Software:SaGa

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Short description: Video game series
For the video game Makai Toushi Sa·Ga, see The Final Fantasy Legend.
SaGa
Recurring version of the SaGa logo
Genre(s)Role-playing
Developer(s)Square
Square Enix
Publisher(s)Square
Square Enix
Creator(s)Akitoshi Kawazu
Platform(s)Game Boy, Super NES, PlayStation, WonderSwan Color, PlayStation 2, Mobile, Nintendo DS, Android, iOS, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
First releaseThe Final Fantasy Legend
December 15, 1989
Latest releaseRomancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
October 24, 2024

SaGa (サガ) is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, from the Super NES to the PlayStation 2 to mobile phones, PCs, and modern multi-platform console releases. The series is notable for its emphasis on open world exploration, non-linear branching plots, and occasionally unconventional gameplay. This distinguishes the games from most of Square's other franchises.

Development

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The SaGa series was created by game designer Akitoshi Kawazu, whose contributions prior to the franchise's introduction include Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II. At a time when Nintendo's Game Boy was becoming popular worldwide due to the puzzle game Tetris, then-Square president Masafumi Miyamoto requested that a development team create a game for the handheld console. Kawazu and fellow designer Koichi Ishii suggested that the company develop a role-playing video game, thus making Makai Toushi Sa·Ga, later released in North America as The Final Fantasy Legend, the company's first handheld title.[1] The gameplay was designed to be difficult, described by Kawazu as the main difference between the SaGa and Final Fantasy series.[2] The character illustrations in all the games in the SaGa series were done by Tomomi Kobayashi,[3] who has also done the illustrations for the MMORPG Granado Espada.[4]

Common elements

The SaGa series emphasizes nonlinear gameplay and open world exploration, with its open-ended branching plot and free style of character development separating it from the more linear Final Fantasy series, which was ahead of its time [5] Like the Final Fantasy series, however, the stories in each SaGa share little to no continuity to one another.

The SaGa series is also considered a successor to Final Fantasy II, which introduced a more open-ended activity-based progression system that was abandoned by later Final Fantasy games but embraced by Makai Toushi SaGa (The Final Fantasy Legend), which expanded it with weapons that shatter with repeated use and added new ideas such as a race of monsters that mutate depending on which fallen foes they consume.[6]

The early games in the series also feature some common gameplay elements and themes first established in Final Fantasy, such as random enemy encounters, but most of these disappear with the Romancing SaGa games, providing a unique gameplay experience. It also features a similar turn-based battle system, where a character's prowess is driven by numerical values called "statistics" which, in turn, increase with combat experience. Given the open-ended aspect of gameplay and the ability to play through multiple character scenarios, heavy emphasis is placed upon the replay value of SaGa games.

Since the original Makai Toushi SaGa, much of the series has relied on loosely connected stories and sidequests rather than an epic narrative. Makai Toushi SaGa allowed players to travel through different worlds. Romancing SaGa expanded the open-endedness by offering many choices and allowing players to complete quests in any order, with the decision of whether or not to participate in any particular quest affecting the outcome of the storyline. The game also allowed players to choose from eight different characters, each with their own stories that start in different places and offer different outcomes.[5] Romancing SaGa thus succeeded in providing a very different experience during each run through the game, something that later non-linear RPGs such as SaGa Frontier and Fable had promised but were unable to live up to.[7] It also introduced a combo system where up to five party members can perform a combined special attack,[7] and required characters to pay mentors to teach them abilities, whether it is using certain weapons or certain proficiencies like opening a chest or dismantling a trap.[5]

While in the original Romancing SaGa, scenarios were changed according to dialogue choices during conversations, Romancing SaGa 2 further expanded the open-endedness by having unique storylines for each character that can change depending on the player's actions, including who is chosen, what is said in conversation, what events have occurred, and who is present in the party.[8] Romancing SaGa 3 featured a storyline that could be told differently from the perspectives of up to eight different characters and introduced a level-scaling system where the enemies get stronger as the characters do,[9] a mechanic that was later used in Final Fantasy VIII,[10] Software:The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Silverfall,[11] Software:Dragon Age: Origins,[12] Fallout 3, and Software:The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.[13] SaGa Frontier further expanded on the non-linear gameplay of its Romancing SaGa predecessors, with a setting that spans multiple planets and an overarching plot that becomes apparent after playing through each of the different characters' quests that tie together at certain places.[14]

Games

Mainline

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Remakes

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Others

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Music

Music in the SaGa series have been composed by a number of people, the most prominent of which is Kenji Ito, who also composed some soundtracks for the Mana series. Nobuo Uematsu, responsible for a large portion of the music of the Final Fantasy series, solely composed The Final Fantasy Legend and co-composed Final Fantasy Legend II with Ito. Ryuji Sasai and Chihiro Fujioka worked on Final Fantasy Legend III together. SaGa Frontier 2 and Unlimited Saga are credited to Masashi Hamauzu.

Reception

Review scores and sales
Game Platform Units sold
(millions) 		Famitsu
score 		GameRankings
score
The Final Fantasy Legend Game Boy
1.3[15]
35/40[16]
51% (4 reviews)[17]
Final Fantasy Legend II Game Boy
—
33/40[18]
90% (2 reviews)[19]
Final Fantasy Legend III Game Boy
—
29/40[20]
75% (3 reviews)[21]
Romancing SaGa Super Famicom
1.32[15]
31/40[22]
—
Romancing SaGa 2 Super Famicom
1.5[15]
26/40[23]
—
Romancing SaGa 3 Super Famicom
1.3[24]
34/40[25]
—
SaGa Frontier PlayStation
1.1[15]
31/40[26]
71% (11 reviews)[27]
SaGa Frontier 2 PlayStation
0.68[28]
35/40[29]
74% (27 reviews)[30]
Unlimited Saga PlayStation 2
0.44[31]
31/40[32]
52% (43 reviews)[33]
Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song PlayStation 2
0.45[31]
32/40[34]
63% (30 reviews)[35]

Games in the SaGa series have been popular in Japan, with many of them selling over 1 million units. As of March 2011, the series has sold over 9.9 million units.[36] In 2006, Famitsu readers voted Romancing SaGa as the 53rd best game of all time, and SaGa 2 as the 94th best game of all time.[37] Games in the series also received generally positive reviews from Japanese publications such as Famitsu and Dengeki. As of 2019, the series has sold over 10 million units.[38]

However, the series has remained decidedly less popular in North America, many of the games receiving mixed reviews from printed and online publications. It has been suggested that this is due to the series' seemingly experimental gameplay and allowing the player to freely roam with little direction or narrative, atypical of what many North American gamers usually expect from Japanese role-playing games.[39] In their September 2004 "Overrated/Underrated" article, Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine cited the SaGa series as one ruined in the transition to the PlayStation 2, citing primarily Unlimited SaGa.[40]

See also

  • The Legend of Legacy - a spiritual sequel made by some of the past SaGa staff.
  • List of Square Enix video game franchises
  • List of Japanese role-playing game franchises

References

  1. ↑ "Gpara.com クリエイターズ・ファイル：自分の信念を貫く事で『サガ』を作り出した河津秋敏氏" (in ja). Gpara.com. http://www.gpara.com/contents/creator/bn_157.htm. 
  2. ↑ Nutt, Christian (2005-05-26). "Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song". GameSpy. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/romancing-saga-minstrel-song/619282p1.html. 
  3. ↑ Ciolek, Todd (December 7, 2011). "Ultracity 2020 – The X Button". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-x-button/2011-12-07. 
  4. ↑ Winkler, Chris (June 11, 2005). "Granado Espada Event Held in Tokyo". RPGFan.com. http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2005/1573.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Romancing SaGa Review". IGN. 25 June 2006. http://ps2.ign.com/articles/799/799108p2.html. 
  6. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (2009-04-28). "8-Bit Cafe: Game Boy Essentials, 1989 Edition". 1UP.com. UGO Networks. http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8987032&publicUserId=5379721. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Patrick Gann. "Romancing SaGa". RPGFan. http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/romancingsagaminstrel/index.html. 
  8. ↑ IGN staff (February 18, 1997). "Square, The Final Frontier". IGN. http://psx.ign.com/articles/062/062293p1.html. 
  9. ↑ Romancing SaGa 3 , RPG Fan
  10. ↑ "RPGamer > Staff Retroview > Final Fantasy VIII". http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/ff8/reviews/ff8strev5.html. 
  11. ↑ "Community Blog by Shawn Kelfonne // Good Idea/Bad Idea: Level Scaling". Destructoid. http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/ShawnKelfonne/good-idea-bad-idea-level-scaling-69214.phtml. 
  12. ↑ James Cullinane – Gameplanet (November 5, 2009). "Review: Dragon Age: Origins". Stuff.co.nz. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/games/3031783/Review-Dragon-Age-Origins. 
  13. ↑ "GameSpy: First Major Details on Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Page 1". http://uk.ps3.gamespy.com/playstation-3/elder-scrolls-v/1143299p1.html. 
  14. ↑ Rorshacma, SaGa Frontier , Hardcore Gaming 101
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "February 2, 2004 – February 4, 2004". Square-Enix.com. http://www.square-enix.com/jp/ir/e/explanatory/download/0404-200402090000-01.pdf#page=27. 
  16. ↑ "Squaresoft". Famitsu Scores Archive. http://fs.finalfantasytr.com/companies.asp?cid=184. 
  17. ↑ "The Final Fantasy Legend Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/563273.asp?q=final%20fantasy%20legend. 
  18. ↑ 30 Point Plus: Sa・Ga2 秘宝伝説. Weekly Famicom Tsūshin. No.358. Pg.32. 27 October 1995.
  19. ↑ "Final Fantasy Legend II Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/585710.asp?q=final%20fantasy%20legend. 
  20. ↑ "Google Translate". https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.famitsu.com%2Fcominy%2F%3Fm%3Dpc%26a%3Dpage_h_title%26title_id%3D13527. 
  21. ↑ "Final Fantasy Legend III Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/563274.asp?q=final%20fantasy%20legend. 
  22. ↑ "Google Translate". https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.famitsu.com%2Fcominy%2F%3Fm%3Dpc%26a%3Dpage_h_title%26title_id%3D2387. 
  23. ↑ "ロマンシング サ・ガ2". http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=3409. 
  24. ↑ "The Magic Box – Japan Platinum Chart Games.". The-MagicBox.com. http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml. 
  25. ↑ "ロマンシング サ・ガ3". http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=4036. 
  26. ↑ "サガ フロンティア". http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=4031. 
  27. ↑ "SaGa Frontier Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/198537.asp?q=saga%20frontier. 
  28. ↑ "PlayStation". Famitsu. https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/games-by-platform/playstation. 
  29. ↑ Chinn, Marty (2000-06-23). "Famitsu Top 120 PlayStation games". Gaming-Age.com. http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2000/6/23-151. 
  30. ↑ "SaGa Frontier 2 Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/198538.asp?q=saga%20frontier. 
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Sony PS2 Japanese Ranking". Japan-GameCharts.com. http://www.japan-gamecharts.com/ps2.php. 
  32. ↑ Winkler, Chris (December 11, 2002). "Famitsu Rates Zelda: The Wind Waker and Unlimited SaGa". RPGFan. http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2002/2250.html. 
  33. ↑ "Unlimited Saga Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/561939.asp. 
  34. ↑ "2005's Famitsu Scores Archive". Famitsu Scores Archive. http://fs.finalfantasytr.com/yearly-scores.asp?year=2005&page=3. 
  35. ↑ "Romancing SaGa Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/924486.asp. 
  36. ↑ "Businesses – Square Enix Holdings". 2011-03-31. http://www.square-enix.com/eng/group/index.html#game5. 
  37. ↑ "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100". Edge Online. 2006-03-03. http://www.edge-online.com/features/japan-votes-all-time-top-100/?page=0%252C1. 
  38. ↑ "『ロマサガ2』映像付きサントラが発売決定". 24 November 2019. https://dengekionline.com/articles/18585/. 
  39. ↑ Rorshacma. "Hardcore Gaming 101: SaGa". Hardcore Gaming 101. http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/saga/saga.htm. 
  40. ↑ OPM staff (September 2004). "Overrated/Underrated" (SWF transcript ). Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine

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  • Official website
  • SaGa 20th Anniversary website Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 

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Template:Atari


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