Final Fantasy IV

Square Enix

$39.99

Only a hall-of-fame series like the Final Fantasy saga could reach back into its catalog, grab a hit from over 15 years ago, put it through a This Old House type of rehab, and deliver one of the best releases of the summer, if not this year.

I know, we still have a lot of games coming out in 2008, but this game will be up for contention for top honors.

Most gamers already know the story of the Red Wing commander, Cecil. Once a standout soldier in the king's ranks, the main character has turned on his leader as the king turned toward madness and tyranny. In an effort to push Cecil to the side, the king sends him on what can only be described as a fool's errand.

So the story begins.

The role-playing game, which first hit the Super Nintendo System in 1991, has been completely pimped out.

All of the characters in your traveling band not only have their original abilities from the first game, but now you also have the option to bestow them with special powers called "augments." These can be found hidden within the game, left by members who leave your group, or even taken from fallen foes. There are new minigames, a new sidequest, and extra points in the original plot that expand the already excellent story with new cut scenes. Unfortunately, however, one would have thought all of this excellent revamping wouldn't include some cheesy, and at some points downright bizarre, voice-overs.

The other big news is that the game is now rendered completely in 3D. For a title on such small screens, there really isn't a better-looking game on the handheld system.

If you are one of the few folks actually taking long road trips this summer, this game is a must-have. Heck, one might buy a DS just for this game, as I suspect many gamers will.