Final Fantasy IX Nintendo Switch Review

Previously, I provided my early impressions of the Nintendo Switch version of Final Fantasy IX. And now I’m ready to review the game! Is Final Fantasy IX worth buying on the Nintendo Switch? Let’s find out!

Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 8 were really good games but they were more sci-fi than fantasy. When Final Fantasy 9 came out, it was a return to the fantasy part of the franchise.

Everything from knights to black mages to moogles and chocobos were in this game. The characters was cute, the story was very epic-sometimes funny and other times dark, and the game came packed with a turn-based battle system plus some really cool mini-games (Tetra Master!). I loved this game on the Playstation 1.

How is the game on the Nintendo Switch though?

Not A Perfect Port, But Still Fun

Final Fantasy IX is a port of the PC verison of the Playstation 1 classic. The story and core gameplay are the same as what I played on the Playstation 1. The biggest change in the Switch version are the boosters and the flaws in the game.

I really like the boosters. Safe Travel and 9999 damage are both very handy. They can both make you a little lazy. If you want to experience the game as it was on the Playstation 1, don’t use the boosters. However if you played the game before or if you’re just interested in experiencing the game’s story with no difficulty, the boosters are well worth exploring. I’m glad they were included.

What I don’t like, however, are the glitches that I’ve found in the game. The worst glitch being one that froze my Switch. Overall, I didn’t see too many glitches but the fact that there are even any is a bit sad.

Control wise, Final Fantasy 9 is near perfect. Some people will not like that the world map camera is controlled by the L and R buttons instead of the left analog stick though. I didn’t mind too much. And optional vibration has been added to this game! Sometimes its really intense, but I think it adds to FF9 and makes you feel more apart of the game’s world. I’m very happy with how this game plays on the Switch.

Final Fantasy IX on the Playstation 1 was perfect. On the Switch, its not as perfect. Its still really fun though.

Looking Good, Mostly

The characters in this version of Final Fantasy 9 look as good as, perhaps better than, they did on the Playstation 1. Many of the game’s towns and other areas you visit look great too. The world map and some environments in battle were not upgraded and their age really shows, especially the world map. Best of all is that the game’s cutscenes look amazng on the Switch. Despite some not so perfect areas, FF9 is still a good looking game.

And the game’s music is so good! The sound effects hold up too. I heard there was some kind of music glitch in this version but I never noticed it.

I enjoyed Final Fantasy IX a lot on the Nintendo Switch.

Should You Buy Final Fantasy 9 on The Switch?

If you’ve never played Final Fantasy IX before and you love turn-based rpgs, then you should absolutely get this port from the Nintendo Switch eshop. Yes, its not perfect, there are glitches and some of the graphics are not great. However, the story and gameplay are still a ton of fun.

But what if you’ve played the game before? Will you want to revisit it on the Switch? I think its depends on how much you love the original game. If you were a big fan, then I’d recommend getting this game on the Switch. Yes there are things you’ll be disappointed in, but playing this game in handheld mode is just an awesome experiance.

If you didn’t like the game on the Playstation 1, you won’t like it now. Final Fantasy IX on the Switch is almost the same game as it was on the Playstation 1. As a fan of FF9, I’m just delighted by this version. I can’t wait to play Final Fantasy 7 on the Switch!

Thanks to Square Enix for providing a digital code for this review. Final Fantasy IX is out now on the Nintendo Switch eshop! I still can’t believe I get to say that!