Released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, Final Fantasy IV is a 3D remake of the original Final Fantasy IV from 1991 on Super Famicom. Rather than adhere closely to the easier version of the game that would arrive in the West as Final Fantasy II, the DS remake of Final Fantasy IV is faithful to the difficulty of the original Final Fantasy IV on Super Famicom. The game’s development began shortly after the release of Final Fantasy III‘s 3D remake on DS and feature development from the same studio, Matrix. Although it would remain a DS exclusive for several years, this version of Final Fantasy IV eventually received ports to mobile devices and PC.
Reception for Final Fantasy IV falls in line with the original, with the game receiving significant critical praise thanks to how it honors the original game but expands upon it in meaningful ways. In addition to providing a more comprehensive translation of the original script and further fleshing out important characters and storylines, the game incorporates brand-new FMV cutscenes that enhance its storytelling. Unlike the original Final Fantasy IV, the DS remake featurtes a New Game + mode that allows players to carry over the save file of a complete game and start fresh with all their experience and items from the previous save file available.
Final Fantasy IV‘s release lines up with the 20th anniversary of the franchise, and the game went on to be incredibly successful. The title would go on to sell almost 700k copies in Japan and another almost 500k in the West, totaling just over 1.1 million units sold. In addition to its strong sales, Final Fantasy IV also has a respectable review aggregate score of 85%.
Final Fantasy IV Premise

Continuing in the tradition of the game it reimagines, the DS 3D remake of Final Fantasy IV retains the same core gameplay and plot of the original. Players control the Dark Knight of Baron, Cecil, who struggles with the newfound zeal the King has for collecting the world’s crystals. Along with his best friend Kain, lover Rosa, and a memorable cast of supporting characters, Cecil undergoes a true “Hero’s Journey” of loss, redemption, and victory. Along the way the heroes find themselves venturing underground and even going to the moon, continuing the multiple-map setup of its predecessor, Final Fantasy III.
Though the combat is still turn-based, Final Fantasy IV utilizes the Active-Time Battle (ATB) system that causes players to think and strategize quickly during encounters as enemies no longer wait for players to execute commands. Unique to the DS version of Final Fantasy IV is the new “Augment System”, which allows players to assign previously unique abilities of characters to other, non-permanent party members. Giving these party members as many abilities as possible using the Augment System is crucial, as they will provide new abilities for the player to use after departing depending on how many they receive while under player control.
Unlike previous games in the Final Fantasy series, players can control a party of up to 5 heroes in Final Fantasy IV. Rather than allow any character to learn magic via equippable items or Job selection, the characters in Final Fantasy IV each have uniqiue classes that have preset suites of abilities. These classes grow and become more powerful as players complete battles and level-up, making the general flow of character progression more classic in comparison to later games in the franchise.
Final Fantasy IV Main Characters

In addition to featuring one of the best stories in the entire franchise, Final Fantasy IV also happens to include one of the series’ best cast of characters. In addition to main character Cecil and his allies, there are several memorable villains and side characters that stand out as fan-favorites years later. Main characters in Final Fantasy IV include:
- Cecil: The Dark Knight of Baron who is also the commander of its airship force, the Red Wings. Cecil is the main character of the game and a troubled hero seeking redemption for his past misdeeds.
- Kain: Kain is Cecil’s best friend and the commander of Baron’s Dragoons. Highly skilled in battle, Kain is a force to be reckoned with, which Golbez uses to his advantage by brainwashing him to join his side against Cecil.
- Rosa: Rosa is Cecil’s lover and the head of Baron’s White Mages. An expert healer, Rosa is one of the most gifted White Mages in the world, but her magic is still incapable of calming Cecil’s darkened heart.
- Cid: Cid is Baron’s head engineer and the designer of the airships that help to make it the dominant military force in the game’s world. In addition to being a mentor and father-figure to both Cecil and Rosa, Cid joins the party several times as a powerful ally.
- Rydia: Rydia is the last of the summoners, a group of magic users capable of calling upon the Eidolons that live beneath the surface of the world. When she encounters Cecil she is a child but quickly grows to be a young adult after spending time in the land of Eidolons.
- Golbez: Golbez is the main villain acting against the party for much of the game, gathering the world’s crystals toward a nefarious end.
Games in the Final Fantasy Series
Final Fantasy IV‘s release in accordance with the 20th anniversary of the franchise served as a celebration for the series’ legacy. Since 1987, Final Fantasy continues to remain the premier name in Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) and several of the games in the series stand as some of the best RPGs of all-time. Between mainline games, remakes, and spin-offs, there are more than 50 games bearing the Final Fantasy name, with the 16th mainline entry arriving last year to commercial and critical acclaim. The mainline games in the Final Fantasy series include:
- Final Fantasy (1987)
- Final Fantasy II (1988)
- Final Fantasy III (1990)
- Final Fantasy IV (1991)
- Final Fantasy V (1992)
- Final Fantasy VI (1994)
- Final Fantasy VII (1997)
- Final Fantasy VIII (1999)
- Final Fantasy IX (2000)
- Final Fantasy X (2001)
- Final Fantasy XI (2002)
- Final Fantasy XII (2006)
- Final Fantasy III (DS) (2006)
- Final Fantasy IV (DS) (2007)
- Final Fantasy XIII (2009)
- Final Fantasy XIV (2013)
- Final Fantasy XV (2016)
- Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
- Final Fantasy XVI (2023)
Final Fantasy IV Cheats and Secrets
Though the DS version of Final Fantasy IV removes several of the glitches and exploits that exist in earlier versions of the game (such as the item duplication glitch or enemy revives/experience dupe glitch) there are still some DS-exclusive secrets and unlocks as well as a plethora of Action Replay codes.
Whyt’s Unlockable Costumes/Skins
Costume/Skin | Unlock Criteria |
---|---|
Dragoon | Score 9999 in Rosa’s Mini-Game |
Goblin | Complete the Main Story twice |
Ninja | Score 9999 in Edge’s Mini-Game |
Paladin | Score 9999 in Cecil’s Mini-Game |
Summoner/Black Mage | Score 9999 in Rydia’s Mini-Game |
White Mage | Score 9999 in Rosa’s Mini-Game |
Zeromus | Obtain 100% Completion on the Bestiary |
Pro Action Replay Codes
Effect | Code |
---|---|
Max Gil | A20DA09C 00000000 020D8468 05F5E0FF D2000000 00000000 |
Infinite HP | 921271D4 00001104 021271DC E590C004 021271E0 E580C000 021271E8 E581C324 D2000000 00000000 |
Infinite MP | 92122E62 0000C3A0 02122E64 E5940004 02123D70 E5950004 |
Infinite Item Usage | 920EA6BA 0000E1A0 020EA6C8 E2400000 9207E3E0 000080F8 0207E3F0 00000000 D2000000 00000000 |
Max Stats for All Party Members (Press L+R) | D4000130 06400300 420D62FA 100D00E0 00006363 00000000 420D62FC 100D00E0 00006363 00000000 420D62FE 200D01C0 00000063 00000000 |
Save Anywhere | 220D04AD 00000000 |
Disable Random Battles | 92118032 0000DC01 12118032 00002037 D2000000 00000000 |
250 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05F3F |
500 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05F7D |
1,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05FFA |
2,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05E7D |
4,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05EFA |
8,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05D7D |
16,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05DFA |
32,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05C7D |
50,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05CC3 |
100,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05906 |
200,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05A36 |
500,000 Exp After Battle | 0206B9B8 E3A05A7A |
Max Level After Battle | 0206B9FC E5842000 |
Item Modifier Code (replaces 1st inventory slot with item of your choosing using item codes below) Press L+R to place item in inventory | 94000130 FDFF0000 020D7A80 000pxxxx p = number of items xxxx = item code (below) |
Item Codes for Item Modifier Cheat
Item | Code |
---|---|
Adamant Armor | 2023 |
Artemis Arrow | 1BC8 |
Artemis Bow | 1B5F |
Cat Claws | 1906 |
Crystal Gloves | 207E |
Crystal Helm | 1FB7 |
Crystal Ring | 2080 |
Crystal Shield | 1F4C |
Dark Blade | 1771 |
Deathbringer | 1773 |
Demon Armor | 2014 |
Demon Gloves | 2074 |
Demon Helm | 1FAF |
Demon Shield | 1F43 |
Dragon Shield | 1F4B |
Dragon Whisker | 1C25 |
Glass Mask | 1FB8 |
Gold Apple | 13A2 |
Hades Armor | 2012 |
Holy Lance | 17DC |
Masamune | 1A32 |
Onion Armor | 2024 |
Onion Helmet | 1FB9 |
Onion Shield | 1F4D |
Onion Sword | 1784 |
Ragnarok | 1777 |
Rainbow Pudding | 1447 |
Ribbon | 1FB4 |
Rod | 1A91 |
Rune Staff | 1AFB |
Soma Drop | 13A4 |
Spear | 17D5 |
Staff | 1AF5 |
Stardust Rod | 1A98 |
Tent | 139C |
Final Fantasy IV Cheat Code FAQ
How do I use the inventory cheat code for Final Fantasy IV?
First, make sure that all other cheats that require pressing L+R together to activate have been turned off. While inputting the item modifer code, you will replace the “p” in the code with the number of item you want in your first inventory slot. The actual item is represented by the “xxxx” in the code string, which you will replace with one of the corresponding item codes. With the code input correctly, loading up a save file and pressing L+R will see a specific number of the item appear in your inventory. There are hundreds of item codes, one for each regular item, piece of equipment, or key item. The item codes above are just some of the more common.
Does the PC release of Final Fantasy IV have cheats?
Yes, the PC release of Final Fantasy IV (2007) does have cheats available through download and use of a third-party cheat engine and cheat trainer.