The Virtual Console can be a strange sub-platform, as Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo of America sit huffily on different sides of the room and rarely agree which games to release. Months can pass between regions with some releases, but thanks to the imminent Final Fantasy Explorers we seem to have parity, with Nintendo of America's official website listing Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for a 28th January release at $7.99.
New title Explorers may be more like Final Fantasy Does Monster Hunter, as our review suggests, but Tactics Advance is rather faithful to its name. It's a Game Boy Advance game that has turn-based tactics in, so the name pretty much nails it - a relatively early spin-off, Nintendo and Square worked together on the project for its original 2003 release. Unfortunately the Wii U Virtual Console version is unlikely to include the link cable local multiplayer features, but there should still be plenty of gaming to enjoy from this one.
Are any of you in North America planning to pick this up on Wii U?
With thanks to Ryan Millar for the heads up.
[source nintendo.com]
Comments 50
Yes!
I am a little sad that I just bought this game (and Tactics Ogre) off of Ebay a few months ago, but I'm glad to see it.
Still have the cart so I'll pass buy I'm currently playing the original FFT (War of the Lions) for the first time. Difficulty is intense but its so engrossing.
No I won't be picking it up I don't really care for turnbase style games I find them boring.
I don't care what anyone says, I had more fun with this one than the original FFT game. The story-book style setting was enchanting, and the job system was really fun to play around with.
Yay day one bro day one
I will definitely download this game. Still have my cart, but i would like to play this on my tv screen!
@ThomasBW84 Hey! I sent you a newstip regarding this hours ago on Twitter.
Oh well, anyways this is awesome news indeed.
@Neko_Ichigofan Ah, nothing personal, just haven't been on Twitter much today!
I'll be downloading this tomorrow morning without a doubt!
So glad Square is finally including some titles for the NA/European VC!
Hope that means there are more to come soon!
Yes I've been waiting for this for awhile. Now we wait for the other FF games.
What are the differences between this and the psp version?
Nice! Will be picking this up.
Happy for this. Maybe next week or this week Mario Kart 64 too?
Basically 3 Fire Emblem games, Valkyria Chronicles Remastered and now Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on VC.
This year is looking phenomenal for SRPG fans....
Trying to remind myself of the Laws and the general speed of battle so I don't sink another 300 hours of my life, lol
@NESlover85 entirely different games (story, characters, art style, etc)
Europe and America... Friends
Final Fantasy Explorers isn't like Monster Hunter at all. Holy cow you guys have it wrong. Everywhere I look on this website people comparing Final Fantasy Explorers to Monster Hunter.bthe only thing they have in common is that they are both online and that they are RPG's. They do not play the same. You do not build Characters at all the same. I will give it this they both don't have much of a story. Final Fantasy Explorers plays way more like Phantasy Star Online I mean it's not even close to playing like Monster Hunter. Can anyone get this straight. Yikes
This will be the first game I have bought since summer from the eshop
Never could get into this one when I was younger... So it is time to pick it up and give it a second try!
isn't this a pleasant surprise
If you haven't played this and you even slightly like RPGs, you have to get these game. I've put over 400 hours into this. Absolutely one of the best GBA games released.
Still have my cart with 100+ hours with many more side missions to do. Sadly I lost my GBA SP so I will be picking this up down the road. Such an amazing game I wish square would make a 3rd!
Could be an ice breaker for square on Wii u vc in the states! Hopefully the rest sitting in Japan will find its way over? Also Square how bout putting those Taito classics you have in the vault to good use while your at it?? Cmon guys!!
I still have this on cart, otherwise I'd download it in a heartbeat. Please keep 'em coming, Squeenix. There are a bunch of numbered FFs on GBA that I'd love to pay you for instead of someone on Amazon or Ebay...
can it be? could NoA really be turning over a new leaf? O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
NoA is starting to be relevant again!
Am I the only one who thought this game was way too easy? Don't get me wrong, it was a charmer and a fun ride, but I literally only lost two or three times in the entire campaign. For a game with "Tactics" in the title, its tactical AI was completely braindead. The Advance Wars GBA games were so much more challenging.
@Bustacap Thank you! I might have to give this game a try.
@antipop621 Word of advice, but Tactics and its remake has countless moments where you'll encounter several drastic difficulty spike as early as the 5th battle. There's even one battle in chapter 3 that if you don't prepare for properly can force you to start from the beginning of the game (mainly due to a poor design choice made by Square-Soft). After chapter 3, the game gets a lot easier once you get some OP characters like Balthier.
Can this mean FF4-6 GBA are soon to follow? I have them on PS1 (and 4 on DS) but I'd love to play them without the load times and the weird designs of the phone versions.
Oh neato! This is one of my favorite games of all time! I love the concept, the story, the hero/villain protagonist, and making a clan and finally being able to use all the races in Ivalice. And then the job system, all the weapons, the music, the art style, everything!!
I never liked this as much as the War of The Lions. Hopefully though, this is a sign of things to come. Square Enix has been a greatly missed supporter of Wii U and 3DS VC. Sadly, I may buy very little of it, considering how many sales have been on PSN. I have just about every Final Fantasy and both Chrono games; and everything else on my PS3 and PSTV. So stuff like FF6 Advance would be redundant. Now. I'd love to upgrade my Secret of Mana to Wii U, and get DS Chrono Trigger on my TV. If the GBC Dragon Warriors actually hit this summer... I'll cry injun tears of joy, more than I've ever cried... I may see the sun shine even brighter than when Capcom gave us all the GB Mega Man games and Demons Crest. Final Fantasy Adventure... The Legends games, especially 3... I better not dream too much. No. It may all be too good to be true.
Love this game. Can't wait for "Tactics Ogre" next, please!
One of the first games I imported for GBA. I remember printing a 200+ page guide to understand all the Japanese XD What a summer that was.
But it was one of the reasons I went on to study Japanese.
Played this on my gba sp (still have the cart) Fun game but the ai was pretty easy to predict. I recently got the first on PSN but I will pick this up eventually.
I may have to restart (3rd time) Final Fantasy A2: Grimoire of the Rift if it comes out. It's looking likely ^^
Good, I was worried that NA would not see this for months. This will be probably the first VC title I will have bought in a while.
@mowerdude Good
Bravo Nintendo... Bravo
@TheRavingTimes Thanks! I recently passed that dreaded battle in Chapter 3.
@antipop621 If you want to cheese the game have Ramza master the squire class and use his cheer up ability which is glitched to permanently increase his brave stat. This means certain abilities like the samurai's sword grab ability has a 100% success rate. Regardless, it is vital to get Yell for a particularly difficult one-on-one battle you will eventually face.
As for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, I will have to think hard on it. I like Final Fantasy Tactics, but the sequel introduced the rules/card system that seemed like it was there to punish and force you to play in ways that you might not care for.
Whoa! What an unexpected surprise!
How is this not out on 3DS?
Oh yeah! I may have to double dip and get this. Glad to see NoA releasing it.
Seeing Final Fantansy Tactics on here just makes me want Advance Wars Dual Strike
Ugh, I literally just bought the GBA version on a whim last month... Which I later realized I paid about ten dollars too much for, and I don't even like it that much so far. I would have much rather got it on Wii U for $8.
Sigh... Oh well.
yayyy ! : - )
@Darknyht the card system sucks... Until you get a huge clan and work around it or just change the rules to screw with the enemy
I remember one time I brought in my illusionist against one team and changed the rules to no swords. The enemy just sat there and did nothing while I wrecked everyone. Good times.
So stoked! Now with this out, I may not need to keep my Gamecube (and GBA player) hooked up any more. I'll just play my gc games on the wii. Its probably too late in the cycle, but maybe strong sales will encourage a Final Fantasy Tactics A 3(D)...
Beautiful game chock full of playtime.
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