Definitive Version of Each Installment

[Forsaken Lover]

So each game, but primarily the first six, started life on one console but eventually got whored out to several different generations of systems. If you were talking to a guy who had never played any FF game and you wanted them to get the best experience possible, which version of each game would you recommend?

Example:
FF1 - NES! It's the original and only pros can beat it. All other versions are too easy.
FFII - Dawn of Souls. Bonus stuff.
FFIV - DS. Better script, addition of voice-acting.
FFV - Advance. It's the only good version.

Note; these are not my opinions. Just stuff I've heard over the years.

[Motdrafin]

Well, for specifically the first six, these are my favorite versions:

FFI: PS1 version (retains original difficulty with option of easy, updated graphics and sound)

FFII: GBA version (extras, updated graphics and sound, better translation of names compared to PS1- Ricard, Guy, Minwu VS Gareth, Gus, Mindu)

FFIII: Famicom version (prefer sprites over DS models, like extra challenge compared to DS)

FFIV: PS1 version (prefer the SNES sprites, loading times aren't that bad, original difficulty)

FFV: SNES version (mainly the soundtrack is better compared to GBA)

FFVI: SNES version (mainly the soundtrack and some parts I think were translated better in the SNES compared to GBA)

[Karifean]

For X and X-2 I would say the HD Remasters are their definitive versions. Sure, some might say the remastered graphics and soundtrack on X are a little weird, but still. For X-2, there's no competition, at least not outside of Japan; the HD version is far superior to the original ^^ although if I really were to recommend it to someone I might actually tell them to stay clear of the new features up until NG+.

If anyone in my vicinity is interested in FF XII (and won't just emulate it) I will gladly lend them my PS2 and my game disk so they can play the IZJS version instead of the original.

[Wolf Kanno]

For the most part the Japanese originals are the best versions of each game but since we have to deal with censorship, shoddy translation and bad ports we do have to rummage through what we were given. I'll get back to this one.

[Colonel Angus]

I swear to god when I clicked on this, it was a :wcanoe: thread.

Anyway,

FFI- Dawn of Souls. I only say this because they fixed a lot of things. Graphic-wise, I will always love the NES version. However, I do agree this one is way too easy. In particular, they could've adjusted the exp. needed to level up to be higher.

[Formalhaut]

For X and X-2 I would say the HD Remasters are their definitive versions. Sure, some might say the remastered graphics and soundtrack on X are a little weird, but still. For X-2, there's no competition, at least not outside of Japan; the HD version is far superior to the original ^^ although if I really were to recommend it to someone I might actually tell them to stay clear of the new features up until NG+.

If anyone in my vicinity is interested in FF XII (and won't just emulate it) I will gladly lend them my PS2 and my game disk so they can play the IZJS version instead of the original.

The only thing that's bugged me with X-2 is sometimes the characters say battle quotes in Japanese, and when the songstress uses her singing spells, they don't actually sing (and weirdly, the singing can occur well after the usage. I had Yuna use a song, but was then knocked out. Her vocals kicked in after that).

Besides the odd glitchy goings on in FFX-2, I do agree overall.

[VeloZer0]

FFI - FFOrigins. Still keeps the original difficulty but gives the UI a much needed overhaul
FF2 - FFOrigins, see above
FF3 - DS, though they changed enough that you could knock points against it for being too much of a departure
FF4 - DS, sorry to say this is just so much better than any of the SNES versions
FF5 - Fan-translated ROM. :colbert:
FF6 - SNES Original
FF7 - PC Version (double the resolution)

[Bolivar]

For the games I played multiple versions of, my favorites are

FFI: Origins. Same difficulty, new graphics, and taking my save with me between PS3 and Vita is awesome. Looks great on the latter's OLED screen.

FFIII - DS version, essentially a N64-esque remake that the game deserved.

FFIV - PSP. It captures the original we all fell in love with in the shiniest, most polished version. Giving players the option to switch back and forth between the enhanced and SNES original soundtracks was brilliant.

FFVI - Japanese rom, patched with the RPG One fanslation by Skyrender and ChrisRPG (RIP). FFVI is a completely different game than you think it is.

[Forsaken Lover]

So you like it even more than the Advance translation? A lot of people seem to think that it was perfect. I always heard SNES VI vs. GBA VI compared by their portrayals of Kefka - SNES Kefka being funnier while GBA Kefka is legitimately intimidating

[Bolivar]

I've only played the original localization and the fan one above. I heard the Advance translation was very well done but I doubt all the profanity from the Japanese original made its way in there.

[Wolf Kanno]

The Skyrender script is also dryer than the GBA version kind of showing how a good localization trumps straight translation. ;)

[Vyk]

I stumbled across a bunch of GBA rom hacks that add in things like the SNES sound-track (GBA is highly compressed I guess?) and re-colors due to the GBA either being too muted, or too bright in weird ways. Though I never played the GBA version, but if that is people's preferred version, then you have the option of making it even more perfect

I tried an SNES one that was meant to re-do Woosley and be a bit more literal and tie things in better, but once the Espers started being called Eidolons I turned it off. Which may even be in the GBA version for all I know. I was taste-testing a whole bunch of stuff at the time, trying to find my perfect FFVI. But GBA was chugging on the emulator for some reason so I gave up without making an actual decision :(

[Colonel Angus]

Bad thing about the Advance version of VI is the Vanish/Doom spell no longer works.

[Bolivar]

I stumbled across a bunch of GBA rom hacks that add in things like the SNES sound-track (GBA is highly compressed I guess?) and re-colors due to the GBA either being too muted, or too bright in weird ways. Though I never played the GBA version, but if that is people's preferred version, then you have the option of making it even more perfect

I tried an SNES one that was meant to re-do Woosley and be a bit more literal and tie things in better, but once the Espers started being called Eidolons I turned it off. Which may even be in the GBA version for all I know. I was taste-testing a whole bunch of stuff at the time, trying to find my perfect FFVI. But GBA was chugging on the emulator for some reason so I gave up without making an actual decision :(

Yeah, if the Eidolon-Esper thing threw you off, I imagine the rest of the game would've been hard to get used to. I personally loved it, it reminded me of watching dubbed bootlegged anime imports, lending it much more attitude than the official American versions and also letting the creators' vision shine through, particularly past Nintendo's protective censorship policies.

[Wolf Kanno]

I stumbled across a bunch of GBA rom hacks that add in things like the SNES sound-track (GBA is highly compressed I guess?) and re-colors due to the GBA either being too muted, or too bright in weird ways. Though I never played the GBA version, but if that is people's preferred version, then you have the option of making it even more perfect

I tried an SNES one that was meant to re-do Woosley and be a bit more literal and tie things in better, but once the Espers started being called Eidolons I turned it off. Which may even be in the GBA version for all I know. I was taste-testing a whole bunch of stuff at the time, trying to find my perfect FFVI. But GBA was chugging on the emulator for some reason so I gave up without making an actual decision :(

They are still called Espers in the GBA script, the new translator fixed many of the issues with Woosely script but was smart enough to understand how the Woosely script did many things right.

If you want to read a really interesting dissection of the FFVI script check out this cool thread (http://www.icyforums.com/index.php?showtopic=4401&st=0). One of the members, Lina Darkstar, started translating but even better, she actually explained what the Japanese script actually implies because Japanese can imply things that are difficult to translate into English without voice work since our language is very heavy on infection to tell emotional states.

[Ayen]

FFI: Origins. Same reason others have mentioned.
FFVII: PS1. The poor grammar is just part of the charm and the mouths on the PC version look weird.
FFVIII: PS1

I only ever played II, V, and VI on the PS1 so I can't talk about the other versions. Still haven't touched the X HD yet so I can't say which is better.