Summary
It’s only a matter of time before Square Enix unveils its follow-up toFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth—a game that will round out theFF7remake trilogy. Whenever this third game does release, it will be interesting to see whatelements ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthit retainsversus how much it reinvents and remixes.
That said, it’s probably safe to assume that part three will follow its predecessor’s approach to mini-games.FF7 Rebirthis replete with side activities, many of which introduce new gameplay mechanics. Whether this abundance of mini-games is a boon or a hindrance to the overallexperience is a subject of some debate, but Square Enix’s ambition in this area cannot be denied: most of these mini-games offer radically distinct experiences and are certainly preferable to the copy-paste activities that are so prevalent in the open-world genre. Additionally, several mini-games, like 3D Brawler and Fort Condor, are fleshed-out versions of their 1997 counterparts, making them a pleasant surprise for fans of the original game. This is something thatRebirth’s follow-up should seek to replicate.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 Is Perfectly Positioned to Upgrade the Snowboarding Mini-Game
Snowboarding Is a High Point of the Original Final Fantasy 7
In the 1997Final Fantasy 7, Aerith’s famous final sceneis chased by a trip to Icicle Inn, a snow-shrouded town in the northernmost continent of the planet. In this town, players can engage in an upbeat, high-speed snowboarding mini-game—a stark change in mood, considering the story beat that precedes it. Though the contrast between death and cheerful, intense snowboarding is somewhat bizarre, the emotional whiplash is perfectly in line withFinal Fantasy 7’s broader tone, and so this snowboarding mini-game is often considered one of the original’s best, most memorable moments.
The original snowboarding mini-game also features one of the best musical scores of the original 1997 game—just one of manyearworms that came out ofFF7.
All of that is to say that snowboarding will almost certainly appear as amini-game in the nextFinal Fantasy 7remake chapter, and it will be important for Square Enix to get it right. Iconic though it may be, snowboarding is certainly among the more dated aspects of the originalFF7, not only because of its visuals and presentation, but also mechanically, as it mostly boils down to swerving past a series of obstacles, with little in the way of more advanced moves or unexpected twists. WhenRebirth’s sequel rolls around, it can maintain the tonal significance of the original snowboarding mini-game while elevating its gameplay.
How Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 Can Improve Snowboarding
TheGold Saucer inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthis home to a number of revamped and reimagined mini-games from the original 1997 game, including G-Bike, which is a good example of an elegant mini-game evolution. The new G-Bike mini-game shares the fundamentals of its 1997 counterpart, but with a few notable improvements and additions, such as the ability to ride on walls and a chargeable spinning move that can clear groups of enemies. It also adds some modern considerations, like sword combos instead of basic, static slashes, that improve its overall gamefeel.
This sort of iterative approach would be perfect for the snowboarding mini-game. Fundamentally, it shouldn’t see too many changes, and Square Enix should take care not to jump the shark in terms of visuals or setpiece design, but additional mechanics, such as sharper drifting, better midair maneuverability, and tricks could go a long way toward making snowboarding feel more modern and satisfying. If the nextFinal Fantasy 7remake can honor the originalsnowboarding activity while making such meaningful improvements, then it could easily be an S-tier mini-game.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
