Japanese publishing powerhouse Square Enix has gone to every effort to make the most of its cherished Final Fantasy VII franchise in recent years, and none are more leftfield than the recently announced Final Fantasy VII: Snowboarding.

The $3 mobile game is currently available to Japanese users on the DoCoMo network, and is a spin-off of the minigame that featured in the original PlayStation console RPG outing.

Final Fantasy VII was released on Sony’s PlayStation in 1997 and has gone on to become arguably Square Enix’s most popular FF instalment, partly due to the fact that it was the first time the series had been given the 3D treatment.

After doggedly refusing to break from its self-contained FF sequel policy for many years, in recent times Square Enix has been more willing to return to the popular title. Since the release of animated feature film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children 2005, the game has spun a number of semi-sequels.

PS2 first person shooter Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII was met with both bemusement and critical questioning upon its release in 2006, and also produced a mobile-only tie-in called Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode. Sony’s PSP handheld also recently hosted global and critical hit Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.

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