The Final Fantasy and Nintendo CD Saga: A Look Back at Gaming’s Biggest Partnership Split
As a gamer, I’ve noticed that many discussions on Reddit center around the limitations of the Nintendo 64, particularly its reliance on cartridges instead of CDs. This was a significant factor in SquareSoft’s decision to move towards the PlayStation for their game releases, as evidenced by one user’s comment: “This is basically why Square stopped releasing Final Fantasy games on Nintendo.” The main issue with the N64’s cartridges is their limited storage capacity, which made it difficult for developers like SquareSoft to create the vast worlds and cinematics they envisioned for their masterpiece, Final Fantasy VII. CDs were a more appealing option because they offered much larger storage space and also opened up new possibilities for game design. Instead of focusing solely on gameplay mechanics, developers could now craft richer narratives with intricate character arcs, complemented by full-motion video sequences that were a novelty in the mid to late ’90s.