Forgotten Fantasy

FFIII was the last of the pre-PS2 games for me to play, simply because it was never released in English-speaking countries until the DS remake. It was a fun game and I liked it, but I wonder if it would have been one of my favorites had I played it during time I played FFVI (the game I thought was FFIII), my favorite in the series.

I really do think the order you play these games has a profound effect on which you call your favorite. By the time I was able to pick up FFIII, I was already pretty spoiled by limit breaks, superior uses of the job system (FFV, XI, and X-2), and other customizable elements that add depth to each entry.

Did you feel the same way when you played FFIII?

I ended up really enjoying FFIII and if anything it, did make me look down a bit on FFIV cause the game really backtracked on some of the cool things FFIII was doing with using status effects to explore dungeons and all the different classes. I'm not sure what would have happened if I played it earlier cause like you it was one of the last FFs I played but on the other hand, I probably like the NES generation of FF titles more than most of the fanbase cause I don't necessarily need a gripping character driven narrative to get through a game.

What I felt the NES games (and FF4 to an extent) were lacking in was UI. Just playing the game felt old and clunky. I didn't have any problems with the graphics/sprites, I feel they still have charm. But playing the actual game just feels slow and awkward. I always considered FF3 & FF4 to be #1 on my list to get a remake, just for that reason. Not because I thought the graphics were out dated, but because the UI was. (Not that I don't think the remakes don't look great as well)

I got to III late as well. Don't think I played it until after I had finished IX at its release. It's definitely one of my favourite games to bear the Final Fantasy name. I just really love the adventure and the overall challenge. I like also how each dungeon presents a new and specific challenge, such as forcing you to crawl through a dungeon while de-buffed in some way. It also has these as overworld themes:

YouTube - The boundless ocean
YouTube - Eternal wind

It's really hard to compare FFIII to modern Final Fantasy, but I think it's the best of the 8-bit entries and probably about third overall when it comes to the 2D titles in general.

People will probably find it hard to believe, but if anything, III was the first Final Fantasy I came in contact with and played (played, not finished. The first I played and finished was FFTA). It was the original NES game, fan-translated and played with an emulator. Back then I had no clue what Final Fantasy was, and I got stuck around Nepto. Still, it left an impression on me, a big one. I don't even remember how old I was, or how long ago it is, but I think it was as early as 2000 or 2001, since X had just come out and a friend of mine had it and loved it. I didn't know the little NES game I was emulating was a Final Fantasy game then.

But I loved the game. I even thought the graphics looked great and impressive. But what truly stuck by me was the music. The boss music, to be more specific. It had such a haunting atmosphere to it, a sad, chilling tune that made you feel "Dude, don't even try, you're smurfed, you're going to lose, give up, you'll never save the world". I loved it, and still do, and find it a bit sad the DS remix didn't manage to capture the grand melancholy of the NES tune.

The job system blew my inexperienced gaming mind. All that I had known so far was Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, some classic DOS games or Zelda. RPGs were totally new. FF III NES introduced me to them (it was Golden Sun that made me an RPG fan, and FFTA finally that made me a Final Fantasy fan). I also played roms of FF I and II, but they couldn't capture me like III did. 1 I found ugly and slow, II too hard and slow, but III looked so great! Blue menu screens, fast (back then) battles, catchy tunes, addictive, hard but fair bosses...

But as I said, I got stuck at Nepto's shrine or so, and I couldn't even figure out how to un-mini myself (yes, I sucked). So I left the game for other RPGs, though I never forgot how great I found what little I played of it. I returned to it in 2006, having played all Final Fantasy games up to IX. I now knew the NES game I loved was Final Fantasy III, and, armed with a walkthrough, I played and finished it. And I loved it. It was nothing short of greatness.

Though I will never be able to choose between IX and III, III is still the best FF ever, shared with IX. I was excited for the DS remake and loved playing it, and then replayed the NES version again sometime ago, this time without using Ninjas and Sages. A fun challenge! But it sealed my love for the game forever.

As it is, I see III as the greatest 8-bit game (yup, better than Zelda or Super Mario 3), the beginning of the golden years of FF (meaning III, IV and V), and it contributed and started a lot to and for the series. It's a very important entry in the series' development, and just a great game overall.

Final Fantasy III = pure, epic win.

End of story. :D

I played nonprofessional translations of the originals, via emulation. I love FF III, but never beat it. I got to the part where you ride the chocobo around the world.

I've only just picked up playing it on an emulator. I love the status effects to explore dungeons novelty, even if it does make things a little bit annoying.

I can see why it is loved, and I am enjoying it from a gameplay point of view, but I don't understand why they backtracked away from actually having a storyline to the game, and made it as lifeless as FF1 is. Don't get me wrong, the games are fun, but I'm not a fan of having no characters to follow.

I have so far found the music far from Uematsu's best, and features such as losing all defence when trying to flee battles to be most annoying.

The storyline of III's arguably the deepest and most developed of all NES entries... Despite the silent main characters, even.