Final Fantasy V Advance

Final Fantasy V Advance brought the game to the Game Boy Advance in 2006, and for Europe it was in fact the very first official release of this series entry, fourteen years after the Japanese original on the Super Famicom and several years after the fifth game first officially appeared at least in North America. The port to the handheld was handled by studio Tose in cooperation with Square Enix, and compared to the 1992 original it isn't just a technical port - the GBA version adds an entirely new optional dungeon, the Sealed Temple, with its own story, unique enemies, and demanding battles that didn't exist at all in the original game and only become accessible after completing the main storyline, for players who want to get more out of the game.

Besides the new content, a bestiary was also added with records of defeated enemies and their weaknesses, along with a refined and clearer interface adapted to the handheld's smaller display, and a number of text additions explaining the background of the job system for players who were just starting out with the series and encountering terms like Geomancer or Mystic Knight for the first time. These changes responded to the fact that players outside Japan often came to know the GBA version as their very first contact with Final Fantasy V, so the game offered them a friendlier entry point as well as bonus content for those returning after finishing the main story who want to max out their job setup. The smaller screen and limited button controls of the handheld also forced adjustments to menu clarity and text size that were never an issue on the Super Famicom original with its large television screen.

Why play it: The best choice for players who want to experience Final Fantasy V with a more comfortable interface, a bestiary, and a bonus dungeon that wasn't in the 1992 original at all - also ideal as a first-ever encounter with this series entry for players outside Japan, who never had the chance before.