Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series review for Nintendo Switch, PS4

While I?m still not entirely sure why Square Enix released the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection only on PC and mobile back in 2021, I am happy to see that console players now have the opportunity to experience these six classic RPG?s on PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch. It?s also nice to see that Square Enix took a little bit of time during the delay in the console releases to take fan criticism to heart, making improvements to the prior font choice. In addition, the console versions also feature the ability to toggle on increased experience, gil, and job point functions, along with the ability to switch between the classic soundtracks and the new orchestrated remixes. All in all, these are solid additions to what was already an impressive overhaul of these 8-bit and 16-bit classics, and help solidify the ideal that the Pixel Remasters could now be considered the definitive versions of classic Final Fantasy. 

I won?t go so far as to call these definitive myself, there is content missing here from prior releases for a few of the games, like additional content found in the GBA ports for instance, but what I think the Pixel Remasters do quite well is mimic the overall feeling I had playing through various Final Fantasy games for the first time back in the day. Revisiting something like Final Fantasy IV was like taking a trip down memory lane, so much so that despite knowing that these are prettied up versions of the games I originally played, I?m still surprised by how different they look compared to the games of my youth. That is a testament to how well these remasters are handled, they?re still instantly recognizable to anyone that has a history with these six titles, but have been spruced up enough to make the overall experience palatable for modern audiences. 

I?m also happy to see that most of the bugs or issues experienced in the PC and mobile releases are nonexistent here. One recurring issue I found when playing these games during their original PC release was constant screen tearing which appeared to be related to VSync, requiring me to turn that option off via my graphic card settings for every release. Here that problem doesn?t exist, and overall these six games run extremely well. Playing through the entirety of Final Fantasy IV and dabbling in the rest of the collection, I never ran into a crash, bug, or other technical issue. I?ve seen some complaints about a scrolling effect, but for me I never noticed anything odd with scrolling while inside of dungeons or exploring the overworld. 

The modern additions made here, like the ability to dramatically increase experience and gil gains, are a definite plus, especially if you?re just replaying these games and not experiencing them for the first time. Other modern conveniences, like quick saves and a mini-map that?s actually kind of useful, are nice to see too. Again, I do wish these releases had more of the content found in prior releases, as I kind of doubt Square Enix has much interest in doing an all-encompassing collection down the road, but the core essence of each game is still very much intact. 

So if you?ve never played a Final Fantasy title prior to the PS1 era, or if you?re just a massive fan of these games like myself, I can safely say that this Pixel Remaster collection is certainly worth picking up. Whether you want the whole set or just want to revisit the entries that you love, you?re going to get a really great experience regardless of which title you go with. Definitely check this collection out when you get a chance, you won?t be disappointed. 

Note: Square Enix provided us with a Final Fantasy 1-6 Pixel Remaster Switch codes for review purposes.