What was the first game with a job system?

The Origin of the Job System: Understanding the Evolution of Final Fantasy IV’s Jobs

The concept of job systems has been a cornerstone of many Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) since the 1980s. No franchise has explored this idea as thoroughly as Square Enix’s iconic Final Fantasy series, starting from the groundbreaking Final Fantasy V, and later, the enhanced and refined version, Final Fantasy III. These classic titles introduced a unique leveling up mechanism, where characters could transform into various classes or jobs. But how far back does the history of this engaging system stretch? Let’s journey to uncover the roots of the Job System, tracing its evolution in Final Fantasy’s most influential installments.

What was the first game with a job system?

While researching and consulting various sources, it has come to our attention that many would attribute the first game with a job system to Final Fantasy trilogy (1987), under the assumption that Final Fantasy V (1991), a game initially unreleased in the West, popularized this mechanic. However, after studying gameplay and mechanics of older installments, it is crucial to give credits to the true pioneers – the predecessors.

The Emergence of Classic JRPG Elements in Japan

In the 1960s and 1970s, early prototypes of JRPGs gained attention, especially in Japan, often called RPG-geki. Fantasy Quest (1978), one of the earliest J-RPGs, is regarded by some as a precursor to this very job system. While there may not have been a clearcut equivalent of jobs, developers took cues from Western tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) to form the basis of their games’ class-based systems.

Inventing a Legacy: The 1st Class-Change Mechanics (1947-1984)

1. 1947 – Richard Braunmühl’s "Tributs to the Nostrogothian Nation," the first known work discussing ‘Jobs’ in an RPG style**: Braunmühl used fantasy elements and described Jobs and Professions.
2. 1979 – Enix’s "The Demon Darkness," a Japanese RPG-like computer game: While Demons Darkness wasn’t entirely dependent on jobs, character builds began to shape based on choices.
3. 1980s – Seiken Densetsu III’s "Trials of Mana," a JRPG using multiple characters and occupations, as well as the pioneering J-RPG, Dragin Slayers (1989) / Sorcerian, that had a character’s development driven by the selection of professions

We acknowledge that these earlier contributions contributed significantly to the job system, influencing the evolution of modern gaming in significant ways. Now let us look at how specific RPGs, including Final Fantasy installments, further developed these key features.

From Jobs to Jobs: The Impact on Japanese Role-Playing Games ( Late 1980s-1990s)

Now we can return to where most enthusiasts believe the job system came of age – Final Fantasy’s most influential installments, where class changes played an iconic role.

• Final Fantasy IV’s Unique Twist (1990 – Released in 1992, marketed as Final Fantasy II) : Cecil becomes paladin, and then uses these jobs’ abilities and learnables upon further leveling. The unique development is the ability to master 60 unique Jobs, adding multiple endings. This 8.39 hours of gameplay would soon shift Final Fantasy fans towards experimenting in Job systems, marking significant growth in popularity within fans.