How's FF VI on the gba

[Bahamut]

Does Vanish+Doom and Vanish+X-Zone still work?

If so, does it still prevent you from getting the esper from the airship fight?

Well, I remember in the original, Vanish + Doom works on Doomgaze for getting the esper.

[Ebichuman]

Conversely, FF3 for the DS is hard as fuck:(, although supposedly it's easier than the fucktastic original.

Oddly, I found ff:3 to be crazy easy when you get geomancers on, all the way to the end.

Maybe I was just playing it the omg unblockable massive damage way.

[Arek the Absolute]

They took out that trick, but evade actually works now .

That is probably why fights were so much easier...

And no, I believe experience is the same. I 'grinded' on Tyranosaurs over at the dino forest with 2 different people per session.

Also, I forgot how much of a bad ass Sabin is as a mage. 150+ magic = fire 3 > ultima.

[Bahamut]

Even the final dungeon? That dungeon coupled with the final boss almost made me .

[Arek the Absolute]

Even the final dungeon? That dungeon coupled with the final boss almost made me .

Dunno about you, but ff3 was crazy easy for me. Kind of saddening too, since I heard it was omg hardtastic.

And yes, I didn't run through it with dem rigged azz Geomancers.

[Bahamut]

Dunno about you, but ff3 was crazy easy for me. Kind of saddening too, since I heard it was omg hardtastic.

And yes, I didn't run through it with dem rigged azz Geomancers.

Well, I got so sick of the shitty leveling up I decided to go into the final dungeon at level 52-3 or so...and was around level 54 when I fought the final boss (with a Devout, Sage, Knight, and Ninja), and I was one attack away from game over. I would've been so pissed if I died there since that's a good 2 hours without having saved. And yes, I sidequested and bought spells like Flare and Meteor, as well as all the best weapons in the final sidequest.

[Arek the Absolute]

I had a Dragoon instead of a sage, other than that, same party.

We went in around the same levels...I wonder why it was hard for you 0_o

[parasoul]

Well, I got so sick of the shitty leveling up I decided to go into the final dungeon at level 52-3 or so...and was around level 54 when I fought the final boss (with a Devout, Sage, Knight, and Ninja), and I was one attack away from game over. I would've been so pissed if I died there since that's a good 2 hours without having saved. And yes, I sidequested and bought spells like Flare and Meteor, as well as all the best weapons in the final sidequest.

I haven't played FF3 in about 5 years when I played a fan translation on an emulator. Like most NES RPGs I didn't like it. If I couldn't speed up time with the emulator I probably would have went insane leveling up high enough to beat those games.

[NeoForte]

FFIII DS for me was not too easy but not hard as hell either. I had complications with the final boss many a times but its cause I forgot to do something so I wouldn't take a lot of damage. Though leveling up was a bit more tedious in the DS one since battles took just a bit longer than the NES one.

[Czar Diego]

So yeah. Escaping from the Magitek Lab SUCKS.

[BardicKnowledge]

While the music has taken a slight hit (except for the Opera scene, which has been redone with better voice synths and is goose-bump causing awesome), the rest of the game is much much better. The only lag I've noticed is with Mode 7 travel, and the dialogue retouches are mostly brilliant -- none of the cheap pop-culture fest that FFIVA was.

[Kanthos]

Still playing through Final Fantasy V at the moment. I like the translation better than the original Final Fantasy VI translation. There's one character (I won't name him to avoid spoilers) who is a turtle and has the following two classic lines:

"I didn't spend the last 700 years sitting around eating pizza"

and (mocking Bartz for being a dumbass): "You need to go get the twelve legendary weapons. They are weapons. They are legendary. There are even twelve of them!"

And from a kid in Tule (adapted a bit, since I can't remember the exact words):

"I'm training to be a bard. Want to hear my song?

Some years ago in the canal to the east,

A great big ol' monster was having a feast.

He ate many people (fifty-three at least),

Then some heros came and defeated the beast.

My grandfather wishes he had never told me that story..."

[Bahamut]

Yeah, the FFV Advance translation is gold.

[Zaboomafoo]

Yeah, the translation of FF6 advance seems to be quite altered imho; they changed 'Son of a Submariner,' which is my favorite line of any video game. But oh well, I've played FF6 enough times to the point where the new script is kind of refreshing...but at the same time it seems like the overall theme of the game is a lot less mature (not surprising as it's a GBA port). I mean, to me the first time I played FF6 Kefka seemed like a complete dolt and then he completely screws everything up (I did not forsee World of Ruin coming, my friends thankfully never spoiled that one for me) in a post-repressed psychotic fervor. But now Kefka seems less like a dolt and more like a 7-year old.

Also, I heard the imprisonment scene with Celes was changed so that the guard no longer punches her (I've only played for an hour or so). I mean, wtf Square-Enix, censoring punching? The game's rated E(10+)! Seriously, how are we supposed to not like the empire if they're so darn agreeable?

The script changes really seem arbitrary to me, for example, Shadow will no longer slit your (his?) mother's throat for a nickle, as now he'll kill his best friend for the right price. However, Intercepter still eats strangers (if I recall correctly). Apparently dogs can eat people, but any specific action involving inflicting harm to another person cannot be represented in either text or action.

I mean, I can't wait to see how they handle the Doma scene; my guess is our good old villain puts Tang or something in the water and because Doma is so secluded it's very pure-bread and everyone is allergic to oranges.

And on the topic of sound quality, the GBA version does not have good sound quality. Just listen to the low-bass grind of the battle music and you'll understand.

I don't remember any lag problems from my couple hours playing it. I am playing it on a DS though, so maybe the DS has faster hardware. (I don't really pay attention to the specs on systems though, so this is speculation.)

As for game mechanics, I can't believe they took out the whole 'vanish doom' combo. Like, the ENTIRE POINT of vanish was to make magic 100% effective (as well as hide your characters from physical attacks, but that strategy seemed generally a moot point anyway) and then use Doom at 100% effectiveness. I've also heard you can switch-out Espers in battle; not sure if you could always do that as I never did in any of the other versions (neither did I summon them, so I guess that would be why).

My real major concern is that overall view on-screen seems smaller. Maybe it's been truncated for the GBA screen.

But overall, I'm hoping a portable FF6 and the new extras will jusify my purchase. Even so, my Anthology version causes Mog's 'Wind Song' to show up as ' ind Song,' and that was one of my most used skills with one of my most used characters, so I'm hoping the game will be more polished now.

[Lyrai]

Also, I heard the imprisonment scene with Celes was changed so that the guard no longer punches her (I've only played for an hour or so). I mean, wtf Square-Enix, censoring punching? The game's rated E(10+)! Seriously, how are we supposed to not like the empire if they're so darn agreeable?

That scene was removed from the Japanese version as well. Something about abuse against women, maybe?

The script changes really seem arbitrary to me, for example, Shadow will no longer slit your (his?) mother's throat for a nickle, as now he'll kill his best friend for the right price. However, Intercepter still eats strangers (if I recall correctly). Apparently dogs can eat people, but any specific action involving inflicting harm to another person cannot be represented in either text or action.

COMPLETLY out there, but I wonder if they perhaps changed it due to the fact that not all mothers are all wonderful. Maybe they thought people would take it to mean he was abused by his mom or something, rather htan he's just a ruthless killer?

Just a theory. Batshit insane, but a theory

As for game mechanics, I can't believe they took out the whole 'vanish doom' combo. Like, the ENTIRE POINT of vanish was to make magic 100% effective (as well as hide your characters from physical attacks, but that strategy seemed generally a moot point anyway) and then use Doom at 100% effectiveness.

I'd wager the fact that youc ould use it against bosses who were supposed to be immune to Instant-Death was the problem. Do we know if Vanish/X-Zone still works? Is it still called X-Zone?

But overall, I'm hoping a portable FF6 and the new extras will jusify my purchase. Even so, my Anthology version causes Mog's 'Wind Song' to show up as ' ind Song,' and that was one of my most used skills with one of my most used characters, so I'm hoping the game will be more polished now.

The PSX versions of FFV and VI were horrid. Rushed translations and all around blech. Chrono Trigger was salvageable, if only because it kept track of what endings you got. BUt the load times...UGH.

[Kanthos]

Vanishing shouldn't make magic 100% effective. How does that make any sense? I'm glad Vanish/Doom is out; it made most bosses too easy.

[DukeNukem007]

WTF, you guys are saying they stripped a lot of the script...

It wasn't as bad as with FF4's localization, but they already stripped FF6 of a lot of realism even the first time around in the USA, just by not implying little things like Duane and Katarin having a baby out of wedlock, Cyan reading porno magazines (really balanced his guts-and-glory-family-man persona with some very human failings, huh?) etc.

Fortunately from the youtubes it looks like they didn't butcher the graphics and sounds the way the GBA version of Tales of Phantasia did (although it's more understandable with ToP because as strong as FF6 was audiovisually by SNES standards, ToP set the bar even higher; the SNES should flat-out have not been able to handle graphics that good and "streaming vocals." Also, the ToP "official translation" in the GBA port was so awful that they referred to the Ragnarok--a common name to anyone even vaguely familiar with any mythology--as the "Kangaroo," LOL!!)

[Arek the Absolute]

God, I am so sickened by this game. They set the difficulty way too low.

I mean, the goddess was nothing compared to how she originally was. I remember EVERYTIME I went against her, she would cast doom on everyone, confuse two, and have the other two protect her. In the GBA version, she didn't cast any of those. All she did was sit there while I had RELM PUMMEL HER WITH ATTACK. RELM. JUST RELM. How saddening.

Also, Kaiser Dragon and Omega Weapon were jokes. Nothing but punching bags. I cannot see how anyone could have difficulty with those two.

Anyhow, to make this game at least a tad challenging, I am trying to beat the game with just Celes, Setzer, and Edgar when I reach the World of Ruin. So far, it has been no problem.

[Bahamut]

Difficult turn-based RPGs with a level up system is the worst idea ever (see 7th Saga, Lunar 2: Eternal Blue). I liked the difficulty change on FF5 Advance, but I don't know enough about this one so far - I didn't play much yet. It doesn't seem as bad as people were bitching about yet though.

Edit: lol, FF6 wasn't even hard originally - I never died to one of the later bosses or had remote trouble except Kefka, only because I was curious about his final form doing anything, and then after waiting awhile he started casting rapidfire Ultimas.

[Arek the Absolute]

You will understand what I mean when you go up against the Gods ohwaitimeanwarringtriads and see just how laughably easy they are.

I miss the challenge this game had. I understand that they want kids to play, but pokemon was way more challenging than this is.

Good game, bad difficulty change.

Also, the Dragon's den *or whatever the extra dungeon is called* was not fun at all. What horrible boss fights. Unique, yes, but they could have done better. A perma runicing gold dragon, an invulnerable red dragon, and an undead dragon that you could only beat by rasping it's mp to death. Creative, but they could have had those fights done a bit better.

EDIT: Dude, I went to kefka's palace while everyone was in their 40's and still kicked ass. In the snes version, the gods killed my guys if they were that low.

Also, gembox + celestriad = gg

ultima - quick, ultima - ultima, ultima - ultima. This made my Relm scary, especially with her 150+ magic stats. Woo nelly.

[Bahamut]

Pssh you can up the cheap factor with Gem Box with Economizers - I would collect 4+ Economizers all the time, so my spells only cost 1 MP. In addition, Offering + Genji Glove was cheap as fuck.

[atmuh]

well I can't say anything about FFVIA since I never got it but I can say that the original was pretty easy for me. However this was because I pretty much just made Celes my main attacker and gave her the Genji Glove + Offering with the Atma Weapon + Illumina. That took care of most bosses quite nicely.

Edit: BAHA STOP STEALING MY IDEAS!!!!!!

[Back_Lit]

Pssh you can up the cheap factor with Gem Box with Economizers - I would collect 4+ Economizers all the time, so my spells only cost 1 MP. In addition, Offering + Genji Glove was cheap as fuck.

Offering + Thief Glove + Locke/Shadow = FUN

[Arek the Absolute]

Pssh you can up the cheap factor with Gem Box with Economizers - I would collect 4+ Economizers all the time, so my spells only cost 1 MP. In addition, Offering + Genji Glove was cheap as fuck.

Note: Celestriad is economizer in ff6a

Also, Offering + genji glove + Apocalypse + Apocalypse *sword only used by terra* = instant win, but that is too cheap.

[Ciel]

For the kiddies, of course. "Basic Reading Skill Required!" is on the back of Dawn of Souls, or something like that. They make these games so the primary market who owns Nintendo handhelds (kids) will be able to beat them, I guess.

I remember back in the days when this problem was remedied by the simple addition of a "Normal / Hard" option on the main title screen. Now it's serious RPG fans suffer because the games are tailored to the intelligence of a 10 year old, or the 10 year olds "suffer" because they actually have to learn how to think and overcome the enemies. I'm pretty sure I played FF6 when I was 10, and enjoyed the difficulty thoroughly.