Final Fantasy Legend Trilogy: What's It All About?! 

An now these games are getting a re release on switch called the Saga Collection: Final Fantasy Legends

Ahh many a long road trip spent playing these.

These games made me fall in love with my gameboy. Especially legend 2. Loved creating new parties and experimenting. I wish more games had this sort of feature.

This trilogy made my childhood too loved playing these games a lot the third one was my favorite

Your timing on this video was so good after the rerelease announcement SaGa trilogy announcement today.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I definitely connect with your story, having played all three games in road trips. I was happy when they were released anew on the switch 😁

The new collection announcement brought me here to learn about this franchise, lol

Legend 3 was one of my earliest rpg games and still one I enjoy playing even to this day. I dont know why but I enjoy grinding and leveling up even on legend 2 just see my characters get stronger and stronger

Oh my Lord!! David thank you for sharing this. The FF legend series shaped me to bring a JRPG lover as well. A lot of people don't even remember these truly great games. I also got the 1st FF legend series back in '91 when I was 11 yrs old. You know how many batteries I had to go through playing these games? Man... It's like you are speaking my story when it comes to these games. I love all your videos. You are my favorite Let's Play channel. Thanks for sharing ☺️❤️🎮.

This trilogy JUST came out on the Nintendo Switch. Just got my hands on it too. I'm looking forward to them.

Back here after the announcement that these are coming to switch, you must be excited!

As someone who never had a portable console until the DS, this series always fascinated me.

Back in the day, my mom found each of these used, one at a yard sale, one on sale at an old movie/game rental shop, and the other from ebay~ Absolutely adore all three, to this day :)

I love this whole series, but Final Fantasy Legend 2 is one of my absolute favorite games. If you build robots properly you can laugh at the hardest bosses in the game, especially Odin. There are bits and pieces of the first two games I like more than the other, (like the first game having dedicated magic slots for mutants so they can't lose inventory space and be unable to use armor), but they're both great. The third game I have special memories with. My grandmother bought it for me and I found it under her couch. She told me I wasn't supposed to find it yet, so I put it back. Several months later during the Easter holidays she handed it to me and said it was now mine. We always had that sort of easy understanding and communication with each other. What I love about the third game is how it's a time travel story that isn't completely stupid, and it takes a hint from Lovecraftian cosmic horror with the last boss being an interdimensional nightmare. I'm always happy to see other people appreciating these games. The first game was the first RPG for the Gameboy and the creator of Pokemon said it was proof the system could handle more complex games, as well as citing the monster meat system as one of the inspirations for his own games.

Played a bit of Mystic Quest via the Mana Collection on Switch. Interested in trying these out at some point. Always fun learning about games I missed out on.

I feel your pain on those summer road trips. Me and my family actually did the exact same thing. Though we took the opposite route, going to Georgia FROM New York. And one of the games I had was Final Fantasy Legends 3.

Ah yes, noted "niche portable" the Nintendo Game Boy ;) I'm just a few years younger than you David but I had a similar relationship with these games. I saw II on a shelf in a FuncoLand around 1996 and the idea there were Final Fantasy games on the Game Boy - and multiple ones at that!! - absolutely blew my mind. Mom wouldn't buy it that day, but I eventually did get that damn game and absolutely lived in it before Pokemon came around to take over my young life.

The Final Fantasy Legend game beat me as a kid, could not figure out what to do. So glad I had it as a kid though. I've since gone back and beaten it. As broken as it is it's still one of my favorite games.

i missed out on these games as a kid (dont think they came to europe) but have been hearing a lot of praise and people with fond memories of this trilogy (the second game in particular) so i am really really looking forward to that switch trilogy.

I played Legend II on the SNES Gameboy Adapter. I played it together with my bro and a former friend. I was the human, my bro mutant, friend monster, and robot we shared. We each controlled our pick in battle. fun till the friend was a strong monster then ate a meat and became weak so he quit and deleted our save.

These were also my childhood. I'm actually replaying them during my spare time now that the Saga Collection is available on the Switch.

I’m enjoying these games that made you videos. It’s nice to hear the mixture of personal storytelling and game overview. The video editing is really good too. It’s been great watching this channel grow.

FFL1 was such a huge departure from the other RPGs we had here at the time. I still remember the agonizing wait in the mall after purchasing it waiting for my parents to be done shopping so I could play it. 2 was definitely my favorite, 3 had a decent storyline but just felt too "predictable" or formulaic. In 1 or 2 you had that randomness with mutant abilities/growth, and monster meat transformations. Then we get 3 and you bought spells from a store, your monster and robot changes were all documented in the book and limited based on your level range. Was still fun, but just felt like the odd man out in the series.

These were formative games in my life too! At the time it came out, FFL1 was just mindblowing for its variety: party members (like playable monsters), leveling mechanics (such as they were), weapons (ranging from stone age to hi-tech), and different worlds (classic, underwater, sky, post apocalyptic)!! It was an imagination-charging, and for me, even philosophical, journey! As you aptly said: Legend 2 fixed the first game's jank. Introducing Robots, guest party members, and more diverse settings really brought the experience together! The third one didn't impress me nearly as much; but it has its own charm. Like you, I ignored the evolution mechanics, though I appreciate what they were trying for. Ambitious games I still revisit at times.

I can’t tell you how long I was stuck at Apollos final fight when I was little. Didn’t actually beat ‘em until my teenage years I think. Great times with number FFL 2

Makai Toushi SaGa..... beautiful series. The first one was my favorite because of the imaginative leveling system and storyline. The 神 Kami , also called "Creator" , was a tough boss.

I remember "inheriting" the first game from a cousin's mom but without an instruction book. I spent hours trying to figure it out and thought I had beat it when I opened the tower. (I was young.) But then I stopped on pressure from parents, although I did have fun despite not getting far. It was more just the challenge of working out "What the hell am I doing?"

Purchased a Gameboy. Just to play these games again. Along with Castlevania II, pokemon and Metroid II. DW 3, WHAT A TIME BABY

I love how much our lives parallel: road trips every summer from NY to FL, had my brothers old Gameboy and all 3 of these games. They molded my love of RPGs... and the music. Ill never forget... thank you for the nostalgic throw back

Saga/Final Fantasy Legend II was the first Squaresoft RPG I ever played because I got it and Final Fantasy I on the same day but Mom and I were flying out to Arizona to visit her family the next day so I decided to start Final Fantasy I after we returned. I have a huge soft spot for all three games and my fond memories of the growth system for the Mutants in I, and both the Humans and Mutants in II is one of the big reasons I'm so fond of Final Fantasy II with the other being my fondness for rebellion against evil empire stories. III was something the Gameboy needed badly in the US IMO because while there were other turnbased RPGs on Gameboy most of the ones I recall had quirks in the battle system, character growth system, or party system and it was nice to have something more basic on the go. One thing that drives me crazy is that most people I know who have played III consider the plot to be a poor man's Chrono Trigger plot even though Saga/Final Fantasy Legend III is older then Chrono Trigger

2&3 meant so much to me growing up. I can't even begin to fathom how many hours I put into FFL2 on road trips as a kid, and I still consider FFL3 among the best handheld RPGs ever released. It really bugs me that I've never been able to get into the SaGa series after these two games. I tried to play the first game a couple years ago, since I'd never played it, and boy, that was rough.

This video got me. I grew up and still live in Georgia and when you talked about the RPG games you grew up on it was just like my childhood. I had all the Legend games. Keep up the good work on the videos your the type of guy I hope I run into at a board game store and swap stories about video games.

Made it the 700th like! I played the first game and a little of 3 wayyy back. Even then I was like "Why is this named Final Fantasy? It's so different, I LIKE IT!!" I preferred these over the early entries of FF and Dragon Warrior as a kid. Think I'm going to scoop this up tomorrow on Switch, seems like another great collection to have on the go and great to revisit during the holidays.

I’m playing through this one, while also playing through final fantasy 7 Starting to get into this series!

The original “Final Fantasy Legend” was the very first turn-based JRPG I ever played. I liked it, but I was so young when it came out, only around 9 or 10 years old that I didn’t really understand it. (Although I did beat it somehow!).

I played these games when I was younger. I didn't have a gameboy till late but I did barrow a Super gameboy when I was a kid. I played all of these on my TV via Super Gameboy. I'm glad you are making these historical breakdown vids of older games. I love watching things like this. You and Jimmy Happa are two of my favorite youtubers doing this kinda thing.

0:37 I remember that page in Nintendo Power, it made me really want to play this and i never did.... Always loved the Final Fantasy Sword too 😎👍👍

I just pre-ordered this collection for my Switch so I'll look forward to playing these.

I lost Final Fantasy Legend II in the couch cushions of my parent's friend's cabin that they invited us to come visit. I don't remember how I managed to lose the cartridge there, but they mentioned they found a gameboy game to my parents like years later, and not one of them (my parents or the friends) inquired further "Can we get it back?" I had wondered for a while "Which game am I missing?" and even more years passed until I was like "OH MY GOD IT WAS FFL2". I almost guarantee this moment happened at 3 am and I laid there wide awake realizing my true loss.

Awesome series on the GB. And they should be considered part of the Final Fantasy series, since first two Legend games were made by the same guy who made Final Fantasy I and II on the NES, and Square released all of the games anyway.

Great video that hits close to home. These were my first RPGs and I also loved my GB on my family's frequent road trips. I still have a special place in my heart for FFL, even considering how weird/unique of a game it was. I'd have to say, though, that FFL3 was my next favorite - the air ship was just too darn cool (especially when it joined you in battle.)

Another really great video on some old school classics. I love FFL3, because of this video I will now go back and play FFL2 as I have never finished it. Thanks again :)

I never got to play the second and third games, but the original Final Fantasy Legend is one of the first RPGs I ever played, and left a huge impact on me. I still really wanna play 2 and 3 sometime soon

Not related to this video but I really enjoy your content, man. Keep the vids coming.

So funny... I was thinking about these games and playing FFL a week or two ago, then you released this video, THEN they announced the Switch collection today! 😀🧝‍♀️🤖

Awsome★ I playd Zelda 1 2 Link to the Past Mario RPG Illusions of Gaia & Wild Arms 1 & 2 were all the RPGs I playd durning the 90s!

I remember walking into a sports memorabilia store in a local mall some 15+ years ago and for some reason they had a video game section, very small, and there they were FF Legend I, II,III and Adventure all brand new for $10 each.....how could I pass up that deal? I didn't 😉

same, though not as much 3 as 1 and 2. My favorite things to do were grind mutants early and reset if they got bad skill re-draws and also game the meat system so that I could always get penultimate tier monsters before leaving the first floor/world (and this was before the internet, so I had all the choices and requirements memorized, plus obviously I could reset if I messed up)

I remember my bro playing this on the NO$GB emulator in 99, he tear trought all 3, never played them myself, my first romancing saga game was the DS remake of 3

I love these games so much. I love you.

They were literally just announced for Nintendo Switch! And I can relate, these were very important games to my childhood. These games made me a fan of RPGs more than anything else, more than Dragon Quest, more than the MAIN Final Fantasy series.

Never heard of the FF Legend games before.

thanks for telling me about the games

Legend II forever! ✌🏾Edo was my favorite world and Ki is best girl!

I love Final Fantasy Legends III.

Nice video. It makes me very nostalgic. :) The story is pretty much the same for me as for you and other commenters! I love these games & would have gone nuts without them on family road trips. While I recognize the improved designs in II and III, my favorite will always be the first FFL. I never had the manual, so painstakingly figuring out its WEIRD growth & gameplay systems through trial and error was my only option (it took me many, many tries to figure out a party that could clear Continent; thanks, mutants). Doing all that & eventually finishing FFL as a little kid was kind of an achievement, and I forged an intimate connection to the game because of it.

I played the first one of these and OMG it's so good!!!

"God is a little Amish guy on the gameboy screen" -Jackie Kashian

I've been thinking about the SaGa series as of late since playing the Romancing SaGa games on my Switch! I do remember seeing FF Legends 1-3 as a kid! And playing 3....for a short while before getting bored and trading it! It was around when I was just awakening to RPG with FF VII & VIII! I never truely appreciated or cared for RPG till I played and beat FF IX when it first came out, and by then I couldn't find the FF Legends games at all! (Sort of like what happened when I played and beat FE Path of Radiance! I traded it expecting to get it back later at a lesser price.....and I never saw another copy of it again! Out of the FE it's the one I REALLY want to replay again because it was my favorite of the Pre-Awakening FE's. Genealogy and Thracia were alright, but they ain't winning best FE with me! Though I don't have a HATED FE, much lesser greatly disliked). I have played games LIKE the SaGa series like Alliance Alive and Octopath Traveler (though the last is more FF then SaGa) which only strengthen my resolve to play the games that inspired them I'm happy to see Legends as a Collection (along with SaGa Frontier later next year! Hope I play out Bravely Default 2 by the point it comes out!) as I'm happy to be able to play the games I missed because I was still a baby "should I or not" RPGer when they were out and regret not playing them! (With more knowledge on how the games work in my belt! I can now better appreciate them then ever before!)

I just started playing final fantasy legend... thanks for guide

You got good taste my friend! These are all quality. Same with the Gargoyles Quest series. Wish these made it to the 3ds eshop

Found this video after the announcement that this trilogy will be coming to the Switch ☺️👍

I hope you do a lets play of this trilogy on Switch. I love your Chrono Trigger series so far!

I, too, have played FFL 1 and 2 on many a family trip and many a school field trip (and even recently on a work trip). In fact, I have still yet to beat FFL 2, which gets ludicrously difficult near the end of the game. I got to the part of the game where you descend the giant staircase and realized I was going to have to "level up" my characters even more. I use quotes there because that is when I got to reading about how the experience system works on this game. It's interesting, but I'll take the traditional JRPG leveling system any day of the week. I have FFL 3, but I want to beat FFL 2 first; I'm too committed to move on.

Still have all 3 games to this day. Gameboy is an amazing console I had a black Gameboy Pocket. My first games were Links Awakening, Return of Samus, warioland, and FF Legend.

I say, I used to have Legend 2! I never could beat Odin. My favorite world was the one based on Edo period Japan.

I never played either of these, but enjoyed watching nonetheless. This series makes me wonder how much our early experiences with games shape our preferences and expectations of games later on.

I remember buying games at Toys R Us too. I remember I bought Muppet Adventures on NES there. Talk about buyers remorse...

Did you ever play Great Greed? That game and this trilogy were the RPGs I played on the Gameboy. So good!

Ahhh! They're releasing all 3 on the Switch in December!

Oh, FFLII...How do I love thee? That game's super dungeon can be one tough customer.

I did enjoy these games as well, I think I spent the most time playing Legend 2. Getting the individual stats to increase for the humans/mutants was a pain. Making sure you had the Seven sword for the robot or got your monster to become Titania took some time too

Among this trilogy, my favorite is the 1st one. But do not misunderstand me: even the 2nd and the 3rd are great games. Thank you for your review. 😆

What a coincidence because this was shown on the Mini Direct

Thats crazy. Just bought Legend 3 in box and Adventures yesterday. Just have to get the other 2 now.

I couldn't stand playing games on the Gameboy itself, but I did play these three and others on the Super Gameboy adapter.

I have all three of these games but I've never played them all the way through, only FF Adventure on GB did I finish.

I might have to do a replay.... wait. All over Georgia? You ever come back as an adult? Savannah is a great city.

I love it any time I see these games get the attention they deserve. And you're missing out if you skipped the transformations in FFL3. Monsters kind of sucked for most of the game, but beasts, cyborgs, and robots all had tremendous potential.

I only got these a few years ago and still haven't found the time to finally beat 3. But I remember how hard it was to beat 1 and 2 since I was SO not used to how the weapons and stuff worked in them. XD

I got to know this trilogy by a RU-vidr called HCBailly, his 3 walkthroughs were the best I've seen in RU-vid and made me like the franchise as well.

Sim Earth was fun.

I played the remake of the second one on my Nintendo DS and I love it

Love this series of games. Never beat Legend 2. I could get close to the end, but Apollo would always kick my butt. Since you’ve beaten the game many times and tried a bunch of parties, any recommendations?

Now coming to the Nintendo Switch all 3 games collection

I played 2 and 3 as a kid. I remember them being pretty challenging, and I'm about 97.6% sure I didn't really understand the mechanics of them at the time.

I got FFL1 early in my gaming "career" after I had gotten a Super Gameboy (I never had the original), but FFL2 and FFL3 were getting hard to find, and I read about them in Nintendo Power n such, and was curious of them but never got to try them until Emulation was a thing, and by then... I had played so many JRPGs that I had a hard time actually getting into FFL2 and FFL3, so FFL1 is pretty much the only FFL I play because I tend to gravitate towards familiarity. I don't know about FFL2 or FFL3, but one of my favorite things about FFL1 was that awesome boss battle theme, for it being on the gameboy, it's one of the cooler boss battle themes, at least in general composition and intent, it's a boss battle theme that actually sounds scary (esp those first few notes) and I'll always remember how you get jumpscared by Suzaku while randomly exploring Tokyo.. that quiet dungeon theme and suddenly... CRAAAASH here's Suzaku! and that 'oh, s***' feeling I had when he starts wailing away on my party because he always gets the first strike and he usually does his flame breath. But yeah, always awesome memories, and also, how much trouble I had with the final boss at the end, and in frustration of trying to beat him, I used a saw and proceeded to laugh as it killed him, and for the longest time I figured that's how you were supposed to do it... until I later read that was a bug. Still though, he's one of the hardest endgame bosses of any Final Fantasy game. For as much as people rag on Mystic Quest being so easy.... I always found the Dark King to be ludicrously hard too if you didn't exploit the Life and Cure spells in unintended ways.

I played each of these final fantasy legends games when I was a kid, burned through a ton of batteries doing so, but I got them from a friend and never got a manual or instructions on what I was doing. Needless to say, it was a slog fest, and turned me off of them. However, watching your videos, I have got back and replayed them. I won’t say they are my favorite, but knowing what they are, they are a lot more fun. Definitely worth a play through for anyone

I hoping we get the SaGa 2 Goddess of Destiny and SaGa 3 Shadow or Light (DS ReMakes) for the Switch , universal release. Be cool if they ReBooted SaGa 1 in the Same graphic as SaGa 2&3 ReMakes , with more stuff added in.

The second one's one of my favorite RPGs of all time. In the top three for sure. Like the first one. The third one I could never get into. I didn't find the class system intriguing. Has a kid I never got really into the theme of the game itself. Either understood really what I was supposed to be doing

Cool vid brother

Legend 2 will forever be my first love. I played it or Metroid 2 on a road trip too. All the way to New Mexico from Illinois. Have you played the DS remake? It was very true to the original in a lot of regards.

I tried getting into these. I should give it another try i don't like giving up on games so easily and these games were pretty good. Wish we got the ds remakes for the later 2.

I only got the first one. Those are hard to come by over here. Overall its a shame not many RPGs are released for the Gameboy. At least over here. A couple more in the US. And probably a lot more in Japan.

FFL3 was my favorite of the three.

Same here, probably why I have odd taste in RPGs. That trilogy was the first three RPGs I played. Been a SaGa fan before even knowing it.

Awesome video, did you ever play any of the romhacks of Final Fantasy Legend II ?

FFL Trilogy is always one of my favs. But in FFL3, I like to convert Curtis into a Beast and use Martial Arts so I have 3 good weapon users (I choose Curtis over Gloria just cos Gloria has 1 points more in Magic), plus Beast have higher physical stats making them better at Mystic Swords than Mutants. However, FFL3 is easy enough (probably the easiest of the trilogy), and it is very easy to get high stats in the game anyway.

My first RPG is Knight Quest also in Game Boy

Yes FF legend 2 was SO GOOD. I like FF1 a lot, and I think in some ways the mechanics work a bit better (Agility overpowered in FF2), but FF Legend 2 was in a different league.