Released in Japan as Final Fantasy USA Mystic Quest, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest is a role playing game for the Nintendo SNES, developed by Square in 1992. Mystic Quest was marketed as "simplified role playing designed for the entry level player" in an attempt to broaden the genre's appeal to western gamers.
Mystic Quest follows Benjamin, a youth who is trying to save the world. Saving the world consists of gathering the four stolen Crystals that determine the state of the four elements. Benjamin meets and gains allies and friends along the way. From the axe-wielding Kaeli, to a treasure hunter by the name of Tristan. Benjamin and friends make their way across the world to four different contintents to try and save the world by gathering the elemental Crystals.
The gameplay takes a bit of a side step from the older Final Fantasy games. Most of the features that had been a staple in earlier games were removed. Things like random enemy encounters and save points. For that reason many call Mystic Quest the "black sheep" of the Final Fantasy series.
Upon release Mystic Quest received a 3.7/5 in the November 1992 issue of Nintendo Power. It also got a 7.25/10 from Electronic Gaming Monthly. Though it received above average scores, it is still considered to be well below the standards of the series. The marketing of the game attempted to bring the series to a more mainstream market, but ultimately failed at it's goal. That is a feat that would not be accomplished until five years later when Final Fantasy VII was released.
