Final Fantasy V Advance

Final Fantasy V Advance (GBA, 2006 JP/2006 NA/2007 EU): Enhanced remake of 1992 Super Famicom classic developed by Tose. Published by Square Enix in Japan (October 12, 2006) and Nintendo internationally—North America November 6, 2006, Europe April 20, 2007. First official Western release of FF5, which originally skipped North American SNES launch.

Graphics subtly updated from Super Famicom original with interface optimized for GBA screen. Music remade by original composer Nobuo Uematsu, though GBA hardware limitations resulted in lower sound quality versus SNES/PlayStation versions. Complete new English translation featuring pop culture references including The Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Power Rangers—adding humor to lighthearted narrative. Added bestiary, quick save function, and music player following precedent of previous GBA FF remakes.

Signature feature: Expanded Job System with 26 total jobs versus original's 22. Four new jobs exclusive to GBA version: Gladiator, Cannoneer, Oracle (available late-game after collecting 12 legendary weapons), and Necromancer (unlocked in bonus dungeon). Players master jobs through Ability Points (ABP) earned in battle, freely mixing abilities across characters. System praised for unprecedented customization and strategic depth, enabling countless party combinations.

Major addition: The Sealed Temple—30-floor post-game bonus dungeon accessible after defeating final boss. Multi-area labyrinth (10 named zones including River of Souls, Ruined Shrine, Heart of Ronka) resembling Interdimensional Rift aesthetically. Contains superbosses Omega Mk.II and Neo Shinryu. Cloister of the Dead side area. Features boss Enuo from game's backstory, designed by original monster designer Tetsuya Nomura rather than character designer Yoshitaka Amano. Dungeon criticized as tedious grind lacking story expansion, but offered powerful equipment and replayability.

Active Time Battle system with challenging boss encounters requiring strategic job mastery. High encounter rate noted. Playtime 30-40 hours for main story plus extensive post-game content. Game resets to title screen after party defeat—criticized for forcing multiple menu screens before retry. Unlike FF4 Advance, many original bugs fixed with less graphical lag/choppiness.

Generally positive reception. Critics praised bringing "obscure but excellent" Final Fantasy entry to West, deep job system customization, and memorable Uematsu soundtrack (particularly "Battle on the Big Bridge"). Reviews noted lighter story lacking character development of FF4/FF6, but compensated through exceptional gameplay mechanics. Job system called "best of any mainline Final Fantasy" by some reviewers. New content criticized for late-game availability. Japanese sales reached nearly 260,000 copies by December 2007. Positioned awkwardly between Final Fantasy XII (released 7 days prior) and Final Fantasy III DS (9 days after), limiting marketing impact as "middle child."