Two classic Final Fantasy titles have received release dates for the Nintendo Switch as announced today during the Nintendo Direct presentation. Final Fantasy IX has received a surprise release and is available on the eShop right now. It will be followed next month by Final Fantasy VII, which is slated for release on March 26.
The Switch port of IX appears to be the same version of the game which was ported to PC, PlayStation 4 and mobile devices in 2016. This graphically enhanced version of the game sparked negative feedback for its cumbersome UI but was widely praised for bringing the classic game into a modern visual standard. The game will cost you $21.00 USD and is available to download right now.
On top of the surprise launch of IX, Nintendo also revealed a release date for VII and the Final Fantasy spin-off title Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!. The adorably titled game sees players take on the role of a Chocobo who must explore a never-ending dungeon while befriending the monsters within. The game can be played co-op and will be released next month on March 20. Less than a week later the Switch port of VII will launch on March 26.
The news of these releases accompanies a massive push for Final Fantasy classics to be ported to modern hardware with Final Fantasy X, X-2, and XII: The Zodiac Age having been previously announced and slated for an April release. The Switch is also in line to receive a port of the Gamecube game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, though as of yet there is no official release date for the game. Many of these ports are also destined for the Xbox One, with IX also launching today on Microsoft’s console.
