Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

Square's first Game Boy Advance title revisits the strategy side of Final Fantasy in a game based on the engine used in 1998's Final Fantasy Tactics for PlayStation. Taking place in a modern world free from magic and monsters, the game stars three characters named Mash, Ritz, and Myu, who stumble upon an ancient tome entitled Final Fantasy. Once opened, the book transforms their village into the realm of Ivalice -- the same locale introduced in the original game. Now the characters must engage other races in a series of battles to find their way back home.

Played from a three-quarter overhead perspective, Final Fantasy Tactics involves moving characters in a turn-based fashion atop grid-like battlefields with varying elevations. Each character is skilled in one of five professions (knight, white mage, black mage, archer, and monk), which influences the types of attacks he or she can use on the enemy. Unlike the PlayStation game, each battle is presided by a judge who will act as a referee during the action. Only lawful moves and techniques are sanctioned in battle to prevent chaos.

The Game Boy Advance version allows players to design their own stages, and various quests can be undertaken in order to earn the money and experience needed to advance or equip characters in the party. Among the featured races are lizardmen, moogles, humans, and more. In addition, two players can battle each other in a separate multiplayer mode. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is also designed to support the Nintendo GameCube-Game Boy Advance Cable to interface with Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide