Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES) - Gaming Historian

Once upon a time, Square was struggling to increase sales in North America. They thought Americans needed more training on RPGs. Their solution? Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, one of the most beginner RPGs you will ever play. Gaming Historian provides the history of the game, plus a brief overview.
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[@terryrds]

The thing I loved about this game was the fact that enemies started to show when they were being weakened and that cool sound effect when enemies would die.

[@vanhopecomedy]

Yes! The enemy death sound effect!

[@caret7940]

Yeah man it's honestly a well thought out game, obviously made with passion.

[@OfficialNWS]

Mystic Quest was the first Final Fantasy and first JRPG game I ever played. I was about 5 years old the first time I played it. When I was 7 I had a buddy who owned the game and we beat it together. For us, it did exactly what Square was aiming for.

[@SpouTSmemS]

+Ciggy Bones Same here. So I think we agree they did it right

[@TheShepherd82]

exactly, feel the same like you. think there is a lot really good rpg's and some are way better than the first "original" final fantasies.

[@josselinhanel6327]

Same for me in France when I was 7, first Rpg of my life

[@richardgallimore5976]

This was the second game I ever got, I believe I was 6. Looking back at it now it seems very basic & not great, but it was perfect for 6 year old. The first game I played was Zelda LTTP, but I couldn't beat that until I was 9 as it was too difficult.

[@josselinhanel6327]

@@richardgallimore5976 same experience Lttp was my first game but I was attacking in random direction and die everytime so I finished to try another game, dk country I guess

[@anthonyfigueroa2395]

I likes how enemies showed they were getting damaged

[@findantu]

Ditto I hate clubbing at a boss and not knowing how well I'm doing.

[@davetheimpaler204]

That was the only thing I remembered from this game tbh.

[@TuxEarth]

You forgot one thing about the game: The soundtrack. I like a lot of the tracks from that game, I dunno about anyone else...

[@TheOfficialDJSuperRaveman]

I love the music from the game and feel it was desperately needing a new breath of life and so I have made what could be considered the best remixes of the games themes in the whole of KZbin kzbin.info/aero/PLoVSxyoC2-k6zAoazGqnGAnokbL7ZF6fV

[@chiefrocka9913]

Nostalgic AF!!!

[@SuperSirianRigel]

@@TheOfficialDJSuperRaveman Bro... I clicked on your link and clicked on the first song... You're "DJSuperRaveman Presents" intro made me instantly close it. It's fine to have that visually in the video. But the voiceover was unnecessary.

[@TheOfficialDJSuperRaveman]

@@SuperSirianRigel I am truly sorry for that awful intro I promise you my newer videos no longer contain the awful intro

[@TheOfficialDJSuperRaveman]

@@SuperSirianRigel here is the most recent mystic quest remix I made kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3yqYpKBhcaGbq8

[@samuelevans7575]

The music in Mystic Quest is absolutely amazing and no one denies that,

[@afteryouknowme4642]

Samuel Evans I don't think it's absolutely amazing. I think it's more so so amazing

[@EsotericBibleSecrets]

Absolutely, and OMG, the real Samuel Evans. I made a character with that name back in the day for some odd reason, he was a Swordsmen. Anyways, MQ gave me some major nostalgia with the Ice palace, and ice levels, between the music, and most playing it in the cold mornings on days when I stayed home from school because of my stomach. Something just deeply touches me here.

[@TheOfficialDJSuperRaveman]

I honestly would be crazy to say I hated the game and its music I love and absolutely adore it so much in fact I actually made what could be considered the best remixes ever made of the themes from the game. kzbin.info/aero/PLoVSxyoC2-k6zAoazGqnGAnokbL7ZF6fV

[@MusyabbirHaqim]

Ahh the first ever RPG I've played in my life.. You will always have a special place in my Heart.. FF Mystic Quest..

[@Futuresolidsnake]

Musyabbir Haqim me too

[@reemiipz]

The "mini-review" or "This is my opinion" section near the end was a nice touch. Thank you for making these videos, I really enjoy hearing the history behind games/consoles

[@GamingHistorian]

Thanks! I always wonder if I need to include my thoughts in these videos, so I am glad you liked it!

[@Jimbownage]

This game was a forgotten gem when I was a kid. Two party system and the visual indications of enemies getting hurt was a fun turn compared to others. I loved the characters as well. Mystic quest will always be one one my childhood memories with 1,4,6, Mario rpg, and phantasy star

[@slantize]

My first RPG was the original Dragon Warrior (Quest) on the NES. I was entranced by how different of a feel the game was. Super detailed and immersive. I was instantly hooked by the genre.

[@12esinlung]

FUN FACT: use cure 1 on final boss for six figure damage and the win.

[@12esinlung]

sorry I mean 5 figure. about 15k on each form.

[@chivalrous_chevy1163]

Are you serious? I’ll have to try that one.

[@whitemage024]

@@12esinlung lol,yeah ,i remember he was to easy and i wanted to heal him to last longer,but ended up killing him.

[@MegaSeraphimon]

Use life and kill him in three hits

[@RevCode]

@@whitemage024 I found out that certain enemy types are weak to healing (or holy in general) in final fantasy 7 when i accidentaly threw a phoenix down at an enemy in the caverns of cosmo canyon or what it was called. Later i remembered watching my father play Mystic Quest when i was 5 or so years old and doing just that at the very end, when he said he was going to show me a special trick :)

[@Tonicandsails]

Mystic quest definitely had some of the best music in the whole series (imo)

[@lionpaladin]

Mystic Quest always has a place in my heart as a fun, lighthearted, casual RPG I loved playing growing up. It was a great title to just relax with and enjoy. The music was great, battles were fun to me with some challenge now and then (and I loved how enemies changed when they got weaker, it was cute), and using weapons that acted as items to get through dungeons was quite clever and fun. Unfortunately I wrecked my copy of the game when I discovered a debug menu in the game which was accessible via the menu screen, and played around with some settings. After that, the game wouldn't get past the opening screen with the crystals: instead of going to the save game menu it would just go black. Still, I have other ways to play the game now, and I still do on occasion. I think the game gets too much hate for what it was.

[@Its__Good]

"It's up to you to save the kingdom . . . . . . Norm."

[@L33PL4Y]

My girlfriend got her name from this game! Her parents were playing Mystic Quest when her mother was pregnant and they decided to name her Kaeli.

[@KaeliGray]

Aww hey you!

[@zayaannashrid1374]

What the hell? OMG mate. You have an awesome GF.

[@L33PL4Y]

Zayaan Nashrid Well, ex-gf now, haha. But yeah, that's her there, Kaeli Gray.

[@zayaannashrid1374]

EBsessed Lol. Weird coincidence. But cool anyway XD And awww. Well, hope you can find the right girl

[@Art1611]

That's a great story! Thanks for sharing! (Sorry if this is awkward)

[@Eener1000]

I loved this game and probably in part because of the simplifying. It left out a lot of tedious things that other rpgs had and streamlined things. It also streamlined the story and characters making a lighthearted quirky game vs some of the overly dramatic Final Fantasies. I also loved how every item had a cool image and how mysterious the world felt. It left a lot to the imagination and had a great atmosphere.

[@Ignirium]

The most important and memorable thing about Mystic Quest is the battle music, it is incredible!

[@rellik187redrum]

I'm proud to have purchased 1 out of the 250,000 copies of FF II

[@billmalcolm4291]

+rellik187redrum Hell yeah, same here! That game was awesome!

[@GalitUnggoy]

I bought a complete near mint copy at Hollywood video clearance bin....for $20

[@GalitUnggoy]

I should clarify, that was back in '96 I think.

[@MiguelSanchez-eu4yp]

I got one in Mexico and learned English translating it. Then bought FF3 on SNES.

[@jc.1191]

Still got mine! Favorite all time game.

[@bubblegumpanda9195]

I actually really like this game. Am I alone?

[@GamingHistorian]

I don't think so. It's not a 'bad' game per se, but not terribly thrilling either. If you play it knowing its a "kiddie" RPG, it's pretty well done.

[@ironchef3500]

I really enjoyed it!

[@joegoesretro]

You're definitely not alone on that. I had fun with it too.

[@TheSaskOtaku]

It's not horrendously awful as many people make it out, hell i would rather play it than XIII. It's a mostly okay game to be honest.

[@brockly12345]

No, lots of people like it, it makes for a fun bite-size jrpg

[@mikemcclellan7026]

This is one of my favorite snes games ever. I'm 38 and still play it a lot.

[@joesomenumbers]

This game had a great soundtrack.

[@ConnerTheWaffle]

I first played this game when I was about 10 years old and it was a breeze, it took me about 2 days. NO 10 year old boy should be able to complete any RPG that easily! Still a fun game to me though ^_^

[@MegaZeta]

That was literally the purpose of the game though

[@TransformersTalkRAW]

Pics or lies sir.

[@vincea2996]

KZbin link to that video or didn’t happen lol

[@warlordofvideogameglitches]

Conner has spoken

[@Brutalious]

Mystic Quest may be a dud, but that soundtrack... So good. Edit: This game may not be a dud to you guys, and I personally think the game is fine. But review and sales wise... Dud. I shouldn't have to point out the obvious.

[@Peter_1986]

It's not a "dud" at all, it's a perfectly decent game that most people can enjoy without a problem.

[@randomrandom450]

The boss fights !!!

[@t.i.m.g90]

A dud? Are you fucking brain dead?

[@gfhrtshergheghegewgewgew1730]

it's a great turn based jrpg with a lot of soul, not every turn based jrpg has to be the most hardcore thing ever, otherwise ff2 would be lauded as the best turn based jrpg of all time by everyone

[@TheOfficialDJSuperRaveman]

If you love the soundtrack then you definitely will love what I have done to it I have made possibly the best remixes of the games themes ever so do follow the link if your interested. kzbin.info/aero/PLoVSxyoC2-k6zAoazGqnGAnokbL7ZF6fV

[@panagiotisgeorgiadis1692]

This is by FAR my favourite RPG. It was also my first RPG game I've ever played as a kid. It's easy-going. A couple of decades later, today, I still play this game because after working 9-5 I need something simple and beautiful.

[@rkrzyzanski1]

This was the game that got me to fall in love with RPG's. My older brother had it and didn't really play it. I in turn beat it..... before I could read. I vaguely remember him watching me mash through the dialogue while he watched me, confused. I couldn't have been older that 6 years old. I played through it with my nephew (who was 7 at the time) and it also got him into RPG's.... I love this game.

[@Demeech]

Glad to see you posting an episode every week man! Keep up the good work.

[@familybarton]

This was my first RPG, and it did its job! Years later and I still love the genre :)

[@irggfersd]

I played this a lot of time when I was younger. One of my favorite game of all-time.

[@xRocketzFighterx]

FF7 was my first turn based RPG back in late 99. During early 00s that time I was playing some old games on emulator and one of the games was FF Mystic Quest, the title alone attracted me to the game and it was the first time I've played a sprite based FF game. I thought the game was great also it made me start loving the old 2D JRPGs because when I played FF1 and FF4 on snes I was kinda turned off and didn't bother with FF6,5,3,2 and Just went "nope these old FF games aren't for me." But after I completed Mystic Quest what I got from it was an appreciation for old JRPGs and I gave FF6 a try and just realised how great that game is and I went back to FF1 and 4 and I instantly loved those games. It may have been 20 years by now but... If it wasn't for mystic quest then I may not have played and enjoyed FF1 to 6, Dragon Quest, Phantasy Star, Shining Force. Keep in mind during the late 90s and 00s, me and many others wanted to only play 3D games (we were stupid back in those days) and FF7,8,9,10 were more loved for their high quality animations and graphics. Not the gameplay. Say as many negative things as you want about Mystic Quest... But this game did make me love old rpgs and in later years I got into more indepth rpgs and even board games.

[@TheAbsoluteZxero]

That is awesome bro. Playing FF6 for the first time right now and am loving it

[@AwlrightProductions]

Dammit! Just as I was about to begin studying for my Calculus, a new Gaming Historian video. Welp, time to watch.

[@GamingHistorian]

Make sure you get your schoolwork done!

[@TenshiCat]

The story behind this game's development was very interesting, thank you for that! Although this game isn't very well-regarded, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call features two songs (the regular and boss battle themes) from it and Benjamin as a playable character, so that's cool!

[@brianfong5711]

The piano opening music for your youtube channel is half the reason I watch your videos.

[@FafGuy]

Nice to see a mention for Final Fantasy Legend 3! Total hidden gem in my book! Solid game play, good story, and GREAT soundtrack for a Game Boy game.

[@kristophernekula5151]

I am really glad that we eventually got FF V in the West. I may be one of the few to say this, but Five is probably my favorite Final Fantasy.

[@AwesomeHairo]

Same here.

[@erase4473]

yeah I think 5 and 6 are one of the best final fantasys 5 cause of it's unique job system and 6 for all the characters and how well the game and story is. I also think 12 is very good though underrated...

[@UltraHealthyVideoGameNerd]

Gameplay-wise, with the implementation of the job system, it may truly be one of the best. But the story and graphic design are a mundane imitation of IV.

[@KazuyaMithra]

Have you ever thought about doing a video on the Shin Megami Tensei series?

[@GiordanDiodato]

I'd rather he do one on tri-Ace.

[@KazuyaMithra]

Giordan Diodato Okay.

[@Amalga_Heart]

I remember I quite enjoyed this game as a kid, way back when. The number one thing I'll always remember about it though: The Dark King fight. "THIS ISNT EVEN MY FINAL FORM!" Every time I see that line anywhere, it reminds me of that guy, because he just kept transforming for no apparent reason.

[@DefendYoungstown]

I have a soft spot in my heart for this game, because I came home from school one day to find mom had gotten bored, fired up my SNES, and played through this front to back. I walked in the house as she was nearing the final boss. This is significant as her experience in gaming was limited to Atari 2600 Pac Man, and occasionally the minigames on NES Pictionary, and didn't like messing with electronics too much because she was somehow terrified of "pushing the wrong button and breaking it". While dad and I usually had high score contests over various games across multiple consoles over the years, mom was usually content to watch. So, this made me say "Well, go mom!" and feel all warm and fuzzy as she got through it without help. Or "breaking" my Super Nintendo.

[@Morgil27]

He should do a history of Super Mario RPG.

[@MakotoIchinose]

He's planning for that this year :)

[@nathenhutchison6182]

Your wish has been granted.

[@DeadPixel1105]

That was such a blast to play when it first came out. I wasn't even really into Mario or other "kid"-ish games at the time, but that game hooked me bad. One of the most enjoyable JRPG games I've ever played, honestly.

[@louisrobertson9215]

@@DeadPixel1105 That's bad on my part. I was big into Square back then. Played and beat the SNES FF games, Chrono Trigger and yet I never played RPG

[@SpencerFcp]

One of my favorite games of all time....Just had a weird charm to it. Maybe it's childhood nostalgia, but I thought it was really good. It's mostly a parody of RPGs....the comedy in the game is gold.

[@RonRose]

I remember buying this game used from Blockbuster back in the day. It was about a year after I'd played FFIII (VI). Definitely not what I expected from a Final Fantasy game at that point. It does have a certain charm to it, though. The music is excellent and the creature designs look quite good. I like that enemies visually register damage in battle. It's amusing to see a big, bad-ass monster looking all pitiful and weak just before the death blow is dealt.

[@Sugurain]

People are commenting a lot on the soundtrack, wich is, indeed, fantastic. But another feature that caught my attention back when I first played it was that it showed the enemy monster's health in a very visual way. You could tell if you were killing a monster by the way it changed appearance, that's not something I've seen before FFMQ, at least, not with EVERY single monster in the game.

[@vcrbetamax]

Best game of the series! Fans cry when Aerith gets drowned by Cloud. I cried when Benjamin saved..... whats her name, from being sick.

[@slugworth3111]

Spoilers

[@mog4788]

Final Fantasy II was amazing for that time. I was an RPG lover early on...I got the 1st Final Fantasy on the last day of third grade and 2 years later I finally got an SNES and FFII blew me away, lol. The translation on it was a little spotty, but mostly right with a few "wtf" moments. To this day I have the fondest memories of FF2 and FF3 (IV and VI, respectively).

[@dreadnaught6147]

I love how you have been uploading so many videos recently! SO GOOD.

[@Anomaly188]

As a kid who's household never had a PC until I was 8 in 1997, Mystic Quest and Mario RPG were my starting points in the RPG genre. I still have fond memories of Mystic Quest and replay it from time to time for it's kitschy story and great music. My enthusiasm falters during the lead up to the Ice Pyramid (bad memories and my personal hatred of ice themed zones,) but it always picks up by the time I get to Windia.

[@lovehearty42]

"Deep job system" That's funny. lol I remember having a blast when I played FFV the first time. No learning curve at all. When I got to the final boss, I effin' MURDERED him. No probs. Even had all my team alive, too. :) It wasn't until later I found out that the ending changed depending on whether or not characters were KO'd at the end of the fight.

[@PeteSkerritt]

Fantastic piece, Norm! I learned several new things about the development of the game and I really appreciated your level analysis of Mystic Quest. I'm a pretty staunch defender of the game, because of its intent. Mystic Quest is very much an "RPG For Dummies" title, showing those with little or no experience some basic concepts, such as turn-based battles, item management, magic use, and weapon selection strategy. For myself, as someone whose RPG experience at the time was only Final Fantasy II (IV), I found myself wishing that I had played Mystic Quest; I think that I would've been better-prepared for a more traditional FF game if I had. Many who look back at Mystic Quest fail to view the game through the proper lens, ripping it apart in the process instead of seeing the game for what it really was. Naturally, it's looked at as insulting in this day and age, in a post-FFVII world... but I do maintain that Mystic Quest achieved what it set out to accomplish.

[@Profoundemonium]

In Europe it was just called "Mystic Quest Legend" so I didn't know about the Final Fantasy connection until much later. It was one of the first RPG's I ever played so I have a lot of nostalgia for it. Also the soundtrack is just incredible!

[@adamlooze99]

I have always been fan of jrpgs. Chrono trigger, ff7, ff6, tales of phantasia, star ocean, super mario rpg, secret of mana/evermore, etc.. And I enjoyed Mystic Quest.

[@SystemSyko]

whats that first song that plays?

[@GamingHistorian]

the VERY first song (piano)? Or the one after?

[@SystemSyko]

***** the one after. not the intro song.

[@GamingHistorian]

SystemSyko That is 'Eternal Wind' from Final Fantasy III.

[@SystemSyko]

***** Awesome. Thanks man. I appreciate you replying.

[@GamingHistorian]

SystemSyko no problem at all!

[@cliffjumper1984]

Too easy, yes. but I enjoyed it. The battle music tho is the BEST in the series IMO

[@FerdandOfThe]

Thanks for making these videos. I learn a lot from them and I really enjoy watching them.

[@f_youtubecensorshipf_nazis]

This plus "hero's quest" ignited my love of RPGs that is still going strong at 43.

[@dekaranja]

Mystic Quest was a decent game that gets attacked unjustly. This series and it's characters deserve another chance.

[@stephendeinema9259]

I got that FF2 cart sitting in my snes right now

[@ethanrox333]

Same

[@SotNist]

Mystic Quest worked on me as a young kid. I became a JRPG fan and FF fan after that, and consumed every great release in the 16 and 32 bit era. Still play the good ones to this day.

[@NULLZER0112]

This was my first Final Fantasy. i loved it when i was young

[@RHaines76Gaming]

I still remember beating this game. It was one of the easiest and simplest games ever.

[@LeviathanRX]

I attempted to play Dragon Warrior as a kid, I didn't get into it. My friend had this game, we loved it, now I play JRPGs all the time.

[@russwaddel08]

+LeviathanRX Same here. I tried and tried to love DW, but it just fell flat. DW VII is AWESOME, but that is because Enix finally got their paradigm right after the release of Star Ocean in Japan. We almost got that game instead of Chrono Trigger. I am glad Nintendo made the right decision...

[@Dimebag-wx2rs]

Your videos are really good, I'm interested in history and games and you combine both of them in very good quality, thanks for keeping me interested and entertained!!

[@an3582]

This game had wonderful music and is what drove young me towards RPGs. It will always have a place in my heart

[@Clesarie]

Mystic Quest hate is highly over stated. Gotta think of the context and time it was made.

[@Crossplay]

+Clesarie Personally I feel it's right on the mark. They dumbed down everything that made RPGs great instead of streamlining features. They didn't even bother giving it a compelling story, which is the one-single factor that can make or break any RPG. And then they had the nerve to offer a strategy guide for such a stupidly simple game. That's like taking away your car and giving you a tricycle with training wheels in the hope that you'll love cars. Sure their hearts were in the right place but their heads weren't.

[@HumorousLOL]

Mystic Quest lovers attacking Mystic Quest haters was over rated before it was begun. I understand you idiots wanting to go against social norms, but you people take it way too far. This game is terrible, plain and simple.

[@fubukifangirl]

It was a BEGINNER'S game, it HAS to be easy! It was not intended for seasoned RPG gamers. Buying and playing this if you are used to more advanced games is the same as buying one of those little pop-up books intended for pre-schoolers and expecting it to be a detailed novel.

[@HumorousLOL]

fubukifangirl Yours is a pointless comparison, because the creators pretty much assumed Americans were dumb asses who could never figure out the complexity of "real" RPG's. This game is an insult to our intelligence and it should never been created. It's like saying there's a "beginner's" Mario game where the back ground scrolls automatically and all you do is jump over goombas over and over until you beat the level. If it was marketed toward young kids, I could understand somewhat, but this was marketed toward seasoned gamers, only difference being that Square didn't think we would be smart enough to figure out conventional RPGs.

[@Crossplay]

It was dumbed down too much. Even the first Final Fantasy was a better experience and entry into rpgs. I played that when I was around 9 and I was able to figure things out.

[@walnutpearl]

2:10 Japanese Billy Connolly lol

[@thepumpkingking8339]

I must have been concentrating to much on the History to miss this.....

[@blastedmcgraw152]

Really enjoying the more frequent content. Keep up the good work!

[@runnersdialzero1244]

This game isn't bad at all as long as you know what to expect. My first RPG was _Final Fantasy IV_ when I was only seven years old and it had been out for a few years. I didn't get it at all at first and was upset that I'd wasted a rental, but the next day, with little else to do, tried and successfully figured it out. At least to the point where it was playable even if I didn't understand stats, levels, etc. quite yet. From there, I was hooked, and played every RPG I could get my hands on. I feel lucky that I sort of accidentally got in on something of a golden age of gaming considering I'm from the US and didn't know anyone else into RPGs. But yeah, like I said, every RPG I could find. Except _Mystic Quest._ No idea why, my tiny local video store had it and I bought a copy over a decade ago. I finally got around to playing it this year at (ugh) the age of 36. Again, it's a good experience if you know what to expect. There is some real challenge here and there and the occasional secret. The script is simple, but well done. Even if it's definitely not the best, it's a nice addition to Square's catalogue.

[@Bladeslingerplays]

Yeah.....if I had to recommend an RPG for first timers, I would recommend the first Pokemon.

[@EmperorNero]

+Jaeger Newman Or Super Mario RPG.

[@paradoxzee6834]

I am a RPG noob and I love Xenobade X.

[@neoasura]

Pokemon is less RPG and more "Collecting and Battling" A good RPG needs a good story, exploration, and character development...Pokemon has none of that.

[@EmperorNero]

neoasura Depends on the Gen Black and White, and Gold and Silver have great stories.

[@paradoxzee6834]

neoasura Many MMO games dont have a good story or charachrer development and they are still consider RPGs.

[@towermoss]

I liked this game. I knew it was for beginners, but at that time the final fantasy pickings state-side was was pretty bare.

[@lee1davis1]

This game was my introduction to rpg. I needed it.

[@CloudStrife893]

I had legend 3 on the GB when i was younger and it was the first Final Fantasy game I ever played. I gave it with my gameboy and pokemon yellow to a soldier in the military when I was 16. I hope someone loved those games as much as I did.

[@MrAzleerico]

Square Soft makes epic RPGs. Square Enix does not.

[@cotton1983]

Thank you for not lumping Canada into the US by just saying the western world. Such a pet peeve of mine.

[@GamingHistorian]

I can't forget my northern friends!

[@MegaZeta]

Well, no offense, but Canada was even more resistant to RPGs than the U.S. in the 1990s.

[@isturma]

The bowels of youtube coughed up this video and recommended it to me - this comment is many years late, but.... I played the original Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior games on the NES when I was 6-8 years old. I was 14 or 15 when Mystic Quest came out. It wasn't as deep and groundbreaking like FFII or Dragon Warrior, but I think of it as a short fun game. I have warm memories of it - not enough to load it up and play through it - but enough to say "it wasn't bad for an afternoon or two of fun before taking it back to Blockbuster."

[@LexouDuck]

this video ties in really well with your latest one on Super Mario RPG - both showing square's localisation troubles, and a lot of people in common (like chihiro fujiyoka and ted woolsey)

[@thesinfultictac5704]

What I never got about Square's Mystic Quest was how incredibly arrogant and presumptuous it comes off as in that Ultima had been a thing a decade earlier. That Western gamers had several electronic RPGs before FF series. Yes they were often restricted to DOS computers but it wasn't like people were unawares of the concept. It's like no one at Square had thought of calling Richard Garriot aka Lord British and asking him how to appeal to western gamers in the RP department. Fuck why didn't the call Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson? I don't think it was their intent but it does come off that way.

[@MegaZeta]

It baffled me that you thought "calling up Lord British" was something that a Japanese video game company would have done... until it occurred to me that you must not have been around in the 1990s. The world was a little different then: more fractured geographically. As for calling up the AD&D guys, Square had been threatened by TSR with lawsuits already.

[@Riz2336]

Too bad rpgs are so few and far between now, thanks to your call of duties and grand theft autos.

[@brillopad6901]

I agree, I would love an endless supply of RPG's

[@RhythmGrizz]

Things are good now. Get a Switch. Try Project Octopath Traveler. Or Bravely Default on 3ds.

[@edvance1030]

I just wish Square made a Chrono 3 game. If they did, I would buy it in a heartbeat! I would even buy a new console just to play it if necessary.

[@JW86SH]

...I'm going out on a limb and stating that there are more RPGs than any other Genre. That says a lot considering how many FPS games there are now a days. We've had RPG titles as far back as Ultima and Might & Magic and as recent as this year. There are too many indie titles to count and when you consider that we have RPG titles that cover various genres, you total into an astronomical value. What about Diablo, Borderlands, Firefall, Dungeon Siege, RPG Maker (tons of indies came from it), Breath of Fire, Breath of Death, Illusion of Gaia, Baldur's Gate, Soul Blazer, Final Fantasy, WoW, Chronotrigger, Sword of Mana, Lufia, Super Mario Brothers RPG, and the list goes on. There has even been a ton of different methods for playing these games. From a more so real time system to a more traditional turn based one. From a fully open world to tile based world that you drop you into levels to complete. Honestly, I'd like to see someone tally up the number of shooters (not just FPS) and the number of RPG (including MMO, action, and turn based) and see who wins. Sure, they're not as prevalent anymore and there aren't any AAA turn based ones anymore, but hey, sometimes the indie developers do a better job understanding their "people."

[@JONNYSORENSEN_AU]

No shortage of rpgs on handhelds

[@jlhflex]

My first was NES Final Fantasy. My first rpg. After that, I bought every FF game I could find. I actually bought the game from a mail order company called Funcoland, now known as GameStop

[@TheElpikachu]

I got this game as a kid for Christmas one year and this got me hooked into RPG games

[@Bloodylaser]

Ted Woolsly has a pathetic job now lol

[@AwesomeHairo]

His paycheck isn't pathetic.

[@SadoMessiahLP]

Is it just me or do japanese RPGs suck as RPGs (but they are still great games!). I mean i never felt like i was the character im playing as. I think western RPGs like oblivion do this way better.

[@GiordanDiodato]

Western vs. Japanese RPGs are definitely different. Though if you want a JRPG with a western feel, you should try the RPGs made by From Software like Demon's Souls or Dark Souls.

[@GiordanDiodato]

JRPGs are also way more story-focused compared to Western RPGs.

[@leon30517]

i like both kinds of RPGs if they do the game right sometimes i don't mind if the main character is awesome on his own

[@SadoMessiahLP]

Giordan Diodato i know what dark souls is and it is not a jrpg. it is a normal western rpg. jrpg does not mean that this rpg is made in japan. It is its own genre with its own gameplay mechanics which differ a lot from western rpgs!

[@GiordanDiodato]

SadoMessiahLP but From Software is Japanese

[@TimedRevolver]

This game is the reason I love RPGs so much. I learned how to play them from this, and even to this day, come back to this one.

[@josht9977]

Mystic Quest was one of the first video games I ever played. I was maybe 5 so I appreciate now how simple it was.

[@prancyboots794]

Dragon Warrior was my intro to RPGs back in the late 80s, but I remember enjoying this one back when it was new. I rented it and finished it over a weekend.

[@penguinpie5056]

secret of mana was my intro to rpgs. the actual physical combat was a huge part of what drew me in

[@darrelldovenbarger4157]

Ive watched your videos for like a year or so but over the last few months u have became my top 3 youtube videos to watch .. Keep up the good work

[@wizardlyTKO]

I remember playing this when it came out, I got that guide in storage, and between this and Final Fantasy III *SNES* I was constantly returning to Super Metroid or ActRaiser. Man, I miss my childhood so bad. I live in a constant state of the past.. lol, Greatest time of my life.

[@charliegone1652]

Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI are the games that really brought me into the RPG genre. I still play them to this day 20 something years later.

[@publius791]

My previous experiences with RPG's before this game was Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy IV, both of which I played when I was 5 or 6. By the time I got my hands on this I was a bit older and I think the simpler game play helped teach me the concepts of RPGs better then the others allowing me to enjoy all the RPGs that much more.

[@dekky3908]

Was a huge fan of Final Fantasy 1 on the NES back in the early days of Nintendo, I remember seeing Final Fantasy 2 at a rental store when I was a kid and how excited I was to tell my brother what I had seen. We rented it that day and then eventually bought it when we had the money. Good memories with this classic series. Mystic quest wasn't a bad game, I put many long hours into playing it... But I did use a turbo joystick with the button rubber banded down to clear the boring battle grounds.

[@francisjo3]

This video completely changed my perspective of the game. Bravo Gaming Historian!

[@flareflex3397]

Thank you for the upload. I'm glad to see the you are posting more frequently. Keep up the good work

[@CanadaMMA]

I've always loved RPGs. The first two games I got for the NES was Ice Hockey, and The Legend of Zelda. Then for my birthday a few months later, they let me pick out two games at the store. For some reason I still can't explain, I picked up Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior. I never regretted it.

[@XZumex]

I remember 7 year old me struggled picking up This game, but over the course of like two hours I was getting the hang of it. Keep in mind the only games I played before this was mario on the nes, asteroids machine and contra 3 on snes. I was alone and clueless and even dumb 7 yo me could figure it out. Id say hats off to making the best beginner rpg out there.

[@rodgersmiith]

Wow! You've really been putting out the videos lately. I hope this momentum keeps going.

[@Kiralitess]

Very enlightening. I'd always wondered what relation Final Fantasy Mystic Quest had to the Final Fantasy franchise. Thinking back, my introduction to RPG's as a kid was with Super Mario RPG. when it came out. I distinctly remember my brother sitting me down in front of the new game he got and he told me to play, when I had no knowledge of what an RPG was and tried to start playing like it was a normal Mario game by going to jump on a goomba, then being confused when it took me to the battle screen. After that I had a blast with that game, but being a time when we didn't have internet, I didn't really know what games were similar to it in gameplay style. Several years later when I was in high school, some fellow classmates informed me on what emulators were. I had heard a lot about the Final Fantasy games from them, and some old Nintendo Power issues I had. The first ROM I found was for Final Fantasy 6, and I fell in love and then also played Chrono Trigger. I went back and played all the old Final Fantasy games, but I never did on a PlayStation, so Final Fantasy after that never caught my eye. I did eventually learn about all the games that came after FF6, but I feel that they changed way too much compared to the roots of the franchise, that they wouldn't hold my interest.

[@KoQNodfan]

Mystic Quest was the first RPG I ever played. After completing it I wanted more RPGs so I ended up getting every Final Fantasy game and any RPGs I could get my hands on so because of Mystic Quest RPGs have been my favorite genre of games for years... I can't say enough how thankful I am for this game.

[@BirdsOfGlass]

Mystic Quest was in every comic that I bought leading up to its release, it's the only reason I wanted it.

[@centauriboy]

This is my very first FF game and Super Mario RPG was my intro to the genre. My next entry was FFX on Playstation 2. But my favorite FF was FFTactics Advance 1&2 on GBASP.

[@chrohnix]

keep these videos coming! loving them norm!

[@TheMatissV]

Oh man, this brings me back. I played this game WAY too much

[@travistaylor3186]

I enjoyed this game, I was a teen during the 90s and this game was exactly the level of difficulty for me. I played a ton of snes and gameboy final fantasy games back in the day, and something about this one being so different made me like it.

[@brucifer48060]

Very well done I've seen mystic quest reviews but you always do a good job with the history and story behind the games.