System: Nintendo DS

Publisher: Square Enix

Reviewer’s rating: ****

ESRB rating: Everyone 10+

Game type: Role-playing

Kind of like: “Fire Emblem”

Best feature: All-new graphics make the story even better.

Worst feature: You may have played this before.

The bottom line: “Final Fantasy IV” has been put on handhelds before.

But all-new graphics and sound give the Nintendo DS the definitive version of this all-time RPG classic.

You may have played this before — back in the days of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, this game was known as “Final Fantasy II.”

It now goes by its Japanese number, IV. In this game, you begin with Cecil, the commander of the military airship forces of the nation of Baron. Cecil is ordered to conquer peaceful people all over the world, and he begins to question his orders. Soon he’s fighting both monsters and evil characters from his own kingdom.

The original game had 16-bit graphics and tiny characters. Now, the heroes and monsters of the story are rendered in 3-D.

The game takes full advantage of the two screens of the DS. For example, while exploring some strange caves, a map draws itself on the bottom screen while the action takes place on the top.

You control a party of characters and engage in turn-based fighting. For each character, you decide what that hero will do during his or her turn, whether it’s casting a spell, using a weapon or helping out with an item from your inventory.

There are all-new cut scenes, and voice actors were used to record new dialogue.

The result is the best RPG experience you could hope for on the DS.