Final Fantasy IV Advance on GBA, port of the cult SNES RPG with additional content. The best possible port of Cecil's journey. Essential for classic RPG fans.
Your verdict
Category
RPG4 players12+
Description
GBA port of remastered Final Fantasy IV, published by Square Enix in Japan in July 2006. Cecil Harvey, a dark knight tormented by his deeds, embarks on a journey to become a paladin and save the world's crystals alongside Kain, Rosa, Rydia and Edge. Active Time Battle system with four active members, over ten playable characters with distinct classes and new bonus dungeons exclusive to the GBA version with ultimate bosses. One of the richest storylines in the Final Fantasy saga.
Final Fantasy IV Advance review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Finely reworked sprites and settings of deep hues: the epic recovers all the magic of the golden age of the 16-bit RPG. Castles, caverns and lunar skies compose a universe of hushed elegance. This polished art direction carries with grace a tale that has become legendary.
Carried by Nobuo Uematsu's timeless compositions, the entry unfurls a moving lyricism, from the poignant "Theme of Love" to heroic battle themes. Each melody underlines Cecil's chivalric drama with an intact emotion. This pioneering score remains one of the emotional pillars of the JRPG.
A dark knight gnawed by remorse, Cecil seeks redemption through an epic of betrayals, sacrifices and unforgettable supporting roles. Pioneering in the way it binds plot to character, the story keeps a dramatic breath that is still intact. A milestone of the RPG that moves players even today.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Facing monsters in active real-time, watching your heroes gain spells and levels and then clearing the next dungeon kicks off a progression loop of time-tested efficiency. The dramatic story and the new bonus class endlessly revive the urge to push on. Random battles and a bit of farm remain, but this reworked epic keeps a constant pull.
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Following Cecil's redemption from dark knight to paladin already fills long hours, so packed is the story with twists and characters. With more than ten playable heroes and their distinct classes to balance, a demanding Active Time Battle system and the GBA-exclusive bonus dungeons saved for last, the game rewards true investment. Its narrative richness is why it's still named among the most memorable Final Fantasy entries.
Official GBA port of Final Fantasy IV in PAL form, adding new dungeons, additional job classes and an expanded bestiary missing from the Super Nintendo version. That reworking became, for the PAL market, the reference piece for the fourth entry before the later DS 3D revision. Square Enix Europe run was short, the European cardboard box often turns up damaged, and a complete clean copy has become a heritage object for fans of the FF crystal saga.
Memorable bosses
A melodramatic pillar of the saga, this re-release marks its lunar journey with striking guardians, from the elemental Archfiends to the spectral Zeromus. The active-time system demands balancing healing, magic and role swaps across tense assaults. Brand-new superbosses extend the challenge, and the dramatic build, carried by cult themes, makes every confrontation as intense as it is memorable.
Better with friends
A grand classic of the Japanese RPG, built for solo play yet wonderful to share around a single console, debating party choices and passing the cartridge back and forth. The collective fun springs from following the adventure together: commenting on the plot twists, optimizing spells with several brains, celebrating a hard-won boss victory. Dense and generous, it turns long sessions into shared memories.
Is Final Fantasy IV Advance still worth playing in 2026?
This Advance version of Final Fantasy IV is most likely the best cartridge port of the game, both faithful to the SNES experience and enriched by a bonus dungeon and a late game roster that genuinely shifts the strategy. The drama around Cecil keeps remarkable writing power for a 1991 game and the ATB battle system reads more clearly here than anywhere else. The final Western translation smooths over the compromises of the original US release. Recommended for anyone discovering the classic Final Fantasies without going straight to emulation.
