FINAL FANTASY IX

FINAL FANTASY IX is a Japanese RPG with a connected story centered on Zidane, Princess Garnet and the young black mage Vivi. A kidnapping plot in the kingdom of Alexandria draws the characters into a conflict over their origins and the fate of their world.

The party travels through towns, castles and remote landscapes, solves tasks and fights enemies with a time-based command system. Equipment grants new skills that stay available permanently once you have gained enough battle experience.

FINAL FANTASY IX first released on July 7, 2000 for the original PlayStation in Japan. The mobile versions for iOS and Android followed on Feb 9, 2016. On Steam, the RPG launched on Apr 14, 2016, and on PlayStation 4 on Sep 19, 2017.

The revised version for Xbox One was released on Feb 13, 2019. Nintendo lists Feb 14, 2019 for the German Switch eShop. Later editions include high-resolution characters and cutscenes, as well as additional quality-of-life features.

FINAL FANTASY IX is available for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android. The original was released for PlayStation. The newer versions offer the main adventure with adapted controls and quality-of-life features.

The PS4 version can be played on PS5 via backward compatibility, and the Switch version on Switch 2. The Xbox One version is also playable on Xbox Series X|S. This does not create separate native versions for PS5, Switch 2 or Xbox Series X|S.

Battles run on an Active Time Battle system: characters build up time for their next command and can then attack, cast magic or use items. The makeup of the party determines which abilities are available in battle.

Between encounters, paths lead through towns, dungeons and a larger world map. Equipment, supplies and new abilities help you handle stronger enemies.

The PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch versions add high-resolution characters and cutscenes, automatic save points and optional aids to the original adventure. Depending on the platform, achievements or trophies are available.

The PS4 Digital Edition additionally includes a system theme by Toshiyuki Itahana and eight character avatars. These are extras for the console, not a different story or a standalone game expansion.

The Steam version requires at least an Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, a GeForce 8600 GTS or Radeon HD 4650, and 7 GB of free storage. DirectX 9.0c is required.

Recommended: Core i5 2520 with 2.5 GHz, 4 GB RAM and 20 GB of free storage. The original compatibility list goes back to older Windows versions; the current Steam client requires Windows 10 or later.

Zidane belongs to the theater troupe Tantalus, whose members are preparing to kidnap Princess Garnet of Alexandria. Garnet herself wants to leave the castle. Her bodyguard Steiner gets drawn into the adventure, just like the young black mage Vivi.

The search for answers leads the companions through political conflicts and personal questions about origin and belonging. The story uses the switch between characters to show their different perspectives on the same events.

New abilities are tied to weapons, armor and other equipment. As long as an item is equipped, its ability can be used and permanently mastered through battle experience.

This creates an incentive to choose equipment not only based on its stats. Anyone who wants to keep a certain ability long term can keep using the related item until the required points are collected.

A character's Trance gauge fills during battles as they take hits. When full, the character temporarily unlocks special commands or enhanced abilities.

Trance does not permanently replace regular commands. It changes a single battle phase and can be decisive in particularly tough encounters.

In shops set up for it, players can combine selected items into new equipment. Which results are possible depends on the available materials and recipes.

Synthesis complements buying and finding equipment. It is especially useful when special weapons or items are not available in the usual way.

Apart from the main story, FINAL FANTASY IX contains several mini-games. In Chocobo Hot and Cold, players use a chocobo to search for hidden treasures. Tetra Master is a card game with its own rules.

Tasks such as rope skipping are also included. Some activities earn special items and reward players who take time away from the main paths.

The reworked versions offer optional aids, including faster gameplay and the option to turn off random enemy encounters. The PC version includes seven boosters in total.

Automatic save functions as well as higher-resolution characters and cutscenes make the PlayStation classic easier to access without changing the core story.

The mobile versions of FINAL FANTASY IX were released on Feb 9, 2016. Both bring the adventure to smartphones and tablets and replace classic controller input with controls adapted to touchscreens.

The versions offer reworked character models, cutscenes in higher resolution and additional gameplay features. On Android, enough free storage is required to install the large game data.

FINAL FANTASY IX is a single-player RPG. On Steam, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch there is German on-screen text. The Nintendo version supports handheld, tabletop and TV mode.

On PC, Steam achievements and cloud saves are among the supported features. The PlayStation version has trophies. A cooperative or competitive multiplayer mode is not part of the main game.