What version of FFIV is the best/should I get?

The options are:

Virtual Console, the port of the SNES "US Easy" Version, $8 download

DS, can get on eBay for $10-15 at most, has 3D graphics but is harder (?)

GBA, slightly improved version of the original Japanese version, can get on ebay for $5-12

Another way to look at it:

Do you want to be able to go mobile with it? Or just play it on the VC?

If you want to go mobile, go DS. It sounds better.

Ask yourself these questions:

i) Do you want to play it on the big screen?

ii) Do you want it to be on a handheld?

iii) Do you want an easy time with the game? or a challenge?

iv) Spoony translation or not-so-spoony translation?

v) 2D or 3D?

vi) How much money am I willing to spend?

If I really had to choose then I would go with the DS version.

Some other things to consider:

VC - had commands removed from the original Japanese version (Rosa's pray, Cecil's Dark, etc.). And like others mentioned it was the Easy version, and it's not mobile.

GBA - I heard the port isn't perfect and it has a bit of glitchiness/slow downs, but it has an additional area in Mt.Ordeals that the DS version does not have.

DS - Touched up script (for the better in my opinion, classic lines like spoony bard are left in, but the language is more authentic medieval fantasy fare), voice acting in major scenes, 3D, a few minor added scenes that flesh out the story, drastically increased difficulty from the VC version (I'm not sure how it compares to the GBA version in this respect because I haven't played it), and a few minigames with Whyte, Rydia's new summon.

I'm probably going to upgrade to FF IV DS soon anyways.

Like really soon. For that playathon XD

I might get the VC version of FFIV for that playathon so I will have an easy time with it.

So which did you end up going for Admin? I'm kind of curious. :3

I have the DS version, and I have to admit that the addition of augments still baffles me. D:

Haven't yet, Sora.

What do you mean, Valentine?

First of all, the DS version is evidently the only version that uses "augments." They're like equippable techniques. You don't earn them, you don't level into them, you find them through certain actions in the game. Sometimes side-characters will give them to you, sometimes you find them after certain battles, sometimes you get them after giving an augment to one of your characters, and you should try to remember to give everyone 1-3 augments, I suppose, seeing as how you can get 2-3, new augments back from that process alone.

Someone told me, to prepare to spend my life grinding in FFIV if I don't get Omnicasting and something else. Good thing I forgot.

Some examples of augments are: Auto-Potion, Focus, Tsunami, Inferno, Bless, Phoenix, HP +50%, etc.

They're not really terribly hard to get, but they're easy to neglect.

hmm. I've basically ignored the augments. I haven't gotten stuck in the game yet....but I haven't finished it either. Is there a particular boss fight that makes it easier with augments, or do they just make the game easier in general?

From what I understood they are there to add some customization that was non-existent in FFIV. Are they really that game breaking? I am disappointed that SE didn't think things through if they are.

Augments are optional but they definitely make the boss fights easier.
I never used augments till I got to the moon so I don't have many and my party's stats are terrible. (From what I've heard, it influences the grow of your party members' stats.) So the more augments you use, the better.

I kinda screwed myself over and I can't beat the final boss despite my party being around Level 85-90. I don't want to start over again.

Wow, that's stupid. SE did what I never thought they could do, they ruined their awesome 90s games. I am disappointed.

That's what the SNES and GBA version are for. The first version I played was the NTSC SNES version and I didn't have much trouble beating it and I was young at the time.

I bought the IV DS version off of ebay, and I ended up having to restart after realizing that I used an augment where I really shouldn't have.

...I hate being a perfectionist.
I haven't touched it since I restarted

Yeah, see, someone told me the augments are the difference between beating the game and killing yourself over the last boss fight, in particular. I just don't get how they make your party so much better, because as techniques themselves... I never find a purpose to use anything other than "Cry" or "Kick" right now, but I'm only at the Ancient Waterway so far...

I swear, here's how you beat such an obnoxious game. You get Action Replay and you max your stats for the last boss fight. I'm serious. Something like augments shouldn't make or break a team. That's B.S.

@Donth8: Yeah, I've played the SNES version as well. I just never finished it (a bad habit of mine). I will probably play the SNES version along with this one.

Well, I guess I'll have to try adding some augments on that are at least partly useful, and if all else fails, I'll eventually restart the game with this new knowledge. But I agree, augments should not be forced down your throat.

@Soar
*GASP* you've never finished FF IV?! Do you know the storyline? Nevermind don't answer that. You read FFwiki all the time

>.> I wanna play FF II actually xD

If only Soul Calibur Broken Destiny wasn't so addicting @_@

Tony wrote:@Soar
*GASP* you've never finished FF IV?! Do you know the storyline? Nevermind don't answer that. You read FFwiki all the time

Well too bad, I'm going to answer it anyway.
Yeah, I do know, as you mentioned, I read the wiki entry awhile ago. However, since I read it awhile ago, the finer details are a bit fuzzy. I just know who joins your party on the Moon, and the final boss' name...but I don't really recall what motivated the final boss.

soaring_wings wrote:
Well too bad, I'm going to answer it anyway.
Yeah, I do know, as you mentioned, I read the wiki entry awhile ago. However, since I read it awhile ago, the finer details are a bit fuzzy. I just know who joins your party on the Moon, and the final boss' name...but I don't really recall what motivated the final boss.

Yeah it's a bit fuzzy for me too.
...I guess we'll have to put FF IV on that RPGfest that Admin has going on!

I'll try again tomorrow to see if I can beat the final boss. I'll also be playing the DS version of FFIV for the RPGFest.

Tony wrote:
...I guess we'll have to put FF IV on that RPGfest that Admin has going on!

Actually, I'm saving it for the FF Marathon....but who knows when that will start though. I keep getting side tracked by new games and marathons.