July 5^th, 2005 (6:14pm) - While Final Fantasy III for the DS was never cancelled, it’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about it. However, rumors about the game are begining to gather steam.

According to sources in Japan, Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS is still in development, and it looks to be adding a twist to the tried-and-true RPG combat formula.

If this rumor is true, Final Fantasy III will place less emphasis on hit points. Rather, a defense meter will be the main focus in battle. The defense meter will go down with each attack. When the meter goes down, hit points are then vulnerable. While the meter is full, the person or creature being attacked will perform a blocking animation.

While there isn’t much concrete information on the title, and this doesn’t seem to be taking advantage of the DS’ unique capabilites, it’s good to hear something about the game.

More here as it comes.