Final Fantasy series - collecting the definitive versions.

[bomberpunk]

i'm tasking myself with owning complete copies of Final Fantasy games, but doing research online on this matter is something that makes me want to bash my head into a wall. there are remakes upon remakes, each remake including something new which isn't always a good thing (apparently The After Years is garbage), then you've got FFII which was actually FFIV or something like that, and jesus i give up trying to figure this shit out.

 

 

so far, i own a loose copy of FF Origins (1 & 2) on GBA and also on PSX. then there's FF4 i just got yesterday for PSP. i'm going to eventually buy the NES FF1 just because that's what i grew up with and i like the maps and enemy charts that came with it.

 

with that, what is the best version of each game, starting with FF1? and at what point do the games change in that they lose that "classic" feel? (that's where i kinda want to stop) so i don't want 1 through 14, or 14-2 whatever.

 

i wish they'd release a multi-disc collection for ONE platform. having this on GBA and that on DS, and this on PSP kinda sucks.

 

 

so let's do this? what is the ultimate set?

Edited August 19, 2012 by bomberpunk

[Gabriel]

Coincidentally, I was discussing this topic last week.

Final Fantasy 1 = I'd go with the PS1 version (Final Fantasy Origins). Not only does it have the obvious graphical upgrade, but it has some significant gameplay tweaks which make it much more bearable than the NES version. And if you really like the NES restrictions, you can always turn them back on in the options screen.

The GBA version (Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls) is good too. I choose the PS1 version over it because the difficulty on the GBA version was dialed even lower, and the PS1 version already had the difficulty tweaked quite reasonably. However, the GBA version uses a more traditional console RPG Magic Point system unlike the PS1 and original NES's spell slot system. It may move up the scale depending on how much that feature is important to you.

I disqualify the PSP version because it eliminates the minor but key feature of allowing you to name the characters whatever you want. Instead, it makes you pick from pre-set names. I haven't played it much, but I think the difficulty has been dialed even lower. It's sad that it has these flaws, because it's absolutely beautiful.

I understand there's a DS remake, but I've been told it departs so much from the original game that it can't even be considered related anymore.

 

Final Fantasy 2 = In my opinion, there is no good version of this one. If I had to choose one version over another, I guess I'd choose the PSP version since it will have the prettiest visuals.

 

Final Fantasy 3 = The only official English version is the DS version, so that's what I'm stuck with calling the best.

 

Final Fantasy 4 = My FF4 loving best friend assures me that the PSP version (Final Fantasy IV: Complete) is the definitive version. His second choice is the original SNES cart. After that the priorities are PS1 version, GBA version, and he has told me that the DS remake is absolute garbage.

 

Final Fantasy 5 = I have no real strong opinion on whether the version on PS1 or GBA is better. I gravitate toward the PS1 version.

 

Final Fantasy 6 = Of the SNES, PS1, and GBA versions, I gravitate toward the PS1 version. The GBA version shrinks the playfield a bit more than I'm comfortable with, although it doesn't really impact the game. I couldn't tell you of any real gameplay difference between the PS1 and SNES versions.

 

Final Fantasy 7 = I swear by the PS1 version. My Final Fantasy loving friend says the PC version narrowly beats it out. Why do we choose what we do? No particular reason. I figure it's purely preference.

 

Final Fantasy 8, 10, 10-2, 12 = No alternate versions to my knowledge. I have a rock-bottom opinion of all these games. The definitive versions are the ones in the trash can.

 

Final Fantasy 9, 11 = Never played them. I don't think 9 has any alternate versions anyway.

 

Final Fantasy 13 = I put time in on the PS3 and 360 versions. The PS3 version is superior. You'll notice the slowdown and curse the disc swapping on the 360 version. However, the game is simply not worth owning or playing.

[MagitekAngel]

Final Fantasy I - PSP: This version currently has the most content and best graphics. The PS1 version does however preserve the original mechanics and difficulty.

Final Fantasy II - PSP: Same pros and cons of the PSP port of FF1.

Final Fantasy III - DS: This version has 3D graphics but preserves the difficulty. It had been ported with higher rez graphics to iOS, but I am only counting physical media here. This version is getting a PSP port too, but so far only a Japanese release is in the cards.

Final Fantasy IV - PSP/DS: Unfortunately there is no one definitive version. The DS port has 3D graphics, voice acting and exclusive content, but the PSP version has hi-def 2D graphics, The After Years, and an exclusive interquel episode.

Final Fantasy V - GBA: Technically the third release of this game, the GBA version has new classes, a bonus dungeon, a boss fight with Enuo, and some strange references to internet memes in the script.

Final Fantasy VI - GBA: Once again the GBA port is the most recent and boasts additional content.

Final Fantasy VII - PS1: There was a PC port, but the MIDI sucks and good luck getting it to work on a modern PC.

Final Fantasy VIII - PS1: Ditto FFVII.

Final Fantasy IX - PS1: Only one version.

Final Fantasy X - PS2: Currently the only version, but an HD remake is in the works on PS3/Vita.

Final Fantasy XI - PC: Really the only way to play an MMO.

Final Fantasy XII - PS2: Only version.

Final Fantasy XIII - PS3: One Disc, very slightly higher resolution.

Final Fantasy XIV - PC: I guess, but really don't bother.

[onlysublime]

ff7 on the PC was beautiful. it was a game that definitely showed off my 3dfx card. seeing the original made me vomit afterwards. you also had much faster loading times since it ran off the hard drive. of course, the 3dfx card didn't affect the CGI which made it a jarring experience going from the sharply rendered realtime graphics and then switching to the low-resolution CGI whereas the Playstation version was seamless (low-res all around).

[bomberpunk]

one thing i hated about the original NES FF1 was attack at nothing / ineffective. i know this was fixed for PSX/GBA. i just remembered i used to own FFX and actually liked it until i was required to play some underwater ball game every few hours.

 

from what i'm looking at so far, i should end with FF7 and not bother with the later last-gen/current-gen titles.

[MagitekAngel]

Don't skip out on IX: a deliberate throwback to the old games. It had not been equaled by any subsequent effort.

[boog]

Great info in this thread.

 

I liked FF9 too. I'm not a big JRPG fan but I've tried most of the Final Fantasy games. Only FF6, FF7, and FF9 held my interest enough to play to the end.

[Reaperman]

FF6 is about the only one that I've spent serious time with multiple versions (SNES, PS1, GBA).

 

If I recall, the PS1 version of FF6 had some load time when going into the menu which I found extremely annoying (maybe the other PS1 FF remakes do it too).

I found it annoying enough to offset the extras in that version. For me, the original SNES is the best. The movies were pretty neat, though.

 

GBA version's playfield wasn't bad, but it was smaller. Some 'extras' in that version were mentioned by magitek--what were they? Also is it just me, or was the music slightly simplified for this release?

 

It's worth note that I've found some of the fan translations of FF games to be superior to the US localizations when they finally arrive--but that's opening up a whole new can of worms, I suppose.

Edited August 20, 2012 by Reaperman

[jhd]

I have certainly not played all of them (yet), but I have collected versions of 1 through 12, (other than 3 and 11) -- and Tactics.

 

For the original Playstation, I have the various compilation disks (Anthology, Chronicles, Origins) of the early titles.

 

One of my collecting goals was to be able to obtain all of the titles and I feel that I have done so.

 

It is a bit frustrating that 3 was only really released (in English) on the DS, but I am not going to buy a piece of hardware for one game. Likewise 11 is still available at retail, but I cannot use it with a slim PS 2, and I'm not going to buy a game that I cannot play.

[bomberpunk]

i think i just made my hunt a little easy for $80.00 shipped.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 300762021572

 

i probably should have asked first if there were any missing discs & manuals, but i got a little trigger happy. the guy has 100% positive feedback, so maybe i'm good.

 

now all i need is FF3 and i think i'll be happy.

 

 

edit: he just wrote back that everything is complete. i wrote back "i love you". LOL!

Edited August 21, 2012 by bomberpunk

[cimerians]

i think i just made my hunt a little easy for $80.00 shipped.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 300762021572

 

i probably should have asked first if there were any missing discs & manuals, but i got a little trigger happy. the guy has 100% positive feedback, so maybe i'm good.

 

now all i need is FF3 and i think i'll be happy.

 

 

edit: he just wrote back that everything is complete. i wrote back "i love you". LOL!

 

Thats a sweet deal. The PSP collections are awesome so don't ignore those especially FF4.

[jhd]

That's a very good deal -- it took me quite some time (and more money) to collect all of those titles.

 

FF4 is included on Final Fantasy Chronicles for the PlayStation -- the one title missing from this set.

[SoulBlazer]

There was a PC version of FF8. I think the PC ports of 7 and 8 are better then the PlayStation originals, but you would have problems running them on a modern PC, of course.

 

Don't forget there's that remake of FF 7 for the PC coming out also soon.

 

Also not mentioned in this list are some of the 'official' spin off's, like FF X-2, FF 13-2, Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Advance. Also there was a sequel to FF 12 on the GBA.

[onlysublime]

How to Play Final Fantasy VII in Windows 7

 

 

http://www.pcworld.c..._windows_7.html

 

Thanks to a dedicated modding community--something that few console ports have the good fortune to foster--Final Fantasy VII doesn’t just run well on modern PCs, it looks and plays better than the PlayStation version ever could. Grab your game installation CDs (all four of them), and let’s begin.

 

running FF7 on a modern PC at 1920x1080 resolution or higher? YESSSSSSS.

Edited August 21, 2012 by onlysublime

[cybercylon]

Don't skip out on IX: a deliberate throwback to the old games. It had not been equaled by any subsequent effort.

 

I think 9 is the best of the ones originally made for the PS1, and I'll take it over anything put out over the PS2 or 3.

[bomberpunk]

i just got the DS FF3 cib for $9 shipped! eBay Auction -- Item Number: 320966736905

 

this title is also being revisited on the new OUYA console, expected in early '13.

[onmode-ky]

This seems to be an appropriate thread in which to ask my Final Fantasy IV question. I've never played the game before (beyond the first hour or so, that is). It's been in my library for many years, though; I have it both for the PS1 in Final Fantasy Chronicles and for the DS in the 3D-graphics remake. Is it worth getting the PSP's Complete Collection on top of these? I feel kind of silly buying the game a third time. Yes, it does have much more vivid graphics than the PS1 release, and it does have extra content that, well, it seems no one thinks is worth playing. But are these elements worth a third time around, or do you think I should just play what I already have?

 

onmode-ky

 

P.S. The PS1 renditions of FF5, FF6, and Chrono Trigger are, to my recollection, plagued with load times before every battle and every opening of the menu, but the PS1 version of FF4 does not have that.

[SoulBlazer]

Personaly, I really enjoyed the remake of the game on the DS, although I hear the one for the PSP is even better. I'm not buying it for just one game, though.

 

If you want the best 'original' version of the game, go with the GBA version.

[bomberpunk]

i've been finding out new things bit by bit about this series. the obvious main thing i've learned is than FF1-FF9 are all in PS1 format (minus FF3 which as mentioned above is only on DS until the OUYA remake comes out next year).

 

IMO, the definitive FF1 is the Dawn of Souls GBA release (although i've only played through NES/PS1/GBA, none of the recent mobile remakes)

 

i have yet to play any other FF game except FFX.

 

however, my box came in today, so now i officially own the entire PS1 collection (minus FFIV, but i have the PSP version).

 

i will probably disappear into JRPG Land for a long long time!

[Flojomojo]

I think these games are best enjoyed in portable format -- they go anywhere, and the chunky graphics look better on a small screen. Also, don't forget about Final Fantasy Tactics.

 

You can play 1 thru 9 and Tactics on the PSP, and starting August 28th, the Vita. I really like the way PSP games look on the Vita, and PSOne titles should be nice as well.

 

The iPhone has decent ports of 1, 2, and 3, as well as Tactics. The iPad port of Tactics is really well done.

[NightSprinter]

Well, with Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, they fixed NUMEROUS bugs that plagued FF4 Advance. One of the most notorious being that when multiple party members had their Active Time Battle meter filled, entering the command for whomever has their turn ready now would reset the meter for the next in line. The difficulty was brought up back to the original's level (though I still think FF4 for the PS1 was far more difficult.).

 

Plus, being able to switch between the SNES music and the remastered music is rather nice. The work also done on The After Years polished that game back up a LOT. I watched videos of the WiiWare version, and that one just felt somewhat lazily-ported to me from the NTT-DoCoMo cellphone version. So overall, I do say FF4:CC is worth getting. If you have a Vita, you really have nothing to lose from the digital version.

[Ninjabba]

on the psp I have:

 

ff1, ff2, ff4 CC, ff7, ff8, ff9, ff tactics, ff type 0.

 

ff 3 is released for the psp this month as well if I'm not mistaken (port from the DS)

and I think you can get ff5 and ff6 from the ps stores as a ps1 port.

 

So if you want to have as many of them together on 1 platform, I believe the psp is a great system.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Ninjabba

[cybercylon]

Here you go... Japan only for now though

 

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/31/square-reveals-final-fantasy-25th-anniversary-collection

[bomberpunk]

i'm interested in the extras, but it's really a stupid move for them to package multiple platform-discs in one collection. they can keep that in Japan as far as i'm concerned. i'll find the bonus content online one day, and save half a grand.

[icemanxp300]

Dragon Warrior FTW!