The first Final Fantasy game was released in 1987. Developed and published by Square, it debuted in Japan for the Family Computer, known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System.
The game was created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, who was working at Square during a difficult period for the company. Its title is often associated with the idea that it might be Square’s last major project, although Sakaguchi later explained that the name also fit the team’s desire for a short, memorable title. The story follows four Warriors of Light as they restore power to four corrupted elemental crystals.
A common mix-up is answering 1990, which was the year Final Fantasy reached North America. The Japanese release came on December 18, 1987, making 1987 the canonical year for the series’ first game. Later versions, remakes, and the Pixel Remaster do not change the original release date.