There's a difference between replaying games for nostalgia and discovering something new in an old game. Final Fantasy III for iPad could be in either category, depending on whether you discovered the remake of this '90s classic on the Nintendo DS in 2006, or only now. If you only knew the Final Fantasy III of the '90s, the iPad version will come as a shock, a complete overhaul of your classic 2D adventure, thanks to the ingenuity of the Square Enix team. The gamers who loved the DS remake will likely be pleased to see their favorite scenes played out on a larger screen, with better sound, and unique controls.

The leap from 2D to 3D pays off when viewing the game on iPad. Everything about the interface is kept clean, with nothing but a few text links at the top right-side to distract from the gorgeous visuals. Sure, the effects and the 3D graphics look dated at this point, but being scaled up from the tiny DS screen to this size makes a big difference. The quality of the soundtrack doesn't feel dated at all; this is the lifeblood of RPG videogaming, the dulcet tones that can bring a tear to the eye of any RPG gamer. Compared to some of the more mature efforts on large consoles, Final Fantasy III for iPad feels quaint, but the gameplay and mechanics are anything but casual.

Though graphics and programming tricks evolve and improve, the basic structure of any RPG goes back to pencil-and-paper games we were playing on the tabletop, a decade or so before Final Fantasy III saw its first release. Final Fantasy III doesn't pull any punches with the long and deep storyline, wide cast of characters, and open-world exploration. Games that are now considered "open world" are beloved by gamers because they offer such a wide range of choice. Final Fantasy III dictates a few choices, namely that you'll be grinding for hours to level up and prepare for tougher enemies and boss battles. The difference between a mediocre and a great RPG is that the latter makes you feel good about the grind.

The storyline feels (in hindsight only) pulled from a chapter of the more recent Crystal Chronicles lineage of Final Fantasy lore, in that it revolves around a company of unlikely heroes united by a prophecy delivered through a powerful crystal. The members of your party are defined more by their personalities than class, because this game was the beginning of the series' job system. Rather than each character specializing in one role, you mix and match as characters gain experience, developing them along whatever line you choose. This makes for some great battle combinations and keeps players on their toes, but mostly just keeps the battles interesting. Along with this quick-change system comes a raft of special abilities, magic, and equipment that will vary based on your current job. No wonder this approach won acclaim; how many other games from this period could you find where two players could design two totally different experiences, based on freedom of choice?

Where Final Fantasy III comes off as progressive for its job system, it shows its age in this area. Woefully difficult at times, there's no slack for gamers used to prancing through a cadre of creampuff enemies. These bad guys will take you out quick, unless you spend some serious time in the woods building up your party. It's not an unreasonable amount of time that you'll need to spend leveling, but there's no question that this style of game has been phased out in favor of more gently sloping A.I. and generous rewards for battles that keep you one notch ahead of any enemy you'll encounter. In Final Fantasy III, if you veered off the ideal course too quickly or rushed ahead, you would find yourself staring at a 'Game Over' message very quickly. We happen to like this approach, but we recognize it isn't for everyone. The history of classic RPG gaming has more to do with enjoying the strategy of battle than watching hours of scripted cut scenes. There are some scenes that are triggered here to advance the story, but you'll spend 90% of your time in battle. If you can appreciate the grind, your reward in terms of following the paths of these characters will be considerable.

Much as we alluded to earlier, DS gamers that had the pleasure of playing both the original and the remake will appreciate how natural the touch controls can be for a game like this. Playing on the iPad takes things a step further, and feels to us like the ideal interface. There's something incredibly compelling about portable gaming that doesn't sacrifice on the visuals, but the control possible with a multitouch screen is a huge bonus. The best example is the implementation of pinch-zoom control for examining a room. As you zoom in, you'll see objects sparkle to let you know they can be inspected for items or hidden secrets. It's cool on several levels, because it reinforces the medium without being showy, and it also pulls you more into the 3D transition. Tapping during battle to give commands works great, but there were times when sliding a finger to move through a menu resulted in unintended selections. This is when an analog pad comes in handy. Other than battle, the fact that the developers managed to build in stick controls for movement in the world as a touchscreen function is cool, even more because you aren't locked into a specific area. Touching anywhere on the screen brings up the virtual stick, which you can then control to move, walking or running based on how far you push the "stick."

There's no doubt that this is the best way to play this game, a must-have if you played the old version in its original format, or more recently on the Wii Virtual Console. DS gamers hungry for a rematch will be impressed by how smooth a transition the game made to iPad, and iPad owners with no previous RPG experience owe it to themselves to pick this up. With the only reservations being the crushing difficulty of the game at times, Final Fantasy III is still an easy one to recommend for RPG purists and new fans alike.