Square Enix recently released its Pixel Remaster of the legendary JRPG Final Fantasy 6. The Pixel Remaster updates certain aspects of the game with improved visuals but otherwise focuses on an authentic recreation of the original Final Fantasy 6. It even removes content added in the 2015 mobile ports of Final Fantasy 6 in its pursuit of authenticity. That's why many fans are baffled at a surprising decision from Square Enix to remove a notable aspect of Final Fantasy 6's iconic opening sequence.For those who aren't familiar, and for Final Fantasy fans who are more than familiar, Final Fantasy 6 opens with a remarkable sequence that at the time was seen as beautifully unique. A brief introduction frames Final Fantasy 6's setting as on the verge of a war where powerful magic and technology will clash. Two Imperial soldiers and a mind-controlled magic user are on a mission to take control of a powerful magical beast encased in ice. It's a lot to take in for what players know will end up being a JRPG dozens of hours long.At this time, the three Imperials set off to Narshe where the magical Esper can be found and there's a very interesting but purposeful sequence. The trio's magitek armors are shown walking in 3D through the snow toward the city for a full two minutes. All the while, Square's opening credits play at the top of the screen. It's both the last deep breath players will have before everything starts to spin out of control and a fitting tribute to the developers who created the story that followed. Only, in the new edition of Final Fantasy 6, the credits have been removed.
Instead of players getting to see the credits for the game developers who originally made Final Fantasy 6, players are treated with no text whatsoever. The full two-minute sequence of protagonist Terra and the two Imperial soldiers still plays out and Tetra's theme song still plays in the background, but there are no credits or anything replacing them.
For players new to Final Fantasy 6, the sequence is odd, to say the least. The full context of the sequence has been removed. Players are left wondering whether they're supposed to press a button or do something else. For older players, it's somewhat insulting to think such a meaningful and memorable tribute to the game's original Square developers has been taken out.
Why the opening credits are no longer in Final Fantasy 6 isn't clear. It's likely to have been removed intentionally, given the level of authenticity throughout the rest of the game. Perhaps it didn't seem right, considering the work the new Pixel Remaster team put into the project, to focus solely on the original team. Perhaps it's just a bug. Regardless, barring and legal reason not to, it would seemingly be in good taste to bring back the credits, not just for authenticity's sake, but out of respect for the game's creators.
Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster is available now on PC, iOS, and Android.