Prelude The " Prelude " , also known as the " Crystal Theme " , is a recurring piece of music that appears in most " Final Fantasy " games . It is often considered one of the most important themes in the series , as it is often heard on the file select screen , especially in the " Finest Fantasy for Advance " releases . Interestingly , Nobuo Uematsu composed the Prelude as a last minute addition to the original " Final Fantasy " , and took all of 10 minutes to create it . Appearances . " Final Fantasy " . The " Prelude " plays in the opening , formation and world map screens . This original version is also found on the fourth disc of the " Final Fantasy Vinyls " collector ' s album set . " Final Fantasy II " . The " Prelude " plays in houses with healing Statues and at the Main Screen . " Final Fantasy III " . The " Prelude " plays in the New Game screen . " Prelude " is also part of the " The Evil Power of the Underworld " track on the " " album . " Final Fantasy IV " . The " Prelude " plays in the New Game screen , in the crystal room s and during The End screen . In the DS version , it also plays during the minigame Rosa ' s Measured Meditations when training the Eidolon Whyt . Edward describes it as " a very difficult piece " in the Music Box section of the 3D version . " Final Fantasy V " . The " Prelude " plays in the New Game screen ( GBA and mobile releases only ) and in the crystal room s . " Final Fantasy VI " . The " Prelude " plays in the New Game screen , in the Beginner ' s House and during the " The End " screen . " Final Fantasy VII " . The " Prelude " plays at the last part of the Game Over tune , in the opening credits , and after the credits in a space background . In the demo version of the game , a remix of the theme plays in the menu screen . The theme is found on the " " and the compilation limited edition album " Final Fantasy VII Vinyl Limited Edition " . " Final Fantasy VIII " . The " Prelude " plays during the Game Over screen and also in the last parts of the ending theme . A variation very similar to the one from the " Final Fantasy VII " demo can be heard during the menu screen of the game ' s demo , although it uses slightly different samples and is a bit higher - pitched . " Final Fantasy IX " . The " Prelude " plays during the game over screen and at the end ( Blackjack game ) . An arrangement of it makes the Crystal World ' s theme . " Final Fantasy X " . An upbeat mix of the " Prelude " plays at the start of the game , when the player is introduced to Tidus in Dream Zanarkand . It also plays when the player first learns about the Sphere Grid . This version of the " Prelude " is meant to make players feel like they are in Zanarkand , whose background music is sharply different from the more ethereal and less city - like feeling of Spira . " I remember this arrangement was the result of being inspired by the visualization of the game scenes , " music director Keiji Kawamori has said . " A radio DJ appears right after the first scene where this song is played . " " Final Fantasy XI " . The music is present on the Play page of PlayOnline and appears in the end of the opening movie . It also plays during the main theme , " Vana ' diel March " , and during various mission cutscenes . " Final Fantasy XII " . The Prelude , with vocals , is played during the first part of the opening scene . It is similar to its appearance in " Final Fantasy VII " . It is titled " Demo Movie " in the original soundtrack . The Prelude plays on the main title screen , when deciding to select to continue or start a new game . " Final Fantasy XIII " . Although not played on the intro or outro of the game like much of the series does , a portion of short and fast piano variation of the theme can be heard , mixed within the track named " The Sunleth Waterscape " . A very different theme called " Prelude to Final Fantasy XIII " plays during the introductory movie . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . " Eclipse " contains an arrangement of the " Prelude " . " " . A brief arrangement of " Prelude " can be heard at the end of the track " Ending Credits " . " Final Fantasy XIV " . The " Prelude " returns to the main series with " Prelude - Remembrance " , the first track of the . It plays on the title screen of both legacy version and " A Realm Reborn " . " " . A new " Prelude " called " Cold Wind " plays on the title screen if " Heavensward " has been installed . " Final Fantasy XV " . During the event Square Enix showed a trailer of the game ' s environments with a version of " Prelude " . The menu theme , " Crystalline Chill " , is a remix of the " Prelude " . " In the Light of the Crystal " is an eerie rendition of the " Prelude " that plays in the vicinity of the Crystal . Elements of the " Prelude " are also included in the theme song " Stand By Me " and the final notes of the battle music for Ifrit . " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . " Crystal Guide Us " is an arrangement of the original " Prelude " . It plays in Akademeia . The HD Remaster version also features vocals , similar to the " Final Fantasy XII " " Prelude " . Elements of " Prelude " are heard within the track named " Time of Tranquility " . It has similar instrumental beats from " Dissidia " and " Dissidia 012 " as it was composed by Takeharu Ishimoto . " Final Fantasy Tactics " . The " Prelude " appears in two tracks ; the intro and outro of the track " P . R . Movie " , and at the end of " Battle ' s End " , the victory fanfare . " Final Fantasy Tactics Advance " . A small version of the " Prelude " is played when St . Ivalice transforms into the world of Ivalice , after a formation of " Undeniable Anxiety " is played . The music is absent at the , though . A portion of the intro is played in the track " Top Title " . The track can be found in " " . " Dissidia Final Fantasy " . The " Prelude " plays in the new game menu , and at the start and the end of the Opening FMV . " " . A remix of the theme can be heard in the background of the ocean theme . " Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call " . An arrangement of the Prelude plays in the game ' s title screen . This track is included in the " Best of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call " album . " World of Final Fantasy " . An arrangement of the " Prelude " plays during the Game Over screen , near the end of the track named " Regretful Melody " . This track is also included in the official soundtrack album , " World of Final Fantasy オリジナル ・ サウンドトラック " . Vocal arrangements . Vocal arrangements of the " Prelude " are featured in the music albums " " , " " , and " " . " Pray " . The version that appears in " Pray " is a multilayered vocalization of Prelude ' s central melody . Other appearances . " Prelude " is arranged and performed in the style of Irish Celtic music on this album . The album contains a remix of the Prelude , called " The Prelude ( Crystal Mix ) " . This album contains a piano arrangement of the theme performed by Reiko Nomura . " Piano Opera Final Fantasy I / II / III " . This album contains a piano arrangement of the " Prelude " theme from the original " Final Fantasy " , titled " Prelude ~ Opening " . " Guitar Solo Final Fantasy Official Best Collection " . " Prelude " is the second track on the " Guitar Solo Final Fantasy Official Best Collection " album , which consists entirely of solo classical guitar arrangements of tracks from the " Final Fantasy " main series , performed by Yuji Sekiguchi . " Final Fantasy Remix " . A remix of the song by DJ duo Ante is included on this album . " 20020220 music from Final Fantasy " . " Prelude " is part of the " FINAL FANTASY " Final Fantasy - Final Fantasy III Medley " , performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra . " Prelude " is included in this live recording of an orchestral concert , performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra . The original " Prelude " from the original " Final Fantasy " was part of the " Final Fantasy Medley I - III 2004 " , a piece performed during a concert tour featuring music from the " Final Fantasy " series that toured Japan from March 12th to April 16th , 2004 . " SQ Chips " . The song appears in the SQ Chips VILLAGE / VANGUARD Customer Bonus edition of the 8 - bit arrangement album featuring tracks from several Square Enix games . It is the first track in the bonus CD . " Beer SQ " . The song appears in the pub - theme style arrangement album as its eighth and last track . " Chocobo Racing " . Titled " Crystal Legend " , composed by Kenji Ito , it is a synthesized child version played before the last race in the Story mode . The Prelude that can be heard is supposed to be the from the original " Final Fantasy " , but has a second melody that started to sound in the the " Final Fantasy VII " Prelude . It sounds in the minigames ' preludes and endings . Titled " A Memory Returned " , arranged by Yuko Takahashi , it is the arrange version from " Final Fantasy XI " " Prelude " . Non - " Final Fantasy " guest appearances . There are two versions , depending on the soundtrack selected , played at the Reactor arena . " Super Mario RPG : Legend of the Seven Stars " . While Yoko Shimomura composed most of the soundtrack , the theme still appears . The track is named " Conversation with Culex " and plays after Mario defeats Culex , a hidden Easter Egg character . " Kingdom Hearts series " . A sample of the " Prelude " can be heard in the track " March Caprice " . In " " , in the song titled " Naminé " , part of the " Prelude " can be heard in the background , although the final part of the sample has a slightly faster pace than the rest of it . Japan Self - Defense Forces Marching Festival 2012 . J . S . D . F . ( Japan Self - Defense Forces ) performed " Prelude " and " Final Fantasy " during the marching festival in November 17 2012 alongside the U . S . M . C . 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Band and U . S . Army Pacific Ocean Band . Toyota commercial . A piano arrangement of " Prelude " appears in a TV commercial for the car manufacturer Toyota . This appears to be a new arrangement made specifically for the advert . Watch the commercial on YouTube . Merchandise . A music box that plays the " Prelude " has been released by Square in 2002 , known as " Final Fantasy XI " Music Box . The music boxes were made in limited numbers and only available in Japan . Unlike the music box for " Final Fantasy V " and the " Aerith ' s Theme " music box , this one is not made of wood but of clear plastic , with the text " " Final Fantasy XI " " on the cover .