History VideoGame / FinalFantasyCrystalChronicles

It gained infamy for the sheer amount of peripheral devices ''required'' to play the game with the maximum number of players in anything approaching a sane manner: four UsefulNotes/{{Game Boy Advance}}s (which would act as individual screens for each player) and four [=GameCube=]-to-GBA connection wires. Oh, and three other people. Innovative? Yes. Practical? [[AwesomeButImpractical Yeah, no]]. (You ''could'' play with only two or three people, but it's obviously tougher than with four... Playing with only one player was also possible thankfully, so there was no need of a Game Boy Advance, and even comes with a Moogle to carry the Crystal Chalice for you.)

The third game is ''My Life as a King'', which was one of the first UsefulNotes/WiiWare titles, and the first Wii game to feature paid downloadable add-ons, and thus the "Pay + Play" mark. In many ways, it plays more like ''VideoGame/SimCity'' than an ActionRPG. Its sequel, ''My Life as a Darklord'', casts the player as a budding EvilOverlord who guides an army of monsters to defend a tower from invading heroes; it plays like a combination of ''VideoGame/SimTower'' and ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper''.

After essentially fading into obscurity and being barely referenced in the rest of the ''Final Fantasy'' franchise, both Sherlotta and the Undead Princess from ''Echoes of Time'' [[UnexpectedCharacter make cameo appearances]] in ''VideoGame/WorldOfFinalFantasy'', being the first character in ''World'' that comes from a spin-off rather than one of the numbered titles. Since then, the sub-series has seen somewhat of a return to the limelight. As of the time writing, eight ''Crystal Chronicles'' characters have appeared in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'' (Chelinka and Yuri, Sherlotta and Layle; later [[CanonName Ciaran]], Keiss, Amidatelion, and Jegran were also added), and a remastered version of the first game (appropriately labeled with the sub-title, ''Remastered Edition'') was released on August 27, 2020 worldwide for Platform/NintendoSwitch, Platform/PlayStation4, [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]], and [[UsefulNotes/AndroidGames Android]].

* SocializationBonus: You could play the original game by yourself, with a Moogle carrying the myrrh chalice for you, but it was far more satisfying to play alongside friends so you could argue over [[ScrappyMechanic who had to carry the chalice]] through the level. However, doing this required as many UsefulNotes/{{Game Boy Advance}}s and [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]]-GBA link cables as there were players.

The first game, released in 2003 in Japan and 2004 internationally for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube, is the tale of a caravan (made up of characters which you create) sent on a annual mission to replenish their village's crystal with myrrh. The replenished crystal could then protect the village from the deadly miasma that covered the world for another year. The adventurers carry the myrrh in their Crystal Chalice, which is mounted with a small crystal to protect them from miasma as they travel.

After essentially fading into obscurity and being barely referenced in the rest of the ''Final Fantasy'' franchise, both Sherlotta and the Undead Princess from ''Echoes of Time'' [[UnexpectedCharacter make cameo appearances]] in ''VideoGame/WorldOfFinalFantasy'', being the first character in ''World'' that comes from a spin-off rather than one of the numbered titles. Since then, the sub-series has seen somewhat of a return to the limelight. As of the time writing, eight ''Crystal Chronicles'' characters have appeared in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'' (Chelinka and Yuri, Sherlotta and Layle; later [[CanonName Ciaran]], Keiss, Amidatelion, and Jegran were also added), and a remastered version of the first game (appropriately labeled with the sub-title, ''Remastered Edition'') was released on August 27, 2020 worldwide for UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]], and [[UsefulNotes/AndroidGames Android]].

** Yukes use [[DropTheHammer hammers]]. They also cast magic faster than other races, which is their ''real'' prefered weapon since they tend to have weak physical damage in comparison. Later games also give them a MagicWand or a [[SpellBook grimoire]].

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Remember the Giant crab? The first boss? Seemed like kind of a pushover, didn't he? Then he learned Thundaga. [[OhCrap Start running]]. [[spoiler: It gets better, the same crab returns in ''Ring of Fates'' and ''Echoes of Time'' as an [[NintendoHard absolutely brutal]] BonusBoss.]]

** Family Jobs have two progression systems, a RelationshipValues system with each of the four members of your family, and a Production Level system tied to your family's trade. If you increased the relationship value with one or more of your family members in a year, then the Production Level will increase in the following year, giving better goods and services. 7 of the 8 jobs go up to Level 3, so can be maxed out by the end of your Third Year with relative ease. The Alchemist job, however, increases in level to ''12.'' This means if you increase your relationship with all members of your family at a normal rate, you'll be locked out of 3/4ths of the game's intended level up rewards, which include recipes for the [[InfinityPlusOneSword best weapon design (The Greatest Weapon)]] ''and'' [[ArmorOfInvincibility accessory (Ring of Invincibility)]] in the game. Unless you carefully cultivate your relationship with each member of your family one at a time, you ''will' have to 'reduce' your relationship with your family instead, then raise it back up, a process that takes an extra 2 years at 'least.' And again, ''none'' of this is outlined in the game.

** Family Jobs have two progression systems, a RelationshipValues system with each of the four members of your family, and a Production Level system tied to your family's trade. If you increased the relationship value with one or more of your family members in a year, then the Production Level will increase in the following year, giving better goods and services. 7 of the 8 jobs go up to Level 3, so can be maxed out by the end of your Third Year with relative ease. The Alchemist job, however, increases in level to ''12.'' This means if you increase your relationship with all members of your family at a normal rate, you'll be locked out of 3/4ths of the game's intended level up rewards, which include recipes for the [[Infinity+1Sword best weapon design (The Greatest Weapon)]] ''and'' [[ArmorOfInvincibility accessory (Ring of Invincibility)]] in the game. Unless you carefully cultivate your relationship with each member of your family one at a time, you ''will' have to 'reduce' your relationship with your family instead, then raise it back up, a process that takes an extra 2 years at 'least.' And again, ''none'' of this is outlined in the game.

** Lilties use [[BladeOnAStick spears and other polearms]], while ''Ring of Fates'' gives them [[CarryABigStick clubs]] or [[ImprobableWeaponUser ladles]] instead. ''Echoes of Time'' gives them weapons from both games.

* {{Fanservice}}:
** [[{{Gainaxing}} Female Selkies]]. Male Selkies too; boys in kilts? Yes please.
** ''The Crystal Bearers'' has a BeachEpisode mostly featuring Layle stealthily assisting Belle in ''keijo'', also known as "butt sumo."[[note]]A game where two young women stand back to back on a floating platform in bikinis and use their backsides to try to force each other into the water.[[/note]]

The third game is ''My Life as a King'', which was one of the first UsefulNotes/WiiWare titles, and the first Wii game to feature paid downloadable add-ons, and thus the "Pay + Play" mark. In many ways, it plays more like VideoGame/SimCity than an ActionRPG. Its sequel, ''My Life as a Darklord'', casts the player as a budding EvilOverlord who guides an army of monsters to defend a tower from invading heroes; it plays like a combination of ''VideoGame/SimTower'' and ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper''.

** Clavats prefer [[KnightlySwordAndShield sword and shield]] along with [[AnAxeToGrind axes]] in later games.

* WeaponOfChoice: