Planning a first run of the major SNES RPG's

[MrPickins]

In between FF4 and FF6, try some of FF Mystic Quest just so you can feel the bitter disappointment that some of us experienced.

 

[futurefields]

If you're not playing with original carts and are serious about SNES RPGs I strongly recommend adding some that were never officially released outside of Japan but have since had fan translations. Here are some I personally enjoyed:

Final Fantasy V
Seiken Densetsu 3 (sequel to Secret of Mana)
Tales of Phantasia (although there are remakes for other systems that are better)
Star Ocean
Live a Live
Rudra no Hihou
Emerald Dragon

Some I didn't complete because I didn't really like them, but may still be worth considering:

Mystic Ark
Bahamut Lagoon
Magic Knight Rayearth

And I bunch I haven't played:

Dragon Quest 4-6 (not really into the series)
Treasure Hunter G
Der Langrisser
Eternal Filena
Dual Orb II (I don't think the first one even has a translation)
Chaos Seed
Daikajuu Monogatari
Galaxy Robo
Burning Heroes
Silva Saga II
Lennus II

And various others... some of these look pretty good but I can't really vouch for anything.

There was also a Sailor Moon SNES RPG (called Another Story) that got a fan translation that I liked enough way back in highschool, but I don't know if I'd actually recommend it now.

And finally, for an SNES RPG that did get an official North American release but no one liked there's Secret of the Stars. I actually thought it was okay, but I was also like 13 when I played it.



I wouldn't do this, the music quality is so much worse. And the graphics have been modified for GBA's lower resolution, over-saturated display.

I got a few Japanese games (Dragon Quest 5 and 6, Shin Megami Tensei 1 and 2, Mother 1 and 3 for GBA, Final Fantasy 5) but mostly sticking to the NA releases to try and recapture that experience. I was born in '83 so I played a lot of SNES growing up but was too dumb to figure out these awesome RPG's that I watched my old brother play some of. I was mostly a Mario Kart, Tecmo Super Bowl, Mortal Kombat gamer back then...

 

[Rakehellion]

Terranigma.

 

[CZroe]

http://youtu.be/IptvSQY9Qa8

 

[Sulaco]

http://youtu.be/IptvSQY9Qa8

"I heard a rumor that monsters are coming back...!"

 

[CZroe]

"I heard a rumor that monsters are coming back...!"

It's true!

 

[A Casual Fitz]

Have you started this yet? I recently picked up FFVI for the PSN and am having a blast playing through it for the first time.

 

[futurefields]

I am doing FF1 on NES just barely started it. I only play a little when I go to bed.

 

[Fallen Kell]

FF1 is still a great game to this day. Being able to truly pick your group and challenging yourself by choosing a certain group is what keeps it interesting.

As for FFIV being grindy, there are really only 3 points that you need to grind a bit (obviously the very beginning... get up to at least level 7, and buy as many potions as you can before you go off on the first mission), then right after the first mission and you are all alone.

GRIND, GRIND, GRIND as much as you can (you will need to run from the sandworms solo, so make sure you run). Grind until you are out of potions before you enter that next town (probably level 16-20, since the exp is split between all alive party members, grinding solo right here will save you a ton grinding later since your main character will be strong enough to win the fights).

Then after your main character changes classes, you need to grind him back up from level 1 (the first dozen or so levels are super fast, but you really want to get him back up to where he was before, which will take a little time).

After that, most of the game can simply be played. I mean, you do need to spend a little time whenever you open a new area, gain 1-3 levels, but that is typically very easy, and will happen just as a matter of playing. You would need to be taking advantage of the best weapons/armor available to you (including accessing weapons/armor that is outside the game's designed path early).

Also, to help with some of the grind, if you play on the SNES, you can use the item duplicate trick to get some extra cash to cut down the grind... The duplicate does not work on the Japanese version or on the GBA re-releases.

 

[Chapbass]

Secret of mana, baby. Add it.

And then at the very end, have a good relaxing laugh with Super Mario RPG.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

Who was complaining about FFIV being grindy?

 

[Sulaco]

Who was complaining about FFIV being grindy?

I was thinking the same thing.

And it really isn't. I've played through it on so many different platforms I can't remember if the original SNES version was particularly unbalanced or "grindy", but I never had any problems. Just remember, if looking for the best XPs, always just

Spoiler

go to the moon and kill as many monsters as possible

 

[Sonikku]

Avoid FF4 on the SNES. Play the FF Chronicles version on PSX. The SNES version was butchered in the translation and downplays serious events. The game is also undertuned. I find it ironic that Square dumbed down FF4 for Americans thinking we were too stupid to handle an RPG on all cylinders, only to swing back to the other extreme in making FF7 harder in the States.

If you are playing on an emulator, I would suggest playing the GBA version of the FF games. The additional content in those versions are kind of nice. FF4's bonus dungeon is the best part of it albeit a bit grindy.

I suggest the opposite. When you play FF6, play the SNES version with a good stereo. GBA audio sucks ass in comparison. The GBA version is also watered down and censored for content, things like Celes being tortured are completely removed. The added dungeon is one big maze and adds nothing to the story. Not worth imo. (I got the game crown myself)

 

[darkewaffle]

I tried both FF4 and FF6 on my phone (SNES emulator) and wasn't particularly fond of either. Mechanically they're sound but I never developed any sort of connection with the characters or plots in either of them.

FF4's pacing and story telling are especially shaky imo, they're just so scatterbrained and arbitrary. It really felt to me like one big run-on sentence of "and then"s simply to force the characters from point A to point B repeatedly.

FF6 was substantially better in this regard but still suffers from uninspiring dialogue and a few too many characters that, as a result, don't have enough attention paid to them individually imo.

Really what stood out to me most when playing them is how much more attention games now give to their stories and writing (and probably translation). I wouldn't say the stories in older games were an afterthought but I think they often sound and feel like they were written by people who make video games rather than people who write stories. I think it is especially noticeable in dialogue where you can now see so much more nuance and understanding of how humans express emotions compared to some of the very 'flat' writing in older titles.


Also Super Mario RPG is awesome. And Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen might be worth a look too.

 

[poofyhairguy]

The SNES version was butchered in the translation and downplays serious events.

That is part of the charm.

 

[CZroe]

Really what stood out to me most when playing them is how much more attention games now give to their stories and writing (and probably translation). I wouldn't say the stories in older games were an afterthought but I think they often sound and feel like they were written by people who make video games rather than people who write stories. I think it is especially noticeable in dialogue where you can now see so much more nuance and understanding of how humans express emotions compared to some of the very 'flat' writing in older titles.

Actually, I think a lot of this is worse than ever. I'd tell you to watch the Final Fantasy XIII trailers if you don't believe me but I think you might groan yourself to death. I've been overhearing my roommate play my copies of Bravely Default and Xenoblade Chronicles X and they sound just as bad.

I think my almost-allergic groan response to that kind of crap started with Golden Sun. Everyone else ate that crap up and praised the game series so I suffered through them over 10 years ago and kicked myself ever sense. So stupid.

 

[darkewaffle]

Actually, I think a lot of this is worse than ever. I'd tell you to watch the Final Fantasy XIII trailers if you don't believe me but I think you might groan yourself to death. I've been overhearing my roommate play my copies of Bravely Default and Xenoblade Chronicles X and they sound just as bad.

I think my almost-allergic groan response to that kind of crap started with Golden Sun. Everyone else ate that crap up and praised the game series so I suffered through them over 10 years ago and kicked myself ever sense. So stupid.

Not to lump them all together but I do think jRPGs have a tendency to go way over the top now (as though the pendulum has swung the other way). At least Square Enix does, but that's the only developer whose work I'd say I'm genuinely familiar with at this point. FFX was really good imo and FFXI has some really compelling stories/characters (and some not so). 12 I liked but didn't really get invested in and have only played 14 since then (the story for which starts off pretty lousy but has gotten much better with the expansion).

When I think about modern games with stories that really showcase the progress of then-to-now I think of mostly NA titles actually. I'm sure it's not just them, but they're the ones I know. Mass Effect, The Last of Us, Bioshock, Half Life 2, Dragon Age, Transistor, Braid, and Telltale Games' work all come to mind. It's admittedly something of an apples to oranges comparison due to voice acting and improved visuals and real music, etc which all aid immersion. But ultimately I just never felt the level of connection, emotion or suspense in older games that I feel like they try to and now recognize they are able to convey now.

 

[Ichinisan]

Not to lump them all together but I do think jRPGs have a tendency to go way over the top now (as though the pendulum has swung the other way). At least Square Enix does, but that's the only developer whose work I'd say I'm genuinely familiar with at this point. FFX was really good imo and FFXI has some really compelling stories/characters (and some not so). 12 I liked but didn't really get invested in and have only played 14 since then (the story for which starts off pretty lousy but has gotten much better with the expansion).

When I think about modern games with stories that really showcase the progress of then-to-now I think of mostly NA titles actually. I'm sure it's not just them, but they're the ones I know. Mass Effect, The Last of Us, Bioshock, Half Life 2, Dragon Age, Transistor, Braid, and Telltale Games' work all come to mind. It's admittedly something of an apples to oranges comparison due to voice acting and improved visuals and real music, etc which all aid immersion. But ultimately I just never felt the level of connection, emotion or suspense in older games that I feel like they try to and now recognize they are able to convey now.

A year or so after HL2 came out, I sat my nephew in front of my PC and started Half Life 2. He had never played a PC game or a first-person shooter. By the time he got to

Spoiler

Barney revealing himself from the CP disguise

, my nephew was completely hooked.

 

[Aikouka]

I think that JRPG stories are feeling a bit more contrived these days than in the past, but I don't think it's just the JRPGs. I see the same problem occurring in anime. I can't even tell you how many times I've said, "Ugh, this anime had such good promise, but the ending was just terrible!", lately. It seems like there's this strange belief that "going weird" is good and makes a story interesting. It's almost like they've been watching too many M. Night Shyamalan movies. Of course, I won't state that the older games had great stories that could rival a well-known novel, but they didn't just outright bug me.

One thing I hate about stories is the excessive proper noun game. I don't need crazy names for stuff like FF13's fal'Cie and l'Cie.

FF6 was substantially better in this regard but still suffers from uninspiring dialogue and a few too many characters that, as a result, don't have enough attention paid to them individually imo.

In FF6, I always found that it was just a few characters that you were supposed to care about. In some cases, a few characters were there mostly as fun side-objectives (Umaru, Mog, Gogo, etc.), but they weren't really part of the story. One of the biggest things that made FF6 a huge game for me was its soundtrack. Uematsu did an amazing job with that game's soundtrack, and just comparing it to FF4 will blow your mind.

In between FF4 and FF6, try some of FF Mystic Quest just so you can feel the bitter disappointment that some of us experienced.

Mystic Quest still has such awesome battle music though!

As for FFIV being grindy, there are really only 3 points that you need to grind a bit (obviously the very beginning... get up to at least level 7, and buy as many potions as you can before you go off on the first mission), then right after the first mission and you are all alone.

The worst part about FF4 is when you get Rydia, and her level is quite a good amount lower than yours. I usually just do circles around the town to level her up to where Cecil started. If I don't, the game becomes really hard as you don't have a good method of healing (apart from items) and Rydia can die quite easily. The switch to a Paladin is a pain, but it was pretty cool, so I gave it a pass.

 

[Exophase]

I think that JRPG stories are feeling a bit more contrived these days than in the past, but I don't think it's just the JRPGs. I see the same problem occurring in anime. I can't even tell you how many times I've said, "Ugh, this anime had such good promise, but the ending was just terrible!", lately. It seems like there's this strange belief that "going weird" is good and makes a story interesting. It's almost like they've been watching too many M. Night Shyamalan movies. Of course, I won't state that the older games had great stories that could rival a well-known novel, but they didn't just outright bug me.

Sucks, doesn't it? There was actually a time in my childhood when I was playing my first RPGs and watching my first animes and thought pretty much all of them were mind-bogglingly good.

I wish there were new exciting things to get into now, but the cynic in me knows I'm too old and jaded to really be excited about anything anyway.

That said, recent indie JRPGs like Lisa and Undertale have been pretty great (if also pretty short).. and I just recently got Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky which some RPG veterans swear is the best thing ever. Guess I'll see if that does anything for me.

 

[Sulaco]

I tried both FF4 and FF6 on my phone (SNES emulator) and wasn't particularly fond of either. Mechanically they're sound but I never developed any sort of connection with the characters or plots in either of them.

FF4's pacing and story telling are especially shaky imo, they're just so scatterbrained and arbitrary. It really felt to me like one big run-on sentence of "and then"s simply to force the characters from point A to point B repeatedly.

FF6 was substantially better in this regard but still suffers from uninspiring dialogue and a few too many characters that, as a result, don't have enough attention paid to them individually imo.

Really what stood out to me most when playing them is how much more attention games now give to their stories and writing (and probably translation). I wouldn't say the stories in older games were an afterthought but I think they often sound and feel like they were written by people who make video games rather than people who write stories. I think it is especially noticeable in dialogue where you can now see so much more nuance and understanding of how humans express emotions compared to some of the very 'flat' writing in older titles.


Also Super Mario RPG is awesome. And Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen might be worth a look too.

I would suggest actually playing any of the numerous remakes and remasters across multiple platforms.
In a game where ALL the information presented to the player is text; all of it rather hastily and roughly translated to be palatable to children, a lot can be lost when playing those early games on the SNES.

The PSP and 3D remakes are simply night and day in content, rebalancing, and most of all translations.

I recently replayed FFIV on PSP, and I will unequivocally say it is the definitive version of the game. The dialogue and plot intricacies are so much better fleshed out, and the refreshed 2D art style is still preferable to the 3D, although I think both games should be experienced as each has definite strengths.

 

[exdeath]

Yeah BOF (at least the first one) needs to be on the list.

Secret of Mana is more an action RPG. If those count then you are leaving out one of the best games ever (Link to the Past).

I also think Robotrek needs to be on the list and MAYBE Lufia 2.

Are you considering fan translated games? Because if so FFV and Secret of Mana 2 need to be on the list.

Also I wouldn't beat it in Chronological order. FF4 has a lot of grinding and going back through dungeons that could leave a bad taste in your mouth for the rest. I would start with Chrono Trigger so your first impression is the best one possible.

No way. FF4 is the game that hooked me on JRPGs for life. It was my #1 fave game of all time until it got pushed to #2 by Xenogears almost two decades later ( I missed Xenogears when it came out and played mid 7th gen).

Mystic Quest with its awesome music and charming story and characters was the my first true story driven, endearing characters, and melt away in the music RPG experience. Prior to that there was Dragon Warrior on NES. But 16 bit Square is when RPGs really started to set the standard. With Mystic Quest being relatively short and simple but fun I wanted more and got Final Fantasy II.

It was all downhill for me from there.

 

[exdeath]

I might just have to join you. I haven't touched my SNES in a while.

Nothing like a cold frosty December night huddled under a blanket with some hot cocoa at 2 AM as some drama is starting to ramp up in a legendary 16 bit RPG with the warmth of a SNES at your feet and the glow of a CRT.

Just do it right with a RGB CRT and a nice audio system. The SPC700 makes such beautiful sounds. Be a shame to ruin it with some crappy TV speaker

15 khz RGB with 48 khz SPDIF audio is dreamy. Especially when the reverb and echo DSP effects are abused, aka classic SNES signature audio.

I have quite a few translation patched games on an Everdrive that I've yet to catch up on. Believe it or not, despite being a big Tales fan, I've never played the original Tales of Phantasia! D:

Metal Gear Solid V -> Tales of Zestiria -> Fallout 4 -> Xenoblade Chronicles X... I was going to sneak in Suikoden II, Breath of Fire IV, and Tales of Destiny II on PS1 before The Division next year... those are pre-achievement era games though so won't take anywhere near as long to "100%".

 

[Exophase]

Believe it or not, despite being a big Tales fan, I've never played the original Tales of Phantasia! D:

I mentioned it before but you should give some serious consideration into playing the remakes on PS1 or PSP instead (do avoid the GBA version). From what I hear the best port is the version included in Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X for PSP, which has an unofficial English translation. This one has battles that more closely resemble later 2D games in the series. If you're a fan of the series you'd probably feel better with this because the SNES original has pretty crude battles in comparison.