Which Version of Final Fantasy IV Should You Play? All Major Re-Releases, Ports + Remakes Reviewed 

Didn't the after years have a 3D port with the same graphics as the NDS versions on smartphones?

+Final Fantasy Union Totally agree with your pick for the stream. The Original Japanese, Original US, and PSP versions are respectable. The rest are garbage with gimmicks.

@@dowskivisionmagicaloracle8593 ds version the definitive edition foh

so your going to play every game in the numbered series? does that also mean your going to play ff11 & ff14 to?

@@TheJbrown60 I dunno. I played the GBA one an it was laggy and glitchy. Not very "definitive" attributes.

A king, an idol and a role model.

Love our conversation with him in the devs' room

This made me feel so happy inside

@@tortagion1182 Wow, quite an interesting story! Thanks for sharing.

Nice.

Me too. I used to play it on a laggy emulator around 2010, which lead me to buy a DS just to play it perfectly.

Ditto, I never even ended up using my DS for any other game.

Isn't DS version like super hard? I played it and you have to grind so hard,not sure what I am doing wrong

@@mikeydubs_tv I didn’t find it super hard, just don’t run from battles, explore all maps for loot and purchase other upgrades and there shouldn’t be much/any grinding needed.

@@Cecil_Harvey it's weird I am just got Rydia and I am in the dessert . She gets one shot by Fishmen. Pretty nuts

My only problem with some of the newer 2D versions is that Cecil’s battle sprite looks kinda ugly.

I LOVE the look and pixel art of the PSP version. Definitely my favorite version.

It's sad that square is lazy enough to do a decent job for steam, imagine if we got a non cellphone port, and it's quite expensive, a god damn port that lazy is 15 euros on steam lmao, 1 to 6 is like that, pisses me off, wish we got complete collection on steam

@@vinicinfodexota5083 I like the Steam version. It's the DS version with additional content and an option to play on a difficulty other than Kaizo. It's my second favourite behind the PSP version. J2E translation is 3rd best by default. The GBA, SNES, DS, and PS1 games have all been superceded by the above versions.

Original Japanese, Original US, and PSP versions are respectable. The rest are garbage with gimmicks.

Good taste man. All of the early FFs were good, but IV is for sure the definitive 'what a Final Fantasy should feel like' experience. Like, V is cool for the class system, VI is totally epic, but they can be a little awkward. IV just guides you through a nice adventure, never holding your hand too much or too little.

@@KnownAsKenji agreed.

Mine was FFVI Advance but this game is too good!

I'm with you.

Literally same, I must have played it 20 times from start to end on GBA.

same

The DS version is better than the PSP version - hands down. Final Fantasy Union, they're a couple of clowns for thinking otherwise.

The gameplay is sluggish and tedius, and the art direction is distracting when paired with the dark tone of the narrative. The only thing it has over other versions is it's high quality voice acting.

@@vgnvideogameninja2930 That's too harsh on them, especially since they didn't even say that the PSP version was "the best". The DS version would probably be the best option for someone who already played FF4 before but for people who are new to it, I think the PSP collection would be better. For one, it is the best version of the original 2D version of the game in terms of graphics (I personally prefer Advance's enhanced pixel art tho), music quality, english script and bonus content. With it also including the tie-in interlude and After Years, it pretty much has all the essentials from FF4. Don't get me wrong though, as I also think FF4 DS is the best version of the game with all its improvements on literally everything, but the PSP one is a more "complete" experience while still staying close to the original. FF4 DS is almost an entirely different game experience similar to how FF7 remake is. It is best to play it once you go through the original "feel" of the game first and then you'll come to even appreciate the improvements of the DS version even more.

@@RichterTheRat This is SO important. The tone of 3D is so vibrant, colorful and paints such a classic adventure in FFIII. But in FFIV! It changes the theming! The VA is actually distractingly melodramatic and cheezy. I'm not gonna lie it hurts the feeling provoked by the story fairly often...

Maybe we will get a PS5 version! that would be cool!

@@DragonboltBlastter It would be great! But they’ve already shown they’re working on XVI.

@@DragonboltBlastter If anything I could see it coming to Switch/PS4. But playable on PS5 via BC.

FF14 has a expansion with a decent amount of FF4 nods from the looks of it coming Fall this year lets hope we get a interesting FF4 release too perhaps on switch with a more customizable experience combining the advantage of DS and PSP

I like the snes version. That game blew my mind when it came out. Still my favorite game of all.

and you don’t!?

Easier to sleep when it's a dark night.

@@stevel935 I see what you did there. Lol

@@stevel935 Gold, mate

And in the 3d version too. Its a metaphor (?)

I would prefer if they re-released something like FF3, which has potential but was horribly made at the time, just because IV is good enough Or just make a FFVI 3D remake already

FF III Has already been remade in 3D. It's available on PC.

@@vibra7 I wish they would re-release other Square games. We have a million versions of Final Fantasy, but things like Bahamut Lagoon and Treasure of Rudras still never have even had official English releases.

@@renewagain6956 he said he wanted III on ps4 or switch...

@@infasis Bahamut Lagoon is a cool game, I'd love to see an official English release of that. But the FFIV complete collection on PS4/Switch stores making it more widely available than just the PSP/Vita and PCs with emulation would be great, a solid addition and I'd purchase it. If they can put up Romancing SaGa 2 on the PSN I think they should do this.

Agreed. Why has there been so many remakes of 4 but only the GBA remake of six? A lot of people consider it the best game in the series.

@@58jharris I think when it first came out, it didn't sell as well, same goes for the gba port

Original is perfect IMO. But why not. I just hope they do it justice.

@@58jharris 4 was butchered in north America. 6 was not. Majority of those who played 6 got the best possible experience at launch while those who played 4 did not. Square has been trying to retroactively correct that mistake

I would like a 3D remake of 6. If not that, I would like Octopath Traveler kind of presentation.

Yes, yes you do!

That game blew my mind. I had 1, and it felt like forever for 2. They should have released japanese 3 at the time. The game was fantastic!

Thank you so much Jimmy, you rock! :)

You misspelled Aerith

@@FinrodFelagundTheFair Some of us played the game when it first came out in 1997 and simply never knew her as Aerith - some of us still don't. I call her Aeris to this day unless I'm discussing FF7 in online gaming communities, but for me to vocally call her Aerith feels weird.

@@nateblack8669 I totally get it. I did the same until I conditioned myself not to. It's hard

@@nateblack8669 I mean, I grew up with her as Aeris and it's been so long that she's been Aerith by this point that I am much more comfortable with the later.

@@Soapy_Papoose sadly... while I understand why many people want an alternate universe where Aerith and Zack can be alive and well together, their deaths were meaningful, emotional sacrifices. Undoing that, removing consequences and such, cheapens the story. Frustrating that SQEX seems intent on doing an AU fanfic of their own otherwise brilliant story.

Then there is the rabbit hole of rom hacks.

That, and the compressed files of the redone soundtrack in tbe DS soundchips added this charm that the uncompressed soundtrack just doesn't jive with me.

@@hogoototwilightian628 the only thing that doesn't jive with me is the difficulty. DS version is the hard difficulty of Japanese version of the game (I forgot which one). Didn't notice that until late game 😂 was hard for me.

@@cookieinhaler The Japanese version you're thinking of is the original original snes version. I like it this way because if you take advantage of the new Augment System, you could break the early game. So it really balances out with you being overpowered and the enemies dealing unfair amounts of damage.

I am as well, and the difficulty actually just made it more satisfying to me in the end. It became something that annoyed me and got me stuck a bit only a few occasions (such as a certain fight in the Underworld that begins with everyone besides one knocked out and then a race to revive and fight back; got killed before I had a chance to do much reviving a few times and it sometimes felt unfair). Most of the time it just made things a bit more challenging and exciting and was fine.

@@Caun-88 Oh, THAT fight. Yes, its objectively the most unfair boss in the game. Because the boss is so fast, and its spells are amplified to just the two party members. When you're whole party is up, the boss only does chip damage. It's the beginning of the fight that blows. And to top it all off, you start the fight as soon as you end one before. It is sincerely unfair.

I agree, but one thing I liked about the original is you didn’t have to grind to beat the game. The 3D version you literally got swamped in difficulty everywhere!

@@justacrewchief4561 Fellow miserable (Avinonics) maintainer here! Yes, the Lunar surface was difficult. Then, the final lunar dungeon was absurd in terms of difficulty.

@@smokeyjail4394 exactly! When you went after Bahamut it was nearly impossible! End game was basically unbalanced. It was great visually and the soundtrack was improved. But the unbalancing was harshly done! Good to see another maintainer in the FF nerd clan!

Disclaimer, while I appreciated not having to hourly grind to be able to beat the original, but I did think it was too easy with the only difficult fight being for the Holy Lance and the Ribbons

@@justacrewchief4561 I would rather have an easy than a hard jrpg, since these games aren't really mechanical skill/reaction based. It's not playing a hard action game where your success depends on how good your reflexes are. They're rng and knowledge based. And rng can be a total bitch. I'd much rsther have a game that doesn't need to grind to beat nor does it have bullshit instakill attacks that you can't do anything about other than pray to rngesus that the enemy doesn't attack that way.

Same. Underrated masterpiece.

Same here, it's an amazing remake! I still play it on PPSSPP

@@theashenogre8948 I think so, but I like the PC interface better and I think it plays smoother than the DS. Have you (or anyone) played The After Years on Steam? It's TAY content in the DS's 3D style...it's one of the only versions I haven't played. I actually like TAY, but I prefer to emulate the PSP version so I can fast forward.

The only thing I was left wanting were more CG cutscenes like that throughout the game... It was absolutely mesmerising to see everyone fully brought to life as a rendered character.

That was just the Japanese perceptions of Americans at the time. Americans didn't want an "easy" RPG. They thought thats why RPGs didn't sell well here.

Amen. They keep releasing all the other ones but my absolute favorites are found in parts 1-6. Been praying for a Switch release for years now.

"Even if it's the mobile versions" I refuse to buy that garbage.

You really don't want the mobile versions...

Tried playing the mobile versions....the stupid character animations are too too dumb. Went back to NDS ones.

I like the original versions of all those. Never played 2 (japanese) tho.

I still have a copy of it, despite it being hard, I loved the hell out of it. One of my Top Favorite FF games.

I stopped playing when I was on the moon at the final dungeon, the game was so damn hard. When the PSP version came out I finished that one.

Bard edition

Ask Edward

@@Fai2012 you mean ask Tellah?

@@craigfunk3453 can't anymore because SPOILERS A sacrifice that returned Captain Kain Highwind of the Baron Dragoons out of mind control back to the side of the light

@@jakehudson5095 🤣. But yeah 😔

Same

Aye

You playing the DS DS version? Or the DS PC version? BIIIG difference.

@@hogoototwilightian628 Ds Ds. Didnt realise there was a huge difference other than the easy mode?

@@zetandpeligaming I say its a big difference, because the DS PC version was originally been modified to be on mobile. So the UI just takes up the entire screen, and the faster frame rate desyncs the cutscenes. I hate that UI, anf its also in another version. That being the rushed, no effort 3D version of FF4: The After Years. What. A. Mess.

Ugh, I skipped that one because I had the GBA, PS1, and DS versions already. I knew nothing about the PSP version, but if I did, I would have bought it. Time to look for it on the after market...

+1 for the PSP version, my favorite!

@@XENOS_Indie_Game_Dev it’s on vita store

@@Blue-cc7qw Thanks. I found that the PSP version is still around and for a decent price so I got that physical copy instead, though it would look even better on the Vita. May have to check it out on the Vita too. I really like the PSP version graphics over the 3D on the DS, and to me the new sprites are superior in every way for an old school FF game, the PSP version is the definitive one to get.

Original Japanese, Original US, and PSP versions are respectable. The rest are garbage with gimmicks.

I've only played my snes version. I love the flaws. The graphics and music still amaze me. The story, doesn't hit like that first playthrough as a kid. But still epic, and my favorite game.

No problem Marvelous Water, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

The story through battle always steals my heart ❤ ♥

Same. Blew me away when it came out.

There's one more already 😆

Same, awkward translation and all! Part of the charm IMO

@@SmoothJK I need to find a "spoony bard" shirt somewhere

I've beat the 3D version several times and never used Toad or Mini on anything; there are other ways to deal with those things.

@@hoodedman6579 I could be remembering it wrong, it's been a while since it came out. I I'm pretty sure I was getting wrecked and PLing not helping much. Then I started to use debuffs and the game becoming fun.

True that. I can't stop replaying that handheld game.

Absolutely

I also picked up the Steam version recently, and really my only criticism of it is the interface.

@@12ealDealOfficial I had no issues with it but they changed it recently like almost 2 months ago or something. Wait i guess it was FF3, well both are fine to me

You're most welcome!

I'd recommend the original DS remake version over the Android/PC version. I just really don't like the touch phone UI. Its way to big.

So...all of them?

Time was no issue...

​@@wboeren1 Having a dad who played heavily was a big influence. He was playing Dragon Warrior before I was born. So in certain situations, even being 6, just do what dad does. I dunno how many kids that young would know to cast "wall" (reflect) on Asura to make it an easy fight.

@@suzleber4 I am 50, and i never got my son that much into games as you are. Its fun to read for me. Keep gaming.

@@wboeren1 reading your comment saddens me in a way. Video games are not only for dads to "allow" their sons to play, but are a great way to bond with your child.

@@jamesestelle7260 So you want me to force my 27 year old son to play video games against his will. Not every human being likes games. If he does not want to play games, that's ok to. Freedom of own will.

Im playing the Steam version now. I love the 3d graphics. Ive played the GBA and the PSP version but never beat it. Heres hoping the 3rd time is the charm lol

Yes! Is and always will be my absolute favorite ff game. Quite possibly my favorite game of all time. I remember playing it as a kid, and just absolutely falling in love with the story and everything about it.

Same. It's perfect. Graphics and music are still beautiful to me.

@@MegaDicksneeze My fav too. Blew me away at release time.

they are the same soundtrack

@@TheCldmstrsn good for you

He's not wrong, you can switch between the original SNES and DS soundtracks on the PSP version.

@@blu_berri_san I guess so but you can't on the NDS so I'll still count it :3

What about the steam version. Is it good enough in your eyes after the PSP one?

I disagree. The PSP version always bored me to tears when I played it. Its extra content is crap compared to what's on the DS version.

@@TheZeroSbr At least the battles actually went quickly instead of taking a year; god I wish the DS version of this game was faster.

@@hoodedman6579 I never understood this complaint. Set the combat speed to max and it's plenty fast.

I took acid and saw it in the theater so a pretty good experience but it's not very good in retrospect.

They maxed their job beforehand

I legit am tempted to get a PSP just to play the definitive edition!

I love this. I'm so happy to hear that you find strength in beating your addiction through playing video games! Stay strong brother and take it one day at a time!

One heads up for you, the JP version uses a lot of non standard japanese, and a lot of archaic language iirc. Just letting you know so you're ready for it c:

Unlike nes games, super Nintendo and Famicom versions use Kanji which will make it difficult for a beginner in Japanese.

Yeah, I was confused.