Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Encyclopedia
is a action role-playing game
for the Nintendo GameCube
. It was published by Nintendo
and developed by The Game Designers Studio, a shell corporation for Square Enix
's Product Development Division-2. A spin-off of the Final Fantasy
series, the game spawned a metaseries of the same name
. It was released in Japan on August 8, 2003; in North America on February 9, 2004 and in Europe and Australia on March 12, 2004.
Many new gameplay elements were included in this game, such as real-time fighting, as well as being the first console role-playing game to incorporate GameCube-Game Boy Advance
compatibility. The music was composed by Kumi Tanioka
. The game was greeted with good reviews overall, with many calling the graphics beautiful and the multiplayer design innovative. Three further Crystal Chronicles games have been released (chronologically, two sequels, one distant prequel, and two more); one for the Wii
was released, and one for the WiiWare
download service is in development, making Crystal Chronicles a sub-series of the Final Fantasy series.
map. While in a town, the player can talk to various non-player character
s and buy supplies and equipment using gil (the in-game currency). Unlike most role-playing games, equipment cannot be bought pre-crafted: instead, players must buy or find "designs" (blueprints for a piece of equipment) and the necessary components before paying for it to be crafted at a blacksmith or tailor (depending on whether the equipment is a weapon/piece of armour or an accessory).
In terms of physical attacks, characters can chain up to three-in-a-row, or charge their power to use a more powerful "focus attack". There are multiple focus attacks available, dependent upon weapon. Magic
in Crystal Chronicles comes in the form of "magicite" (a term first used in Final Fantasy VI
and later used in Final Fantasy XII
and other titles set in the world of Ivalice
(as part of the Ivalice Alliance)) and encompasses only a few basic offensive and defensive spells, with the majority of the spells in the game accessible by combining two or more basic spells. This is done differently in single- and multi-player modes: in single-player, the magicite is combined in the command menu in a process called "fusion", while in multiplayer, players must charge and cast individual spells in the same place with a certain timing in a process called "stacking" (pictured).
as a controller, connected to the GameCube
by a Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable. Each Game Boy Advance acts as its players "personal screen", with which they can control their character and access an individual menu without disrupting the flow of the game.
", a liquid substance that powers the crystals' protective effect. But myrrh can only be harvested from special "myrrh tree
s", which are almost exclusively found in dungeons filled with monsters and other hostile creatures. The people collecting myrrh often use a caravan as a means of conveyance, and so are often called "caravanners", and their caravans are often called "crystal caravans".
races, and the relationships between them, and events thereof, form much of the world's history.
The are biologically similar to humans and are a very peaceful race. They are generally farmers or ranchers. In the present day, a majority of Clavats live and work in the fertile Fields of Fum, providing a majority of the world's produce. Clavats are only confirmed to be capable of interbreeding with Selkies and Lilties. Their emblem is a crystal with a wing seen in profile, similar to the ones on the heels of their shoes. Clavats' main advantage in battle is their high defense, which makes them good for being able to withstand powerful enemies. They fight with swords, and use shields as their race-exclusive armor.
The are a proud, stout race of warriors and knights. In the past they ruled the world in an empire, founded off the weapons forged from materials of the Cathurigian mines. Even though their empire is now gone, the Lilties maintain the roads built then, and form patrols to ensure the safety of the towns and caravans. The Lilties are the shortest race in the game, as an adult Lilty is noticeably shorter than most other characters. The Lilties also have a unique, flower-like appearance, which is perhaps the source of their name. Their emblem is a triple-pronged spear with two banner furls. Of the four races, Lilties are the most powerful, starting with a naturally high attack stat that lets them do heavy damage. They are inept at magic, and take the longest time to cast a spell. They equip gauntlets as their race-exclusive armor, and use spears as weapons.
are taller than Lilties, around the same height as Clavats, and usually have silver, blue, yellow or light purple hair and possess extremely fit and athletic bodies. They are a rugged race that dress in furs and stolen goods, and are mostly thieves.They usually put their own interests first and are often scorned by the other tribes. In the past, the Selkies were under the control of the Liltian empire and migrated from their ancestral homes to search for a safer place to live. They also seem to have been more culturally developed than in the present. They had their own language, and modern Yukes are studying Selkic texts on the Miasma, suggesting that they had lore of their own. It is said that they come from the sea. Their emblem is a stylized Selkie dancing, kicking, or jumping. It has two arms raised up, and one leg to the side. Selkies are the speediest of the races, and can take enemies down with a hit-and-run tactic. Selkies' race-exclusive armor is belts, and as weapons they use rackets.
are tall, slender creatures with helmets that cover their faces most of the time, though it is mentioned by a scholar in the game that Yukes may lack physical bodies and only have souls. They also have long, feathered, striped arms, and small, vestigial wings. In the past, the Yukes were the only tribe not to be under the control of the Liltian empire. They achieved this by being sieged on the island of Shella, aided by their magic. In the recent past, they built the Veo Lu Sluice, which diverts Lake Shella into the Jegon River and enables the high fertility in Fum. A majority of Yukes live at Shella, teaching magic to others, but they still retain their aloofness. A non-Yuke can enter the city only if they have a Mark of Shella, which can be found at the Sluice. Their emblem is a stylized Yuke seen head on. Yukes are powerful magic casters, but are weak physical attackers. Their "Defend" command is possibly the most useful, as it makes them immune to all physical and magical attacks. Yukes use hammers as weapons, and their race-exclusive armor is helmets.
Eventually, they reach Mag Mell, home of the Carbuncles who, after the fall of the Meteor, shut themselves off from the world and entered hibernation so as to not get caught up in any more of the world's problems. After hearing of the caravan's travels, they realize their folly and advise the caravanners to head for the nearby Mt. Vellenge, resting place of the Meteor and source of miasma. There they fight the Meteor Parasite, to halt the flow of miasma once and for all. When they are about to strike the final blow against the Meteor Parasite, they are pulled into an alternate dimension. where they meet Mio, a being connected to peoples' memories, taking the form of a young girl bathed in light, and Raem, her dark counterpart born from the violence sparked by the Meteor impact, taking the form of a bird-like beast. Mio and Raem both thrive on memories, but have significantly different habits: Mio occasionally "nibbles" on peoples' memories, causing forgetfulness. Raem, however, is much more malevolent, devouring peoples' entire collection of memories, causing amnesia
, of which there has been a recent outbreak.
The miasma spreading throughout the land had created in people plentiful painful memories for Raem to feast on, but destroying the meteor parasite would break this cycle. Thus, Raem attacks the caravanners, who are able to resist his assault on their memories and defeat him. Fading away, Raem panics and attacks Mio, fusing her into himself to mount one last attack on the caravanners as the final boss Memoria (an anagram of both Raem and Mio). The caravanners' positive memories gain physical form, becoming high-powered magicite that they use to make swift work of the creature.
Defeated, Mio and Raem separate and begin to fade away, with Mio telling the caravanners that she and Raem will rest for a while. They are sent back to Mt. Vellenge, where the caravanners are finally able to kill the wounded Meteor Parasite, ridding the world of miasma. The caravan's journey, and the journeys of all the other caravans, are over for good.
event in Japan on December 21, 2002, Crystal Chronicles marked the first Final Fantasy game to be released for a Nintendo
home system since Final Fantasy VI
in 1994. The game was developed by The Game Designers Studio, a shell corporation for Square Enix
's Product Development Division-2 established for the purpose of creating games for Nintendo consoles within the limits of an exclusivity deal with Sony
. Crystal Chronicles was designed to be more easily accessible than other Final Fantasy games due to its more action oriented gameplay and its user-friendly interface. The game met with some initial confusion as to the nature of the Square Enix and Nintendo project, the departure from standard Final Fantasy gameplay mechanics, and the use of the Game Boy Advance and link cable instead of a GameCube controller for multiplayer play. The game's producer Akitoshi Kawazu explained that using the Game Boy Advance will "introduce different elements of gameplay", as players will have access to information on the GBA screen, and can choose to share it with the other players or keep it to themselves.
, while music programmer
and arranger
Hidenori Iwasaki
provided one additional piece of music. Tanioka has described the musical style for the soundtrack as being based on "ancient instruments". The soundtrack makes extensive use of many medieval
and Renaissance
musical instruments such as the recorder
, the crumhorn
and the lute
, creating a distinctively rustic feel. Tanioka said that the idea came to her while looking at illustrations of the game world, which gave her the idea of making "world music", where the tracks would "not [be] limited to a single country or culture". She also credits Hidenori Iwasaki, the synthesizer operator for the game, with doing "fantastic technical work" that brought her vision to life. The soundtrack was released as a separate album on the Pony Canyon
label on August 20, 2003. It included all of the music from the game with the exception of the English versions of the opening song, "Morning Sky", the ending theme, "Moonless Starry Night", and "Sound of the Wind", or "Kaze No Ne", all sung by Donna Burke
. The soundtrack spans 52 tracks over 2 discs, covering a duration of 2:11:38, and has the catalog number PCCG-00613.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: A Musical Journey was a European promotional album which was given alongside the game on March 11, 2004 if the game had been pre-ordered. It contains six tracks from the soundtrack, including "Kaze No Ne" in both Japanese and English, the only time the English version has been released. It was published by Nintendo of Europe, and covers a duration of 17:37.
is the opening song of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, composed by Kumi Tanioka and performed by Yae. It was released as a single by Pony Canyon
, featuring the "Kaze No Ne" song, an arranged version, and two other songs by Yae from her album Blue Line, "Carol (scat)" and . The single was released on July 30, 2003, has a length of 14:12, and has a catalog number of PCCA-01915. While "Kaze No Ne" follows the medieval theme of the rest of the Crystal Chronicles soundtrack, the arranged version is a more "produced" electronic-sounding track. The two unrelated tracks are vocal and instrumental pieces, with "Carol" as a scat
song, and "Flower of Love" more of a slower "ethnic/world" piece.
for its Phantasy Star Online
-like multiplayer cooperative play, but the use of the Game Boy Advance
, while innovative, was thought to be detrimental to the gameplay. The game's visuals and music were also praised. The game received the Grand Prize at the 2003 Japan Media Arts Festival
. It was also rated the 42nd best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power
's Top 200 Games list. The game sold 187,035 copies in Japan in its first week of release, and has currently sold 1.38 million copies worldwide.
Shane Bettenhausen of Electronic Gaming Monthly
praised the game's multiplayer element, which he said transforms its "simple hack-n-slash gameplay [...] into something strategic, wild, and addictive". He also called the game "visually arresting", and noted that "every location you explore harbors stunning details". Kevin Gifford, of the same magazine, criticized its single-player element, which he said "gets boring very quickly". However, he said that the game has "a superb graphic and sound package (the most beautiful on GameCube, I'd say)", and praised its multiplayer elements.
known as .
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
has since evolved into a metaseries. There are currently five more games set in the same world: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
, a prequel for Nintendo DS
, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
, a sequel for the Wii
, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
for the Nintendo DS
and Wii
, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King
and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord
direct sequels for Wii released through the WiiWare
download service.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. It was published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
and developed by The Game Designers Studio, a shell corporation for Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
's Product Development Division-2. A spin-off of the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series, the game spawned a metaseries of the same name
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (series)
is a series of video games by Square Enix. Created by Akitoshi Kawazu, the Crystal Chronicles series is a spin-off series of the Final Fantasy media franchise, and has so far only appeared on Nintendo consoles.- Titles :...
. It was released in Japan on August 8, 2003; in North America on February 9, 2004 and in Europe and Australia on March 12, 2004.
Many new gameplay elements were included in this game, such as real-time fighting, as well as being the first console role-playing game to incorporate GameCube-Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
compatibility. The music was composed by Kumi Tanioka
Kumi Tanioka
is a Japanese video game music composer and musician. She is most known for composing the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series.-Early life:Kumi Tanioka was born in Hiroshima, Japan. She studied music and composition while in school and enjoyed listening to video game music as her younger brother...
. The game was greeted with good reviews overall, with many calling the graphics beautiful and the multiplayer design innovative. Three further Crystal Chronicles games have been released (chronologically, two sequels, one distant prequel, and two more); one for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
was released, and one for the WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
download service is in development, making Crystal Chronicles a sub-series of the Final Fantasy series.
Gameplay
Like many action role-playing games, the gameplay of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles can be broken down into two sections: exploration and combat.Exploration
Exploration makes up the majority of the game, and is fairly traditional in terms of role-playing games. The player travels in their caravan to various settlements via an overworldOverworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
map. While in a town, the player can talk to various non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s and buy supplies and equipment using gil (the in-game currency). Unlike most role-playing games, equipment cannot be bought pre-crafted: instead, players must buy or find "designs" (blueprints for a piece of equipment) and the necessary components before paying for it to be crafted at a blacksmith or tailor (depending on whether the equipment is a weapon/piece of armour or an accessory).
Combat
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles features real-time combat with no transition to a separate screen. Rather than there being certain characters who can only use certain skills (physical attack skills, magic, etc.), in Crystal Chronicles all characters can use all abilities, but with varying degrees of talent based on their race; for example, Lilties are the most powerful in terms of physical attacks, but weakest with magic, and vice versa for Yukes.In terms of physical attacks, characters can chain up to three-in-a-row, or charge their power to use a more powerful "focus attack". There are multiple focus attacks available, dependent upon weapon. Magic
Magic (gaming)
Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...
in Crystal Chronicles comes in the form of "magicite" (a term first used in Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square , released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a...
and later used in Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform...
and other titles set in the world of Ivalice
Ivalice
is a fictional location in the Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Vagrant Story universe. The world was conceived by Yasumi Matsuno when he joined Square Co. in 1995, and has since been expanded upon by several games, with more yet due with the Ivalice Alliance series...
(as part of the Ivalice Alliance)) and encompasses only a few basic offensive and defensive spells, with the majority of the spells in the game accessible by combining two or more basic spells. This is done differently in single- and multi-player modes: in single-player, the magicite is combined in the command menu in a process called "fusion", while in multiplayer, players must charge and cast individual spells in the same place with a certain timing in a process called "stacking" (pictured).
Multiplayer connectivity
In order to play Crystal Chronicles in multiplayer mode, each player must use a Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
as a controller, connected to the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
by a Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable. Each Game Boy Advance acts as its players "personal screen", with which they can control their character and access an individual menu without disrupting the flow of the game.
Setting
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, and related titles, take place in an unnamed world. In the time of Crystal Chronicles, this world is covered in a noxious gas known as "miasma", to which direct exposure can prove fatal. Towns, villages and other settlements throughout are protected from the ill effects of miasma by crystals, which generate a barrier which miasma cannot penetrate. But this effect is not permanent: it only lasts for around one year. Therefore, each year, brave people from each settlement venture out into the world to collect "myrrhMyrrh
Myrrh is the aromatic oleoresin of a number of small, thorny tree species of the genus Commiphora, which grow in dry, stony soil. An oleoresin is a natural blend of an essential oil and a resin. Myrrh resin is a natural gum....
", a liquid substance that powers the crystals' protective effect. But myrrh can only be harvested from special "myrrh tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s", which are almost exclusively found in dungeons filled with monsters and other hostile creatures. The people collecting myrrh often use a caravan as a means of conveyance, and so are often called "caravanners", and their caravans are often called "crystal caravans".
Races
The world of Crystal Chronicles is inhabited by four humanoidHumanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
races, and the relationships between them, and events thereof, form much of the world's history.
The are biologically similar to humans and are a very peaceful race. They are generally farmers or ranchers. In the present day, a majority of Clavats live and work in the fertile Fields of Fum, providing a majority of the world's produce. Clavats are only confirmed to be capable of interbreeding with Selkies and Lilties. Their emblem is a crystal with a wing seen in profile, similar to the ones on the heels of their shoes. Clavats' main advantage in battle is their high defense, which makes them good for being able to withstand powerful enemies. They fight with swords, and use shields as their race-exclusive armor.
The are a proud, stout race of warriors and knights. In the past they ruled the world in an empire, founded off the weapons forged from materials of the Cathurigian mines. Even though their empire is now gone, the Lilties maintain the roads built then, and form patrols to ensure the safety of the towns and caravans. The Lilties are the shortest race in the game, as an adult Lilty is noticeably shorter than most other characters. The Lilties also have a unique, flower-like appearance, which is perhaps the source of their name. Their emblem is a triple-pronged spear with two banner furls. Of the four races, Lilties are the most powerful, starting with a naturally high attack stat that lets them do heavy damage. They are inept at magic, and take the longest time to cast a spell. They equip gauntlets as their race-exclusive armor, and use spears as weapons.
are taller than Lilties, around the same height as Clavats, and usually have silver, blue, yellow or light purple hair and possess extremely fit and athletic bodies. They are a rugged race that dress in furs and stolen goods, and are mostly thieves.They usually put their own interests first and are often scorned by the other tribes. In the past, the Selkies were under the control of the Liltian empire and migrated from their ancestral homes to search for a safer place to live. They also seem to have been more culturally developed than in the present. They had their own language, and modern Yukes are studying Selkic texts on the Miasma, suggesting that they had lore of their own. It is said that they come from the sea. Their emblem is a stylized Selkie dancing, kicking, or jumping. It has two arms raised up, and one leg to the side. Selkies are the speediest of the races, and can take enemies down with a hit-and-run tactic. Selkies' race-exclusive armor is belts, and as weapons they use rackets.
are tall, slender creatures with helmets that cover their faces most of the time, though it is mentioned by a scholar in the game that Yukes may lack physical bodies and only have souls. They also have long, feathered, striped arms, and small, vestigial wings. In the past, the Yukes were the only tribe not to be under the control of the Liltian empire. They achieved this by being sieged on the island of Shella, aided by their magic. In the recent past, they built the Veo Lu Sluice, which diverts Lake Shella into the Jegon River and enables the high fertility in Fum. A majority of Yukes live at Shella, teaching magic to others, but they still retain their aloofness. A non-Yuke can enter the city only if they have a Mark of Shella, which can be found at the Sluice. Their emblem is a stylized Yuke seen head on. Yukes are powerful magic casters, but are weak physical attackers. Their "Defend" command is possibly the most useful, as it makes them immune to all physical and magical attacks. Yukes use hammers as weapons, and their race-exclusive armor is helmets.
Characters
Player characters are created by the player, with choices of race, name, gender and one of four set designs based on race and gender. Therefore this section will list non-player characters with importance to the storyline.- Amidatty: the rather eccentric leader of the Yuke caravan from Shella. At one point in the game, he buys a loaf of bread from Gurdy, who claims it to be a highly scientific model of the world, believing mold that formed in it to represent miasma. Amidatty reveals later that he knew it was bread the entire time.
- The Black Knight: a mad Lilty knight clad from head to toe in black armor. He spends his time chasing a 'light' across the countryside claiming it stole his memories. Later he is mortally wounded by a child Lilty, Leon Esla, that believed the Black Knight killed his father. Before the Black Knight dies, he seemingly remembers who he was before he died. It turns out that Leon Esla was his son, born after he left with Hurdy to try to rid the world of miasma.
- De Nam: A rather peculiar Selkie who players meet in Shella. He is studying magic and wants to one day rid the world of miasma. He will send players letters if they talk to him in Shella saying he is drinking miasma-filled water in Conall Curach to try to build up immunity to miasma. His final letter to players tells them to come to Conall Curach, where he has been corrupted by the miasma and turned into a monster.
- Gurdy: The rather untrustworthy Clavat makes his living out of cheating people out of their money. Players see him cheat both the Fields of Fum caravan and Amidatty. Possessing a great acting ability and silver tongue he seems to get away with it, though he often comes begging to players for help or money. Though one of the less pure characters he does help players a great deal in their quest with his poems. It later turns out that he has suffered from a loss of memories and barely knows who he is.
- Hurdy: A traveling priest who is apparently Gurdy's brother. However, near the end of the game, players will be given clues that suggest that Hurdy is Gurdy, who thought his name was Gurdy after his memories were stolen by Raem. This is confirmed in the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Official Guide.
- Mog: A moogle who carries the chalice for the player in single-player mode. He will also ask the player to paint him and trim his fur in the moogle holes. Depending on what color he is painted, he may add his power to the player's for spells (red for fire, blue for blizzard, green for thunder). If a GBA (Game Boy Advance) or SP is connected to socket two with a GBA GCN connector during single player mode, the color will also change the type of radar it displays. (Normal or cut hair for Map, red for Enemy Radar, blue for Treasure Chest Radar, green for Monster Data)
- Princess Fiona: The half-Lilty, half-Clavat princess of Alfitaria. Her heritage is visible through the leaves sprouting from her hair, large bust, and although she has a Selkie crest on her left cheek, this is part of a disguise used in Leuda. She runs away from Alfitaria during the game because she is scared of her duties, but is eventually inspired by the caravan and decides to return home giving a large sum of money to the caravan. Note that in the game Princess Fiona is referred to as a strange "Selkic Maiden" by the Selkie Merchant in Marrs Pass. When she runs away she decides to spend time in Leuda, land of the Selkies.
- Roland: In year two onwards till around year five the village elder will stop characters on the bridge on their way out of Tipa to give them some information about a scholar from Tipa who wanted to rid the world of miasma and hired the Black Knight for protection when he traveled in search of a way to dispel the miasma. The scholar apparently disappeared after sending a letter home to him from Mag Mell. He also claims that he recited certain poems which seemed to refer to the Lynari Desert. Gurdy will later recite these poems for players revealing that he could possibly have been the scholar before he lost his memories, when he was named Hurdy. This is confirmed in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Official Guide.
- Sol Racht: The Lilty leader of the Alfitaria caravan. The knight is the first character players meet in the game and introduces them to the moogle who teaches them how to fight. Although he is a little obtuse he helps the caravan, often giving advice, food, or weapons. Later in the game, his child is born, and he retires to provide parental care.
Story
Crystal caravans have been journeying throughout the world, seeking myrrh for many years now. The player is put in control of one such caravan, from the small village of Tipa, setting out for the first time (and as many subsequent times as the player desires). As the caravanners' journey continues and they travel further in the search for myrrh, they meet many interesting characters and learn much about the history of their world.Eventually, they reach Mag Mell, home of the Carbuncles who, after the fall of the Meteor, shut themselves off from the world and entered hibernation so as to not get caught up in any more of the world's problems. After hearing of the caravan's travels, they realize their folly and advise the caravanners to head for the nearby Mt. Vellenge, resting place of the Meteor and source of miasma. There they fight the Meteor Parasite, to halt the flow of miasma once and for all. When they are about to strike the final blow against the Meteor Parasite, they are pulled into an alternate dimension. where they meet Mio, a being connected to peoples' memories, taking the form of a young girl bathed in light, and Raem, her dark counterpart born from the violence sparked by the Meteor impact, taking the form of a bird-like beast. Mio and Raem both thrive on memories, but have significantly different habits: Mio occasionally "nibbles" on peoples' memories, causing forgetfulness. Raem, however, is much more malevolent, devouring peoples' entire collection of memories, causing amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
, of which there has been a recent outbreak.
The miasma spreading throughout the land had created in people plentiful painful memories for Raem to feast on, but destroying the meteor parasite would break this cycle. Thus, Raem attacks the caravanners, who are able to resist his assault on their memories and defeat him. Fading away, Raem panics and attacks Mio, fusing her into himself to mount one last attack on the caravanners as the final boss Memoria (an anagram of both Raem and Mio). The caravanners' positive memories gain physical form, becoming high-powered magicite that they use to make swift work of the creature.
Defeated, Mio and Raem separate and begin to fade away, with Mio telling the caravanners that she and Raem will rest for a while. They are sent back to Mt. Vellenge, where the caravanners are finally able to kill the wounded Meteor Parasite, ridding the world of miasma. The caravan's journey, and the journeys of all the other caravans, are over for good.
Development
First officially announced at the Jump FestaJump Festa
is an annual party or exposition in Japan, all about anime and manga, sponsored by Shueisha, creators of the various Jump anthologies. New movies, manga, games, and merchandise are introduced during this event...
event in Japan on December 21, 2002, Crystal Chronicles marked the first Final Fantasy game to be released for a Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
home system since Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square , released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a...
in 1994. The game was developed by The Game Designers Studio, a shell corporation for Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
's Product Development Division-2 established for the purpose of creating games for Nintendo consoles within the limits of an exclusivity deal with Sony
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
. Crystal Chronicles was designed to be more easily accessible than other Final Fantasy games due to its more action oriented gameplay and its user-friendly interface. The game met with some initial confusion as to the nature of the Square Enix and Nintendo project, the departure from standard Final Fantasy gameplay mechanics, and the use of the Game Boy Advance and link cable instead of a GameCube controller for multiplayer play. The game's producer Akitoshi Kawazu explained that using the Game Boy Advance will "introduce different elements of gameplay", as players will have access to information on the GBA screen, and can choose to share it with the other players or keep it to themselves.
Audio
The soundtrack to Crystal Chronicles was primarily composed by Kumi TaniokaKumi Tanioka
is a Japanese video game music composer and musician. She is most known for composing the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series.-Early life:Kumi Tanioka was born in Hiroshima, Japan. She studied music and composition while in school and enjoyed listening to video game music as her younger brother...
, while music programmer
Programming (music)
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
and arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
Hidenori Iwasaki
Hidenori Iwasaki
is a Japanese synthesizer programmer and video game composer currently working at Square Enix. He studied at the Tokyo International University before joining Square in 1998. He first worked as a synthesizer programmer before becoming a composer. His first work as a solo composer is Front Mission 4...
provided one additional piece of music. Tanioka has described the musical style for the soundtrack as being based on "ancient instruments". The soundtrack makes extensive use of many medieval
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
and Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
musical instruments such as the recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
, the crumhorn
Crumhorn
The crumhorn is a musical instrument of the woodwind family, most commonly used during the Renaissance period. In modern times, there has been a revival of interest in Early Music, and crumhorns are being played again....
and the lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
, creating a distinctively rustic feel. Tanioka said that the idea came to her while looking at illustrations of the game world, which gave her the idea of making "world music", where the tracks would "not [be] limited to a single country or culture". She also credits Hidenori Iwasaki, the synthesizer operator for the game, with doing "fantastic technical work" that brought her vision to life. The soundtrack was released as a separate album on the Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
label on August 20, 2003. It included all of the music from the game with the exception of the English versions of the opening song, "Morning Sky", the ending theme, "Moonless Starry Night", and "Sound of the Wind", or "Kaze No Ne", all sung by Donna Burke
Donna Burke
Donna Burke, a singer, narrator, and entrepreneur, was born in Perth, Australia, and moved to Tokyo, Japan in 1996. She lives with her guitarist and husband Bill Benfield and her three cats....
. The soundtrack spans 52 tracks over 2 discs, covering a duration of 2:11:38, and has the catalog number PCCG-00613.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: A Musical Journey was a European promotional album which was given alongside the game on March 11, 2004 if the game had been pre-ordered. It contains six tracks from the soundtrack, including "Kaze No Ne" in both Japanese and English, the only time the English version has been released. It was published by Nintendo of Europe, and covers a duration of 17:37.
is the opening song of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, composed by Kumi Tanioka and performed by Yae. It was released as a single by Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
, featuring the "Kaze No Ne" song, an arranged version, and two other songs by Yae from her album Blue Line, "Carol (scat)" and . The single was released on July 30, 2003, has a length of 14:12, and has a catalog number of PCCA-01915. While "Kaze No Ne" follows the medieval theme of the rest of the Crystal Chronicles soundtrack, the arranged version is a more "produced" electronic-sounding track. The two unrelated tracks are vocal and instrumental pieces, with "Carol" as a scat
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
song, and "Flower of Love" more of a slower "ethnic/world" piece.
Reception
Crystal Chronicles received good reviews overall. The game was noted in IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
for its Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online is an online multiplayer action RPG title, originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000, bundled with a demo of Sonic Adventure 2. Another edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for Dreamcast the following year...
-like multiplayer cooperative play, but the use of the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, while innovative, was thought to be detrimental to the gameplay. The game's visuals and music were also praised. The game received the Grand Prize at the 2003 Japan Media Arts Festival
Japan Media Arts Festival
The Japan Media Arts Festival is an annual festival held by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1997. The festival for a nominal year was usually held during February or March next year, rather than at the end of the nominal year. For instance, the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival, where...
. It was also rated the 42nd best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
's Top 200 Games list. The game sold 187,035 copies in Japan in its first week of release, and has currently sold 1.38 million copies worldwide.
Shane Bettenhausen of Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
praised the game's multiplayer element, which he said transforms its "simple hack-n-slash gameplay [...] into something strategic, wild, and addictive". He also called the game "visually arresting", and noted that "every location you explore harbors stunning details". Kevin Gifford, of the same magazine, criticized its single-player element, which he said "gets boring very quickly". However, he said that the game has "a superb graphic and sound package (the most beautiful on GameCube, I'd say)", and praised its multiplayer elements.
Legacy
Shortly after the release of Crystal Chronicles, there was a manga series that ran in Monthly Shonen GanganMonthly Shonen Gangan
is a manga imprint of Square Enix . It publishes manga in several magazines aimed at different reader demographic groups in the Japanese market. Its magazines are home to some popular manga series which were adapted into anime series, like Fullmetal Alchemist, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit,...
known as .
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (series)
is a series of video games by Square Enix. Created by Akitoshi Kawazu, the Crystal Chronicles series is a spin-off series of the Final Fantasy media franchise, and has so far only appeared on Nintendo consoles.- Titles :...
has since evolved into a metaseries. There are currently five more games set in the same world: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
is an RPG for the Nintendo DS developed and published by Square Enix. It is a prequel to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the Nintendo GameCube. The game takes advantage of both the local wireless and Wi-Fi capabilities of the system and features voice acting.-Gameplay:Most of the gameplay...
, a prequel for Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
is an action-adventure game for the Wii and was first announced to the public at E3 in May 2006. The game was released on November 12, 2009, in Japan and on December 26, 2009, in North America.-Gameplay:...
, a sequel for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
is a Wii and Nintendo DS action role-playing game in the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series developed by Square Enix.The game was released in Japan on January 29, 2009. The North American version was released on March 24, 2009 and the European version was released on March 27, 2009...
for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King is a video game developed for the WiiWare service of the Nintendo Wii console by Square Enix...
and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord is a tower defense video game developed and published by Square Enix for the Wii and distributed through the WiiWare download service. It is the most recently announced game in the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series...
direct sequels for Wii released through the WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
download service.