15 Puzzle

The 15 Puzzle is an optional hidden minigame present in nearly every version of Final Fantasy, starting from the original Nintendo Entertainment System release. It is an adaptation of the real-life, where the player must slide 15 numbered tiles into their correct positions.

The 15 Puzzle is one of the earliest examples of a minigame in an RPG. Programmer Nasir Gebelli came up with the minigame on his own, and coded it without a prior request from other members of the development team.

Gameplay
The 15 Puzzle can be accessed when the Warriors of Light are in the ship. The player must hold down the confirm button while pressing the cancel button a certain number of times. In smartphone releases, the player must instead hold the touch screen with one finger while tapping it with another.

The minigame is not present in the MSX2 version or early mobile phone versions.

The tiles start in a random position each time the minigame begins. From the WonderSwan Color version onward, the tiles in the correct positions are colored red, while the tiles that are not yet correct are colored light blue. Depending on the version, different rewards may be earned by completing the puzzle.

Screen layout
Dialog boxes associated with the minigame were first added in the WonderSwan Color version. The top-right box is the count-up timer, and the bottom box lists the controls. Starting with the PlayStation Portable version, the controls box was moved to the right and made larger.

The count-up timer displays the number of minutes and seconds elapsed in the format "00:00.00". In the Japanese versions of the game, as well as the English version of Final Fantasy Origins, the count-up timer uses the format "00m00s00".

In the WonderSwan Color version, the controls are given in plain text. From Final Fantasy Origins onward, icons are used to indicate the buttons, however the directional pad does not have an associated icon until Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. From the WonderSwan Color version onward, the player has the option to view a list of their current top three times.

In the Pixel Remaster version, the timer and dialog boxes are no longer present, displaying only the confirm and back buttons at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Rewards
In the original Nintendo Entertainment System release, the reward for completing the challenge is 100 gil.

Starting with the WonderSwan Color version, the 15 Puzzle has a count-up timer, and item prizes can be earned depending on the time taken to complete the puzzle. Beginning with Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls, the list of possible prizes is expanded. Completing the puzzle awards a completion prize, with an additional prize received upon making a new top-3 record.

In the Pixel Remaster version, completing the puzzle no longer offers any reward, but there is an achievement unlocked by playing it.

Flash game
The defunct Japanese website for Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls had a Flash game adaptation of the 15 Puzzle. The Flash game's presentation is based on its appearance in the Final Fantasy remakes since the WonderSwan Color version, featuring a count-up timer and tiles that change from blue to red as they are placed in the proper positions. The game has a slider to adjust the game's volume and a button to reset the puzzle.

Two versions of the Flash game exist. In one version, players competed to solve the puzzle as quickly as possible, and high scores were compiled on the official site. In the other version, completing the puzzle links to three wallpapers, each offered in either 800x600px or 1024x768px.

Final Fantasy XIV
In Final Fantasy XIV, a version of the minigame called Slide I+XIV is available to play through the Toy Chest to players who participated in the Rising event in 2014, in celebration of the first anniversary of A Realm Reborn. In reference to the original incarnation of the puzzle, the background is inspired by the bridge crossing scene from the original Final Fantasy. In addition to a count-up timer, there is also a box that tracks the number of moves taken. There is no reward for completing this version of the minigame.