KnockBack, Episode 261 | Final Fantasy (Patreon)

Few gaming franchises have had the staying power of Square's (and later Square Enix's) Final Fantasy. Launched in the waning weeks of 1987 in Japan, it took some two and a half years for the original title to migrate to western NES consoles, and while it sold fairly well, it still represented only a small spark that would set off a slow burn. Ultimately, that burn would turn into a raging fire -- Final Fantasies IV, VI, and VII are widely considered some of the strongest games ever made, and we are in the midst of a revitalization of the franchise series -- but humble beginnings are what this episode of KnockBack is all about. The quaint and humble JRPG that emerged from Square in the late-'80s set the stage for all that would come, and we're thrilled to dive deep into everything that makes the original Final Fantasy so interesting and so vital so many years later.