Final Fantasy 6 is one of the most beloved games in the series, and is usually named among the best titles in the SNES library. Characters like Terra, Kefka, Locke, and Celes have become icons in their own right, while Nobuo Uematsu's masterfully crafted music is still considered a classic. Although players have nothing but love for the experience, there wasn't a version of the game that was free of compromises.
Originally released in the late SNES era, Final Fantasy 6 came out in 1994 in both Japan and the Americas, where it was called Final Fantasy 3, as three games in the series had been skipped. While Final Fantasy 7 was the one that took the world by storm, it was not like its predecessor did poorly, having sold over three million copies in both territories, more than double of what Final Fantasy 4 had sold. Ever since then, the game has been re-released many times, with the Pixel Remaster version being the latest version. This could finally be the ultimate incarnation that fixed the technical issues of its predecessors.
Final Fantasy 6 On The SNES Was Buggy
The original release of the game for the SNES is the version of Final Fantasy 6 that players remember the most. Sporting an incredible story and cast with 14 party members, players took control of a group of rebels fighting against the Empire, a narrative trope that would be repeated in many other entries. This version of the game took full advantage of what the SNES could do; displaying maps in mode 7 to create the illusion of 3D, using its full palette for detailed sprites, and a soundtrack with music influences from opera and classical music, to rocking basses and drums for battle themes.
Final Fantasy 6 on SNES is still possibly the best way to enjoy the game, and is the version on the incredibly successful SNES Classic. The problem was that it was also packed with all kinds of bugs and glitches that make the gameplay experience less than ideal. For example, the evade stat is absolutely useless in the game and does nothing, which made status effects like blind useless. Also, because casting Vanish made enemies easier to target with magic, casting it and then using instant death spells such as Doom or X-Zone is basically a cheat code in many encounters.
Some other bugs were more game-breaking, such as losing Interceptor forever, losing the airship because of traveling between worlds, and such. Besides these bugs, there was also the spotty translation which, although charming, was far from ideal. Lines such as "That’s Shadow…! He’d slit his mama’s throat for a nickel!” and the almighty Kefka's "Son of a submariner!" have become meme material since then.
Final Fantasy 6's Long Loading Times On PS1
After the world changed with the release of Final Fantasy 7 and gamers hungered for more JRPGs, Square Enix saw the potential in re-releasing older titles. A few days after the release of Final Fantasy 8 in 1999, the Final Fantasy Anthology released, which included both Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 5. This new version was very similar to the SNES in look and feel and fixed some of the most game-breaking Final Fantasy 6 spells to work as intended, but also threw in an FMV opening and ending to take advantage of the CD technology. Still, it came with a few quirks of its own.
The biggest issue in Final Fantasy 6 for the PS1 was that, as the game had to be read from a CD instead of a cartridge, loading times had been lengthened. Even things like going to the menu to check your characters' status, which players do a lot in RPGs, took longer than in the SNES. While this might seem minor, it is incredibly annoying in the long run, and this problem has carried over even to the PSP and PS3 ports on PSN, which do not even run from a physical disc. This is a shame, as it is the only version of Terra's story ever released for Sony users.
Final Fantasy 6 On GBA Sacrifices Sound For Content
The first significant revision of the game came out in 2006 under the name Final Fantasy 6 Advance, and featured many upgrades on the technical side. The new translation was more consistent with the Japanese original script, it featured slightly better visuals, and kept the bestiary feature from the PS1. Although it had to drop the FMV videos, it had also the least amount of bugs, and two new areas with new summons. It was a perfect opportunity to spend more time with Locke, Celes, Sabin, Edgar, and the others.
The problem with Final Fantasy 6 Advance came not from Square Enix's work, but from the hardware capabilities of the Gameboy Advance itself. The tiny speaker doesn't really do Uematsu's work justice, but even listening with headphones, there is a clear downgrade in the sound department. Besides this, the final issue is that it was discontinued in 2008, so the mere act of getting access to this version is not that easy in 2021.
Final Fantasy 6 On Mobile Was Contentious For Fans
Final Fantasy 6 was released for mobile phones in 2014, and with it came a new art style that fans weren't crazy about. These mobile ports turned the game in HD, but in the process traded its grungy look for almost pastel colors and characters that compromised the game's original aesthetic, too far for fans' tastes. This version was released for PC on Steam too, but is generally so disliked that it will be replaced by Final Fantasy 6's Pixel Remaster.
FF6's Pixel Remaster Has The Chance To Do Everything Right
Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster could finally be the incarnation of the game fans have been waiting for. Simply by not having the shortcomings of the other systems, it is uniquely positioned to do everything right. Granted, it won't have the extra content from the GBA game, which all previous Pixel Remaster versions ditched as well. However, simply loading quickly, having the new translation, not having game-breaking bugs, and using the re-recorded interpretations of the music, fans will be able to access the best version yet.
Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster will release for PC and Mobile in February 2022.