Sq. Enix’s Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection sequence debuted on PC and cellular again in 2021. Since its debut, we have seen a number of fixes and updates with the video games making their option to consoles together with Xbox Collection X|S as the latest platform to get the video games. Almost 4 years since debuting on PC and cellular, we noticed one other main replace for the video games within the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence arrive this month for all platforms. Given the staggered launch throughout platforms even for updates, issues are lots higher now. I am going that can assist you resolve which model of the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence is the very best for you with the video games in contrast throughout consoles, PC, and cellular overlaying visuals, efficiency, load occasions, and options.
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I’ve performed the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster video games since they hit iOS and Swap throughout all platforms together with the most-recent Xbox and Apple Arcade releases. For the aim of this characteristic, I’ve retested the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster video games on Nintendo Swap OLED, Steam Deck OLED, ROG Ally (Z1 Excessive), PS5, PS4 Professional, Xbox Collection X, iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 12, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPad Professional (2020).
Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence defined
When you’ve in some way not saved up with what that is, Sq. Enix aimed to supply the definitive remastered model of the primary six Remaining Fantasy video games with the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence. By updating Remaining Fantasy I, II, III, IV, V and VI to fashionable requirements and making them playable on fashionable platforms, this bundle was an enormous step up over the missing variations of FF5 and FF6 from 2013 and 2014 that are not value even considering of proper now.
This sequence did much more although with redrawn sprites, backgrounds, coloration modifications, a background music association, high quality of life options, cheats, and rather more. The tip result’s nice albeit with some technical variations throughout platforms. Earlier than attending to these, the Pixel Remasters sadly aren’t the definitive variations since some content material from prior ports is lacking.
Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster options by platform – PC, cellular, Swap, Xbox, and PlayStation
Once I began engaged on this text again in November final yr, I needed to put it on maintain due to the numerous video games releasing that I used to be overlaying round that point. This sequence had fairly a number of variations throughout platforms again then, however issues are very totally different now. When Sq. Enix up to date the Steam variations of the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence with the 1.2.0 updates (1.2.1 on cellular as of March 28, 2025), I resumed engaged on this text with the belief that we might be ready a very long time for the brand new updates to hit different platforms. Sq. Enix shocked me by then updating the cellular releases with beforehand lacking options and the brand new ones. They then up to date all console variations as effectively. Earlier than attending to what characteristic or platform variations are left, I will recap how the video games have been patched since launch:
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Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster launch timeline
- July 2021: Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence debuts on PC and cellular with FF1, FF2, and FF3.
- September 2021: FF4 launches for PC and cellular.
- November 2021: FF5 launches for PC and cellular.
- February 2022: FF6 launches for PC and cellular.
- April 2023: Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster with FF1, FF2, FF3, FF4, FF5, and FF6 launches on PS4 and Nintendo Swap bringing new BGM,font, and sport increase/help choices.
- January 2024: Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence on PC and cellular will get up to date with the brand new console port options, however the BGM and font choices are disregarded of the cellular releases.
- September 2024: Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence launches for Xbox Collection X|S and Home windows by way of the Microsoft Retailer as a Play Anyplace title.
- January 2025: Remaining Fantasy 1 Pixel Remaster launches on Apple Arcade.
- March 2025: Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence will get up to date on Steam with new options and fixes, the cellular variations are up to date quickly after with these fixes along with the lacking choices, and the console variations are additionally up to date with 1.2.0 a number of days later.
So with all platforms now at 1.2.0, are there any main variations in options and content material between the platforms?
Properly, proper now there aren’t any characteristic variations except for some platform-specific variations. All variations now have the increase choices, background soundtrack toggle choice, and traditional font choice along with all different game-specific modifications and additions. The most important characteristic variations are:
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on Swap: The hybrid nature of the platform permits you to play it on the go or docked at residence. With the ability to put a sport like this in sleep mode can be an awesome characteristic for resuming later.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on Xbox: This being a Play Anyplace title means you possibly can play it in your Xbox Collection console at residence and likewise entry your save again on Home windows PC to play in your pc or on a conveyable PC just like the ROG Ally. The Xbox model additionally helps Fast Resume which is nice to have in video games like this just like the sleep characteristic on Swap.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on PlayStation: This model provides Trophy assist and is playable on each PS4 and PS5 by way of backward compatibility. You can too play it on the PlayStation Portal in case you personal one.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on iOS/Android: The cellular variations are essentially the most moveable choices out there with each contact and controller assist. Additionally they have cloud saving between gadgets to play on say an iPhone after which proceed on iPad and again.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on Steam: This model stays the very best because it permits you to mod out among the quirks and technical points nonetheless current along with being playable throughout PC handhelds and unbelievable on Steam Deck.
Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster font choices – traditional, fashionable, and mods
As of this writing, all variations of the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence embrace the traditional and fashionable font choices. The fashionable choice stays ugly, however the traditional choice remains to be not excellent. In case you are proud of the Traditional font choice, stick with it. When you aren’t, take a look at our information on modding in some extra font choices to the Steam model right here.
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Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster – scrolling points defined
The most important difficulty that’s current in each model of the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster no matter platform is the scrolling difficulty. This can be a persistent really feel of judder or what makes the sport not really feel easy when the digital camera strikes. The explanation this occurs is as a result of the characters transfer at 80 px/sec which is quicker than the sport’s personal body charge. The repair for this is able to be Sq. Enix patching the video games to have motion at 60 px/sec or 120 px/sec to be double the goal. One choice can be uncapping the body charge utilizing mods on PC to 80, however I did not take a look at that.
The best option to discover that is to see how the digital camera motion is horizontally versus diagonally. The motion velocity strains up higher when shifting diagonally. One instance is whenever you play FF5 and are on the Chocobo early on. This particular state of affairs is an efficient option to spot the opposite efficiency difficulty that’s current in some platforms when enjoying the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster.
The motion on the Chocobo in FF5 feels completely easy on PS4, PS5, Xbox Collection X, and PC. On older cellular gadgets and on Nintendo Swap, there are some further stutter points right here. The video linked under from AustinSV on YouTube from about 0:58 into it does a superb job of showcasing the technical points within the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster which are current even in the present day:
Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster visuals and efficiency variations throughout PC, console, and cellular
Along with scrolling points detailed above which have an effect on each single model of the Pixel Remaster video games on each platform, a number of platforms have an extra performance-related difficulty. That is very seen within the opening of FF5 whenever you get on the Chocobo. Evaluate how the motion feels then and whenever you aren’t driving the Chocobo. This can be a good take a look at case even for the scrolling difficulty as I cowl above, however when driving the Chocobo, the PlayStation (PS4 Professional and PS5) and PC variations scroll completely with no judder or random hitching points each few seconds.
There’s minor hitching on the Swap, cellular, and Xbox Collection X (and Microsoft Retailer on Home windows) variations. I am shocked it hasn’t been addressed in any respect on the cellular variations given how outdated they’re now, and that there was no trace of an replace to repair it. I am additionally upset that even a number of ports later, the Xbox model shipped with this difficulty nonetheless current. I initially thought this was only a efficiency difficulty we see in some Unity video games on Swap or older cellular gadgets, however after it occurred even on iPhone 15 Professional after which Xbox Collection X, I think about this has to do with one thing different than simply horsepower. I am unsure whether it is associated to the identical difficulty we noticed within the latest Tremendous Monkey Ball sport as detailed by Digital Foundry earlier than it was patched.
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On paper, the Xbox model can be my favourite since I can play it on my Xbox Collection X after which pickup my progress to play handheld on my ROG Ally. I used to be shocked to see the Microsoft Retailer or Play Anyplace model on my ROG Ally have the identical hitching difficulty whereas the Steam model doesn’t. Once more, this is not one thing that could be a dealbreaker for a lot of and whereas some won’t discover it, I am upset to see yet one more state of affairs the place the identical sport has points when operating off the Microsoft Retailer model versus it being nice on Steam. To recheck this particular hitching and confirm it isn’t current in all variations, I used my telephone’s gradual movement digital camera and captured motion throughout the PS5, Swap, Xbox Collection X, ROG Ally, and Steam variations at 120fps.
There’s another difficulty that impacts the PC model in case you play the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster video games at a refresh charge that is not 60hz or 120hz and mainly not a a number of of 60. On the Steam Deck LCD, it performs completely, however the OLED mannequin with its 90hz show has the identical difficulty I bumped into with the Suikoden remaster for instance. The repair for that is capping your OLED display utilizing the fast entry menu to 60hz. This limits the difficulty to simply the scrolling one I cowl under.
Some would possibly surprise if these points are even value mentioning and detailing, however after so many ports, remasters, and re-releases through the years, Sq. Enix ought to do higher with its premier franchise. The entire level of this bundle was to be the very best variations of the traditional Remaining Fantasy video games. To see such fundamental technical points stay not solely within the unique launch, but additionally after a number of platform ports and updates may be very disappointing.
Which model of the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence is the very best?
As of the 1.2.0 replace that’s now out there on each platform, there is no such thing as a main characteristic distinction between the platforms. The very best model of the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence is the Steam model particularly since you possibly can mod it and repair the few remaining technical points and likewise get totally different font choices or different mods based mostly in your preferences.
When taking the efficiency points into consideration, the PC and PlayStation variations of the video games undergo primarily from the scrolling points whereas the cellular, Swap, and to a lesser diploma even Xbox Collection X variations even have further efficiency points. That is current on fashionable cellular gadgets just like the iPhone 15 Professional as effectively sadly.
Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster issues nonetheless current in 2025
As for what I hope to see Sq. Enix repair since they’re nonetheless updating the video games on all platforms, the precedence remains to be the scrolling difficulty plaguing each single model on each platform. Past that, I might hope the extra efficiency points current on cellular, Swap, and Xbox Collection X may be resolved. Given the significance of Remaining Fantasy to Sq. Enix, it’s good to see patches this a few years later, however once more, we actually should not have needed to wait so lengthy for fundamental fixes within the case of some platforms given the premium value.
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Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster bodily launch editions
For individuals who like proudly owning bodily variations of video games, particularly for Remaining Fantasy releases like I do, there are some things to bear in mind in regards to the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster bundle. The Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster bundle has a bodily launch solely on PS4 and Nintendo Swap. It obtained one round launch by way of the Sq. Enix Retailer bundles. Since then, it had an Asia Swap launch (pictured under) and likewise a daily retail launch in North America and Europe. The latter is the latest SKU for it, and sadly not one of the bodily releases have all updates on disc/cartridge. The Asia Swap launch has reversible artwork however no stickers. The most recent North American / European launch has a sticker sheet however no reversible artwork. Whereas I do not see it occurring, this bundle deserves an Xbox bodily launch as effectively.
Which model of the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster do you have to purchase?
Everybody has their very own priorities for what they need, so I will checklist the benefits and downsides of each single model under:
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on PlayStation: When you care about trophy assist or do not care about moveable play (until you stream to a PlayStation Portal or telephone), that is the very best console model to get.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on Xbox: You probably have entry to a PC handheld or play on each Xbox Collection consoles and PC, the Play Anyplace characteristic is an enormous promoting level along with the Fast Resume characteristic, however the hitching difficulty holds this again a bit.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on Nintendo Swap: The hybrid nature of the Swap is the most important promoting level for the Pixel Remasters on the platform, however that is additionally held again by the hitching difficulty proper now.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on Steam: With the ability to mod the video games and repair among the lingering points is the primary draw of this launch along with them enjoying superb on Steam Deck.
- Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster on iOS: As of the newest replace, the iOS (or Android) model of the video games is at characteristic parity with different platforms, however the hitching difficulty remains to be right here. This model is value getting in case you play lots in your telephone or have Apple Arcade within the case of the primary sport.
Hopefully this helped you resolve the place it’s best to get the Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence of video games and in case you already personal it, obtained you to replace or redownload and revisit this set of video games. I am wanting ahead to hopefully revisiting these video games once we probably get one other massive replace. It might be nice if among the lingering points may be mounted so there are much less caveats to recommending these traditional RPGs for contemporary platforms.
The Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster sequence of video games is now out there on Xbox Collection X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Swap, iOS, Android, and PC (Steam, Microsoft Retailer). We’ve got full walkthroughs of Remaining Fantasy I, Remaining Fantasy II, Remaining Fantasy III, Remaining Fantasy IV, Remaining Fantasy V, and Remaining Fantasy VI. Try all our different guides overlaying the whole Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection right here.
