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?