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The Finest Fantasy Goes Portable

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: February 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Before Final Fantasy VII, there was Final Fantasy VI. An RPG that at the time of its release truly defined epic. Originally released in the states as Final Fantasy III, it is still one of the most popular RPGs of all time, and has garnered a cult following that describe it as the best Final Fantasy in the series. Now the finest fantasy has gone portable.

The storyline in Final Fantasy VI is fairly simple. 1000 years ago the war of Magi happened, and after that war the power of magic simply ceased to exist. Now the Magitek Empire has found a way to revive the dreaded power known as magic, and they tend to use this power to enslave the world. A small resistance group has come forth to stop this empire, and magic may very well be the key to stopping the Empire. But is it really such a good idea to rely on the power of magic once more? Or is history just going to repeat itself?

Final Fantasy VI may not have the most complex story in the series, but the story comes alive through some of the most well developed characters in the history of the series. In fact, Final Fantasy VI excels in character development more so than any other game in the series, and easily has the best ensemble cast. Each character is distinct and has a personality of his or her own, and join up with your group to fight the empire for their own reasons. Even so, however, these characters manage to come off as completely different from one another. Final Fantasy VI also has the luxury of having the largest cast of playable characters in the series. There are twelve standard characters and two hidden characters.

The battle system is the basic ATB that was introduced in Final Fantasy IV. Your characters line up on the left side of the screen while your enemies populate the right side of the screen. As the battle progresses, everyone's ATB gauge fills up. When a character's gauge is full you can select commands for them to do. To keep Final Fantasy VI from being a bore fest in battle, however, each character has a distinct skill that only he or she can perform. Locke, for example, can steal while Edgar has a set of tools he can use. This not only gives some battles variety, but also let's you set up a strategy. There are moments in the game where your characters will be split up, and you'll have to decide who should go with who, and you'll be forced to switch between parties.

To add to the experience, Final Fantasy VI never forces you to run around with a full party. You can have up to four characters in one party, but you don't have to use four at a time. You could simply run around with just three characters in... or even just one if you're looking for a challenge. Even better, there is no central leader in Final Fantasy VI. This means that there is never anyone character you have to have in, and the game rarely forces you to use any specific characters. This gives the player a lot more freedom.

A Final Fantasy game would not be complete without some sort of complex system. Here, you're given a complex way to make your characters learn magic. As you progress through your adventure you'll find espers, which are the summons found throughout the game. You must equip an esper in order to use it. Each esper has a set of spells they can teach your characters at a certain rate. As you battle through the game, you'll gain experience points as well as magic points from your enemies. Magic points go toward learning a certain spell. It's no where near as complex as Final Fantasy V's job system, Final Fantasy VII's materia system or Final Fantasy X's sphere grid, but it's simple to pick up on. The only problem with it is that the later espers offer spells that you'll have to spend a lot of time battling around to learn.

In addition to spells, having a certain esper equipped can also give you stat bonuses at level up. For example, some espers will allow your character to gain 30 percent more HP at level up than he or she normally would. Others may increase speed, MP, etc. So just because you learned every spell from an esper doesn't mean they don't have other uses.

Graphic wise, Final Fantasy VI doesn't really look all that different than it did back on the Super Nintendo. There are a few changes to the translation, but nothing major, and some characters now have a portrait when they speak. The font is also easier to read. There were a couple of moments of slow down in battle, however, mostly when casting spells, but it's not really too much of a burden. The overall visual look however is really not all that different. Most fans probably won't too many differences here.

Final Fantasy VI is probably best known for its amazing soundtrack. Even today there are fans who label it Nobuo Uematsu's greatest accomplishment. Unfortunately, the game just doesn't sound nearly as good coming from your GBA as it did when it came from your Super Nintendo. Some tunes its hardly noticeable, but for the most part, the game doesn't sound nearly as good as it used to, especially if you played the SNES original over and over again. Those who fell in love with the soundtrack years ago probably won't take too kindly to the GBA port. That doesn't mean it sounds bad. It just means it isn't the original music some fans know and love.

What's new in Final Fantasy VI Advance? About the same thing that was new in the previous re-releases. There's a new dungeon and more bosses. As the game's treat, there are also four new espers and some new spells to go along with it. Much like Final Fantasy IV and V, the extras are not much to write home about, and they don't really increase the length of the game by very much. That's not so bad in Final Fantasy VI's case because it can easily keep you busy for over 50 hours.

If you are a Final Fantasy fan, then you owe it to yourself to play Final Fantasy VI. It is one of the most compelling games in the series. It's absorbing storyline, fantastic characters and dedication to fun gameplay make this worth a buy. Final Fantasy VI was, at one point in time, a text book example of how to make an RPG, and even years later, it has aged very well and still holds up well today. Play it, remember it, and you'll understand why Final Fantasy VI is one of the greatest RPGs ever made.

The Good

+Simple, yet absorbing storyline
+Very well developed characters
+There's a lot of freedom to the battle system
+Tons of secrets to unearth
+There are some extras here
+Lots of playable characters
+Thirteen years later, and it's still one of the most memorable RPGs ever made

The Bad

-The music doesn't sound nearly as good as the SNES original
-If you still own your original SNES copy (released as Final Fantasy III), or even Final Fantasy Anthology, it's hard to say you'll be sold on the GBA version for the extras alone

The classic RPG is finally on the GBA

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: February 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

For a while now, Sqaure has been porting their classic 16-bit Final Fantasy titles to the GBA, which have been pretty faithful and provided all kinds of RPG goodness on Nintendo's never say die handheld. Final Fantasy VI wraps up Square's 2-D RPG series, and in what a way it does. For those of you who don't already know, Final Fantasy VI is actually the Final Fantasy III that was released for the Super Nintendo way back when (not to be confused with the Final Fantasy III released recently for the DS, the numbering of the series differs from shore to shore, which explains the gap from III to VII over here), and for the most part, the game is excellently recreated on the GBA. Anyone who played Final Fantasy III for the Super NES back then most likely has fond memories of the game being one of the best RPG's possibly ever made, and for those fans, this GBA conversion won't disappoint. The first thing you'll notice is that the game has the kind of deep and involving story that the Final Fantasy series is known for, along with colorful characters that you actually end up caring about. The battles are fluidly animated and the game isn't hard to get into one bit either. It also goes without saying that Final Fantasy VI Advance features some of the best music and sound effects you'll hear in a portable RPG. Like the previous GBA conversions in the series, Square threw in some extras for longtime fans to enjoy too. There's a music player that can be accessed once you complete the game, along with new espers, spells, and a new dungeon as well. While a majority of the extras don't really add up to much, the bonus music player alone is fantastic for fans of the series. If there's any real negatives about the game, it's that some of the graphics look pretty dated, and the game can be slow (especially the battles) to get into for newer gamers. All that aside, Final Fantasy VI Advance is still an excellent RPG classic that feels right at home on the GBA, and fans of the series new and old should definitely pick this up.

Rebirth of a True Classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: March 19, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I was apprehensive about yet another port of this, my all-time favorite console game. Rumors of censorship, script moderation, and audio changes led me to approach the Game Boy Advance version with considerably trepidation, but I am happy to report that I have derived from the new version the same enjoyment I experienced playing it for the first time in 1994.

The censorship is limited to the scene in the South Figaro dungeon, in which Imperial soldiers interrogate a captive. In the original edition this character is viciously beaten, but in the new edition this is omitted (but hinted at in dialogue). Also, one enemy graphic has been modified to eliminate a bare bottom. However, much of the religious imagery and innuendo excised from the original US version have been reinstated, and so, in my opinion, the material lost is insignificant.

The new translation of the script is also not an issue. In fact, the new script more closely follows the original Japanese text (I have played both editions and can read Japanese). Software and hardware limitations prevented the original port from including as much detail due to the nature of Japanese and English text. Awkward and unclear lines from the 1994 translation, which was done by Ted Woolsey alone in 30 days, have been clarified, and the characters are much better developed. Also, the famous opera now closely follows the music and the original Japanese lyrics. I therefore consider the translation an improvement.

The sound quality is somewhat different from the original, but this is mostly due to differences in sound emulation on different game systems. I do prefer the SNES soundtrack, but this is more due to nostalgia than to any superior qualities. In the case of the opera, the new audio in fact sounds more natural.

All in all, I am extremely pleased with this port of Final Fantasy VI. I recommend it to older gamers who are eager to revisit an old friend as well as to newer players who have yet to experience the adventure.

A classic RPG

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 06, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This was the first RPG I ever played on any video game system. I remember my friends and I spending the Christmas holiday playing this game. The story is deep, the characters are rich, and you find yourself thinking about how you can build up each of the many various charcters in the game.

Now we have the Advanced version and I have to admit except for the size of the screen this is just as good as the SNES version if not better. FF6 was the RPG that got me hooked as a RPG fanatic, and this will not let you down. The graphics are crisp and they have even added a freshness to the game.

If you enjoyed the original then this will bring back all those great memories. Enjoy this RPG classic!

Excellent

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I have begun playing this game this evening, and spent a few hours on it. So far it has been fantastic. The music has been very close to the original, and in most places spot on with the older SNES version. The graphics are just as good as they were on the SNES, and I would even venture as far as to say they are even better in some places. The story is just as good, and if I am not mistaken, I think there might be an extra line or two here and there.
I would definitely recommend this game to any Final Fantasy fan out there. It's a must own. I was a bit nervous that a lot would be lost in the transition from the SNES version to the GameBoy Advance version, but it is identical, if not better. I am very happy with this, and I think any Final Fantasy fan would be too.

A great version of the best FF game of them all

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: February 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I loved FF6 when it was released on the Super Nintendo. Despite a lot of bugs (some of which I actually gre fond of), the game was incredibly impressive, over-topping the previous FF entries (and, IMHO, over-topping subsequent entries as well).

I then purchased the PS version, and while I still loved the game, the presentation was lacking (incredibly long load times really marred the game).

Thus, fast-forward to the cartridge version of FF6, which is fantastic. Forget the surface additions, such as a bestiary, additional levels and espers, and a remixed soundtrack - the selling point here is a return to the game you knew and loved as a teenager. FF6 has the goods, and I'm glad non-PS owners can once again enjoy this classic. What more needs to be said?

Believe the hype

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

... because this really is one of (if not the) best RPGs ever made. And more importantly, it will probably end up being one of your favorites, too, for all of the reasons that sound like cliches but are, in this case, actually there: unforgettable characters, epic story, legendary soundtrack (probably the best in VG history), and solid gameplay. If you've never played FF6, you've been deprived; if you've played it in the past, here's your chance to experience a new, often more accurate, sometimes less playful (for better or worse) translation. Whatever its incarnation, though, and whatever your own level of skill or interest in video games, I could not recommend this game more highly. Get it get it get it!

FFVI on GBA! SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: February 10, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The best FF game ever (in my opinion) has a GBA port. Unlike the other two GBA ports, this version of the game doesn't really have any enhanced graphical backgrounds. The reason I consider this to be the best one in the series is because the fact is that there really isn't no main character (like Cloud of FF7) that the game mainly focuses on. you get to have 12 or 14 characters as all main characters (2 who are secret characters) and you get to have any of your favorite characters as a group of 4 (like Locke, Sabin, Shadow and Cyan are my favorite group) even though I like all of the characters in this game anyway. There isn't too many graphical changes in this version but just a few. when a main character is talking, they have a picture of that character in the talking box (You even get to see Kefka's face which is creepy) and Non-exeistent load times with battles and Character menus (unlike the PSone version which I also have). If you don't have FF3 for the SNES, or FF anthology (which has FF5 and FF6), then get this game. Seriously, this is the best one ever created and you will not be disappointed.

Everything one could expect and more.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: February 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Although I've yet to fully finish the game, so far it's everything I had ever expected and more. The translation is much better than any version previously release, making the characters slightly more in depth. (Example, at Thamasa when Relm calls Edgar "Lover Boy" and he finds out that she's only ten, as she walks off to the airship he mumbles, "I hope you're still around in eight years." like the pervert he can be.)

The music remakes are okay, though it's nothing to fan about. The opera scene's lyrics have been redone almost completely (but not terribly -- trust me, it's my favorite part of the game, and I wasn't disappointed).

The graphics are nice, and the additional character portraits (Gestahl, Kefka, Cid, etc.) are bonus eye candy. Plus, there are additional espers to collect later on in the game, and a new dungeon to explore. Who could go wrong with that?

Like I said before, I've yet to fully finish the game (just finishing up the World of Balance now), but my money's already been well spent. I think every hardcore FFVI fan should give it a go!

Final Fantasy VI Advance.....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: April 11, 2007
Author: Amazon User

At long last, I'm finally to the end of the Gameboy Advance editions of Final Fantasy. This one being Final Fantasy VI. Originally released in 1994 on the SNES as Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy VI- next to Final Fantasy VII- is the most beloved game in all the series & the most widely talked about. For those of you who weren't lucky enough to play the game during its' first release, the story goes like this...The Gestahlian Empire is taking over the lands. Led by a trio of powerful generals & headed by its' namesake, Emperor Gestahl, they are gaining power. Having fused both magic and technology into something called Magitek, the Empire continues to take over the world one kingdom at a time. A group of people known as "The Returners" begin to fight back, and that's where the story begins. In its' day, Final Fantasy VI was one of the most epic games of its' time. Even by today's standards, few games can stand up to the scope the game had. With a fresher translation, new spells, new espers(like Diablos-Gilgamesh-Leviathan & Gigantaur), a new dungeon & the Soul Shrine; this game is even better than before. While I, personally, never played the SNES version of this game...having played it now, I find the game to be a very entertaining RPG that definitely lives up to its' legacy. What more can I say. If you're new to the series or just now getting into RPGs, you owe it to yourself to round up this game. Heck, you need to round up the other four Gameboy Advance games as well as Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS. Then, you'll truly get schooled in Role-playing games 101.

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