Final Fantasy Anthology

Final Fantasy Anthology, also titled Final Fantasy Anthology: European Edition in PAL regions, is a compilation of two Final Fantasy games for the PlayStation. Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI are included on the North American version, while Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V are included on the PAL release. The games were ported by TOSE from the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System versions. Final Fantasy Anthology was published in North America on October 5, 1999 by Square Electronic Arts and in the PAL region on May 17, 2002 by Sony Computer Entertainment. Prior to the anthology, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI did not have an official release in Europe.

The North American release did not include the PlayStation port of Final Fantasy IV because it was subsequently packaged with Chrono Trigger and released two years later as Final Fantasy Chronicles in 2001. The PlayStation port of Final Fantasy VI was released separately in Europe. The "Fast" disc speed of the PlayStation driver in the PlayStation 2 can be used to decrease load times in Final Fantasy Anthology. In 2003, Square Enix re-released Final Fantasy Anthology as a "Greatest Hits" title.

In Japan, all three games were released for the PlayStation both individually and packaged together as part of a limited edition box set called Final Fantasy Collection. Although all three games differ little from the original Japanese versions in terms of gameplay, graphics, and sound, a number of extras were added, including art galleries, bestiaries, and two FMV opening and ending sequences not in the original releases.

The Music from FFV and FFVI Video Games bonus disc contains a selection of tracks, taken from the original soundtrack releases for Final Fantasy V (track 1–9) and Final Fantasy VI (10–22), respectively. The CD does not contain the background music of the FMV sequences and is only available in the initial release, not the "Greatest Hits" edition.

PlayStation.com
"Final Fantasy Anthology combines two titles from the Final Fantasy series and offers PlayStation owners a glimpse into the past. Huge worlds, in-depth storylines, and innovative battle and magic systems, and an incredible cast of characters all make for a deep gaming experience. The inclusion of Final Fantasy V marks the first time this title has appeared on a console in North America. Final Fantasy VI, originally released as Final Fantasy III on the SNES system in the U.S., makes its first appearance on the PlayStation. Both games in this compilation feature never-before-seen CG movies, adding to the appeal of these classics."

Development
Ted Woolsey's translated and localized script from the Super NES was used for Final Fantasy Anthology, with minor changes (e.g. the item "Fenix Down" was renamed "Phoenix Down" to match later games in the series), though his name was omitted from the credits in this release. Some images had been censored or modified for the original North American release, and in Anthology, all of the original Japanese graphics have been restored.

Reception
Final Fantasy Anthology was met with mixed reviews, especially from the slow loading times over those present in the original Super Nintendo version. Some item menus would take 2-4 seconds to load, and there was lag between transition of the battle scenes.