PS1 Final Fantasy Chronicles question....

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:00 pm

I know some of the numbering of the FF series was different in Japan then here in the US, so is Final Fantasy IV in Chronicles the same game (minus re-done graphics, of course) as the DS release?

Really, as cheap as this collection is, I don't see why I shouldn't pick it up instead of getting pre-ordering Chrono Trigger for the DS, and getting FF IV for the DS.

Mortificator · Post by **Mortificator** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:47 pm

Yes, they're both the game with Cecil (I was a badass and now I'm not) as the main character.

The load times in Chronicles annoyed the hell out of me, especially for Chrono Trigger, but YMMV.

I actually liked the (European) GBA version of IV best.

Edit: The FF4 entry on the Final Fantasy wikia goes into more detail on the differences between the 7 versions of the game than I'm capable of, but to elaborate a little, in general the GBA version has more content and better graphics than the other 2D versions, and in particular the European version fixes bugs from the U.S. and original Japanese releases. The game's a little easier than on Chronicles or the first Super Famicom version, but hey, just grind a little less.

So for the 2D versions available in English I would say: European GBA > Chronicles > 1st Super Famicom version (w/ translation patch) > da rest.

The 3D DS remake is supposed to be really good too, but for an oldie like this I like to stick with sprites.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:44 pm

Mortificator wrote:Yes, they're both the game with Cecil (I was a badass and now I'm not) as the main character.

The load times in Chronicles annoyed the hell out of me, especially for Chrono Trigger, but YMMV.

I actually liked the (European) GBA version of IV best.

Edit: The FF4 entry on the Final Fantasy wikia goes into more detail on the differences between the 7 versions of the game than I'm capable of, but to elaborate a little, in general the GBA version has more content and better graphics than the other 2D versions, and in particular the European version fixes bugs from the U.S. and original Japanese releases. The game's a little easier than on Chronicles or the first Super Famicom version, but hey, just grind a little less.

So for the 2D versions available in English I would say: European GBA > Chronicles > 1st Super Famicom version (w/ translation patch) > da rest.

The 3D DS remake is supposed to be really good too, but for an oldie like this I like to stick with sprites.

Yeah, I like to stick with sprites too. Well, as cheap as chronicles is on Ebay, I'll probably just get that instead of the "new" Chrono Trigger. I can put up with load times as long as they don't interrupt battles.

TLDragoon · Post by **TLDragoon** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:16 am

The load times are quite annoying because they happen every time you open a menu, but if you can put up with them it is decent. The difficulty is still erratic (slightly difficult in the beginning, fairly easy mid-game, brutal at the end) in the "Hard Type" version--the original Japanese version which this one is based of. But for the SNES games, the only one I feel that got the difficulty progression right is 5.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:59 am

The load times are certainly annoying but I don't think they're as bad as people make them out to be (well, except for opening the menu and saving to a memory card as opposed to quick-saving). It does reek of poor programming though, as some people have commented that the load times actually got better when they did FFV and much more so for FFVI.

There is noticeable slowdown in a couple of areas in Chrono Trigger but it doesn't really affect anything. FFC Chrono Trigger also has a really nice set of bonuses when you beat the game. If you're not a diehard fan, then I agree that you probably won't find any reason to get the DS version.

FFIV on DS has numerous changes and is certainly worth a look if you find yourself really enjoying FFIV's world. FFIV is incidentally enough one of the most skillful of the FF games that most folks mistakenly interpret as a grindfest; you have to know boss patterns really well to complete a low level (lv. ~30) game.

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:06 am

Let me just say that it is a wonderful compilation. I guess the main thing that I like is I can play it on the television rather than on a handheld.