FF1-3 are the Worst

[Forsaken Lover]

Face it. They laid the groundwork but that's it. No one cares about the foundation of the building. it's the structure erected on top that is the real focus of attention and with good reason.

The first 3 games have about as much plot as your average Saturday Morning cartoon but with even less interesting characters.

The battle systems they had were either horrible (FF2 "I beat myself up and get stronger") or were improved in later games (FF3's Job System being improved in 5 and X-2)

So really, they might be good for nostalgia trips but they are the weakest games in the series undoubtedly.

If you want to make a topic about Worst Story, Worst Soundtrack, worst...anything, there can be no real choice besides one of those 3.

[Christmas]

You can't expect much for games at that time. I mean look at Ultima 3, it having a party system is like the greatest thing ever for the series!

[VeloZer0]

I would judge games based on how much fun I had playing it. I played both FF3 and FF13 for the first time within the last year and I can definitively say I had more fun playing FF3.

Sure FF13 had a much more involved story than FF3, but I didn't enjoy FF13s story for the most part. FF3 was very bare bones and simple, but it kept me interested and I wanted to keep playing to find out more.

The first 3 games have about as much plot as your average Saturday Morning cartoon but with even less interesting characters.

Though undoubtedly simpler than the later installments this is a bit of hyperbole. Stuff like understanding the time loop or the concept of too much light being as destructive as too much dark is certainly a cognitive step above Saturday morning fodder.

So really, they might be good for nostalgia trips but they are the weakest games in the series undoubtedly.

Weakest games I will agree with, but if I enjoy them more can they really be called worse games? I plan on replaying FF1 and FF3 within the next year, I don't ever plan on touching FF10,FF12 or FF13 ever again.

[For the nostalgia defense I played them:
FF10 (2003) -> FF1(2004)FF2(2004) -> FF12 (2006) -> FF3 (2009) -> FF13 (2010)]

[Marshall Banana]

They're frustrating at times, but not unplayable or anything.

I read a really entertaining "Let's Play" of FFI the other day. Have a go at it (it's not finished yet, though): HSUP B TCELES - Let's Play FF1! Again! - The Return of Talking Time

My first experience of playing FFI was pretty bad, but that thread made even me want to play it again!

[blackmage_nuke]

Worst Soundtrack

I think FF3 has one of the better soundtracks and one of the few main battle themes that doesnt annoy the heck outa me after the hundreth time

[Elpizo]

Eh, no. FF III is and will always be one of the better FF games out there, with a deeper plot than its NES-appearance might expect you to believe. A plot that IX, for example, gladly took from. Its villain also had a better motive than the villains of IV, V and VI (who were all evil for the heck of it, or mind-controlled), fancy that!

I'd take III over VI (the worst in the series) or X (the second worst) ANY day.

[MasterSundberg]

I'll have to agree. Really, FF I and II especially are really bad story-wise. But then again, I was playing FF I/II long after I played the later installments. Of course, like some says, you've got to compare them with other games of the same era :P

[Mirage]

You're right? And?

[silentenigma]

Super Mario Bros. 1-3 are the worst

Face it. They laid the groundwork but that's it. No one cares about the foundation of the building. it's the structure erected on top that is the real focus of attention and with good reason.

The first 3 games have about as much plot as your average Saturday Morning cartoon but with even less interesting characters.

The power ups they had were either horrible (SMB2 "I pull 5 large plants to stop time for ten seconds") or were improved in later games (SMB3's Raccoon tail being improved in World and 64)

So really, they might be good for nostalgia trips but they are the weakest games in the series undoubtedly.

If you want to make a topic about Worst Story, Worst Soundtrack, worst...anything, there can be no real choice besides one of those 3.

[black orb]

>>> FF1 and FF2 are in my top 5 best FF games ever..

[Mirage]

That says more about you, than about the quality of those games :p.

[black orb]

>>> You guys have zero imagination, thats why you think those old school games are bad.
Now the newer FF games give you everything too easy, awesome/beautiful imagery, the best plot, all these gorgeous orchestral music, etc. (i get all that and more by just playing FF1).. In other words the new FF games have just killed your imagination..

[VeloZer0]

You guys have zero imagination,...

That is one thing I have disliked is the ever decreasing room for imagination as the series has progressed. NES era was still a little on the primitive side of optimal for me, but it is one of the strong points IMO.

Super Mario Bros. 1-3 are the worst...

It's funny because FF2 and SMB2 are both like the outcast stepchildren of their respective families.

[Clo]

FFI-III are not the worst. Maybe to you. It's all subjective anyway.

Seriously though, you can't even compare these games to say XII and XIII. They're from two totally different eras of gaming, seperated by even more eras of gaming. This is like saying an Apple computer from early 90s is inferior to a modern day Mac laptop. It makes no sense.

So stop comparing.

[Levian]

I don't feel I've played enough of FF2 to judge that one. I will agree that FF1 and FF3 are the two numbered FF's I've enjoyed the least, but I recognize that they were great for its time. I'll give them respect for that, but I don't think I'll play them a second time.