Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums > Final Fantasy: Nerds in Paradise > Final Fantasy IV > GBA vs. DS version

[Khalin]

Yeah, this topic's old, but I'm bored so I feel like posting.

Originally Posted by Blue Cup ^

Being the old school fanatic I am, I can't help but chose the SNES/GBA versions. Probably the only thing I liked about the DS version was the chance to finally hear the characters speak, but other than that It didn't really strike me as anything special. Not that I didn't like it(which I did), it's just I prefer the classic 2D feel that I grew up with as opposed to 3D graphics.

I like both 2D graphics as well as 3D graphics. However, if they do 3D graphics, they need to execute them well and present them well. The balloon-head concept for the characters on the movement screen as well as the battle screen looked cute when done with sprites. Balloon-head sprites have a certain charm/cuteness to them [it looks pretty close, if not the same as a chibi anime-style]. However, I really feel like complaining that translating the balloon-head concept into 3D polygons was a bad choice, and made the characters look ridiculous. It pissed me off! I couldn't take any of them seriously. Especially when I fought Valvalis/Babariccia, it looked like a bunch of 7 year-olds fighting a grown woman. It looked silly! The sound effects of the menu also drove me insane.

Aside from that, everything else about Final Fantasy IV for the DS was awesome. There is a slight jump in difficulty, but I didn't really find this game to be as hard as people are making it out to be [but then again, I could see it becoming difficult for someone that chooses to run away from battles too often].

To anybody that's played the SNES or GBA version of this game: Am I the only person that's wondered why Paladin-Cecil has short, pink~violet gradient hair in the movement/battle screen, but not in char select? It's like two different people [obviously this was intentional, but WHY?]. If this was discussed before, then I must have missed it [and for that I apologize in advance]. Although personally, I'm more of a fan of his short hair look as opposed to his woman-hair look.

[Wolf Kanno]

The difference in Cecil's design is based on technology limitations. Trying to translate the Amano style into those blocky little sprites is a nightmare from what I've heard. My guess is, that his whole color scheme was changed from his original design so he could stand out better from the other characters.

[Roogle]

Yes, character art was changed in the early days of Final Fantasy to adapt the character properly in sprite form. That is likely the reason for the differences between Cecil on the status screen, overworld screen, and battle screen. They were like three different characters!

Terra, or Tina, from Final Fantasy VI has blonde hair in her concept art and DISSIDIA Final Fantasy, but was given green hair in the release of Final Fantasy VI to help distinguish her from Celes.

[Varimath]

I love the DS version, but the difficulty is killing me (yeah. Not a good player. I know ).

[Nominus Experse]

I enjoyed the SNES one most, simply because that was how I first played it as a young lad.

But the DS version is a better game, and that is as it should be, seeing as its purpose was to further what was already set.

[Khalin]

I just beat FF IV on the DS for the second time. The only real difficulty in the game is in the end-dungeon, and even then, that doesn't last too terribly long [after a short while of leveling off of Silver, Gold, and Blue Dragons, as well as getting all the main equipment, the difficulty of the final dungeon melts away pretty fast]. Zeromus is stupidly easy, they should've buffed him up more. I did the entire game without the use of any augments or stat-boosting items [I'm a bit of a purist on top of the fact that I feel augments make this game too easy, so I chose not to use any augments whatsoever] and beat Zeromus on a level range of 66~71.

However, I can see why this game would be hard for those that don't know how to fully use Rydia's and Rosa's range of spells. The final dungeon would be pretty difficult otherwise. Also, avoid Dark Sages. They're a waste of time! They deal way too much damage and give practically no exp.

I hate fighting Behemoths!

[Omecle]

I only played half of the SNES version (not the GBA one), but I can say I love the DS version a lot more - I favour polygons over sprites anyhow.

[Khalin]

Originally Posted by Omecle ^

I only played half of the SNES version (not the GBA one), but I can say I love the DS version a lot more - I favour polygons over sprites anyhow.

I only favour polygons over sprites if the polygons are good. The polygon models for all the FF IV characters are chibi-style, which makes them look pretty ridiculous [chibi looks cute with drawings or sprites, but as 3D rendered models chibi-style looks retarded]. I'd rather have an extremely detailed and well-done sprite than a half-assed polygon model.