A portion of an IGN interview with producer Ichiro Hazama...

IGN: Why did you choose the 3DS as your platform? Was it the touch screen, the portability? What about the hardware appealed to you?

IH: Of course, both of the aspects that you mentioned are part of the key elements. But also, compared to the DS, it has a much greater capacity, and it has a great sound system. To combine the sound and the visuals, we thought that this would be a great platform to work on.

IGN: Do you feel this is a game that even people who haven't played Final Fantasy before would still be able to enjoy? And if so, what about the title do you think is universally appealing?

IH: Yes, I do think people who never played them can enjoy it. It might be difficult for them to actually pick it up and start the game, they might need a chance to get to know Final Fantasy. It could work if, say, their friends knew about it, or they borrowed it from someone, like an older brother. But if that gives them a chance to get to know the games and get to know the music, that would be great. As long as players play it and feel it, I think they'll love it.