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15 Puzzle
The 15 Puzzle (also known as 15 Block[1]) 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 15 puzzle, 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.[2]
Gameplay[edit]
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.
| Version | Button input |
|---|---|
| Nintendo Entertainment System / WonderSwan Color | Hold  and press  55 times.
|
| Final Fantasy Origins | Hold  and press  55 times.
|
| Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls | Hold and press 22 times.
|
| Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Edition | Hold and press 22 times.
|
| Android / iOS / Windows Phone | While holding the screen with one finger, tap the screen 23 times. |
| Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster | Hold the confirm button and press the cancel button 55 times. On touch screens, while holding the screen with one finger, tap the screen 55 times. |
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[edit]
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 lower 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[edit]
In the original NES 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-three record.
In the Pixel Remaster version, completing the puzzle no longer offers any reward, but there is an achievement unlocked by playing it.
WonderSwan Color & Final Fantasy Origins[edit]
Record rewards[edit]
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st (initial record: 2 minutes) | 10,000 gil |
| 2nd (initial record: 4 minutes) | 5,000 gil |
| 3rd (initial record: 6 minutes) | 2,000 gil |
Completion rewards[edit]
| Time | Prize |
|---|---|
| Under 2 minutes | Potion, Antidote, Gold Needle, and 100 gil |
| Under 4 minutes | Potion, Antidote, and 100 gil |
| Under 6 minutes | Potion and 100 gil |
| Over 6 minutes | 100 gil |
Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls & 20th Anniversary Edition[edit]
Record rewards[edit]
| Place | Prize (one at random) |
|---|---|
| 1st (initial record: 30 seconds) | X-Potion • Megalixir |
| 2nd (initial record: 1 minute) | Turbo Ether • Dry Ether • Elixir • Remedy • Emergency Exit • Hermes' Shoes |
| 3rd (initial record: 2 minutes) | Spider's Silk • White Fang • Red Fang • Blue Fang • Red Curtain • White Curtain • Blue Curtain • Vampire Fang • Cockatrice Claw |
Completion rewards[edit]
| Prize (one at random) |
|---|
| 100 gil • Potion • Ether • Phoenix Down • Antidote • Eye Drops • Echo Grass • Gold Needle |
Other appearances[edit]
Flash game[edit]
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 was based on its appearance in the Final Fantasy remakes since the WonderSwan Color version, featuring a count-up timer and tiles that changed from blue to red as they were placed in the proper positions. The game had a slider to adjust the game's volume and a button to reset the puzzle.
There were two versions of the Flash game. 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 linked to three wallpapers, each offered in either 800x600 or 1024x768.[3][4]
Final Fantasy XIV[edit]
In Final Fantasy XIV, a version of the minigame called Slide I+XIV (Japanese: I+XIVパズル I+XIV Puzzle) 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.
On December 18, the anniversary of the release of Final Fantasy, the puzzle uses graphics based on its appearance in the NES version of the original game.
Gallery[edit]
Gameplay (NES version)
Gameplay (WonderSwan Color version)
A completed 15 Puzzle (WonderSwan Color version)
Gameplay (Final Fantasy Origins)
A completed 15 Puzzle (Final Fantasy Origins)
Gameplay (Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls)
A completed 15 Puzzle (Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls)
A completed 15 Puzzle (PSP version)
A completed 15 Puzzle (Flash version)
The wallpaper rewards for completing the Flash version
A Slide I+XIV puzzle
A Slide I+XIV puzzle on December 18
.png)
External links[edit]
- Flash game on the Japanese Final Fantasy I & II Advance website (Wayback Machine)
References[edit]
- ^ Nintendo Power, 2004. Official Nintendo Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Player's Guide, pg 151.
- ^ Interview: Final Fantasy I & II Advance. Dengeki (in Japanese). 2004. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ 15puzzle.swf. Final Fantasy I & II Advance Japanese website (archived).
- ^ 15 Puzzle Rankings. Final Fantasy I & II Advance Japanese website (archived).
