 Japanese title screen (Super Famicom version)
Final Fantasy VI (FF6) is a Japanese console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co., Ltd. in 1994. Originally for the Nintendo Super Famicom (known as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES, internationally). Final Fantasy VI was rereleased for the Sony PlayStation in 1999. This version is fundamentally identical to the original SNES version, save for the inclusion of three full motion video sequences, and a handful of omake extras, including an art gallery and monster database.
Because Final Fantasy VI was only the third game in the Final Fantasy series to be released in North America (following Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy IV), the English version of the SNES game was released in North America under the title Final Fantasy III. When the PlayStation rerelease was issued in North America (as part of the Final Fantasy Anthology collection), the original Japanese title and numbering scheme was restored. The game did not receive an official European or Australian release until the PlayStation version was issued in both places in 2002, but the original SNES cartridge was popular in European and Australian imported game stores during the mid-1990s.
Although it did not enjoy the widespread popularity of later games in the series (especially Final Fantasy VII), Final Fantasy VI gathered a significant cult following in North America. To this day, a vocal group of gamers maintains that it remains the greatest installment of the series, a statement which is often disregarded by fans of more recent entries as being excessively colored by nostalgia.
Release dates
- April 2, 1994 — Super Famicom (Japan)
- November 2, 1994 — Super Nintendo Entertainment System (as Final Fantasy III) (North America)
- March 11, 1999 — Sony PlayStation (individually and as part of Final Fantasy Collection) (Japan)
- September 30, 1999 — Sony PlayStation (as part of Final Fantasy Anthology) (North America)
- March 1, 2002 — Sony PlayStation (Europe and Australia)
Plot
The game is set 1,000 years after the ancient War of the Magi, in which humans and magical beings known as espers fought over the power of magic. The empire that now rules much of the world has developed a strange force known as Magitek (a mixture of magic and scientific technology) and is on the verge of rediscovering the full potential of magic. A woman named Terra is sent to the town of Narshe with two soldiers from the empire to investigate a frozen esper that has been found there. After finding it, the soldiers are killed by the esper, and Terra is released from the "slave crown" used to control her. After meeting with a thief named Locke, Terra makes her escape from the forces of the empire and joins The Returners, a rebel group that is trying to bring an end to the empire. Together, they journey to stop the empire from gaining the power of magic and stop a potential apocalypse that could result from it.
Characters
The main playable characters in Final Fantasy VI are (in order of appearance) Terra Branford, Locke Cole, Mog, Edgar Roni Figaro, Sabin Rene Figaro, Shadow, Celes Chere, Cyan Garamonde, Gau, Setzer Gabbiani, Strago Magus, Relm Arrowny, Gogo, and Umaro. Other characters accompany the party on a temporarily basis, but these 14 characters are the only ones the player is able to equip, teach magic to, or otherwise customize. Each individual has a unique special ability.
Playable character profiles
 An imperial Magitek-steering soldier attacks a Guard using Bolt Beam  Celes takes the stage at the Opera House  Gau lives his life on the wild side
- Terra Branford – A woman with the power of magic and the first player-controlled character, Terra was enslaved by the empire for her powers. Hunted by her former captors after she is released by the frozen esper in Narshe, she joins The Returners to escape the empire and find out why she can use magic.
- Terra's special ability is Morph, which she can access after a plot event. She can transform into a creature of pure magic (and it changes her sprite) for a brief period, which gives her a boost in magical power.
- Locke Cole – A thief, though he much prefers the term "treasure hunter", Locke finds Terra in Narshe. He helps Terra escape the empire and is responsible for introducing her to The Returners. He shares some, if not all, of the traits befitting a Byronic hero.
- Locke's special ability is Steal, which allows him to steal items from enemies. When he equips the Thief Glove relic, Steal becomes Capture, which allows him to do physical damage whilst stealing.
- Edgar Roni Figaro – The king of the kingdom of Figaro and a member of The Returners, Edgar is a relentless lothario, given to flirting with any woman he meets.
- Edgar's special ability is Tools, which allows him to attack his enemies with a variety of special weapons that he finds over the course of the game.
- Sabin René Figaro – A martial arts expert, Edgar's younger brother Sabin joins the group after meeting up with them while traveling over a mountain.
- Sabin's special ability is Blitz, which allows him to use a variety of martial arts abilities activated through complex control-pad motions.
- Shadow – A mysterious ninja and mercenary who works temporarily with the group at a few points in the story, Shadow fights along with his dog, Interceptor. He can join the party permanently after a plot event.
- Shadow's special ability is Throw, which allows him to throw weapons from the party's inventory at his enemies. Interceptor sometimes blocks enemy attacks and counterattacks.
- Celes Chère – A former general of the empire, Celes voiced misgivings over the tactics utilized by Imperial forces, and was jailed for her insubordination. Rescued by Locke, she joins The Returners in their fight against the empire, despite her questionable loyalty.
- Celes's special ability is Runic, which allows her to absorb any magic spell cast on the battlefield by friend or foe. She is also the only other natural magic-user in the game after Terra.
- Plays Maria in the aria Aria di Mezzo Carattere.
- Cyan Garamonde – A retainer of the kingdom of Doma, Cyan is an expert swordsman. The lone survivor of an imperial attack on Doma, he joins The Returners to avenge his family and homeland. He harbors a serious distrust for Celes.
- Cyan's special ability is Sword Technique, which allows him to perform a variety of powerful techniques with his sword, but a special time gauge has to build up to use the stronger techniques.
- Gau – A feral child, Gau was abandoned as a baby and was raised by animals in the harsh wilderness known as the Veldt. He makes friends with Sabin and Cyan after they run into him on The Veldt and decides to journey with them.
- Gau's special abilities are Rage and Leap. He can learn the abilities of an animal on the Veldt with Leap and afterwards use those abilities with Rage.
- Setzer Gabbiani – A gambler with an interest in adventure, Setzer is asked to join The Returners so that they can use his airship for transportation. He accepts after losing a rigged coin toss to Celes.
- Setzer's special ability is Slot. He is able to use a slot machine with special powers to give him random abilities for use in battle. By equipping the Coin Toss relic, Slot becomes GP Rain, which allows him to throw GP (the game's money) at all enemies on screen causing an amount of damage equal to the GP lost in the attack.
- Mog – A moogle with the rare ability to talk like a human, Mog joins The Returners after they save his life from a thief. He is considered by many fans of Squaresoft to be the company's unofficial mascot.
- Mog's special ability is Dance, which allows him to use a variety of dances to create attacks in battle. Once he starts, he continues to use random dances from the selected dance category until the battle ends or he falls.
- Strago Magus – A descendant of the warriors who fought in the ancient War of the Magi, Strago has inherited a trace of their mystic powers. The Returners meet him while they are passing through the town of Thamasa, and he reluctantly joins them for the safety of the world.
- Strago's special ability is Lore (also known as Blue Magic), which allows him to learn certain magic abilities of enemies and use them as his own. Different from normal magic, Blue Magic is uniquely available to Strago.
- Relm Arrowny – Granddaughter of Strago and expert artist, Relm joins The Returners despite Strago's unwillingness to allow her.
- Relm's special ability is Sketch, which allows her to draw a copy of her enemies that will come to life and attack them. If she equips the Fake Moustache relic, Sketch becomes Control, which allows her to control enemies and use their own attacks.
- Gogo – Gogo is a mysterious person about whom not much is ever revealed, not even its gender (though in the Japanese version of the game, Gogo uses the pronoun "おれ", which suggests that Gogo is male). Gogo lives within a creature called Zone Eater on Triangle Island. Gogo is a "secret character" (a form of Easter egg); persuading him or her to join the party is optional. Because of Gogo's mysterious nature, fan rumors and hoaxes abound about his/her true identity, ranging from "Setzer's friend Daryl whose airship crashed on Triangle Island" to "Adlai Stevenson".
- Gogo's special ability is Mimic, which lets him/her use the abilities of his/her teammates after they use them. Gogo can also equip a selectable set of abilities from the other characters.
- In Final Fantasy V, the player needed to defeat an optional boss named Gogo in order to obtain the Mimic job class. This Gogo would counter the abilities used against him/her, and visually resembled the Gogo of Final Fantasy VI.
- Umaro – A sasquatch living in the caves of Narshe, Umaro is an optional character and will join the team only if the player brings Mog to talk him into it.
- Umaro is the only main character that cannot use magic and will fight without being controlled by the player. Umaro's attack power will increase and he will gain a unique breath attack if he is equipped with the Blizzard Orb and Rage Ring relics.
Non-Playable Characters
 Kefka at large in the World of Ruin. - Kefka Palazzo – Kefka is the first MagiTek Knight created by the Empire and the main villain of the game. The process of gaining magic left him more than slightly insane. Despite his tendency to dress like a jester, he is not to be underestimated.
- Emperor Gestahl – The ruler of the Empire with a desire to rule the world, Gestahl imprisoned Kefka for poisoning the city of Doma. While trying to stop Kefka from destroying the world, he meets his apparent end when struck by a lightning bolt after trying to use his magic on Kefka within the vicinity of the ancient statues. However, if the lightning bolt didn't kill him, then he almost certainly perished when Kefka shoved him off the Floating Continent.
- General Leo Cristophe – Like Celes, Leo is a general of the Empire who opposes Kefka. After being sent by Gestahl to locate the espers, he is murdered by Kefka.
- Ultros – A lonely octopus that follows the group around the world, Ultros fights them from time to time until he ultimately ends up being a receptionist at the Colosseum in the World of Ruin.
- Banon – Leader of the Returners, a rebel group against Gestahl's empire. Although, Banon is listed as a non-playable character, there is a short section of the game in the beginning where you have the ability to use and control him in your party.
- Arvid – Member of the Returners. Lives in a house in Narshe.
Localisation and Censorship
 North American title screen (SNES version) The North American SNES game is not a straight translation but contains some localisation changes.
The biggest change is the title, which was changed to Final Fantasy III. Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy III, and Final Fantasy V had not yet been released in America, so Squaresoft (the North American subsidiary of Square) decided to alter the numbering scheme in the North American releases to hide the fact that some games in the series did not appear in the US. Thus Final Fantasy Final Fantasy IV became Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy VI became Final Fantasy III. Starting with Final Fantasy VII the decision was made to realign the series with its Japanese numbering, leading to an apparent "jump" of 3 games. This continues to cause confusion, with some American fans referring to the games by the American-release numbering and some by the original, full series numbering.
Unlike the localisation of Final Fantasy IV there were no significant gameplay changes. Certain editorial changes, however, were instituted in the English script, in large part due to the content guidelines imposed by Nintendo of America.
- "Well, there's a level of playfulness and – dare I say – sexuality in Japanese games that just doesn't exist here [in the USA], basically because of Nintendo of America's rules and guidelines. And this includes little characters that take their clothes off, or show their bottoms or chests – that Nintendo won't allow over here."
- Ted Woolsey, FF6 translator, regarding censorship of the SNES North American version of FF4. RPG special (January, 1995). Super POWER, p. 18. Translation from Swedish to English courtesy of Neil West [1] (http://smc.smallcave.net/woolsey/superplay.php)
Some of the most notable changes include:
- The graphics on the bar signs have been changed so that they read Cafe instead of Pub.
- Some minor instances of nudity have been covered up.
- Smoke rings coming from a pipe have been removed.
- Many spell and monster names were changed. To take just one example, the early "Leafy Rabbit" creature became simply a "Leafer" in the English release. Notably the spell name "Holy" was changed to "Pearl", likely for fear of offending American religious groups. This was in keeping with Nintendo of America guidelines: the same spell had been renamed "FADE" in Final Fantasy I and "White" in Final Fantasy IV.
- Many bugs identified in the original Japanese version were corrected, or worked around. For example, the Opera House rat glitch, the mosaic effect glitch, the 256th item equip glitch, and the Merit Award + Atma Weapon on Gau glitch. Interestingly, the mosaic effect glitch occurs in the PlayStation re-release in America, even though it did not in the original SNES release.
- One major bug, unfortunately, was added in the American release. If Relm's Sketch command fails, an uninitialised pointer in the game's programming could cause many damaging effects, such as the loss of all saved games. Later Final Fantasy III SNES cartridges corrected this, as did the PlayStation rerelease.
Name changes of major characters:
| Japanese | Romaji | Designers' Intention | US
|
| ティナ
| Tina
| Tina
| Terra
|
| マッシュ
| Masshu
| Mash
| Sabin
|
| カイエン
| Kaien
| Cayenne
| Cyan
|
| ストラゴス
| Sutoragosu
| Stragos
| Strago
|
| ガストラ
| Gasutora
| Gastora
| Gestahl
|
| アルテマウェポン
| Arutema Uepon
| Ultima Weapon
| Atma Weapon
|
| ケット・シー
| Ketto Shii
| Cait Sith
| Stray
|
| ミドガルズオルム
| Midogaruzuorumu
| Midgardsormr (*)
| Terrato
|
Note that many of the changes to playable character names are simply reasonable approximations of the original names within the 6-character limits imposed by the game engine. However, some changes, such as Tina/Terra and Mash/Sabin were intentionally instituted by the translator because of cultural differences. In Japanese Tina sounds exotic and intriguing because of its rare "Ti" sound, whereas in America it is an everyday name. Interestingly, two characters from Final Fantasy VII appeared in this game, but English players were not aware of this due to the name changes. They are Cait Sith and Midgar Zolom (a snake swimming on the world map of Final Fantasy VII).
Similarly, another such change involves the minor characters Biggs and Wedge, clearly named in reference to Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles from Star Wars, were translated as Vicks and Wedge. Chrono Trigger repeated this mistake, having been also translated by Ted Woolsey. However, in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII, as well as the PlayStation re-releases of Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger, this was corrected.
The PlayStation rerelease (issued as part of Final Fantasy Anthology in North America) utilizes Ted Woolsey's original translation, with only a few minor edits (such as the aforementioned "Biggs" → "Vicks" correction, and changing the name of the item "Fenix Down" to "Phoenix Down"). This localization was also used when the game was released for the PlayStation in Europe in 2002.
Music
Album cover for Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale Many fans regard the music in this game, especially at the end, as refreshingly new. Composer Nobuo Uematsu's work truly shines in this game and he makes extensive use of leitmotifs in Wagnerian fashion. You can get some of the noted music at www.bluelaguna.net.
Official soundtrack CDs
The following are the official Final Fantasy VI CDs:
Other CDs
List of other CDs featuring music from the game:
- Final Fantasy 1987-1994
- The Best of Final Fantasy 1994 – 1999: A Musical Tribute
- Final Fantasy Vocal Collections 1 ~ Pray
- Final Fantasy Vocal Collections 2 ~ Love Will Grow
- Final Fantasy N Generation
- The Black Mages
- Fantastic Wave – Final Fantasy Sound Fair – promotion CD
- 20020220 Music From Final Fantasy – music from a concert held in Tokyo on 20 February 2002
- POTION – Relaxin' with Final Fantasy
- Best of Final Fantasy 1994-1999 A Musical Tribute
- Project Majestic Mix Gold Edition
- Project Majestic Mix Silver Edition
Production credits
Original Super Famicom / SNES version
- Producer — Hironobu Sakaguchi
- Director — Yoshinori Kitase and Hiroyuki Itou
- Main Programmer — Ken Narita and Kiyoshi Yoshii
- Graphic Director — Tetsuya Takahashi, Kasuko Shibuya (as Kazuko Shibuya), Hideo Minaba and Tetsuya Nomura
- Music — Nobuo Uematsu
- Image Designer — Yoshitaka Amano
- Battle Planner — Yasuyuki Hasebe and Akiyoshi Oota
- Field Planner — Yoshihiko Maekawa, Keita Etoh, Satoru Tsuji and Hidetoshi Kezuka
- Event Planner — Tsukasa Fujita and Keisuke Matsuhara
- Effect Programmer — Hiroshi Harata and Satoshi Ogata
- Battle Programmer — Akihiro Yamaguchi
- Sound Programmer — Minoru Akao
- Effect Graphic Designer — Hirokatsu Sasaki
- Field Graphic Designer — Takaharu Matsuo, Yusuke Naora, Nobuyuki Ikeda, Tomoe Inazawa, Kaori Tanaka, Takamichi Shibuya, Shinichiro Hamasaka (as Shinichirou Hamasaka) and Akiyoshi Masuda
- Monster Graphic Designer — Hitoshi Sasaki
- Object Graphic Designer — Kazuhiro Ohkawa
- Sound Engineer — Eiji Nakamura
- Remake Planner — Weimin Li and Aiko Ito
- Translator — Ted Woolsey
PlayStation remake
- Director — Katsuyoshi Kawahara
- Producer — Yusuke Hirata
- Publicity — Masako Hozawa, Yuuki Kitayama and Testuya Tanaka
- Coordinators — Rei Komatsu, Terutaka Komorizono, Kiyomi Nakamura and Kiyomi Tanikawa
- Quality Managers — Hiromi Matsuda and Nishiki Sugi
- Executive Producer — Tomoyuki Takechi
- Localisation Director — Kazuyoshi Tashiro
- Programmer — Yoshinori Uenishi
- Assistants — Mai Morofushi and Tomoko Sekii
Packaging artwork
Ff6jbox.gif
Box art for the original Japanese Super Famicom release
|
Ff3usbox.gif
Box art for the North American SNES release
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Ff6eupsxbox.jpg
Box art for the European PlayStation release
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Final Fantasy VI
Super Famicom, Japan
| Final Fantasy III
Super NES, North America
| Final Fantasy VI
PlayStation, Europe
|
Ff6jpsxbox.jpg
Box art for the Japanese PlayStation rerelease
|
Ffcollectionpsxbox.jpg
Box art for the Japanese Final Fantasy Collection compilation
|
Ffabox.jpg
Box art for the North American Final Fantasy Anthology compilation
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Final Fantasy VI
PlayStation, Japan
| Final Fantasy Collection
PlayStation, Japan
| Final Fantasy Anthology
PlayStation, North America
|
See also
References
- RPG Special (January, 1995). Super POWER, p. 18.
External links
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