All You Final Fantasy IX Fans: Where Were You When It Mattered?

[SOLDIER]

I'm always reading people singing the praises of Final Fantasy IX, talking about how refreshing its charming visual style is, the beautifully woven story and characters, and how Ito deserves to be the director of Final Fantasy XVI.

I don't disagree with any of that, but I often wonder where were you all when the game was launched under a tirade of constant mockery and low sales?

I still remember how in nearly every forum I visited at the time, FFIX was being criticized for its "shitty muppets" designs and "Disney-fied" story. Even major gaming sites at the time were joining in the mockery, despite also giving it the high scores it deserved.

And then World of Final Fantasy comes out, and people were also quick to bash on the refreshingly charming art style once again, this time yelling at the game for looking like some Lego/Funko knockoff and hating on all the dialogue and characters (both which I personally found hilarious).

So when you're all wondering why Ito won't be named head director of FFXVI by now, well....it's your fault.

 

[1000% H]

I was under the age of 10.

 

[Renmyra]

I was 9.

 

[JaseMath]

They were playing new games on the PS2, not that dinosaur PSone shit.

 

[Inspector Detector]

I was playing the game and enjoying it.

 

[Daysean]

I was super underage playing FF5 instead

 

[Champion]

Playing PS2 games.

 

[DarkLordMalik]

This is a typical FF cycle. New game releases. Fans trash it and praise the old game. Time passes and now the old is gold and new is trash. Repeat.

 

[asd202]

Did not have internet.

 

[Bossking]

I was playing the game and fighting people who thought it looked too childish.

Also I was 13.

 

[The Last One]

Didn't this game sold like 5M copies? I'm sure Era has way less users than that.

 

[SOLDIER]

They were playing new games on the PS2, not that dinosaur PSone shit.

Click to shrink...

I was playing upscaled PS1 games on the PS2, which were still superior to the first couple of years of PS2 games.

 

[chandoog]

I was like 12 when that game came out, I got into it way after the fact ..

 

[Deleted member 5028]

18 and loving it

(The game)

 

[Patison]

Sorry, I was 5, couldn't do much

 

[Bremsstrahlung]

I was under the age of 10.

Click to shrink...

.

 

[erekiddo]

I bought it when it came out.

I've bought subsequent rereleases.

It's my favorite FF game.

 

[Deleted member 9584]

When FFIX came out, I was 12 years old and playing.... FFIX.

 

[Aleh]

I was too young to post about it on forums.
I do all I can now though! Best game ever

 

[GreenMamba]

I'm sorry, I knew I should have bought more than just one copy at the time.

...what an absolutely bizarre topic.

 

[thehellofitall]

Being a poor child, mostly.

 

[RNGesus]

Bought it launch day, bought it again when it became a PS Hits or whatever. Bought the iOS version. Bought the PS4 version. Will be buying the Xbox version. I think I've done enough to support the game.

 

[hinryu]

About 15 at the time, bought it day one.

 

[Cordy]

I got it for Christmas the year it dropped and since then I've bought it at least 2 more times.

 

[Jawmuncher]

I don't blame anyone for skipping on FF9 or World of Final Fantasy.

Art Style can impact someone's enjoyment and in the case of World of FF, that chibi style just isn't gonna fly with a lot of people. Especially at full-price or close to full-price.

As for FF9, in the west it came out pretty late much like FF12 did. Where most people were really on the next-gen kick. So even playing an older game wasn't seen as needed. Besides that when you started a new fanbase with 7 and 8 being Sci-fi and go back to actual fantasy. You're gonna have people not wanting to bother with it.

The fact that FF9 still sold well and is highly regarded I think is more than enough of a legacy. Sure it should be loved a bit more and not be so underrated. But at least it's known compared to other titles that don't even get that far in other genres.

 

[Dukie85]

I was at some store, getting my copy...

 

[Cess007]

I was 14 and just started to love RPGs that year thanks to a LTTP play of Chrono Trigger. I got FF9 two years later of the release and only because a friend made me promise I would give FF another chance (played FF7, and FF8; and I couldn''t bear their awful main characters).

So yeah, I was two years late. Sorry.

 

[tunnel visionary]

They were playing new games on the PS2, not that dinosaur PSone shit.

Click to shrink...

I was playing IX on the PS2 since the only PS2 game I had for a time was The Bouncer.

 

[Quinton]

I was 12 and bought a copy and praised it

 

[treasureyez]

I was like, 10, and I had an N64, not a PS1. But I did manage to play bits of it on my friend's PS1, and I loved the game enough to post a rumor (read: lie) online that you could get a sword called Excalibur 2 by playing it for over 100 hours and doing some obscure stuff. :)

It was the best Final Fantasy when it came out and it still is today.

 

[Master Alucard]

I was there day one

 

[Deleted member 8593]

I was 10 and poor. No reason to be a dick.

 

[Mesoian]

That was 2000.

So playing the dreamcast.

 

[Elyian]

Like most others here, I was like 5 when that game came out.

 

[Thrill_house]

I was in highschool I believe and picked it up day one. Didn't go on any gaming sites but I think the few magazines I read gave it good review and most of the kids I knew that enjoyed rpgs liked it. Game was absolutely beautiful for its time too. The intro cut scene was gorgeous. I figured it sold well?

 

[Deleted member 426]

Final Fantasy IX sold incredibly well.

 

[Sanox]

I was a kid and really enjoyed the game.

 

[Korigama]

I was playing it, but would've liked it more if not for the combat. Not one of my favorites, really.

Didn't this game sold like 5M copies? I'm sure Era has way less users than that.

Click to shrink...

Not until three years after release. Either way, it sold the worst of the PS1 mainline FFs.

 

[demu]

I... I've rented it like a dozen of times. I dunno why I didn't buy it back then (or my parents for that matter). Would've been cheaper. Got my own physical copy yeeears later.

 

[Slime]

I was loving it and wouldn't really have the internet for another 10 months to know that people didn't like it.

All my friends at the time were huge FFIV and VI nerds so it was a breath of fresh air to all of us.

 

[Johnzyboi]

I was 5 and unable to drive to my local Walmart.

 

[Neptonic]

Lmao

 

[texhnolyze]

Mockery? Low sales?

Who cares about all that in 2000? The internet was not really a thing yet. I was still a kid and played it with my friend and we both loved it. I never knew that it got such bad receptions until a decade later or so.

 

[Champion]

I was playing upscaled PS1 games on the PS2, which were still superior to the first couple of years of PS2 games.

Click to shrink...

You sure about that? The PS2's first year software lineup was pretty godlike imo.

 

[The Last One]

I was playing it, but would've liked it more if not for the combat. Not one of my favorites, really.

Not until three years after release. Either way, it sold the worst of the PS1 mainline FFs.

Click to shrink...

It is but I think it's understandable coming after the completo different art style of FF VII and VIII.

 

[Yerffej]

I didn't have internet so get off my back, butthead.

 

[Kill3r7]

Bought it day 1, however I still like VII and VIII more than IX. Also, it was a huge departure stylistic from the previous two releases which turned a lot of people off.

 

[Slash SeveN]

Playing Quest 64

 

[Karasseram]

I was playing it on my ps2. So don't you put the blame on me.

 

[PSqueak]

i didn't have a PSX at the time.