The Final Fantasy Legend, known in Japan as Makai Toushi Sa·Ga (魔界塔士 Sa・Ga?, Warrior in the Tower of the Spirit World ~ Sa·Ga), is a video game released for the Game Boy in December 1989 by Square Co. It is the first game in the SaGa series and the first role-playing video game for the system. Square translated the game into English on September 30, 1990 for worldwide release and renamed it, linking it with the Final Fantasy series to improve marketing. Sunsoft re-released it in North America during 1998; Square followed with an enhanced remake released for the WonderSwan Color and mobile phones in 2002 and 2007 respectively.
Debuting in the wake of Tetris's success, The Final Fantasy Legend operates on a turn-based system similar to that of Final Fantasy II. The game's characters battle monsters and fiends using a variety of weapons, armor, and skills that develop through the player's actions. The game follows the story of four heroes who attempt to scale a tower at the center of the world that supposedly leads to paradise. The four heroes may belong to one of three character classes, each housing a unique customization path.
The Final Fantasy Legend was conceived by Nobuyuki Hoshino and developed under director Akitoshi Kawazu; renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu wrote its score. The game is Square Enix's first million seller with 1.37 million units shipped. Though released to mixed reception, it has since been described as one of the Game Boy's greatest games and cited as an influence for series such as the Pokémon franchise.
Read more about The Final Fantasy Legend: Gameplay, Development, Versions and Re-releases, Reception
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