Final Fantasy VIII Released on PC, Contains Chocobo World

Square Enix have today announced that they’ve released Final Fantasy VIII to PC. It’s available to buy from Steam and other online retailers for £9.99, $11.99 and €12.99. While the release contains the usual PC stuff – achievements, cloud saves – this release is also noteworthy for another reason, a reason that may just get long-time fans to double dip: it contains the previously Japan-only Chocobo World mini-game.

Final Fantasy VIII is a great entry in the best-selling RPG franchise, although reaction to its story and some of its mechanics can be mixed. With a few odd plot twists, and a battle system almost entirely based on how much magic you can stockpile, some aren’t quite able to enjoy Final Fantasy VIII for what it is. Despite that, this PC re-release is sure to be a must-buy for fans who have been waiting for the chance to play it on their modern HD PCs.

Included in the re-release are a set of achievements, designed so that you can unlock and access all parts of the game, especially in regards to the GFs. You’ll also have cloud saves and the like as well.

Most impressive is that Square have given access to the Chocobo World mini-game. Chocobo World was originally only available for the Pocket Station, a little device that never made it out of Japan. As a result, there are small sections of the game that have never been accessible in the west without use of a cheat cartridge. That changes today.

Final Fantasy VIII is available for purchase from Steam right now.