The Final Fantasy Legend

The Final Fantasy Legend is a role-playing game for the Game Boy that marked the beginning of a new franchise, despite its title. Originally released in Japan as Makai Toushi SaGa, it is the first game in the beloved SaGa series and was rebranded for Western audiences to capitalize on the success of the Final Fantasy name. The game is set in a unique world where four heroes embark on a quest to climb a massive tower at the center of the world, which is said to lead to paradise. As they ascend, they travel through four distinct worlds, each with its own theme and a demonic boss to defeat. Gameplay is turn-based, similar to early Final Fantasy titles, but stands out with an innovative character system. You create a party of four characters, choosing from three distinct races: Humans, who grow stronger by buying stat upgrades; Mutants, who gain random stat boosts and learn new abilities after battles; and Monsters, who evolve by eating the meat of fallen enemies to transform into new forms.

Game Boy

Developed and published by Square, The Final Fantasy Legend was released in Japan on December 15, 1989, and in North America on September 30, 1990. As the first RPG for the Game Boy, it was a landmark title that proved the system could handle deep role-playing adventures. The game was conceived by Nobuyuki Hoshino and directed by Akitoshi Kawazu, with a score composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu. It was a commercial success, becoming Square's first million-seller with over 1.37 million units shipped. Critical reception was mixed; while praised for its ambition and unique mechanics, it was criticized for cryptic progression. In retrospect, it is considered one of the Game Boy's greatest games and a title that influenced future franchises, including Pokémon.