This was one of my all time favorite games. I remember how hard this game was when I first played it on SNES which was when I was 10. I got stuck on the following bosses for ever though:

1. Sandy Cindy and Mindy
2. Golbez and Shadow Dragon
3. Evil Wall
4. All the Elemental Lords
5. Zeromous

I rember it took me 3 or 4 months to beat Sandy Cindy and Mindy. Then it took me a month to kill Golbez and the shadow Dragon. Then it took me 6 months to beat Zermous. Looking back it was all to one reason: underleveled and I didn't understand the whole equipment changing. I somehow made it to the final dungen with whatver intial equipment everyone had, but kept getting killed, so I ran from most battles. Someon I knew who was 15 explained it to me. I even started over and such and did much better. I will admit this was my first RPG though, but it got me hooked.

My only copmlaint until this game came out is that at the end of the game your old party members just hang out and do nothing. I always wanted to try and beat the game with my favorite chareters Palom and Porom.

I would love it though if they made a way for you to get Tellah somehow or at the very least FuSoYa though, just for a challenge, especially Tellah since he only has 90 mp.

Hey there efink, and welcome to Neoseeker. Always glad to see new faces around here.

Not being able to switch party members in the original Final Fantasy IV was indeed a disappointment, but it did make the game tougher and much more enjoyable in my opinion. I've always enjoyed being able to switch out characters in older RPGs, such as Breath of Fire and Breath of Fire II, but when you look at it, the first two Final Fantasy titles didn't let you switch characters either, and neither did Final Fantasy V. I'm not sure about Final Fantasy III, but to my recollection, the first title in the series that let you switch characters was Final Fantasy VI, which made that game somewhat easier at certain parts.

When I play RPGs, I play them looking for a challenging experience, not something I can beat in a day or two like some of the more modern games, and I have to agree - FF4 really was a tough game back then. I don't remember how old I was when I first played it, but I remember for a fact that I got stuck for quite a while shortly after Cecil became a Paladin and it wasn't until I got Final Fantasy IV Advance that I figured out where to go.

Thanks for the reply.

I agree that I love a challenge. Since Final Fantasy IX I have not seen a challenging RPG game. X was way to easy. I beat it in a month. X-2 was a great game too, but I beat it in a week. I will admit while I have not beat XII I don't think I will. I got as far as the last place, but quit because it had no character development, no romantic subplot, and once I got gambits the only thing I had to do was move my characters.

I think the main reason why it was a let down way back on the SNES about switching characters was you play as other characters. In FF I, you choose and play the gaem with thos 4. Never played 2 and three, but in 5 you never play as anyone but the five they gave you to play with. In 4 you get to play as Cecil and kain, lose kain and get Rydia, then you get tellah and lose him and then you get edward yang, palom and porom and so on. It would be different in my opinion if they all died, but they just sat around in that tower of prayers. I think that was my beef with it.

In some manner, i liked that fact that you could not switch characters as it meant that you had to train every character to some extent, which in alot RPG's you don't have so characters get wasted.

Also in the GBA version near the end you can change characters to the ones for earlier ones which is good.

quote efink

I agree that I love a challenge. Since Final Fantasy IX I have not seen a challenging RPG game.

quote Amari

Also in the GBA version near the end you can change characters to the ones for earlier ones which is good.

I would disagree with the default members being the strongest when you reach the moon. Edge was always weak to many magic spells you come across, so I get rid of him once I get to that point and only put him in again to beat the game to open his trial and to do his trial. Instead of edge I use Yang as he has more HP and he has stronger attacks. I also switch Rydia and Rosa for Palom and Porom as they learn all the Black and white magic quicker, and they are more powerful than Rydia and Rosa's. Kain I leave generally.

Of course an argument could be made against Palom for Rydia.

Rydia's Bahumut usually causes 6000-9999 HP damage for 60 MP to one or a group of enemies.

Where Palom's Flare causes 9999 to a single enemy for 50 MP.

This message was merged with other messages by Avalith (moderator)

While that may be true, I personally look at a character for his/her best form of attacking and use it. I've always been able to do more damage with Edge than with Yang for the most part. I have to agree with Bahamut being better than Palom's Flare; I've personally used it many times in tight situations and have fared better than using Flare with Palom because of the advantage of targeting a group. Rosa and Porom are really a judgment call; Rosa has more HP, but her spells are slightly weaker than Porom's.

Of course, I think it's safe to say that Cecil and Kain are probably in everyone's finishing party their first time through.

The thing with Edge is that he needs shurikens. His new katana are interesting but I prefer Yang's Hand of the Gods.

I'd also favor Rydia with her new robe.

Maybe the reason I never have found edge useful is due to how I usually get him with most of my characters near level 40, and he is way back at level 25, never really take time to level him up.