Is FF3 the same as FF6???

[ALOR]

So i was reading through some old threads and i noticed someone said kefka was from Final Fantasy 6 and i know for a fact the kefka was the bad guy in FF3. FF3 was my all time favorite FF but i'm starting to wonder if FF6 was a sequel i somehow missed or if they just rerelease FF3 as FF6. Can anyone clear this up for me?
Also if they did rerelease FF3 did they do the same for FF2?
thanks in advance

[Arang]

The first 3 Final Fantasy games only came out in Japan, so when they decided to release FF4 in America, they couldn't call it FF4 for fear of someone looking for the first 3, which of course did not exist in English. Such was born a maddening array of different titles.

FF4 is FF1, FF5 is FF2, and to answer your question, FF6 is FF3. I notice most people use the Japanese progression, so what you think of as FF3 you should probably refer to as FF6 to avoid any confusion.

I don't know if they ever released the first three games in any edition but Japanese.

EDIT: As has been pointed out, I'm wrong. More knowledgeable people answered below.

[RMS Oceanic]

FF4 is FF1, FF5 is FF2, and to answer your question, FF6 is FF3.

Not completely accurate. Final Fantasy was released in both Japan and America. Two and Three were in Japan only, so Japan's Final Fantasy IV was America's Final Fantasy II. Five got skipped over again, so VI became III. For reasons I'm not sure about, they just said "aw, to heck with it", and made Final Fantasy VII the same internationally. All the games have since been released in America and Europe with the right numbers.

[Artemician]

Vell.. the answer is pretty simple.

First.. imagine you are in Japan. You see Final Fantasies I to V come out, sequentially. No problem there.

If you are in non-Japan, you only see Final Fantasy I and II appear, because only those two were exported.

Now, in Japan, Final Fantasy VI is released. It got pretty darn popular. So it was exported and translated.

However, the translators decided that, in order not to confuse people, they would retitle FF VI as FF III, because the REAL FFs III, IV and V were never exported.

Thus, non-Japanese FF III=same as Japanese FF VI.

It has also come to my attention that a port of FFVI, for the GBA, was released in English. This is known as Final Fantasy VI: Advanced.

EDIT: Correction.. non-Japanese Final Fantasy II was in fact, Japanese Final Fantasy IV. My mistake.

[Alex Kidd]

No that's wrong Arang.

The first FF came out both in the West and Japan as FF1.

Then Japan got two we didn't, then we got FF4 released as 2.

Then we missed 5 and got 6 as FF3.

They finally abandoned this nonsense with 7 which was released as 7 everywhere.

So

FF1US= FF1JAP
FF2US=FF4JAP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IV#Final_Fantasy_II_.28North_America .29)
FF3US=FF6JAP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_VI#Localization)

[Darth Mario]

Right. We on the boards generally refer to them by their Japanese numbering, truer to the games, plus, they're re-releasing the ones that never got ported for GBA/DS.

[Setra]

No that's wrong Arang.

The first FF came out both in the West and Japan as FF1.

Then Japan got two we didn't, then we got FF4 released as 2.

Then we missed 5 and got 6 as FF3.

They finally abandoned this nonsense with 7 which was released as 7 everywhere.

So

FF1US= FF1JAP
FF2US=FF4JAP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IV#Final_Fantasy_II_.28North_America .29)
FF3US=FF6JAP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_VI#Localization)
I'm just posting to note that this is indeed correct.

JP - US
1 - 1
2
3
4 - 2
5
6 - 3
7 - 7
8 - 8

And so on.

The names were corrected in America with the release of the Playstation versions.

Here's some more general info from another forum, spoilered for wall of textness

The basic problem
From FF7 onwards, all installments have been released worldwide (that is, in all areas where people have game consoles). The first six, however, were not, with none reaching Europe or Australia and half failing to make it outside Japan at all.
Two of the three that reached the US were renumbered for the sake of coherence. Then there are the two versions of number four, but that's discussed in another section.

Later on, with the advent of emulation all six found their way to the Internet. The ones only in Japanese were given unofficial yet high-quality translations by romhacking fans, and retained their their original numbers. In addition, Square has been remaking and re-releasing old FFs for the Playstation, using the original numbering.

Here's what the main series looks like, all later re-releases aside:

Final Fantasy 1 - NES game, released in Japan and America.
Final Fantasy 2 - NES game, released in Japan.
Final Fantasy 3 - NES game, released in Japan.
Final Fantasy 4 - SNES game, one version released in Japan, another in America renamed Final Fantasy 2.
Final Fantasy 5 - SNES game, released in Japan.
Final Fantasy 6 - SNES game, released in Japan and America, renamed Final Fantasy 3 in the latter.
Final Fantasy 7 - Playstation game, released worldwide.
Final Fantasy 8 - Playstation game, released worldwide.
Final Fantasy 9 - Playstation game, released worldwide.
Final Fantasy 10 - Playstation 2 game, released worldwide.

So two games have been called Final Fantasy 2, and another two Final Fantasy 3.

Outside the main series
A number of games bearing the Final Fantasy name that are not actually a part of the main series have been made.

Final Fantasy : Mystic Quest - SNES game, made by Square USA as an easy and simple introductory RPG. Released in America and Japan, renamed Final Fantasy USA in the latter. Most do not consider the game a real FF.

Final Fantasy Tactics - Playstation game, Strategy/RPG. Released in Japan and America. In contrast to Mystic Quest, is almost always given FF status.

Seiken Densetsu - Gameboy game, Action/RPG. Not a FF, but actually a part of the Mana series of games; the precedessor of Secret of Mana. Renamed Final Fantasy Adventure in America, and (*groan*) Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest in Europe.

SaGa - Gameboy game. Not a FF, but a part of the SaGa series. Renamed Final Fantasy Legend in America.

SaGa 2 - Gameboy game. AKA Final Fantasy Legend 2.

SaGa 3 - Gameboy game. AKA Final Fantasy Legend 3.

Re-release fun
Square has revamped all of the first six but FF3 and released them for the Playstation, most in two-game collections. Here are the re-releases so far and what they contain:

Final Fantasy Anthology - FF5 and FF6 in the States; FF4 and FF5 in Europe. All have a few added FMVs and a bonus feature or two.

Final Fantasy Chronicles - FF4 and Chrono Trigger in the States; not released in Europe. Both have a few added FMVs and a bonus feature or two.

Final Fantasy 6 - Released in Europe on its own. Has a few added FMVs and a bonus feature or two.

Final Fantasy Origins - FF1 and FF2, remade to more modern versions.

(Data for Japan is missing.)

Final Fantasy 4: Worlds Apart
This thing deserves its own subsection.
Back in the early 1990s, Final Fantasy 4 was not only translated into English, it was somewhat remade into a simplified and less challenging version which was then heavily censored. This version has come to be widely (but not by any means universally) called Easytype; the full Japanese version is Hardtype.

Easytype and Hardtype were released on the Super Nintendo in USA and Japan, respectively. Later on, Hardtype received an unofficial translation into English to be enjoyed by emulator users everywhere. When the time for re-releases came, Hardtype was used and given an official translation.

[jamroar]

Right. We on the boards generally refer to them by their Japanese numbering, truer to the games, plus, they're re-releasing the ones that never got ported for GBA/DS.

Yup, the re-release of the early games is complete by now.

FF1/FF2 GBA port compilation
FF3 NDS remake
FF4 (Final Fantasy II US) GBA port
FF5 GBA port
FF6 (Final Fantasy III US) GBA port

[Nerd-o-rama]

Here's a handy reference guide:

{table=head]Japanese Release/Rerelease|NES or SNES North American Release
Final Fantasy|Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy II|Unreleased
Final Fantasy III|Unreleased
Final Fantasy IV|Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy V|Unreleased
Final Fantasy VI|Final Fantasy III[/table]

From Final Fantasy VII on, all games have been released in the US just after their Japanese release, and the numbers have been the same. As mentioned before, all the 8- and 16-bit games, even the ones that weren't originally ported across the Pacific, have been rereleased for either a Sony system or a Game Boy (or both) with their original enumeration.

[ALOR]

Thanks everyone for responding. I knew that the US and japanese versions were diffrent. I was just worried i had missed a whole game based off of the characters I loved or maybe Squaresoft had rereleased FF3 as FF6 and i missed out on it. Thanks again:smallwink:

[Setra]

Thanks everyone for responding. I knew that the US and japanese versions were diffrent. I was just worried i had missed a whole game based off of the characters I loved or maybe Squaresoft had rereleased FF3 as FF6 and i missed out on it. Thanks again:smallwink:
There was that one playstation game that had FFVI characters in it..

Don't think it was ever actually released though.. or maybe I'm remembering something wrong.

[Korias]

Yes, It is. FF3 is Japans FF6.

But there is only one FF Game you must concern yourself with. And that is FFVII.

[Vonriel]

Another correct me if I'm wrong scenario:

The spoilerized wall of text up there doesn't mention the original Final Fantasy 3, but I believe it's since been released on Gameboy Advance. I'm at school, however, and can't go to a game site to check up on it (stupid filter.. blocks everything but forums and news, it seems :smallsigh: )

[Setra]

Another correct me if I'm wrong scenario:

The spoilerized wall of text up there doesn't mention the original Final Fantasy 3, but I believe it's since been released on Gameboy Advance. I'm at school, however, and can't go to a game site to check up on it (stupid filter.. blocks everything but forums and news, it seems :smallsigh: )
It was released on the DS, and that wall of text was written years ago.

Yes, It is. FF3 is Japans FF6.

But there is only one FF Game you must concern yourself with. And that is FFT.
Fixed

[Korias]

Fixed

Well, thats not a numbered game, is it? It is a good game though. Deep job class system, unique storyline, strategic combat, very well done. Advanced horribly screwed the genre up for me. Always go to the original.

But FF7 is the only NUMBERED FF game you must concern yourself with.

[Setra]

Well, thats not a numbered game, is it? It is a good game though. Deep job class system, unique storyline, strategic combat, very well done. Advanced horribly screwed the genre up for me. Always go to the original.

But FF7 is the only NUMBERED FF game you must concern yourself with.
You didn't specify numbered.

Also, FFV, FFVI, and FFIII.

[Tengu]

Actually, these games go like this, from the best:
6, 7, (Chrono Trigger), Tactics, 9, 5, 8, 4, 3, 1, 2.
Haven't played the rest. 10 is probably between Tactics and 9.

I accept the challenge of anyone who for some strange reason thinks that 4 is an awesome game.

Offtopic: man, Xenogears would beat all Final Fantasy games hands down if only they had enough funds to make disk 2 rock as much as disk 1! Question, I'm currently at the first anima dungeon, will there be more scenes of Fei/Elly sitting down and telling us what happened instead of things actually happening?

[The Extinguisher]

>.>

No, obviously, the [numbered] Final Fantasies are in this order (best to worst)
IV, IX, VI, XII III, X-2, V, X, VII, I, II, XI, VIII

I accept you acceptance of my challenge. IV was awesome because the character development was great, much better than previous games, and much better than many future games. The plot was genious, the twists were unsuspected and interesting. The characters were unique and plentiful, without being too much and relying on picking a party (which I hate with a passion). The settings were well designed, and the graphics were pleasent to look at, compared to some other SNES games. As well, it had Rydia and Edge. Which is more than enough for an epic win. Challenge met.

Also, Chrono Trigger is better than all of them, but it's not a Final Fantasy is it.

[Setra]

More like..

VI, T, XI, V, VII, III, IX, X, IV, I, X-2, VIII, XII, II, XI

XI is on there twice for a reason. Almost any FFXI player will know that the FFXI story is awesome, though most people can't experience it because they stop at 20.

The problem is it's boring, thus it's on their twice.

In terms of Xenogears, the first disk alone is better than any FF, the Second one kinda lowers it... a lot, it's not that bad per se... it just is when you compare it to the awesomeness of the first disk.

I do like the Final Dungeon, even if the Final Boss is a total pushover (Like every gear battle).

Also, Chrono Trigger is awesome.

[Tengu]

I accept you acceptance of my challenge. IV was awesome because the character development was great, much better than previous games, and much better than many future games. The plot was genious, the twists were unsuspected and interesting. The characters were unique and plentiful, without being too much and relying on picking a party (which I hate with a passion). The settings were well designed, and the graphics were pleasent to look at, compared to some other SNES games. As well, it had Rydia and Edge. Which is more than enough for an epic win. Challenge met.


Let us duel then, good sir!

Most of the characters are horribly cliche, lacking any personality that's not designed as default for their class. The plot lacks those things that make Final Fantasy (and most jRPGs) such good games - things that actually move you, or make you think "wow, that's so cool" - for most of the time I was just sitting before the screen with an idle look on my face, thinking "oh, Rydia's village is wiped out and her parents are dead. Should I feel sad now?". The plot is also full of deus ex machinas where authors seem to pull stuff out of their arses. The battle graphics are good, but the battles themselves are very tedious.

That was a great game when it came out, but it didn't age very well. I suspect that most people like it so much due to nostalgia.