Did anyone else have a hard time getting into FFIII (snes)?

[erehwon]

I never had a snes when I was a kid, so I've been doing some collecting lately to pick up some of the better games for the system. I traded some stuff in a few weeks ago and picked up FFIII. I've put a few hours into it, which isn't much for an RPG, but I haven't felt drawn to it. I'm thinking about taking a break from it and playing it later. I might just need a break from RPGs for bit. Not a long bit though, considering my RPG backlog that spans from the Master System to the 360. I should note that I did get to play through Chrono Trigger for the first time and I loved it.

[Gabriel]

I never had a snes when I was a kid, so I've been doing some collecting lately to pick up some of the better games for the system. I traded some stuff in a few weeks ago and picked up FFIII. I've put a few hours into it, which isn't much for an RPG, but I haven't felt drawn to it. I'm thinking about taking a break from it and playing it later. I might just need a break from RPGs for bit. Not a long bit though, considering my RPG backlog that spans from the Master System to the 360. I should note that I did get to play through Chrono Trigger for the first time and I loved it.

Talking about early FF games is always confusing. I'm guessing you're talking about FF6, which was FF3 here in the US. If you're not, then just pay no attention to me.

FF3 came out when I was well into my 20s, and wasting my life flipping burgers in fast food. RPGs were my favorite things, but Final Fantasy wasn't my drug of choice. Back then I was still an early Ultima, Wizardry, Gold Box, and Bard's Tale fan. But my best friend was in love with FF2 on the SNES, and his enthusiasm was infectious.

So, I scrimped and saved so I could buy FF3 when it was released. The idea was that we could play it on his SNES (mine had broken). Whatever magical ingredient FF2 was missing, FF3 had in abundance, because I was hooked. I played it like a man possessed. While my friend was still wandering the countryside in the early parts of the game, I was already in the post Ruin world exploring the Phoenix Cave. And then the bad news came.

The early FF3 carts had a bug which caused the game to crash, and crash hard in the Phoenix Cave. I tried over a dozen times to get through that dungeon, only to have the game lock each time and lose my progress through the dungeon. I reluctantly decided to return the cart and exchange it. Of course, this meant I'd lose all my progress.

Sadly, I didn't find the early game anywhere near as interesting having to repeat it again so soon. My friend pulled out in front in terms of progress and I lost interest in the game. It would be years later on the PS1 before I would attempt the game and actually beat it.

So my answer is yes and no. When the game was brand new and fresh, I had no problem getting into it. But after I had seen all those bits, and then seen them again when my friend played, I had an insurmountable difficulty in motivating myself to play.

[AZ Legend]

Im having a hard time getting into it on the DS, Im just getting into RPGs with this being my second attempt at them.

[udisi]

FF3 is one of my Favorite SNES games and probably 1 or 1 on my list of favorite ff game. keep playing it. I think the story and music are great.

[boatofcar]

Chrono Trigger is defnitely more accessible, but FFIII is worth it for the long haul. All the stuff about the espers and all that confused me when I got it new as a kid, but I played through it and enjoyed it anyway.

[AMG]

I tried playing FFIII a few times, getting pretty far each time before getting tired of it and eventually quitting.

Not until years after it's release (on the FF Anthology collection) did I finally sit down and play it through. It was well worth giving it a go, as it is now one of my favorites.

[Snapple]

Can't say I had this problem. Maybe I had more patience as a kid, but stick with it a little while longer. I think it's fun the whole way through, but it also gets better as you go along.

[Haoie]

Hey, I thought Chrono was more accessible than FF3/6, too.

With Chrono, you can sort of just jump right into the game. I just don't get that feeling with FF3/6.

[FrakAttack]

Last Final Fantasy game (aside from Tactics) that I really enjoyed.

[Cinder6]

FF3/6 is the only Final Fantasy that I've liked enough to beat (and I've tried all but one of the US releases, not counting spin-offs like FFT or Mystic Quest). And I'm a pretty big RPG fan.

All that said, I did have a hard time getting into the game, but not for the reason people would expect. Some extremely minor spoilers from the beginning of the game: I completely lost all interest and will to play when Kefka comes to Figaro Castle (incidentally, I hate the name Figaro). Why? Because the damn castle has a "subterranean mode" that lets it sink into the ground and...tunnel.

It took three tries, spread out over six years, before I finally managed to play past that part. I have no idea why it bothered me so much, but I thought it was the stupidest thing I'd seen in a game. It still annoys, but not enough to detract from the rest of the story.

I'd encourage you to keep playing the game. It has one of the most memorable bosses in RPG history, and providing it hasn't been spoiled for you already, the Big Event really is pretty shocking (actually, there are a couple Big Events, and they are all great).

My only real beef with the game is that the gameplay is almost inherently broken. Due to the way Espers work, you can give any (and every) character every spell in the game, if you so desire. It really makes the game easy when everyone has cure spells and double cast abilities, as well as Demi. Though, I suppose you could say the same of any RPG, once you power up your characters enough; it's just that FF3 lets them get so powerful.

[bcks007]

Play low level on the game, it makes it very challenging. Just cause you can do something with all your characters doesn't mean you must do it.:wink 2:

[James8BitStar]

When I first played FF6 (I like using the real names to avoid confusion) I honestly didn't like it. It was the first RPG I really played and I actually found it... difficult. I didn't understand why Doomgaze kept killing me (it was a rental and I was playing from one of the saves on it) or why I couldn't survive that river. Then I tried to start a new game and I couldn't get past that large snail... whats its name, Whelk or something?

I actually ended up getting pissed and playing Earthworm Jim instead.

Months later I played FF4 and somehow that game just "clicked" with me. Afterwards I tried 6 again and loved it.

[Blitzwing256]

The early FF3 carts had a bug which caused the game to crash, and crash hard in the Phoenix Cave. I tried over a dozen times to get through that dungeon, only to have the game lock each time and lose my progress through the dungeon. I reluctantly decided to return the cart and exchange it. Of course, this meant I'd lose all my progress.

Sadly, I didn't find the early game anywhere near as interesting having to repeat it again so soon. My friend pulled out in front in terms of progress and I lost interest in the game. It would be years later on the PS1 before I would attempt the game and actually beat it.

So my answer is yes and no. When the game was brand new and fresh, I had no problem getting into it. But after I had seen all those bits, and then seen them again when my friend played, I had an insurmountable difficulty in motivating myself to play.

What glitch is that? I know theres the sketch glitch (with gau or invisible enemies) but i don't recall any bug that affected the phenix cave (unless you sketched something invisible that sometimes messes up future events) I definatly had the first revision of the game, so you have me curious ;-)

[FantasiaWHT]

Yeah, the early game starts out pretty dull, but it gets fantastic very quickly.

Sadly, I think the game loses a lot of focus about, um... halfway through, if you know what I mean. I've always thought that the second half was vastly inferior to the first half, and that's what keeps this from being my #1 game of all time.

[DragonmasterAlex]

Yeah, the early game starts out pretty dull, but it gets fantastic very quickly.


True. When I was first playing FFIII, I wasn't enjoying much... but after I saw the opera-scene, man, I fell in love with this game.

[Gabriel]

What glitch is that? I know theres the sketch glitch (with gau or invisible enemies) but i don't recall any bug that affected the phenix cave (unless you sketched something invisible that sometimes messes up future events) I definatly had the first revision of the game, so you have me curious ;-)

The game would just randomly glitch during combat in the Phoenix Cave. It wasn't related to sketching or anything. You'd get into combat and sometimes the game would just lock. It tended to happen deep in the dungeon right before the final save point (assuming there was one. It's been a while). It was a known problem at the time. My guess is that it was related to the music routines, because the game would lock on a high, shrill tone whenever it happened.

Chrono Trigger was mentioned earlier. That was another game my best friend loved. It replaced FF2 as the game he played all the damn time on the SNES. As for me, I never could get into it. I can see how it's a good game, but I can never play it for long without losing all interest. I don't think I've ever played beyond the first dungeon, because it just doesn't do anything for me.

[strassy]

i rented FF3 (or FF6) within a few days of it's release, and I have considered it one of my favorite games of all time since. it's also the last game in the series that I beat. I don't think I have played a FF since FF7 (are any of the newer ones back to the style of the earlier series?)

anyhow, I don't know if this is related, but any time I start playing FF2 or FF3 for SNES, i DREAD the first part of the game. It seems so slow and it seems I've played through it a million times before. I think the game really improves once you get past the "3 parties split up to do stuff" part that is at the beginning of the game.

[carlcarlson]

I never had an SNES when I was a kid, so it wasn't until recently that I got to try out some of these "classics". RPGs are my genre of choice, so I started with Chrono Trigger. I was blown away, everything about that game was amazing. I decided to try FF3 next. I got into the first cave (I think, been awhile), and died. I don't what it was, but something made me stop right there. It just wasn't grabbing me like Chrono Trigger did. One of these days I will definitely start it over again, though.

[8bitnintendogames]

I have a hard time getting into any of the FF games... too afraid of getting sucked in!

[Kitsune Sniper]

I loved the SNES version, but couldn't get into the GBA remake at all. The music was so different and the combat was all weird. :(

[erehwon]

I'll continue on with it. I just thought I'd ask if it had slow start. I finish most of my RPGs, I just wasn't getting hooked as quickly as I usually do. To be honest, I've only finished FFVII, FFX, and FFXII. I never finished FFVII and FFIX. I got to the part in FFIX with some white dragons, but stopped since I found a copy of Xenogears. I started playing RPGs with FFX and I've playing newer RPGs while working back on the older ones as well. I'm not sure how much time I'm going to get with it though. The next few months I got a very busy college quarter.

By the way, how far in the game is that phoenix cave you guys were talking about? It's nice to know of any glitchy areas before you reach them.

[Gabriel]

By the way, how far in the game is that phoenix cave you guys were talking about? It's nice to know of any glitchy areas before you reach them.

It's in the latter half of the game. Assume after the 20-30 hour mark if you're not doing some kind of speed run of the game.

Edit: I'm not sure if any of the carts have the bug fixed. My best friend finally got through it by sheer determination and avoiding as many fights as possible in the cave. I think there may be some item at that point you can use to avoid random encounters. Even still, it took him a few tries before he could get past the glitch on the replacement cart.

[James8BitStar]

I've never had the game glitch up on me in the Phoenix Cave. I never even knew it was supposed to.

[kainemaxwell]

The game may start slow, but the payoff is worth it once the plot kicks in.

[Blitzwing256]

thats a very strange glitch, first time i've heard of it too...the good thing is that cave is optional (you just get a really powerfull item and a certain charecter re-joins in it) its a good place to prepare for the final dungeon. and the item to skip random encounters is the moogle charm (you can get it in narshe right where mog joins you in the world of ruin, just search the spot he was standing in)

on another note for all you ff3/6 fans you might want to check out the newgame+ hack someone had made for it, adds a ton of replay value to the game.

[strassy]

where is this hack to be found?

i also don't see how people have a huge beef with the GBA version. the music sounds a little bit off...but I can accept that, especially given the tiny speaker on the GB Micro I played it on. other than that, it seemed like a great reproduction to me.

[Damon Plus]

Yeah, it happened to me. I tried it on an emulator once, and didn't know what was going on. Tried it a second time, and happened the same. But, when I tried it for a third time, I was hooked, and it's become one of my favorite games ever.

The confusing beginning made me think the game would be boring (with those dark graphics in Narshe? and the underground caves).

[witweew]

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[boatofcar]

yea, for workout music, you basically need hard-hitting euro-dance music.... nothing else does the job really. Search around on iTunes for "euro club hits" or check this link: \\^_^/

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Ok, I know this is spam, but LOL

[DigitalSpace]

FFIII is my second favorite SNES RPG (behind Chrono Trigger). I played it for the first time in the late 90's, borrowing my cousin's copy, and had no problem getting into it, but that was mostly becuase my cousin let me borrow an excellent strategy guide as well.

[slip81]

I loved it when I first played. It was my second RPG (PS IV being the first), and I played through it three times in one summer vacation.

[Mason P.]

I beat Final Fantasy I on the NES 15 times at least. I would finish it and then restart with a different party configuration. I was pumped when FF2 (IV) came out only to find out you couldn't pick your party. "Whadda mean I have to find them?" I asked my friend. "This is stupid" I said when he asked me if I liked the game. I ended up trading the cart for keeps for Top Gear ( I have always regretted that.)

When Final Fantasy 3 (VI) came out, I asked my friend who got the game, beat it and loved it, If he thought I would like it. He said it was a great game, but you cant pick your characters at the begining. Again I decided to skip it.

As For Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana, I never had heard of those games when I was younger.

Now I am trying to go back and play them on the SNES. I am playing Secret of Mana with a friend and we are having a blast working through it. I stared FF3, but put it on a back burner to play Chrono Trigger.

Man I wish I had given these games a try when I was younger. When you are in Middle and High School you have way more time to play games than with a wife and a kid.

[Simply Dave]

Last Final Fantasy game (aside from Tactics) that I really enjoyed.

Same here.

[Amnion-Chorion]

My only problem with getting into FF3/6 is that as a kid, I was too dumb to figure out how to use Sabin's blitz move, and could therefore never get past that one battle you needed it to complete. :/ I finally finished the game for the first time when I picked up the GBA remake.

[rkotm]

well ive had a hard time, too. ive tried 4 times to get into it, never got past an hours worth though. the dialogue is drab and kinda dull..but i will give this another shot, im in an SNES mood lately anyway.

[erehwon]

This is a good game that I'm going to get back to some other day. I was in a classic mood when I played Chrono Trigger. I think that satisfied my classic urge for a while. I'll probably try it again, but right now I'm working on some of the hidden gems in my very large ps2 backlog.

[Nodtveidt]

FFIII(US) is in my top 5 favorite RPGs, taking a back seat only to Xenogears, FF7, and Phantasy Star 4 in that order. However, I've played it SO many times now that I don't think I could sit through another game of it. I was talking about it once at work 10 years ago with a co-worker, describing the "Doomgaze shortcut", and the first thing he says is "you lost Bahamut!". Then I had to explain to him the difference between Doom and X-Zone...he didn't know the difference, and didn't know you could "cheat" Doomgaze to get Bahamut quicker.

[MeTmKnice]

I personally like the older FF better than new. but I always enjoyed Chrono trigger.

[guitargary75]

I loved that game.

[DDCecil]

I've always loved FF3/6j since I originally got it for X-mas of '94. I still like FF2/4j more, but it's up there in my top favorite games of all-time.

Here's the back of that Unauthorized Prima guide, with my 2 favorite accomplishments and my own (crappily made) Coliseum list.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6769/1002417xh0.jpg

[Zing]

FF3 was a huge disappointment for me after the amazing masterpiece that was FF2. I had played through FF2 many times and the story and gameplay was outstanding. Everything just felt like a stupid mess in FF3. I hated how the party was constantly changing. I couldn't identify with the characters. The story never grabbed me.

I estimate that I got about 1/2 of the way through the game before trading it in for $35 store credit at Babbage's.

[digitalpress]

Without reading the many responses:

Absolutely not. To date, still the best and MOST accessible Final Fantasy game to me.

Hope you can find it in you to endure it, because it is well worth your effort.

[erehwon]

Without reading the many responses:

Absolutely not. To date, still the best and MOST accessible Final Fantasy game to me.

Hope you can find it in you to endure it, because it is well worth your effort.
Oh, I will get to it. I'm just a little burnt out on RPGs at the moment. I'll be coming back once I've worked on some of the non RPGS in my massive backlog.

[ssjlance]

I finally got it on FF Anthology, so I'll have to try it out.

[FantasiaWHT]

I finally got it on FF Anthology, so I'll have to try it out.

Expect to spend about twice as long playing it due to loading before every battle (and changing maps, including going into houses?)