Sell me: Final Fantasy 1, 2, or 3?

[Piestrio]

In my continuing quest to like FF I've decided to give an older one a try. I can get FF 1 or 2 for my PSP or FF 3 for my DS.

Which is better? why?

I like the old Ulitma games, and the old TSR D&D games if that tells you anything about my tastes.

I'm not a big fan of obsessive equipment wank or sitting back being told a story.

Which should I play?

Piestrio

[TheGrog]

2 had the strangest and most annoying advancement system, but also the most non-generic story. It was an odd, skill based, levelless system where you got better at attacks by attacking, more HP by taking damage, and more MP by using it. This meant dragging out combats was to your advantage.

1 & 3 have a classic leveling system.

[Piestrio]

2 had the strangest and most annoying advancement system, but also the most non-generic story. It was an odd, skill based, levelless system where you got better at attacks by attacking, more HP by taking damage, and more MP by using it. This meant dragging out combats was to your advantage.

1 & 3 have a classic leveling system.

huh, so maybe I should check out 3 for the DS and 2 for the PSP, to get the range of possibilities?

[Naxuul]

1 is a basic kinda-D&D rip off dungeon crawler with a bare bones story about crystals and Fiends and time travelling evil. It's combat system is pure turn based with a D&D style Vancian magic system.

I haven't played 2.

3, the original at least I haven't played the DS one, is alot like 1 with the dungeon crawling, turn based combat and Vancian magic, but it differs significantly elsewhere. It has a class system that includes a surprising array of classes most of whom have at least one point where their strategic use shines brightly. It's story is alot more involved but not particuarly cut sceney or talky. It's also the first FF game to have most of FFs signature elements: Spear wielding high jumping dragoons, mythological monster summoning Callers, Ninjas that throw things, a last last boss after the last boss, almost all the signature equipment and spells show up as well.

-Naxuul

[Caduceus]

Final Fantasy 3 is the most like later entries into the game. I really like it and it features all the character types later made famous in Final Fantasy Tactics. Characters change classes as often as you like. The DS version even adds different characters for the four leads (whereas in the original Famicon version they were all identical.)

Final Fantasy 2 is a weird one. The leveling up system is completely strange (closer to the PC game Oblivion than anything else) and not very balanced. Still a very cool game but one that I have never finished.

Final Fantasy 1 is an elemental experience. It is the basic functions of a JRPG in a game; the story is simple but effective, the classes basic archetypes, and the game play straightforward. The only simpler JRPG I can think of is Dragon Quest 1. You spend almost no time worrying about what equipment to use. There are no tweaks or choices to make after deciding what character types to play. It's just a matter of choosing the most powerful option available. It does have a massive amount of level grinding, making it a hard game to play for people used to newer game types. Still, a very important and still very fun game.

[DooM GazE]

Ideally I'd go 3DS and 1+2 Gameboy Advanced, unless FF1/2 for the PSP have been significantly changed from it.

[Piestrio]

Ideally I'd go 3DS and 1+2 Gameboy Advanced, unless FF1/2 for the PSP have been significantly changed from it.

Just better graphics from what I can tell.

[Naxuul]

Just better graphics from what I can tell.
Better graphics is all, I believe.

I think both significantly ease the strain of level grinding in the game compared to the NES orignal.

-Naxuul

[TheGrog]

Extra dungeons and superboss options change between anniversary versions and previous releases.

So not much for a normal player. 1 and 3 are much more similar to each other than 2 is to either. I'd suggest 1, then 3, then 5 if you haven't played 5. 2 is pretty unique, no other game is as far from 'normal' old school FF lines except 8.

[Fenris]

Better graphics is all, I believe.

I think both significantly ease the strain of level grinding in the game compared to the NES orignal.

-Naxuul

Oh, as someone who played 1 when it was released in English when I was 12 and 2-3 when I was a teen, I can say it's(I can speak for 1 and 2 at least) DRASTICALLY easier. I mean, I still have memories of being unable to save anywhere, memories of the stupid eyeball casting XXXX on my entire party after two hours of poking through a dungeon, Warmech making ash out of my party after 3 hours in a dungeon(i beat him though, damnit, eventually), and that maddening Marsh Cave. the PSP remakes are *drastically* less painful.

2 is a lot different. You gain stats and weapon skills through using them, and the world was kind of open in design...kind of. Open in a way that if you took a wrong turn without having high enough skills you'd be pasted. :p But I actually like the game all told, though it's not my favorite.

Haven't played 3 on the DS, though I have heard it was much more balanced than the old 3.

But if you can find FF1 at a good price on the PSP, I say give it a go. It's a fun old-school romp, IMO, and I certainly had fun with it.

[Caduceus]

The GBA remake of Final Fantasy 1 is ridiculously easy compared to the original, yes. If you want the real experience just emulate it on your PSP or DS. Just be prepared to work for your fun!

[Piestrio]

The GBA remake of Final Fantasy 1 is ridiculously easy compared to the original, yes. If you want the real experience just emulate it on your PSP or DS. Just be prepared to work for your fun!

Is there a GBA remake? I thought it was just GBC?

[Critical Liz]

I admit, I've always has a soft spot for FF1 in my heart. Tried playing 2 but found it tedious.

[Fenris]

FF1 has been released on, if I recall:

NES
GBA
PS1
PSP

so far. PSP is the best of the lot, IMO, of the remakes. I mean, if you want an oldschool challenge and like to have a few gray hairs amongst your natural color, try the original. ;) But if you want a bunch of extras and a more smoother time, PSP is the way to go.

[Monkey King]

Don't the remakes have the option of replaying the game in "classic" mode? I know for sure that the early remakes of 1 and 2 did, don't know if that option is still there in the more recent editions. Not that I would recommend the original version of FF2, unless grinding by spending hours in combat beating the hell out of yourself sounds like fun.

Man. The Marsh Cave separated the men from the boys. Although, technically it wasn't over until you also made it past Astos and his dang blasted Rub spell. If you made it that far, there really wasn't much worse the game could do to you after that.

[Caduceus]

Is there a GBA remake? I thought it was just GBC?

GBA cart with Final Fantasies 1 and 2. You may be thinking of Dragon Warrior.

[Caduceus]

Don't the remakes have the option of replaying the game in "classic" mode?

The only thing that does is prevent your characters from attacking new monsters if their target is already dead. It does re-introduce a little challenge into the game but you still have magic points and magic potions, which eliminates the challenge almost entirely in my opinion. In the original, the magic you went in with was all you had in a dungeon. The possibility of regaining magic completely changes the game.

Edit: Whoops! That is the Playstation version (which is otherwise like the original except for graphics). The GBA version has no such option; you can't tweak anything.

Edit 2: I will list how the games differ. I have not played the PSP version.

NES: Magic users don't have magic points. Instead, they have magic slots like a D&D 3.5 sorcerer. They cannot regain these slots without going to an inn or using a house on the world map; there is no way to save or rest inside a combat area. Thieves are a major detriment to the party except that they run away more reliably than the other classes. If a party member kills a monster and someone else had targeted it, that member simply lost their turn (including expending a precious spell if they used a spell.)

Playstation: Like the NES version with better (SNES style) graphics. You could also turn on an option that would permit you to target a random creature if your target died.

GBA: Magic points such as those used in FF4 onward are added in. Thieves become your main damage dealer in the early parts of the game. There are now potions for magic. Game plays nice, easy and fun but way less hard.

[Armchair Gamer]

Playstation: Like the NES version with better (SNES style) graphics. You could also turn on an option that would permit you to target a random creature if your target died.

The game also includes an 'in-play' option that lets you decide whether or not to use Life1, Life2, Stona and Gold Needles in combat, as opposed to the out-of-combat limitation from the NES original. There are also two modes that you can choose from when starting a game--"Normal", which plays as the original save for the changes mentioned above, and "Easy", which removes the 9 per level cap on spell slots, speeds up level advancement, and maybe makes some other changes to improve ease of play.