I found a digital copy but I don't know if it's legal to post...I always like perusing these old mags that treated 8-bit video games so seriously, giving them great exaggerated artwork.
The last pages frustrated me because they didn't show you the last boss or tell you what happened at the end (as simple as the game was, it was surprisingly interesting when I did find out). Look at this, they don't even show you the last room:
Level 27? How times change.
Still, strategy guides were different back then. The one I have for Lunar(Sega CD) is a godsend just because it tells you what the spells and equipment do.
(The game doesn't.)
The last pages frustrated me because they didn't show you the last boss or tell you what happened at the end (as simple as the game was, it was surprisingly interesting when I did find out).
Nintendo Power always did that back in the day, to keep the surprise of the final boss, I guess. Gaming life, pre-internet. We were like savages roaming the wastelands.
Those NP Guides are actually issues of the magazine. I think they put them out inbetween regular issues when they were only publishing 6 times a year. Just "The More you know"
Those older NPs seem hard to find, so I'd say yes, it is pretty rare.
Cameron_Talley on
Switch Friend Code: SW-4598-4278-8875
3DS Friend Code: 0404-6826-4588 PM if you add.
I love how in the Sea Shrine picture nobody besides the Knight really seems like they give a shit that the wizard is getting devoured by the cosmic horror tentacles, and even the Knight doesn't seem terribly concerned. The black wizard and the monk are just kind of hanging out.
I feel pretty fucking old, remembering those old NP strategy guides with the red border. There was one for the four-player hookup that had, like, football players colliding on an NES in space. When you look at a movie like AC or a game like FFXIII and then break out the old NES FF1, it's really mind-blowing to think how much these things have changed in 20 years.
Hell, it's mind-blowing to me that it's been 20 years.
Duffel on
0
cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
I think I got that as a subscription bonus.
Much like Dragon Warrior. Ah, the days when free stuff was good.
And the Black Mage seems like 'would you hurry up, there's disembodied pairs of eyes to slay over here!'.
The maximum level for FF1 is either 30 something or 50 (I forget...probably 50). But basically the only way to get to 50 was to fight the Eye in the Ice Cave for hours on end; he's one of the highest enemies that has a set position to be fought repeatedly and is always easy to kill.
The last pages frustrated me because they didn't show you the last boss or tell you what happened at the end (as simple as the game was, it was surprisingly interesting when I did find out).
Nintendo Power always did that back in the day, to keep the surprise of the final boss, I guess. Gaming life, pre-internet. We were like savages roaming the wastelands.
I always really liked what they did with games around the SNES period. Like how FFIII wasn't a "guide," but was like a series of diary entries, almost, with a short synopsis of what happens, but without telling you how/what there is to fight/where bosses are, etc.
And how they did the equipment stuff in Secret of Mana.
And the comics for Super Mario World/Link to the Past/Super Metroid/Star Fox.
I think the best path a guide can take is referring to bosses as "the boss", with full strategies intact.
The guide to Final Fantasy 9 pissed me off so much, because they didn't include like half the stuff.
The best part about that guide was that if you didn't have the internet, you were fucked. My parents didn't have internet until 2005. Final Fantasy 9 came out in 2000.
I think the best path a guide can take is referring to bosses as "the boss", with full strategies intact.
The guide to Final Fantasy 9 pissed me off so much, because they didn't include like half the stuff.
The best part about that guide was that if you didn't have the internet, you were fucked. My parents didn't have internet until 2005. Final Fantasy 9 came out in 2000.
That guide was a pretty clear attempt to wring consumers for extra cash in a period where paper strategy guides were being phased out for online faqs.
Square's always been a whore in that respect. See also: Zodiac Spear!
I found a digital copy but I don't know if it's legal to post...I always like perusing these old mags that treated 8-bit video games so seriously, giving them great exaggerated artwork.
The last pages frustrated me because they didn't show you the last boss or tell you what happened at the end (as simple as the game was, it was surprisingly interesting when I did find out). Look at this, they don't even show you the last room:
Level 27? How times change.
Still, strategy guides were different back then. The one I have for Lunar(Sega CD) is a godsend just because it tells you what the spells and equipment do.
(The game doesn't.)
The NP artwork for FFIV is really, really terrible.
I found a digital copy but I don't know if it's legal to post...I always like perusing these old mags that treated 8-bit video games so seriously, giving them great exaggerated artwork.
The last pages frustrated me because they didn't show you the last boss or tell you what happened at the end (as simple as the game was, it was surprisingly interesting when I did find out). Look at this, they don't even show you the last room:
Level 27? How times change.
Still, strategy guides were different back then. The one I have for Lunar(Sega CD) is a godsend just because it tells you what the spells and equipment do.
(The game doesn't.)
The NP artwork for FFIV is really, really terrible.
I'm not going to post it. Someone else post it.
Their version of Rydia can induce projectile vomiting. Also, Kain with Dreadlocks and green armor.
I think the best path a guide can take is referring to bosses as "the boss", with full strategies intact.
The guide to Final Fantasy 9 pissed me off so much, because they didn't include like half the stuff.
The best part about that guide was that if you didn't have the internet, you were fucked. My parents didn't have internet until 2005. Final Fantasy 9 came out in 2000.
That guide was a pretty clear attempt to wring consumers for extra cash in a period where paper strategy guides were being phased out for online faqs.
Yeah, that guide was total bullshit. Was there ever a real guide printed for FFIX? Like, from Prima or suchlike?
I think the best path a guide can take is referring to bosses as "the boss", with full strategies intact.
The guide to Final Fantasy 9 pissed me off so much, because they didn't include like half the stuff.
The best part about that guide was that if you didn't have the internet, you were fucked. My parents didn't have internet until 2005. Final Fantasy 9 came out in 2000.
That guide was a pretty clear attempt to wring consumers for extra cash in a period where paper strategy guides were being phased out for online faqs.
Yeah, that guide was total bullshit. Was there ever a real guide printed for FFIX? Like, from Prima or suchlike?
Piggyback made a strategy guide for FF9 that wasn't so reliant on the internet, but it still had keywords in it. Granted, now the strategy guide is completely useless because PlayOnline no longer works with it.
IX is pretty great. I remember finding the Ocean chocograph and just shouting aloud how happy I was. Also killing Ozma. All that shit. That game was rather tough but oh so good. (tough for the super boss at least...)
mastrius on
"You're like a kitten! A kitten who doesn't speak Japanese." ~ Juliet Starling
This is made even more hilarious by the fact that FF IX is the most collactathony Final Fantasy game ever.
Friendly monsters, moogle letters, the card game, all those events that happened in towns that had different paths, and the chocobo. You really did need a good guide for that game. And who would have known about that awesome weapon you get at the end of the game if you speed ran it if it wasn't for the guide? Or the trick to it was to open the playstation while the cut scenes were playing so you could skip it otherwise you wouldn't have enough time?
This is made even more hilarious by the fact that FF IX is the most collactathony Final Fantasy game ever.
Friendly monsters, moogle letters, the card game, all those events that happened in towns that had different paths, and the chocobo. You really did need a good guide for that game. And who would have known about that awesome weapon you get at the end of the game if you speed ran it if it wasn't for the guide? Or the trick to it was to open the playstation while the cut scenes were playing so you could skip it otherwise you wouldn't have enough time?
FF9! *shakes fist*
I never attempted that stupid challenge but I can't believe that it comes that close. All the cutscenes can't possibly make up more than half an hour of time, right? I can see how that might be just enough to level up a few more times, but still.
Anyway I would never do that because you miss so many things permanently throughout the game that this supposedly ultimate sword actually gimps your whole party in the end. It's a wholly wasted 12 hours. I know, bragging rights...
This is made even more hilarious by the fact that FF IX is the most collactathony Final Fantasy game ever.
Friendly monsters, moogle letters, the card game, all those events that happened in towns that had different paths, and the chocobo. You really did need a good guide for that game. And who would have known about that awesome weapon you get at the end of the game if you speed ran it if it wasn't for the guide? Or the trick to it was to open the playstation while the cut scenes were playing so you could skip it otherwise you wouldn't have enough time?
FF9! *shakes fist*
I never attempted that stupid challenge but I can't believe that it comes that close. All the cutscenes can't possibly make up more than half an hour of time, right? I can see how that might be just enough to level up a few more times, but still.
Anyway I would never do that because you miss so many things permanently throughout the game that this supposedly ultimate sword actually gimps your whole party in the end. It's a wholly wasted 12 hours. I know, bragging rights...
As someone who has done it, it really is that close. It was a fun challenge, though... and:
EDIT: Oh God, thank you for reminding me of the torture. FFIX is so slooooooooow.
Hahaha, seriously. I was thinking about maybe doing a replay, until I remembered how utterly slow everything is.
Yeah I started a new FF9 game a few weeks ago. I only got as far as the little town where Vivi gets captured. I can't beleive how slow the combat is, even when playing at the fastest speed. I haven't touched it in a week and I'm not sure I will touch it again.
EDIT: Oh God, thank you for reminding me of the torture. FFIX is so slooooooooow.
Hahaha, seriously. I was thinking about maybe doing a replay, until I remembered how utterly slow everything is.
Yeah I started a new FF9 game a few weeks ago. I only got as far as the little town where Vivi gets captured. I can't beleive how slow the combat is, even when playing at fasted the fastest speed. I haven't touched it in a week and I'm not sure I will touch it again.
Much as I love IX, after the superfast combat of X I'm not sure I could go back.
I don't think FF9's combat is that bad or that slow mainly because you have four people instead of three which helps to make up the slack for how much slower the ATB is in the game. It's just the loading. Playing it on PSP, PS3 or an emulator makes it a dream, though.
I don't think FF9's combat is that bad or that slow mainly because you have four people instead of three which helps to make up the slack for how much slower the ATB is in the game. It's just the loading. Playing it on PSP, PS3 or an emulator makes it a dream, though.
If anything, four makes it even slower. In that video, the random battle swirls start at 15 seconds. The ATB bars pop up at 31 seconds. That is 16 seconds for every battle. Then you factor in how slowly the ATB bars fill, and the length of the spells (level 5 death took about 10-15 seconds) and you have a really tedious battle system.
I always enjoyed how the secret summon for FF9 was an airship that transformed into a freaking Gundam in a summon animation that lasted like a minute and a half.
Even so, FF9 is probably still my favorite Final Fantasy and I would rather have a remake of it over FF7.
I always enjoyed how the secret summon for FF9 was an airship that transformed into a freaking Gundam in a summon animation that lasted like a minute and a half.
Even so, FF9 is probably still my favorite Final Fantasy and I would rather have a remake of it over FF7.
I think 9 holds up better, and not just because of it's age. It was a callback to snes FF, so I don't think I would want to see it with next gen glossy graphics.
I always enjoyed how the secret summon for FF9 was an airship that transformed into a freaking Gundam in a summon animation that lasted like a minute and a half.
Even so, FF9 is probably still my favorite Final Fantasy and I would rather have a remake of it over FF7.
I find the PSX version of FF9 nearly unplayable. As mentioned earlier, the slow battle system just feels like they're trying to waste my time. There are also a few other things, like the skill system, that feel excessively grindy.
If they fix those problems, I might give it another shot. The worst part is that I got almost to the end boss in FF9, but I just didn't care enough to finish it.
The maximum level for FF1 is either 30 something or 50 (I forget...probably 50). But basically the only way to get to 50 was to fight the Eye in the Ice Cave for hours on end; he's one of the highest enemies that has a set position to be fought repeatedly and is always easy to kill.
Yeah, a friend of mine did that on my copy of the game back in the day. It was even easier if you killed off two of your dudes so that the remaining two got twice as much XP. And the cap was definitely 50.
I always enjoyed how the secret summon for FF9 was an airship that transformed into a freaking Gundam in a summon animation that lasted like a minute and a half.
I hated how unless you had 100 of a certain gemstone, one for each eidolon, in your inventory, the summon attacks did bugger all damage at the end of the game. The first time I summoned Ark was a collosal disappointment.
Their version of Rydia can induce projectile vomiting. Also, Kain with Dreadlocks and green armor.
I must see this.
I have to see this now as well.
Ask, and ye shall receive.
Spoilered for hideous, terriBAD artwork. In order from least to most accurate to in-game character sprite.
RYDIA KAIN ROSA - holy crap, compare this to what she looks like in FFIV-DS.
PALOM and POROM (Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee)
CECIL (omg, he's not wearing PANTS!)
TELLAH EDWARD YANG CID
Sadly, no FuSoYa.
Posts
Level 27? How times change.
Still, strategy guides were different back then. The one I have for Lunar(Sega CD) is a godsend just because it tells you what the spells and equipment do.
(The game doesn't.)
Nintendo Power always did that back in the day, to keep the surprise of the final boss, I guess. Gaming life, pre-internet. We were like savages roaming the wastelands.
Those older NPs seem hard to find, so I'd say yes, it is pretty rare.
3DS Friend Code: 0404-6826-4588 PM if you add.
I feel pretty fucking old, remembering those old NP strategy guides with the red border. There was one for the four-player hookup that had, like, football players colliding on an NES in space. When you look at a movie like AC or a game like FFXIII and then break out the old NES FF1, it's really mind-blowing to think how much these things have changed in 20 years.
Hell, it's mind-blowing to me that it's been 20 years.
Much like Dragon Warrior. Ah, the days when free stuff was good.
And the Black Mage seems like 'would you hurry up, there's disembodied pairs of eyes to slay over here!'.
I always really liked what they did with games around the SNES period. Like how FFIII wasn't a "guide," but was like a series of diary entries, almost, with a short synopsis of what happens, but without telling you how/what there is to fight/where bosses are, etc.
And how they did the equipment stuff in Secret of Mana.
And the comics for Super Mario World/Link to the Past/Super Metroid/Star Fox.
I know when we had the guide for XII it mentioned the final boss' name, but no pictures, or strategy, or anything. Just the name.
Pokemon Safari - Sneasel, Pawniard, ????
The guide to Final Fantasy 9 pissed me off so much, because they didn't include like half the stuff.
The best part about that guide was that if you didn't have the internet, you were fucked. My parents didn't have internet until 2005. Final Fantasy 9 came out in 2000.
That guide was a pretty clear attempt to wring consumers for extra cash in a period where paper strategy guides were being phased out for online faqs.
Square's always been a whore in that respect. See also: Zodiac Spear!
The NP artwork for FFIV is really, really terrible.
I'm not going to post it. Someone else post it.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
FF:CC has basically the best soundtrack of any FF game.
It's so good it's scary.
Especially the beginning and ending tunes, and some of the melodies from the darker levels.
Their version of Rydia can induce projectile vomiting. Also, Kain with Dreadlocks and green armor.
Yeah, that guide was total bullshit. Was there ever a real guide printed for FFIX? Like, from Prima or suchlike?
Piggyback made a strategy guide for FF9 that wasn't so reliant on the internet, but it still had keywords in it. Granted, now the strategy guide is completely useless because PlayOnline no longer works with it.
I must see this.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
Having the best soundtrack is a side effect of the game having the best atmosphere of any FF game.
Friendly monsters, moogle letters, the card game, all those events that happened in towns that had different paths, and the chocobo. You really did need a good guide for that game. And who would have known about that awesome weapon you get at the end of the game if you speed ran it if it wasn't for the guide? Or the trick to it was to open the playstation while the cut scenes were playing so you could skip it otherwise you wouldn't have enough time?
FF9! *shakes fist*
I never attempted that stupid challenge but I can't believe that it comes that close. All the cutscenes can't possibly make up more than half an hour of time, right? I can see how that might be just enough to level up a few more times, but still.
Anyway I would never do that because you miss so many things permanently throughout the game that this supposedly ultimate sword actually gimps your whole party in the end. It's a wholly wasted 12 hours. I know, bragging rights...
As someone who has done it, it really is that close. It was a fun challenge, though... and:
9999 Damage at Level 1
What FF9 really needed was a new game + where it gave you the Excalibur II back from the start, but nothing else, to make the runthrough worthwhile.
XBL/PSN/Steam: APZonerunner
EDIT: Oh God, thank you for reminding me of the torture. FFIX is so slooooooooow.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Yeah I started a new FF9 game a few weeks ago. I only got as far as the little town where Vivi gets captured. I can't beleive how slow the combat is, even when playing at the fastest speed. I haven't touched it in a week and I'm not sure I will touch it again.
Battle.net: Fireflash#1425
Steam Friend code: 45386507
Much as I love IX, after the superfast combat of X I'm not sure I could go back.
XBL/PSN/Steam: APZonerunner
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Even so, FF9 is probably still my favorite Final Fantasy and I would rather have a remake of it over FF7.
FF IX you say? :P
I think 9 holds up better, and not just because of it's age. It was a callback to snes FF, so I don't think I would want to see it with next gen glossy graphics.
I find the PSX version of FF9 nearly unplayable. As mentioned earlier, the slow battle system just feels like they're trying to waste my time. There are also a few other things, like the skill system, that feel excessively grindy.
If they fix those problems, I might give it another shot. The worst part is that I got almost to the end boss in FF9, but I just didn't care enough to finish it.
Yeah, a friend of mine did that on my copy of the game back in the day. It was even easier if you killed off two of your dudes so that the remaining two got twice as much XP. And the cap was definitely 50.
I hated how unless you had 100 of a certain gemstone, one for each eidolon, in your inventory, the summon attacks did bugger all damage at the end of the game. The first time I summoned Ark was a collosal disappointment.
Ask, and ye shall receive.
Spoilered for hideous, terriBAD artwork. In order from least to most accurate to in-game character sprite.
KAIN
ROSA - holy crap, compare this to what she looks like in FFIV-DS.
PALOM and POROM (Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee)
CECIL (omg, he's not wearing PANTS!)
TELLAH
EDWARD
YANG
CID
Sadly, no FuSoYa.
Steam: TheArcadeBear