[X-5]

I got to play this game for the first time in my life today! I loved the first two games for genesis, I played the first one when I was 8 years old, even tho I had trouble beating it I had tons of fun and eventually made it though. I got SF2 when I was 12 (it cost 35 for just the cartridge but it was worth it to me) and had just as much fun with that. I soonafter starting going online and heard how great SF3 is, but since it is so hard to find a working disk-based console that is 12 years old I thought I would never be able to play the great 3rd addition to the series in my whole life :( but with help from online buying I got it!  80$ for the machine and some games, and 86$ for just SF3, shockingly expensive since it probably cost less when it first came out.. but its only $ right? Fun >> $ anyday.

anyway, about the game I am on chapter 2 already and I am having a blast. It does not have that "magically fun" feel that the first two SF games had when I played them, but that is only cause i was younger then and nothing has that effect anymore :( but I can still enjoy it. I kept my leaders name as Synbios cause that is a cool name for a hero(assuming he DOES promote to hero in this game.. hope so) Playing SF in 3D was weird at first but works very well, it would be so cool if they made another one today retaining all the things that gives you that SF feel- same menu's, similar items and weapons, same fighting system.. they could make kickass battle fields and cutscenes and battle scenes now, sucks that it will never happen :(

anybody else playing/played this?

[Bilan]

SHINING FORCE IS THE GREATEST SRPG SERIES EVER BY WHICH I MEAN THE ONES WITH SHINING FORCE IN THEIR NAME AND NOT THE OTHERS WHICH ARE OK BUT NOT AS GOOD I LOVE IT VERY MUCH WHICH IS WHY THIS IS WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS WITH NO PUNCTUATION IN ORDER TO ACCURATLY REFLECT MY FEELINGS OF DEEPEST LOVE TOWARDS THEM AND NOT BECAUSE IM MENTALLY UNSTABLE ALSO I AGREE THEY SHOULD MAKE SF4 IT WOULD BE AWESOME FAILING THAT THEY SHOULD REMAKE ALL 3 SCENARIOS OF SF3 FOR THE DS ALSO THE SATURN IS AWESOME I LOVE MINE VERY MUCH

:(

[EngiNerd]

AND NOT BECAUSE IM MENTALLY UNSTABLE

No comment.

* Minus the Antiporcupine runs

[Aitamen]

SF = FFT > FE > FFTA > DOGSHITE > plaintiffs in cases that show cycle redundancy errors > Any game with the word GUNDAM in it's name

[Bilan]

SF > FFT  > FFTA > DOGSHITE > plaintiffs in cases that show cycle redundancy errors >  FE >  Any game with the word GUNDAM in it's name

Fixed!

[P.P.A.]

BUT IS IT BETTER THAN YGGDRA UNION?
Of which I preordered the English PSP release yesterday by the way. :awesome:

Also I need Dragon Force. If I bought the PAL version and ran it on my Japanese Saturn, would it display in 60hz? Or would I have to get the US version for that?

[Aitamen]

critical fail, RPG.  FFT was originally a tribute to SF, so you must give respect where's it's due...

if nothing else, it should be equal due to the kudos of Square acknowledging SEGA superiority in the PS1 era!~

[Bilan]

Tribute is a tribute to the greatest song in the world but that does not make it as good as the greatest song in the world.

SF remains on top.

[Selphos]

What is the greatest song in the world in your opinion, then?

[Bilan]

SHOOOP DA WHOOP

IMMA FIRIN MAH LAZOR

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH

IMMA FIRIN MAH LAZOR

Its by Mordicae or Morbicae, I forget the exact spelling.

Nah just kidding, I dunno, I dont have an all time favorite song

[Aitamen]

if it was a tribute to the best song in the world while trying to be the best song in the world, it might be...

but it doesn't... "doesn't actually sound anything like this song"

Anyway, FFT is more defined, and has a higher difficulty (DD with L60, and see if you can)

[Bilan]

And SF3 has Masquerain and the penguin I forget the name of. I rest my case.

Also SF music is pwn, especially SF1Mini-Boss music which may or may not only ever be heard when you fight the Marionette.

[Aitamen]

FFT has some awesome music, especially late-game (and Igros Theme mix at the battle for Bethla)

Penguins are awesome... especially those who wear red-hats ^_^

[X-5]

well this topic sure does have some crazy unexpected replies

 i am with rpg that SF it is the best of its genre, just something about how the stats are setup and how you upgrade your weapons and the spells.. nothing super complicated like some games with 20+ different stats that are just overly complicated, sf keeps the gameplay fun and simple, especially 1 and 2. 3 goes beyond that a little bit and adds luck and critical and such but it still is not as ridiculous as some games go. I just realized SF2 is a thousand times better than the first, the first has oddly weak bosses(final boss plus darksol both have stupid attack levels, normal enemies have higher!) but SF2 damn... it has improved ai, menus, funness, enemies and fights are very tough, bosses are of perfect difficulty especially when they have a healer with them as well as a mage with freeze 4.. On SF1 Darksol's priest never helps him! darksol can have 1 hp and the priest would rather swing his stick with 20 attack vs the hero with 70 defense and hit a 1, then darksol dies. plus SF2 has around 45 battles instead of 30, it pwns so much!!! man it would take me hours to explain all the reasons sf pwns so i will shutup.

and sf4 would be great, and a re-release of all 3 scenarios for SF3 in a language most of us understand would be the best thing in the world, I have posted that on other message boards a few times. putting it on ds would be my last choice, I was thinking along the lines of downloading from virtual console, or even releasing it as an official game (all 3 parts) but if it had to come on ds that would be good enough, actually that would probably be better than I thought, I forgot it would make it portable!!!!! I would never be bored away from home again. I would easily pay a hundred or two for all 3 parts no matter what it came out on! cause theres no way I am gunna play the game in japan, not being able to read the text and the enemies names and their stats would completely ruin the game for me. it is definitely not out of the question I am sure.. how hard can it be to translate 2 games and release them for full price or more? should be tempting, companies love porting games so why not port one that almost no one can play properly!! wtf! lets all pray :)

and its been a while since I updated.. right now on SF3 I am on the first battle of chapter 4, most of my characters are promoted and most of them are very strong. my swordsman(he promotes to swordsman and not hero? :( ) has 45 attack which is the highest of the group, and masquerin the mage kicks ass, and I do not even have blaze 3 and 4 yet! the story line is good, tho I will definitely need to play through again when I win to fully understand whose who.

[Bilan]

He promotes to Swordsman because SF3 has a double promotion system; if you had the SF3 Premium Disc (also Japan only >:() it gave you another part of the story, which followed on from the end of all 3 other scenarios, and you pick your best fighters from all 3 parties and use them for the very end, and you can promote promoted units on it or so I here.

Also SF3 gets crazy awesome in the last half of the game, well, more awesome than it is now, some of the bosses are -epic-, especially the penultimate fight which is bundles of fun!

If you have no problems with using emulators, Shining Force Central are currently working on fan translations of both SF3 Scenario 2 and SF3 Scenario 3, with the former scheduled to be finished around Christmas, so you could download the iso and play it in the SSF emulator :O

As for SF3 being the best of its genre, Im not sure I agree, not that it isnt a spectacular game because I love it to pieces but because I have a hard time choosing a favorite out of SF2, SF3 and Bahamut Lagoon X)

[Aitamen]

Only issue with Shining Force is the lack of PLing possibilities.  SF1 > Speedrunning FFT, easily (because there's no other way to play SF), however, I've always preferred grinding a bit from time to time (solo Thief FF1 anyone?).  getting max-stats before you head to Dorter in FFT is awesome.

FFTA and FFTA2 are fun, but they aren't good games in the genre.

Also, the "simplicity" of SF (which I commented on earlier as lack of depth) is a HUGE part of my distaste.

Too many skills are worthless or busted in SF, and most of them being permanently worthless.  Is that how it is in FFT? Nope.  All spells have their uses, and anyone who enjoys toying with enemies will enjoy some of the more gimmicky classes.  Mediator have terrible hit-rate with talkskill?  change to mime and level MA and presto!-- 100% (+) hitrate.  Like those oracle abilities?  boost MA/FA and have a ball with enemies that can't fight back.

Also, unless I have reason (SRing or the like) I do not abuse the brave + bladegrasp or any other 0-chance-to-hit cheapness of FFT, in my own defense.

Do not get me wrong, I do very much enjoy SF, but the inability to make the game easier/harder by levelling (or refusing to do so when the game expects you to) bothers me greatly...

Ever played Dragon Warrior?  Ever max-levelled to slay that nasty dragon at the end?

Not too bad a fight, just lots and lots of levelling to get there, right?

I beat him at 19 (nigh-perfect luck, over 400 attempts... and that's a LOT of walking)

THAT was a blast... but they were both fun.

When it comes down to it, I had to say FFT had the better storyline and equal or better replay value. 

Also, since we're on the subject, I'm going to go ahead and rate all the SRPGs I can name offhand, and their rough order, divided by different pieces of each game.

Also, I apologize for referencing FE as a whole, but as I've not played too much of it, I hope my views on it are viewed with a grain of salt.

Balance of Classes (Storyline):
Disgaea > Soul Nomad > SF = FFT >  FE > La Pucelle > Makai Kingdom > Disgaea 2 > FFTA

Balance of Classes (Endgame):
Disgaea 2 > SF > La Pucelle > FFT > FE > FFTA = Makai Kingdom > Soul Nomad > Disgaea (there is ONE CLASS and if you don't use it you're an idiot, because they're perfect)

Storyline/Ending:
Disgaea (comedy in an SRPG, gotta love it) > FFT (Depth) > SF (a little scarce in 1, but that's understandable, and 2 was pretty good) > Soul Nomad (a little mushy toward the end, and the "normal" ending BLOWS) > FE > FFTA > La Pucelle > Disgaea 2 > Makai Kingdom

*For NIS/Atlas/Mastiff games, it's based on the "normal" ending that you get by following the "expected" hero/antihero course of action

Typical Difficulty (hardest to easiest):
SF (this is the real reason that I tried the game, and it does NOT disappoint), SN, MK, FFT, D2, LP, FFTA, FE (never had to try a battle twice)

Modified/Intentional Difficulty (NonPL or Speedrun or, in the case of FE, a no-loss-all-character run)
FE (no loss), MK (Speed), FFT (Speed/LLG), SF (Speed (normal?)), FFTA (LLG), D1 (max-end, speed, PL), D2 (max-end, Speed), LP (speed, but not really... this run in particular may be my fault, but that's not the point),

Audio (music/speach)
D1, MK, FFT=SF=SN, FFTA, D2, LP

Length of Play:
D1, SN, D2, LP, FFT, FE, FFTA, SF

Also, I know I lean toward NIS games, but I've always had an affinity for them.  I'll still put SF and FFT above them for numerous reasons, including # of replays of each (6 and 21 respectively) as well as comparing them to current tech based on release date.

If you see any discrepancy or any contradictions, I'll be happy to make up my mind on way or the other.

Also, I'm tired, so please ignore any grammar/spelling errors if there are any ^_^

TYAHAGN

[Bilan]

Er what.

SF games give you exp based on your level and the enemy level, to stop you from PLing, so that, you know, that game stays a challenge?

I dont know about you but Id rather have some difficulty in my game instead of spending 40 horus grinding and felling everything in my way with one hit.

Also Id like some examples of useless SF skills, Ive always found a use for all of them, although some of them I rarely use because they dont suit my playing style.

Also according to Zeph FFT has a bunch of useless skills/classes in comparison to FFTA/2

Also it is entirely possible to make SF harder by not levelling, seeing as you can just completely prevent characters from gaining exp should you so wish it

Also fail for lack of Bahamut Lagoon on your list >_>

[Aitamen]

"according to zeph" ?

You mean to tell me that you have the nerve to rank FFT based on incomplete knowledge without so much as a disclaimer?!

End-game is where most of the gameplay is at in all but 3 SRPGS (Namely, SF1&2 and I believe the other is spelled Craedon, but I'm not totally sure, and I haven't played it, to be fair)

I request you beat FFT, including DD.

EDIT: RPG has accepted, and intended to play it at some point anyway ^_^

Also, Zeph, if you happen to see this, what jobs do you find worthless?

Squire: best PL ability in the game (frog trick aside)
Chem: Most Solid Healer in the game + guns rock
Priest: 2nd best mass-healer, and Holy is a must for calc+excal L/E = 3
BM: ROCKS for MA
Knight: Breaks are a near-must for stealing the Genji Gear
Monk: Chakra, Revive, Counter, Earthslash... 3rd best ranged, and they're cheap to maintain.
Archer: Charge, and the ability to use bows, which are the only non-LOS projectiles
Thief: Duh.
Oracle: Stat magics are awesome, as pet is the highest-hitting insta-death spell in the game, and foxbird is very easy to utilise.
Mediator: Talk Skill = Monsters = awesome, as well as brave/faith mod and the ability to effectively nuetralize all enemies (as well as awesome steal from Generics at high levels)
Time Mage: Teleport and Haste, if nothing else (slow, stop, and QUICK)
Summoner: best wide-heal, 3rd best mass-damage (personally, they're my clean-up characters)
Lancer: JUMP PWNS JOOOO (also, Quick and Jump work well together, and chain out really really well... tons of damage and nearly no CT where the lancer can be hit)
Geomancer: A decent physical class, Geomancy has it's place in a number of fights, and with high faith, can be rather devastating.
Ninja: WHOOOSH YOU'RE DEAD (2-swords)
Samurai: Blade Grasp
Calc: Best damage, 2nd best healing, and if raised properly (or if the ability is put somewhere else), they're the strongest unit in the game.
Dancer: (also, the ability to inflict random status ailments rocks) Damage to all is cool to me...  Good combo with... 
Bards: who can boost their PA and make them own hard.
Mime: if used properly, their superior stats and the ability to fit in just about every battle makes them nigh-perfect.

[Bilan]

When I play FFT I still bet there are a bunch of things I never use~

[X-5]

Also SF3 gets crazy awesome in the last half of the game, well, more awesome than it is now, some of the bosses are -epic-, especially the penultimate fight which is bundles of fun!

excellent.. as if I was not looking forward to playing through the game enough, that just sounds plain awesome! this game has tons of bosses, almost every fight. my favorite so far was the vandal in that one mansion with the scary music. spiriel was cool too, she told me to die every time she attacked.

oh and I was saying before that for me the sf series in general is the best, not just sf3. so far I will say SF2 stands on top just cause of its awesomeness, length and cool bosses are are challenging, and you can make them 10 times as challenging by playing through on super mode for increased ai and attack! SF3 is awesome as well as sf1, even if sf1 does have uselessly weak bosses(mostly, kane/cain(? heh) is kinda scary for his high attack, but darksol and dark dragon suck so much with 35 and 67 attack.. why not 99 or higher for both :(

I wonder what the final boss will be... maybe galm the super vandal, maybe one of the leaders of the imperial army..or heck maybe somebody from my own republic.. or maybe my own king! who knows, those are my guesses. if anybody here ruins it for me I will kill synbios and never play again..!

just one question that I have..Galm beat Julian in one hit and threw him into a waterfall. am I ever going to get him back? i spent a lot of time and gold coins raising him, he cannot just die on me like that.

[X-5]

oh yeah you can powerlevel on SF2 by casting spells like heal, aura, boost, over and over again. I think aura would be the best and fastest. thankfully you cannot do that on SF1 and 3 as easily.

I never do it though, you could get to level 99 promoted on the first battle of SF2 but it is a waste of time, challengeless and such.

[Bilan]

Alas, Julian is gone from your party for good, but, you probably noticed he was the same class as Synbios.

Julian is the main character from Scenario 3, which begins right after Galm punts him into the waterfall heh

[X-5]

Alas, Julian is gone from your party for good, but, you probably noticed he was the same class as Synbios.

Julian is the main character from Scenario 3, which begins right after Galm punts him into the waterfall heh

:P yeah I do remember reading that Julian gets his own story in Scn. 3, but I was still hoping we would find him. a shame to lose a great character, but at the same time I guess it was weird having two swordsmen (man I wanna call them "hero" so bad..!! I cannot get over how much swordsman sucks as the promoted class, being a hero in he other games made me feel great..like a ..hero!) I miss how stats over 100 are called ?? too, it was just another cool thing that made SF feel like SF, but I can get over that a little easier. At least the multi color HP bars from SF2 are here, those are cool. Especially Zeon's on sf2,when you fight Galam you see the little blue mixed with full green and say okay he has 240 hp, with zeon you see a full black bar that refuses to change color and you wonder if he is even possible!


I just beat the battle in the lava cave, it warned me of a big evil dragon but it was just a baby dragon. it had 150 hp, but really low attack and defense so it was not such a big deal. I am fighting another general and his army now. I would like to mention Obright (gladiator) is really doing well, he has 39 hp with 65 attack and 32 defense, synbios is only 50 attack and 26 defense! my whole team feels confident about charging into any enemy group with obright around!

[Bilan]

Seeing as you dont have access to Scenario 2 this probably wont count as a spoiler, but sorry if it does >_>

(Im unsure if emulating scenario 2 will detect saves from scenario 1 actually anyway)

Medion and his party go through a similar area to the volcanic cave in scenario 2, and theres a little room with a bunch of treasure chests in; but if you kill the baby dragon the room is blocked off by a landslide heh

SF3 has some really pro things like that with the way the scenarios intertwine

[X-5]

yeah I played a few games where you kinda "split the path" based on the decision you make and it permanently affects what happens in the game next, it is pretty cool concept.

Lots of stuff happened last night...first good and then bad. The good part is after I beat general far-something(i forgot the name already) he dropped a cool sword(which i also forgot the name of already) that put synbios's attack from 48ish to 67! combined with his 45 hp and 30 defense he is way up there with obright now, just awesome. all of my other members are doing pretty good as well, most have 50-55 attack and some have around 45, below 40 is probably useless now.

The bad part is I beat the one fight with masked monks and that evil scary scary guy with a scary face(I forgot his name already too, whats wrong with my memory today??) but the scary guy decided to run away, and when I beat the fight Conrad died :( we all felt sad moving onto chapter 5, (especially synbios) which is where I left off on the first fight(with tons of masked monks trying to stop us)

as a sidenote, I tend to play this game an hour before I goto sleep and playing until I cannot go on, cause when I quit the fairy says I did a good job for today and to get some rest, which is something not only synbios needs, but something I need for real and I think it makes it cool playing that way :P

[Bilan]

I think when I first got SF3 I played through the whole thing in one sitting >_>

[oldskoolgamer101]

As soon as I saw this topic I knew that RPG would have made the first reply. Hell I'm surprised he hasn't found a way to go back in time and cream himself BEFORE the topic creator's post.

[Bilan]

As soon as I saw this topic I knew that RPG would have made the first reply. Hell I'm surprised he hasn't found a way to go back in time and cream himself BEFORE the topic creator's post.

If I had I wouldn't be revealing as such; I wouldn't want everyone wanting my time travel powarz

[X-5]

osg101 must know rpg well from years ago

I beat Fiale, and the queen worm which was tough(it had 220 hp!) now I am fighting general braff's army, and it is the hardest fight yet, I lost 3 times and counting! this fight is very similiar to the chess board battle from SF2, in the way that the enemies are setup and for how hard it is.. I will say it is definitely harder though