Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a Tactical RPG for the Gameboy Advance. Contrary to what its name implies, it is not a remake or a direct sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics, although it does take place in a land called Ivalice. The gameplay, however, is quite similar with a few exceptions.

The Five Races
In addition to Humans, there are four different character races. Moogles, represented most prominently by Marche Radiuju's best friend in Ivalice, Montblanc, are small and friendly. Nu Mou specialize at magic. Bangaas are the most physically tough. Vieras specialize at Archery, and are somehow an entirely female species. Each race of character only has access to certain jobs, and each race only has access to its own Totema (see below).

The Law System
The most prominent difference between Tactics and Tactics Advance is the Law System of Tactics Advance. In an FFTA battle, a judge is present on the map. The Judge will not fight for either side, but will merely move about, keeping himself as out of the way as possible. In addition, he has the power to move corpses out of the way so that a battlefield gridlock does not occur. Each battleground has its own laws that change daily (every time Marche's clan moves from location to location, a day passes). These laws forbid one type of action but encourage another. If any character performs the forbidden action and is successful, the Judge will immediately rush into the fray and slap the violating character with a Yellow Card. A second violation before the battle is over, or a violation resulting in a fatality will result in a Red Card. Any unit that recieves a Red Card is immediately removed from battle and sent to Ivalice's prison. Any unit that receives either color card will receive a penalty, ranging from a Gil fine to a permanent statistical reduction.

On the other hand, units performing recommended actions will receive Judge Points. A character may have as many as ten Judge Points at a time, which can allow a character to do two things. If it is available, the character may perform a combat combo with the help of another character. Both characters will launch a simultaneous attack of considerable power which can never fail to connect. If a character accrues the maximum total of ten Judge Points, that character will be able to call upon their race's Totema, provided Marche's clan has already defeated that Totema in battle to acquire its power. The Totema of the Moogle, Bangaa, and Human races inflict damage while the Totema of the Nu Mou and Viera races drain magic power.

Jagds
Although Laws are present in most places throughout Ivalice, there are three lawless locations called Jagds. In these locations, no actions are forbidden, nor can judge points be earned. However, these areas contain true danger, for under the Law System no character can truly be killed, yet in places where the Law does not exist, this protection is also gone...

Story
Marche Radiuju, the new kid in the town of St. Ivalice, his brother Doned, his friend Ritz Malheur, and the shy Mewt Randell come across a book called the Gran Grimoire which changes the real world into a fantasy world like that in other Final Fantasy games. There, Marche joins the clan of Montblanc after an incident with a Bangaa, and the two set out to find Marche a way home. Marche soon discovers that Mewt is the Prince in this world and that he does not wish to return the world to normal. Ritz and Doned also wish to leave the world in its new state. Marche soon discovers that in order to revert the world to normal he must find and defeat the five Totema which are keeping the world intact.

As he battles his way across the world searching for the Totema, Marche gains many allies as well as many enemies. He also faces an internal struggle, for part of him wishes that the world remain in its new form. But yet another problem exists for Marche: Mewt's dead mother Remedi is unexplainably alive in the fantasy world, and is working to protect Mewt from Marche's efforts to restore the real world. She also conceals a secret, one that Marche will have to discover to have any chance of successfully reverting the world to normal.