''Final Fantasy Legend III'', known in Japan as ''SaGa 3: Jikuu no Hasha'',
is a
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
developed and published by
Square
In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral, which means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles (90- degree angles, π/2 radian angles, or right angles). It can also be defined as a rectangle with two equal-length a ...
for the
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
. The third entry in the ''
SaGa
is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...
'' series, it was released in Japan in 1991 and in North America in 1993. A later edition released in North America in 1998 through
Sunsoft
, stylized as SUNSOFT, is a Japanese video game developer and publisher.
Sunsoft is the video games division of Japanese electronics manufacturer Sun Corporation. Its U.S. subsidiary operated under the name Sun Corporation of America, though, a ...
. A remake for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
was released in 2011 by
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
, remaining exclusive to Japan. The Game Boy version was later ported to the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
and released worldwide by Square Enix in 2020, with later ports to
Android,
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
and
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
in 2021.
The game's narrative follows a group of warriors as they fight a god-like being in the past, present, and future. During gameplay, players explore the different time periods, fighting in turn-based battles and raising character power through a combination of
experience point
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experi ...
s, skill leveling, and material-based
character class
In tabletop games and video games, a character class is a job or profession commonly used to differentiate the abilities of different game characters.
In role-playing games (RPGs), character classes aggregate several abilities and aptitudes, ...
es.
Production began in 1990 in parallel with the development of ''
Romancing SaGa
''Romancing SaGa'' is a 1992 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Famicom. It is the fourth entry in the ''SaGa'' series. It was subsequently released for the WonderSwan Color in 2001 and mobile phones in 2009. ...
'' for the
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
. Series creator
Akitoshi Kawazu
is a Japanese game designer, director, producer and writer. After joining Square (later Square Enix) in 1985, he went on to become a central developer for the first two ''Final Fantasy'' titles, then acted as creator and lead developer for the ...
did not take part in the original production due to his work on ''Romancing SaGa'', and development was instead handled by Square's newly-established
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
studio. It was the final ''SaGa'' title developed for the Game Boy. Upon release, the game saw praise from Japanese and Western critics, with praise going to its graphics and narrative. As of 2002, the game had sold around 650,000 in Japan. It was the last Western ''SaGa'' release until ''
SaGa Frontier
is a role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation and released in Japan on July 11, 1997. The game was later published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCEA) in North America on March 25, 1998. It is the seventh game in the ...
'' for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
in 1998.
Gameplay
''Final Fantasy Legend III'', known in Japan as ''SaGa 3: Jikuu no Hasha'', is a
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
set in a
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
-based world where players take on the role of a four-person party as they travel between environments in different time periods.
The party explores different environments from a top-down perspective, talking with characters to advance the narrative, using shops to buy and sell items and equipment, and entering battles during exploration.
Players choose their basic characters from two different races, humans and mutants, who have different ways they can raise their experience levels.
Travel between eras is carried out using the airship ''Talon'', which is upgraded during the campaign to reach new areas.
Battles play out using a turn-based combat system, where party members attack enemies using their equipped weapons or magic spells.
Humans raise their level using
experience point
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experi ...
s in battle, while mutants raise their attributes and skills based on usage in battles.
Humans and mutants can evolve into monster or robot
character class
In tabletop games and video games, a character class is a job or profession commonly used to differentiate the abilities of different game characters.
In role-playing games (RPGs), character classes aggregate several abilities and aptitudes, ...
es using items gained from enemies; meat triggers evolution into beasts, then monsters, while mechanical parts transform characters into cyborgs, then robots.
Characters are further customized by equipping magic stones, gaining access to new abilities.
Dying in battle forces the player to reload a previous saved game.
The
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
remake retains the original story, but removes the experience point-based leveling while incorporating mechanics established in earlier and later ''SaGa'' titles. These include skill learning and statistic leveling based on player actions in battles, nonlinear storytelling and exploration through the "Free Scenario System", and upgrades to the party's ship. The graphics were also changed, shifting from 2D top-down to an angled 3D presentation.
A new mechanic is "Time Gear", a special ability which stops time in field environments, freezing enemies and disrupting environmental effects which can halt the party.
Synopsis
In the world of ''SaGa 3'', a non-sentient being called the Water Entity is engulfing the world in a great flood. The Water Entity also summons monsters onto the land and low lying cities are abandoned. As a party of four warriors sets out to confront the entity, several youths from the future arrive to help, and it is realized that the Entity's destruction is occurring across all time periods. To stop the Entity, the party collects parts for the ''Talon'', a ship capable of travelling between time periods and dimensions, hoping to foil the Entity. They learn that the Water Entity was created by the dimensional realm of Pureland, who once waged a war so destructive that it threatened multiple dimensions. The god Sol, creator of the ''Talon'', sealed the ravaged Pureland away and scattered the ''Talon'' across time periods to prevent its use. The Water Entity was manifested as an act of vengeance from Pureland's primal water deity Xagor. After breaking into Pureland, the original ''Talon'' is destroyed and must be rebuilt, with the party redubbing it ''Talon2''. While exploring Pureland, the party encounter Sol, who now houses the soul of Xagor, and are forced to kill both. In his last act, Sol destroys the Water Entity and the party escape back to their own dimension, destroying the ''Talon2'' in the process.
Development
Production began in 1990, following the completion of the
previous game.
At the time, developer
Square
In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral, which means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles (90- degree angles, π/2 radian angles, or right angles). It can also be defined as a rectangle with two equal-length a ...
had started production on two parallel projects; the third
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
''
SaGa
is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...
'' title, and a
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
entry titled ''
Romancing SaGa
''Romancing SaGa'' is a 1992 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Famicom. It is the fourth entry in the ''SaGa'' series. It was subsequently released for the WonderSwan Color in 2001 and mobile phones in 2009. ...
'' begun at the request of the console's manufacturer
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
.
Series creator
Akitoshi Kawazu
is a Japanese game designer, director, producer and writer. After joining Square (later Square Enix) in 1985, he went on to become a central developer for the first two ''Final Fantasy'' titles, then acted as creator and lead developer for the ...
was completely occupied with developing ''Romancing SaGa'', making ''Final Fantasy Legend III'' the only series title he was not involved in.
Production was given by Kawazu to a newly-founded Square studio in
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
, with
Chihiro Fujioka
is a video game designer and video game music, composer, as well as rock drummer. He has worked at Xtalsoft, Square (video game company), Square, and AlphaDream where he is primarily known for directing ''Super Mario RPG'' as well as his involve ...
producing the game.
The world used design elements and motifs from science fiction, traditional fantasy, and referenced
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...
. The design of the ''Talon'', called the ''Stethros'' in Japanese, was based on the
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational aircr ...
stealth fighter.
The game's title included the term "Final Chapter", as Kawazu was at the time intending to end the ''SaGa'' series and brand. These plans changed and the ''SaGa'' series continued, leaving Kawazu confused in retrospect about his choice of the title.
Fujioka noted that in addition to creating the game, the team were also establishing themselves as a department, and as a result a great deal of effort was put into the production. They decided to overcome the Game Boy's limitations by leaving some aspects to the player's imagination instead. In the case of graphics, this meant establishing first an object, then its shadows, allowing the player to visualize the missing colors themselves; a similar concept was applied to the game's music to overcome the limitation of working with only three notes for composition.
In contrast to the previous ''SaGa'' titles which used non-standard leveling mechanics, ''Final Fantasy Legend III'' used traditional leveling alongside character growth elements from earlier titles.
The Japanese cover art was created by Katsutoshi Fujioka, who designed covers for the previous ''SaGa'' releases.
Music
The game's music was co-composed by
Ryuji Sasai
is a Japanese video game composer and bass guitarist. He is best known for his work on ''Xak'', ''Final Fantasy Legend III'' and '' Final Fantasy Mystic Quest''. His musical career came about when he was 15 years old, and he formed a band. Befo ...
and Fujioka. The two had worked together before Fujioka joined Square, so he brought on Sasai to compose the soundtrack.
As Fujioka worked on the game's programming, Sasai stated he would handle the game's music; though a musician himself, Fujioka opted to contribute four additional songs to the game.
As the game was trying new elements, the composers sought to do the same. To this end, they used four sound channels, and created a stereo sound element that could both be fed through the console's single speaker and work on headphones.
Sasai compared the limitations with the audio to a guitar capable of only six tones, though the cartridge capacity for the Game Boy at the time provided some difficulty. As a result, they concentrated on smaller songs, reducing the length of the tracks until they felt the music gave the proper impression.
A compilation album featuring music from the three Game Boy ''SaGa'' titles, ''All Sounds of SaGa'', was published in 1991 by
NTT Publishing
NTT Publishing Co., Ltd. (エヌ・ティ・ティ出版株式会社 ''Enu Ti Ti Shuppan Kabushiki gaisha'') is a Japanese publishing and record label company, which is an affiliate company of NTT.
The company has published many albums, includin ...
.
The music was released in a soundtrack album in 2018 alongside music from the
original ''SaGa'' and ''SaGa 2''.
Release
![Woolsey cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Woolsey_cropped.jpg)
The game was released under its ''SaGa 3'' title by Square in Japan on December 13, 1991.
Two guidebooks were published by NTT Publishing in December 1991 and January 1992.
In North America, the game was released by Square in August 1993.
Sunsoft
, stylized as SUNSOFT, is a Japanese video game developer and publisher.
Sunsoft is the video games division of Japanese electronics manufacturer Sun Corporation. Its U.S. subsidiary operated under the name Sun Corporation of America, though, a ...
later licensed the game for a reprint in April 1998 alongside the other three Square titles for the Game Boy, the two ''SaGa'' titles and ''
Final Fantasy Adventure
''Final Fantasy Adventure'', known in Japan as or simply and later released in Europe as ''Mystic Quest'', is a '' Final Fantasy'' spinoff and the first game in the ''Mana'' series. Published by Square in 1991 on the Game Boy, it saw a North ...
''.
As with the first two ''SaGa'' games, Square rebranded the game under the ''
Final Fantasy
is a Japanese video game, Japanese science fantasy anthology media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and ...
'' moniker in English territories, capitalizing on the recognized brand to grow its regional presence.
The English translation was the first project of translator
Ted Woolsey
Ted Woolsey is an American video game translator and producer. He had the primary role in the North American production and localization of Square's role-playing video games released for the Super NES between 1991 and 1996. He is best known for ...
at Square. He was given the ''
Final Fantasy IV
known as ''Final Fantasy II'' for its initial North American release, is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Released in 1991, it is the fourth main insta ...
'' translation as an example and instructed to ensure "there were no 'repeats' of that mess".
It was the last ''SaGa'' title for the Game Boy, and the last ''SaGa'' title to receive a Western release for five years until ''
SaGa Frontier
is a role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation and released in Japan on July 11, 1997. The game was later published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCEA) in North America on March 25, 1998. It is the seventh game in the ...
'' for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
in 1998.
In 2020, the Game Boy original was re-released alongside the other Game Boy ''SaGa'' titles for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ''SaGa'' series. The collection was published worldwide by
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
on December 19 under the title ''Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend''.
It was a digital exclusive release, and included English and Japanese text options worldwide.
Production began at Square Enix so players could enjoy the original ''SaGa'' trilogy on modern hardware. While Kawazu had earlier plans to bring the originals onto newer hardware, the series' 30th anniversary provided a good opportunity to fulfil his wish.
The port included color and resolution options, higher speed options during gameplay, control options that emulated the Game Boy console, a commemorative track created by Ito, and new artwork by Fujioka.
The minor adjustments were done to reflect modern gaming tastes, but otherwise the games were unaltered.
While the titles were rebranded as part of the ''SaGa'' series, their original ''Final Fantasy'' branding was retained as a subtitle to avoid undue confusion for original players.
This edition was the first time the Game Boy titles released in Europe.
This version was release for
Android and
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
on September 22, 2021, and later for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
through
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
on October 21.
Nintendo DS remake
A remake for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
titled ''SaGa 3 Jikū no Hasha: Shadow or Light'' was announced in September 2010. It featured many staff members from the remake of the second ''SaGa'' game, including producer Hiroyuki Miura, and character designer Gen Kobayashi. Sasai returned to work on the music alongside Ito.
Production began following completion of the ''SaGa 2'' remake, with the team using experience from that production and applying it to remaking the third ''SaGa'' title.
As with ''SaGa 2'', the game was developed by
Racjin
Racjin, (株式会社ラクジン ''Kabushiki-Gaisha Rakujin'') formerly known as , is a Japanese video game development company located in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, established in 1995. Its name was changed in 2000 to make it more easily pronounced to ...
under the supervision of
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
.
With the remake, Kawazu wanted to redesign the gameplay and scenario to be more in line with other entries in the ''SaGa'' series. He also wanted to incorporate mechanics new to the ''SaGa'' series, resulting in far more changes being made than to the ''SaGa 2'' remake. This mechanic, the Time Gear, allowed the team to further incorporate the time travel elements into the whole experience.
The remake was released on January 6, 2011.
A soundtrack album, which included a remix of the main theme as a bonus track, was released in Japan on January 12, 2011.
Like the DS remake of ''SaGa 2'', the ''SaGa 3'' remake remains exclusive to Japan, though a fan translation was developed.
Kawazu attributed the lack of localization to uncertainty within Square Enix as to whether the West would accept such an unconventional title.
Reception
Sales
In Japan, ''SaGa 3'' topped the ''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' sales charts from
December 1991 to
January 1992.
As of 2002, the game had sold 650,000 units, making it the third best-selling title of the Game Boy ''SaGa'' releases, and the lowest-selling original ''SaGa'' title as of that time.
The DS remake debuted in eighth place in Japanese sales charts, with opening sales of over 27,300 units.
By the end of the year, the title had sold just over 59,000 units.
Reviews
The Western Game Boy release of ''Final Fantasy Legend III'' received mostly positive reviews, maintaining a 71% aggregate score on ''
GameRankings
GameRankings was a video gaming review aggregator that was founded in 1999 and owned by CBS Interactive. It indexed over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 video games. GameRankings was discontinued in December 2019, with its staff bei ...
''.
The ''Collection of SaGa'' version earned a score of 70 out of 100 on ''
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
'' based on 14 critic reviews.
In their review of the original game, Japanese gaming magazine ''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' noted the user-friendly alterations, but one critic felt that it was notably dissimilar from earlier ''SaGa'' titles.
''
Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The m ...
'' lauded it as a good quality RPG, citing the game's graphics and story as its high points, giving it four reviewer scores of 8 out of 10 and an Editor's Choice Gold Award.
''
Nintendo Power
''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...
'' largely agreed with these sentiments, stating that the game had "Excellent game depth and good graphics for a Game Boy RPG", but found the title's story and gameplay to be too similar to previous ''Final Fantasy Legend'' games.
''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' called attention to the game's dated graphics and faulted the soundtrack, yet still found the game's music to be better than most Game Boy titles. They additionally found fault with the game's equipment screen due to obtuse design and poor image quality, though declared it to be accessible even to novice players.
''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' applauded the game for the battle simulator feature, the ability to transform the character using parts of slain enemies, and the booklets and map included in the game box; they made special note of the time travel mechanic, praising the feeling of fighting enemies in the past after seeing them in later periods.
Corbie Dillard of ''
Nintendo Life
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and other ...
'', writing in a 2009 retrospective review, called it a fitting conclusion to the Game Boy ''SaGa'' trilogy, though he noted some continued irritating elements in gameplay and design from earlier titles.
GameDaily
GameDaily (GD) was a video game journalism website based in the United States.
It was launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads. The site changed its business model from a flat fee ...
named it alongside the related Game Boy ''Final Fantasy'' titles as definitive games for the system, describing it as providing "hours of role-playing excitement, whether you were waiting in a dentist's office or on the way to Grandma's house."
The sentiment was shared by gaming magazines ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' and ''Pocket Games'', the latter of which ranked the titles together 8th out of the Top 50 games for the Game Boy.
Reviewing the DS remake, ''Famitsu'' praised the continued innovation of class evolution, noted its fast-paced narrative, and lauded the new Time Gear mechanic.
Michael Baker of ''RPGamer'' praised the improved mechanics and further polish from the ''SaGa 2'' remake, though felt that the plot was still lacking.
In their own review of the ''Collection of SaGa'' compilation, Jordan Rudek ''Nintendo World Report'' called the third game a good place to start for beginners due to its stronger narrative and more traditional gameplay design compared to other ''SaGa'' titles.
''Nintendo Life''s Mitch Vogel felt that all three titles in ''Collection of SaGa'' were very simplistic by modern standards, with none of them having aged well compared to other titles of their time.
Notes
References
External links
Official Square Enix info page
Official Nintendo DS remake website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Final Fantasy Legend 03
1991 video games
Android (operating system) games
Final Fantasy video games
Game Boy games
IOS games
Nintendo DS games
Nintendo Switch games
Role-playing video games
SaGa
Top-down video games
Video games about time travel
Video game remakes
Video games developed in Japan
Video games scored by Ryuji Sasai
Video games with cel-shaded animation
Windows games