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Are the DS Final Fantasy games worth playing?

J

Jonneh3003

Banned
I've not played any DS Final Fantasy game with the exception of FF3 which I haven't finished but enjoyed my time with. I have no exposure to FF4 and I've been considering the PSP release but was wondering if the DS version has any pros over it?

Then there's the 4 Heroes of Light, spiritual predecessor to Bravely Default if I recall? I love Default and Second so I'm sure this will be worth my time though I've heard so little about it.

Then there's the Crystal Chronicles games, the 12 sequel, the Chocobo spinoffs... the DS clearly had a good Final Fantasy run but I'm at a loss of what to play first and what's better elsewhere.
 
IIRC, the DS release of FFIV has atrocious 3D model work. Then again, it does contain some extra content. I'd go for the PSP version if it's your first time playing it.
 
FFIII is old school old school in its design even if the graphics are a bit updated. I enjoyed it for that reason but you have to be in a very specific mood to get into it I think

FFIV is just regular old school and a bit easier to slip back into
 
If you want to fight the cool extra boss in FFIII you can't do it any longer in the DS version unless you use like an action replay or something, that's one caveat.
 
FF3 has brutally hard endgame, but otherwise pretty great.

FFIV is the hard type version and is just all around brutal. It is a great remake all the same though.

Crystal Chronicles is a great multiplayer game, I probably wouldn't bother with Solo though.
 
FFIV DS is definitely worth playing. It's IMO the best version of FFIV, and is a great game in general, with various gameplay improvements over the original as well as better challenge. FFIII DS is also okay if you want a job class FF to fool around.
 
I'm fairly certain the PSP version of FF4 is just the DS version, but better and with the sequel. Not entirely certain, but fairly certain.

I offer no comment on the spinoffs.

EDIT: Ah, it looks like PSP has the older graphics remastered. That's cool -

FjRm6GM.png
Click to expand...
 
ST2K said:
I'm fairly certain the PSP version of FF4 is just the DS version, but better and with the sequel. Not entirely certain, but fairly certain.

I offer no comment on the spinoffs.
Click to expand...

The PSP version has improved sprites ala FFI/II PSP and is based on FFIV SNES. It does have auto battle mode, the additional content from the GBA port, and it includes a brand new interlude connecting to The After Years, and of course, The After Years. AFAIK, the NDS version is just a remake of FFIV plus GBA content, no auto battle and TAY.

I'd say the PSP version is the superior and complete version.
 
FF IV PSP - classic FF IV with new, nice sprite graphics

FF IV DS - "remixed" FF IV with more difficult gameplay and new gameplay mechanics, as well as 3D models


I'd recommend DS over PSP because of the gameplay changes which are, IMO, largely improvements over the original. I prefer the graphics of the PSP version but DS looks fine also. After Years is terrible and does nothing to sway my opinion.

AFAIK, the NDS version is just a remake of FFIV plus GBA content, no auto battle and TAY.
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There are notable gameplay changes, from difficulty to "augments" and New Game+. There is also an auto-battle option.
 
ULTROS! said:
The PSP version has improved sprites ala FFI/II PSP and is based on FFIV SNES. It does have auto battle mode, the additional content from the GBA port, and it includes a brand new interlude connecting to The After Years, and of course, The After Years. AFAIK, the NDS version is just a remake of FFIV plus GBA content, no auto battle and TAY.

I'd say the PSP version is the superior and complete version.
Click to expand...

Yeah, after reading the FF Wiki on the differences, I wish I had played the PSP version.


Final Fantasy Wiki on FF4 PSP said:
- New high definition sprites that are more in-line with the 20th Anniversary Editions of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II for the PlayStation Portable.
- The dialogue for Final Fantasy IV is a heavily edited version of the Advance release, retaining only a few lines from the DS script. Everything else in the game such as item and enemy names mostly follow the Wii version of the Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, which itself mostly follows the Nintendo DS translation of Final Fantasy IV.
- 3D polygonal cutscenes for various sequences in Final Fantasy IV, such as Leviathan rising out of the ocean or the Giant of Babil attacking the overworld.
- A gallery and bestiary option for all games is included.
- The player can switch between the DS or SNES versions of the music.
- The post-game content from the Advance version has been retained, as well as party swapping.
- Like Final Fantasy VI, players can select a new wallpaper for menus and dialogue boxes. There are a maximum of four choices.
- In the vein of the DS version, an auto-battle feature has been included and can be activated if the player pushes Select during a fight. It also speeds up the battle animation.
Click to expand...

Go with the PSP version, OP.
 
I liked the difficulty of FFIV DS. Didn't feel like a relative cake walk but you'll do fine with either the DS or PSP version. Also 4 HoL is fairly divisive but I really enjoyed it. It has some very deliberate design choices that some people can't get over because they were expecting a more straight forward FF experience. The music is great too.

Edit: I will say that you probably should not expect Bravely Default in 4HoL though.
 
FFIV is the definitive version of the game, IMO. It's challenging but not unfair, augments really add to the game (particularly as you can get more than one Limit Break augment in the DS game) and it's got worthwhile additions to the story that the PSP version lacks, on top of the voice acting. People may go in about the graphics, but the PSP version is shit ugly as well. GBA or nothing.

As for III, in that case you're better off with the PSP version. It's the same game, but you can actually get the onion knight job in it.
 
Well, FFIV is my favourite mainline FF, so I have to recommend it. The DS version took a game that has been remade / ported seven hundred times and actually made notable changes, all of which I liked. Overall, I'd say the DS version is my favourite version of the game. The same version of the game is on Steam, however, if you want to see it in higher resolution.
A lot of folks are saying to go with the PSP version of IV, but I can't agree. If you want a 2D version of FFIV, play it on GBA.

Tactics A2 and FFXII-2 are mediocre. Not bad, but kind of a slog.

Crystal Chronicles and its sequel are awesome multiplayer fun, if you have a crew to play with locally. Don't bother otherwise. The second game also has a Wii version if you want higher res; it can even play co-op with the DS version, which is cool.

I never finished Chocobo Tales for some reason, but I forget why... I vaguely recall enjoying it. Same goes for Four Heroes of Light, too. I've gotta go back to that game someday.
 
Shift Breaker said:
FFIV is the definitive version of the game, IMO. It's challenging but not unfair, augments really add to the game (particularly as you can get more than one Limit Break augment in the DS game) and it's got worthwhile additions to the story that the PSP version lacks, on top of the voice acting. People may go in about the graphics, but the PSP version is shit ugly as well. GBA or nothing.

As for III, in that case you're better off with the PSP version. It's the same game, but you can actually get the onion knight job in it.
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That's maybe fun for a second playthrough, but if he's going at it the for the first time it's a bit boring to grind it out and OP to boot. Does the PC port of FFIII not have alternative methods of getting Onion Knight?
 
The 4 Heroes of Light is my favourite game for the system. It's very different from your usual FF and many people hated those differences (you can't choose the target of your actions!), but it's also a truly unique experience with an amazing presentation and OST.
I'm still sad about BD dropping all the experimentations of T4HoL and changing the musical style, I was so hyped for it
 
I just came in here to echo that FFIV is really great on DS, the boss fights require planning and tactic, and some of the random encounters can completely wipe you if you normally disregard items and status effect magic in FF.
It's teaching you a lot about battles, and honestly, I replayed FFVII after that and noticed that I had gotten less crap at FF fighting.

The 3D models look like poo, but I wouldn't give up on the gameplay changes for sprites.
 
The PSP version of FF4 having 'better' graphics is reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally subjective.

9scfpcH.jpg


(SNES / GBA / PSP)

I personally find the 'traced over and recoloured' sprites used in the FF mobile ports less appealing than the PS1 level polycount DS title has, but YMMV.
 
Jonneh3003 said:
What didn't you like about it PsionBolt?
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About Tactics A2? Sort of the game in general, I suppose. A good way to say it might be that no singular aspect of the game really hooked me or stood out.

The systems are fine for what they are, but they don't lend themselves to very interesting encounters -- because the class system is very open, your team is uncertain, and the turn order is unit-based rather than phase-based, no encounter is able to work as a "puzzle". Instead, you more or less brute force your way through every map in the same manner, playing whatever brand of solitaire your units' classes want you to play. That's what some folks enjoy most about the game, but for me, it quickly becomes boring. Progression is slow and unrewarding enough that you're not actually encouraged to mix up your approach; doing so puts you backward too far in the numbers game. So, you end up doing the same thing in every mission. That's what I meant when I called the game a slog.

The characters and plot are forgettable. Literally; I don't remember a thing about the story, and while I remember pizza-cutter-guy's appearance, I don't remember his name.

Do take my thoughts with a somewhat large grain of salt. I've never been much for Tactics games in general; I greatly love some SRPGs, but I prefer the more authored school of design. Leave the open-ended, do-whatever-you-want style to DRPGs, I say -- they do it far, far better. But if you like that style, you'll probably enjoy Tactics A2 much more than I did.
 
LordRaptor said:
The PSP version of FF4 having 'better' graphics is reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally subjective.

9scfpcH.jpg


(SNES / GBA / PSP)

I personally find the 'traced over and recoloured' sprites used in the FF mobile ports less appealing than the PS1 level polycount DS title has, but YMMV.
Click to expand...
I love he PSP Sprite look. They are also higher def and overall look damn good, IMO. Compare to say mobile ports of FFV or VI and it's a huge difference (toward IV).

Personally I also like PSP IV better and I have like 5 different versions of the game.
 
StereoVsn said:
Compare to say mobile ports of FFV or VI and it's a huge difference (toward IV).
Click to expand...

Well, yeah, but that's because they used the same technique they did for the PSP (traced paintovers) but automated it as a photoshop filter, and the end result just looks awful.
 
I loved 4HoL as it was essentially a modern version of the very first Final Fantasy, limited inventory and all.
 
FFIV DS is the superior version of the game just because there's a semblance of difficulty in it. PSP is easy as shit so you can just auto battle yourself to victory except for a couple of bosses.
 
I look back on Final Fantasy 4 DS fondly, but the more I think about it, the more I remember how frustrated I was by it. I've heard it's based on the Japanese version of FF4, which was harder, but I think I also remember reading that FF4DS is the hardest version of the game by far.

I'd believe it. There are bosses in that game where it felt like the only way I had a chance to beat them was to cheat (Dr. Lugae, for example)

But it's a good version of the game. Just be prepared for it to kick your ass every now and then.
 
BlazeHedgehog said:
There are bosses in that game where it felt like the only way I had a chance to beat them was to cheat (Dr. Lugae, for example)
Click to expand...

Every encounter is learnable and manageable. Some are punishing but in the way a game like Dark Souls is. Good augment setups help a lot.

With Lugae you can just drop elixirs on him when he uses reversal gas.
 
For what it's worth, I love Final Fantasy Tactics A2. Unpopular opinion, I know.

FFIII was thoroughly "meh" for me. It does nothing that FFV doesn't do a thousandfold better.

FFIV was too hard for me to enjoy it, and I didn't like the chibi models.

My next FF should be IV on the GBA or Vita. I'm torn between both versions. Hopefully it's not as frustating as the DS version.
 
Chocobo Tales is a hidden gem in the DS library, imo. I mean, it's a minigame collection, so be aware of that going in, but the minigames are generally really well done with a neat 'achievement' style checklist that encourages replaying them a bit for mastery. The pop-up book visuals are super charming, and the card battling game that the minigames feed into is really enjoyable.
 
The PSP version of 4 looks cleaner, but it's garbage since it uses the difficulty of the GBA release, meaning you can just mash A all the way until the final boss. Whereas the DS version actually makes good use of it's battle system, making the game a lot more engaging. Anybody recommending PSP doesn't know what he's talking about.

If you liked BD, you'll probably like 4 WOL. It follows a similar structure with the job system and has a fun core battle system that is muddied due to targeting being automated by following certain scripts. It also has a few lulls with some very long dungeons at times.

Other than that I enjoyed FFXII RW for what it was, but it's certainly not amazing. It's an RTS with relatively small maps. Got super challenging later on though.

ULTROS! said:
The PSP version has improved sprites ala FFI/II PSP and is based on FFIV SNES. It does have auto battle mode, the additional content from the GBA port, and it includes a brand new interlude connecting to The After Years, and of course, The After Years. AFAIK, the NDS version is just a remake of FFIV plus GBA content, no auto battle and TAY.

I'd say the PSP version is the superior and complete version.
Click to expand...
Auto battle is in IV DS, and nobody ever should put including The After Years as a positive.

IV DS adds the augment system which makes characters costumizable to a certain extent and as mentioned before, revamps the entire battle system/dificulty, making the game actually good.
 
Shout out to Chocobo Tales. Total hidden gem. Great compilation of mini games, very charming presentation and a decent length too. Fun little reoccurring card game it has throughout the game as well. Also a fantastic local multiplayer game.
 
FFIV becomes much easier on the DS when you realise that status effects actually work on bosses. Slow goes from being a waste of space to one of the most useful spells in the game.
 
LordRaptor said:
The PSP version of FF4 having 'better' graphics is reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally subjective.

9scfpcH.jpg


(SNES / GBA / PSP)

I personally find the 'traced over and recoloured' sprites used in the FF mobile ports less appealing than the PS1 level polycount DS title has, but YMMV.
Click to expand...

Do the monster sprites in the PSP version actually animate?
 
III is solid, IV is solid, Revenant Wings is solid, Warriors of Light is solid, Chrystal Chronicles is lacking
 
LordRaptor said:
The PSP version of FF4 having 'better' graphics is reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally subjective.


(SNES / GBA / PSP)

I personally find the 'traced over and recoloured' sprites used in the FF mobile ports less appealing than the PS1 level polycount DS title has, but YMMV.
Click to expand...

I have to agree that the psp stuff looks terrible, I think being able to switch between the DS and GBA art would have been the optimal solution.
 
dan2026 said:
Do the monster sprites in the PSP version actually animate?
Click to expand...

Nope. In fairness the originals didn't either though.

e:
Basically, if you're playing it for the story, I prefer the aesthetic of the GBA title, which retains the original spritework, but improves it without fundamentally altering it.
If you're playing for the gameplay, I prefer the DS version just due to the rebalances, but those graphics look pretty rough even on actual DS hardware (with low res screen). I'd imagine it looks a lot nicer via emulator though.

I just don't like the 'clipart' style graphics of the PSP version at all. I found it hugely disappointing tbh.
 
LordRaptor said:
The PSP version of FF4 having 'better' graphics is reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally subjective.

9scfpcH.jpg


(SNES / GBA / PSP)

I personally find the 'traced over and recoloured' sprites used in the FF mobile ports less appealing than the PS1 level polycount DS title has, but YMMV.
Click to expand...

Really wish they hadn't fucked with the fonts in the PSP version. It might seem minor, but kind of sours things for me in what is otherwise a fantastic version of the game.
 
Of the ones I've played:

Final Fantasy III is still a Famicom game under all of that 3D. If you're fine with that, it's a (mostly) great one. No reason to not play the remake over the original version unless you don't like the new player characters.

Final Fantasy IV is a decent enough remake. It's not the worst way to play it, but it's aimed at returning players. If you're playing for the first time, I would suggest the PSP collection instead unless you're looking for a challenge.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates is alright. Not super amazing by any stretch of the imagination.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is, again, alright. It is multiplayer focused, so I would steer clear unless you have some buddies to play with you, and only after you've played the original Crystal Chronicles to death with them.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift has the pizza cutter sword. Once more, just alright. If you liked Tactics Advance, you'll probably be interested. If you're looking for a game like the original Final Fantasy Tactics, abandon hope.
 
LordRaptor said:
If you're playing for the gameplay, I prefer the DS version just due to the rebalances, but those graphics look pretty rough even on actual DS hardware (with low res screen). I'd imagine it looks a lot nicer via emulator though.
Click to expand...

The Steam version looks pretty nice.

There's even a hack to improve battle framerate to 25 from the ridiculous 15fps of the original. The 25 mark was chosen because animations are tied to framerate and look strange at 30.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=436082829
 
Boney said:
The PSP version of 4 looks cleaner, but it's garbage since it uses the difficulty of the GBA release, meaning you can just mash A all the way until the final boss. Whereas the DS version actually makes good use of it's battle system, making the game a lot more engaging. Anybody recommending PSP doesn't know what he's talking about.

If you liked BD, you'll probably like 4 WOL. It follows a similar structure with the job system and has a fun core battle system that is muddied due to targeting being automated by following certain scripts. It also has a few lulls with some very long dungeons at times.

Other than that I enjoyed FFXII RW for what it was, but it's certainly not amazing. It's an RTS with relatively small maps. Got super challenging later on though.


Auto battle is in IV DS, and nobody ever should put including The After Years as a positive.

IV DS adds the augment system which makes characters costumizable to a certain extent and as mentioned before, revamps the entire battle system/dificulty, making the game actually good.
Click to expand...
I agree with this completely as far as FFIV goes. With the PSP version, they've taken what was already an easy game and made it even easier to the point where it's just mindless and boring. It's something that's often overlooked when people discuss the game.

The GBAA version isn't great, either. I don't remember the difficulty being weird, but it is really buggy so that it makes certain moves completely useless. The charge time in most special moves (Yang's Kick and the Twins' magic, for example) have a charge time that usually takes longer than he length of the battle, and it severely limits your strategic options.

If you're looking for a 2D version of the game you're honestly better off buying the original SNES game on the Virtual Console. Otherwise, the DS version is a great way to play it if you don't mind the game being hard.
 
I'm not one to demand challenge from a game but from the responses in this thread it sounds like FF4 PSP is easy to the point of tedium, I guess I'll go with DS for this one.
 
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