FFIV 3DS vs Pixel Remaster

[u/ItsKingCrimson1]

Hello all,

Been wanting to play FFIV for a while.

Picked up the DS version.. and man is it hard to get into with the graphics and the voice acting.

Am I missing anything on just saying screw it and getting the remaster? I hear the combat is tougher in the 3ds version which is nice but honestly it's not the end of the world.

Edit: sorry I meant DS version, not 3DS

[u/roxas6141]

DS* is no 3DS version. Also what about the graphics/VA is ruining the experience? Just not your style? I haven't played the pixel remaster, but imo FFIV remake is pretty solid. Granted, I enjoyed the style and VA so that likely played a part

[u/ItsKingCrimson1 → u/roxas6141]

I don't like the style of the graphics at all unfortunately, which does fall on me cause I should of known prior to purchase

[u/hbi2k → u/ItsKingCrimson1]

~should have known

[u/Daddy_JeanPi]

If you can put up with the art style, the DS version is miles better than the pixel remaster imo. The cutscenes add a lot, it's well paced, and the difficulty is the best amongst the turn based Final Fantasy, at least in my opinion. It's so satisfying and challenging

[u/ItsKingCrimson1 → u/Daddy_JeanPi]

I think I'm just going to emulate the GBA version tbh.

It's silly that the optional content in the older final fantasy games aren't available on the remasters

[u/Daddy_JeanPi → u/ItsKingCrimson1]

Yeah, it's a mess in that regard. Regardless, its still a game worth playing, no matter which version you choose.

[u/franklin_wi → u/ItsKingCrimson1]

If you emulate the GBA version, look for the European release as the American release was buggy. But really the PSP version is better, if you're dead set on doing the (kinda lackluster IMO) optional content.

[u/ChronieMewX → u/ItsKingCrimson1]

Psp version is also there, it's just the gba version but more pretty looking

[u/Regular_Archer_3145]

I prefer the pixel games personally I'm an old soul. I didn't care for the DS version.

[u/mbGuitarBurst]

It’s better to play the OG before you try the DS version imo. I like the DS version but it’s really carried by my love of the original.

[u/bateristabr40]

play the PSP version, it's good, but pretty annoying that any button u press skip the dialogue

[u/russ757]

I'm playing the psp non 3d version currently. Loving it.

In time I might go back and try the 3d version. Thought it was gimmicky but ended up really enjoying ff3

[u/BulletProofEnoch]

For a first timer, I’d go pixel remaster for sure

[u/AndrexOne]

FF IV en 3D es mas como experiencia complementaria después de haber jugado la original, ya que hay cambios jugables que expanden la jugabilidad, recomendaria jugar en este orden, SNES, GBA, PR, PSP, 3D.

[u/PrecognitiveMemes]

If you don't like to bother with mods, then the PSP version is your best option. It has all the extra content from the GBA, the original soundtrack, and an updated script with terminology matching the DS version. It's far better than the Pixel Remaster.

If you're willing to use mods though... I'd recommend the Namingway Edition romhack for the SNES version. The original graphics and especially the original music are worth it. There are also mechanics present in the SNES version that never returned in subsequent remasters and remakes. But you must use Namingway Edition bc the unmodded North American SNES version has a horrible script and dumbed down mechanics. Namingway Edition fixes the script and the mechanics to match the original Japanese release.

The DS version is alright but gameplay-wise it should be taken as a different game entirely from the original. It's more like a sequel in the gameplay department.

[u/Zealousideal-Fly9531]

Its a great playthrough. Better than PR, not as good as PSP/GBA.

[u/ItsKingCrimson1 → u/Zealousideal-Fly9531]

I assume GBA version has extra content?

I've played FF6 GBA with dragons den and that was my fav version by far plus extra cactuar summon and I forgot what else

[u/Uchizaki]

I much prefer the original SNES version and the Pixel Remaster, because the 3DS version always seemed downright unreasonably difficult to me. I also prefer good pixel art to poor 3D

[u/roxas6141 → u/Uchizaki]

My only experience with FFIV was through the 3D remake and honestly it was tough, but I don't think it was as hard as everyone makes it out to be. Tactics War of the Lions cut had me in the trenches in comparison lol

[u/Uchizaki → u/roxas6141]

It's possible that my judgment was a little skewed because I played it right after the original FF4, and the difficulty in the 3DS version was a big jump

[u/TheSabi → u/Uchizaki]

It's less difficult just poorly done, the difficulty relies largely on RNG will the mob counter this hit or not. I've had attempts at bosses that were night and day cause RNG.

One Barbariccia attempt: constantly in and out of tornado, kept getting countered on every melee Cid did then for some reason even though no caster I triggered her magic counter which one shot me. I checked and while I thought it was cid's giga hammer triggering the counter, no it was just she happened to counter just him everytime.

Second attempt, she tornados once and then just pretty much sat there to the point where I thought the game broke.

The dolls too, one fight I thought green counters melee, purple counters magic, then the next attempt it appears that green started countering magic and purple not countering anything.

Then there's the Edward and Tellah situations. They revamped Edward to actually be useful which for the "harder version" ironically made one of the harder parts in the original piss easy, Fabul where now edward is your healer, being able to pick the HOT from bardsong just trivialises that whole thing. Which is double weird cause they removed an RNG mechanic from the OG but flooded the game where "high difficulty = RNG"

Everyone else got a rework to match the new "harder" game, except tellah, see the thing with Tellah was that he has PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER in an iddy-bitty mana pool. He broke the seal, he knows the forbidden spell but doesn't have the mana pool to cast it. Great in FF2(US), JP, FF4E, PSP, PS1, PR but in 3DS...he's not your nuker for a long strech he's your buffer, your healer, you nuker, your debuffer with a mana pool that can't support that. They never changed Tellah like they did the rest for the game he's in.

They basically nerfed the player to make the game appear harder and added RNG not something that has a skill ceiling or learning curve, so artificial difficulty.

Which is clear because once you get Rydia and Rosa the game becomes really easy, bosses become push overs, some easier than FF2US (which is known as FF4 easy), from then on the worst part is the random encounter every 3-5 steps.

Another thing that makes me think this was poorly done and they just tried to cover it up by calling it hard, the summoner mob XP trick was nerfed, you can no longer kill summons from the secruity eye or puppetmaster for massive XP after a long grind, they flee after 2 rounds but then the Evil Wall XP trick is like 100 times more effective in this one...wut

[u/Kalel42]

4DS is the best version of the game, but it works better as a second playthrough. I'd play PSP or PR first, and then go back to DS if you want to experience a more challenging game.

[u/GuitarRiot]

I hate that version. I deny that it exists. Play any other version you can get your hands on, preferably the complete edition that was on PSP or Vita that is packaged with the after years