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SaGa III: Jikku No Hasha


Somebody needs to tell Square that I'm not a amorphous, single-celled organism.
 Amoeba
If, whilst facing me, your eyes doth flinch, thine buttocks I shall, without fail, pinch!



Malevolent cephalopods that have evolved a pair of crustacean-like appendages and pincers. Amoebae and Squids are randomly encountered monsters in Squaresoft's 1993 SaGa III: Jikku No Hasha Nintendo Gameboy roleplaying video game (more commonly known as Final Fantasy Legend III in North America, although that title was a rather dishonest marketing ploy as the SaGa franchise is not part of the Final Fantasy series). Both critters share the exact same game sprite--because the original Gameboy only had relatively-primitive, gray-scale graphics, Squid and Amoeba aren't differentiated by color as they likely would have been on a more advanced console.

Squids have numerous offensive options including the ability to create magical fires and tornadoes (both of which somehow work underwater), dissolve flesh with acidic excretions, blind foes with ink, or physically attack with a tentacle, tusk, or mighty "Wind-Up" blow. Amoebae, while they lack the ability to create tornadoes, employ largely identical talents, except that instead of striking with a single tentacle, they attack with six of their appendages at once, potentially landing multiple hits in a single combat turn. Amoebae are also venomous.

In addition to fighting these creatures, your characters can potentially transform into, and play as, a Squid or Amoeba by consuming the proper combination of meats left behind by slain beasts/monsters after the conclusion of a battle. Becoming a Squid monster is possible at experience levels 19 and 20, and an Amoeba monster at levels 25 and 26 (if you're at a higher, or lower, experience level, you'll become something different instead). Additionally, the transformation is also dependent on the elemental affinity of the individual character (eating the flesh of a "fire" beast/monster will have a different effect on the evolution of an "air" character than it would on a "water" one), as well as what their current class is (robot, cyborg, human/mutant, beast, or monster--note that a character cannot advance to a monster form until they have first achieved beast status). Characters that become monsters cannot equip any weapons or armor (due to the often very unique anatomies of such creatures), but they can still cast all of their magic spells.

Monster
Species
Element
Affinity
Hit
Points
Magic
Points
Attack
Defense
Agility
Magic
Evade
Magic
Defense
Magic
Evade
Talents

Amoeba

Water

800

720

78

86

86

74

62

72

76

6-Arms
Dissolve
Fire
Ink
Poison
Tusk
Wind-Up

Squid

Water

580

522

56

60

60

55

44

55

60

Dissolve
Fire
Ink
Tentacle
Tornado
Tusk
Wind-Up



Materials:
Newsprint, tissue paper, white glue, crazy glue, wire twist ties, sand, nail polish, and acrylic paint.


Dimensions:
[NOTE: Due to the articulation, these values will vary depending on how the joints are positioned;
the numbers given assume a neutral standing pose.]

4.7 cm/1.9 in. x 2.8 cm/1.1 in. (widest point x highest point)


Articulation:
Eight points: Shoulders (2); elbows (2); wrists (2); and pincers (2).


Time:
Three days; April 20, 22, and 23 (2010).



Amoeba photo collage.



For comparison/informational purposes, below are several images from various Final Fantasy Legend III media:



Amoeba battle screen samples:

Why do monsters keep jumping my party when they have no chance whatsoever of winning these random battles?   Amoeba tries in vain to blind my party with its foul ink attack.
Another one bites the dust, and its four comrades will be doing likewise shortly.   Would you eat this slimy calamari?



Overworld/player Squid/Amoeba animated sprites:

           







Here are some examples I made of how an Amoeba/Squid might have looked had SaGa III been a color game:





REFERENCES:
(In no particular order of importance.)


  •   Final Fantasy Legend III Nintendo Gameboy video game and instruction manual.

  •   RPG Classics Final Fantasy Legend III bestiary.

  •   GameFAQs Final Fantasy Legend III game guides.

  •   Hardcore Gaming 101 SaGa article.



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