantasy IV (aside from the Wii Virtual Console), which began to appear after Final Fantasy VII (released worldwide under that title), used the original title.
Because the previous two installments of the Final Fantasy series had not been localized and released in North America at the time, Final Fantasy IV was distributed as Final Fantasy II to maintain naming continuity.
The translation was changed in accordance with Nintendo of America's censorship policies (at a time before the formation of the ESRB and its rating system).
In its November 1991 issue, Nintendo Power proclaimed it set a "new standard of excellence" for role-playing games.
In its December 1991 issue, Ed Semrad, who gave it a 9, wrote that "Square has just redefined what the ultimate RPG should be like", noting the "spectacular Mode 7 effects, outstanding graphics and a quest unequalled in a video game", concluding that it "makes use of all the Super NES has to offer" and is "the best made to date!
GamePro rated it a perfect 5.0 out of 5 in all five categories (graphics, sound, control, fun factor, and challenge) in its March 1992 issue.
In the November 1993 issue of Dragon, Sandy Petersen gave it an "Excellent" rating.
Nintendo Power included it in the "100 Greatest Nintendo Games" lists, placing it ninth in 1997's issue 100, and twenty-eighth in 2005's issue 200.
It was originally a re-port into Japanese of Final Fantasy II, which had been released in the United States (described below; the "II" is the notation used on the SNES version).
There was a development room where the player could talk with the staff, as a hidden element in the game, but it was removed.
It was ported from the DS version, but the 3D graphics were remade to suit iOS and Android devices, and the events were also changed.
The present Final Fantasy IV was originally planned as Final Fantasy V, and its production was announced at the same time as a separate Family Computer title called Final Fantasy IV.
Square was worried that western fans would find it difficult to adjust to the game's complexity due to not having played the previous two entries, so decreased the overall depth considerably.
In December 2012, the Nintendo DS version of Final Fantasy IV was released for the iOS and Android (June 2013) mobile platforms, introducing an optional easier difficulty level.
They gave the game an award for 1991's Best RPG Video Game, stating that the "Mode 7 is great here and Square does a spectacular job in using it to zoom in and away from the planet" and that the "quest is huge and also one of the most difficult ever attempted in a video game".
He criticized the "stylized" combat system and the graphics as "inferior" to Zelda, but praised how every "spell has a different on-screen effect" and the difficulty for being "just about right" where bosses "nearly beat you every time" unlike other RPGs such as Ultima where enough "adventuring" makes it possible to "trash" enemies "with ease".
Many bugs have been confirmed in this port, and some of them can destroy save data.
According to Kenji Terada, who wrote the scenarios for the previous 3 titles in the series, the project was shelved because management intervened in development. He also said that management interfered even with the game content of the SFC version, so he stepped down from the scenario of the new Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy IV on the SFC.
The passages quoted on this page are taken verbatim from the Japanese and English Wikipedia articles.Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) — reusable under those terms. They are the work of the people who wrote them.