Final Fantasy (Nintendo, 1990)

I still remember vividly, after all these years, the impact that Final Fantasy had on me as a young gamer. Between FF and Dragon Warrior, these sealed my fate as a die-hard RPG fan and I have never looked back.
At the time, the graphics, storyline, and gameplay were new and enthralling. Modern RPG'ers would undoubtedly scoff at this fossil, and many would not have the strength of will to finish it to the end. I feel bad for new gamers who missed out on the dawning of one of the most popular and highly acclaimed series in video game history. They'll never know just how far back moogles, chocobas, and marlboros go, and have missed out on this strong foundation for the later gems in the series. That's not to say it can't be played now (Final Fantasy Origins for the Playstation) but suffering through it after experiencing the technical marvels and advanced gameplay of FF XII would probably be too much for even the most diehard RPG or FF fan. Still, it might be worth the trouble for some.
Gameplay consisted of four characters that you customized according to your own preferences out of six different classes, ranging from black belt and thief to various mages. At the time, this was exhilirating. Customizable gameplay? A new idea then that will never get tired. The graphics were big back then also, and I'll never forget the thrill of seeing my characters literally "grow up" in stature after meeting the requirements. The music was, and still is, memorable and stirring, and will ring a bell for many FF fans.
The fighting is turn based, with a humorous twist in that once you marked a foe, that turn was dedicated to that, and only that, character. If the baddie was slain by your allies, when your turn came you just swung uselessly at empty space. Not a major problem, but one that was eventually ironed out in subsequent versions.
I remember many hours of toiling to both level up and gain gil to purchase items and equipment, which is still a basic of all FF games. The storyline was engrossing and the character development was quite decent, also hallmarks of most subsequents installments, and major incentives for me as a player. I still remember the thrill of that last "quest", marching into the castle for the last time to defeat the big boss, and still get it in later games.
I would recommend this for the serious RPG'er, especially those enthralled by the FF series. Playing the original games might be tedious at best, but players can appreciate the growth and development of video gaming through each part in the series as well as get a solid background for all things FF. You might enjoy it more than you think.

PROS
- Introduction to character development and customization, and to many unique aspects and roots of FF series.
- Awesome musical soundtrack.
- Still get a thrill when you beat the final baddie!
- Great graphics (for its time.)

CONS
- May be too rustic for new gamers to appreciate.