While the original was not my first Final Fantasy (I cut my FF teeth on the SNES Final Fantasy II), I did eventually try out the NES classic back in the mid 1990s. Perhaps it was my experience with the more advanced 16-bit game, but I was never quite as enthralled or as impressed with it as I thought that I should have been, even though I did play the game to completion.

Now I must wonder if the game’s numerous design problems and bugs were an influencing factor. After loading up the modified version of the game I found myself engrossed in the task of seeing it through, even taking a break from the recently released Breath of the Wild to do so.

I remember the original game being frustratingly difficult at times, and now I suspect that the numerous bugged mechanics were to blame for that. While the game was still by no means easy, the challenge that the Restored mod added felt fair and even fun.

I used the optional fiend and final boss music patches and also the improved RNG patch; I recommend both (unless you are absolutely insistent upon having the sliding block puzzle).

The only real downside is the absence of the Peninsula of Power. While I understand its classification as a “bug” and thus its removal, I would have hoped that its intentional presence in subsequent official remakes would at least have warranted an option to re-add it for those who wished it. However, this is only a minor complaint for an otherwise outstanding work.