I do like some things about 3. The world was nice and the job system was probably a bit newer to that generation.

But I don't think you can use the "if it came here when Japan got it, we'd look at it differently". That comes off as snarky and ignorant. I played all these games at about the same time. I played IV last, knowing nothing about it and it became my favorite 2D entry. It was even good on the upgraded DS graphics. III didn't feel that way to me. I can still play I (not II) and V and VI, but III was just annoying and boring to me. It's to each his own on this game.