More Thoughts From Me: Back to Final Fantasy 6

Last time, I talked about how I’ve been struggling with my enjoyment of gaming lately. I’ve mostly been playing cozy simulation games. That said, I did start playing Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster recently and I’ve been enjoying that. Let’s talk about my history with Final Fantasy 6 and why this game is yet another cozy game for me.

I wasn’t an rpg fan during the SNES days. I was a teen then and I liked beat ’em ups like Spider-man Maximum Carnage and platformers like Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country. When I did try rpgs, I didn’t like them. I tried Final Fantasy 1 on the NES and didn’t like it. And with the SNES, I tried Chrono Trigger and didn’t like it. Chrono Trigger?! Can you believe it?! And when I tried, Final Fantasy 6, I didn’t like it.

The only SNES rpg I liked was Earthbound. I didn’t like another rpg until…Final Fantasy 7 came out!

Final Fantasy 7 was the game that made me an rpg fan. I remember seeing the commercials for that game all the time on TV. I rented the game and absolutely loved it. I think I got to the second or third disc and we had to return it to the store. So yes, the game was bought as soon as I could get it. Final Fantasy 7 is the reason I fell in love with rpgs.

Square Enix brought out a lot of rpgs on the Playstation, including several collections of their NES/SNES Final Fantasy games. I picked up all the collections. This is where I fell in love with Final Fantasy 4, Chrono Trigger, and of course Final Fantasy 6.

Now that I was an rpg fan, I finally understood Final Fantasy 6 and thought it was one of the best rpgs ever made.

Flashforward to 2023, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster finally was coming out on the Nintendo Switch. I got to review all of the games! Square Enix sent us a code for the complete Pixel Remaster collection. I can’t even begin to express how amazed and delighted I was. I especially could not wait to play Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster. Oh my. It was wonderful.

Now in a time when I’m struggling with most games, I wanted to play something I really loved. So I started a new game on Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster. I turned up how much money and experience you make from battles. I also keep the random encounters off, which makes the game even more enjoyable. I turn them back on when I have to level up of course.  I love that this version has boosts or maybe some would call them “cheats” that let you move through the game faster.

I’m still only playing this game a little bit at a time, but I’ve already seen the Phantom Train. I’m not to the Opera scene yet though.

I want to admit something: I’ve only beaten Final Fantasy 6 one time in the past. My Dad was playing FF6 on the PS1 and he got all the way to Kefka. He couldn’t beat him. He turned to me and said “Can you beat him for me?” and so I did. It was a team effort!

So yes I’d love to beat FF6 this time. We’ll see. I hope I stick with the game all the way to the end. Whether I stick with it or not, Final Fantasy 6 is a cozy game for me. Its familiar and comforting. It feels nice to play it again. I think I’d love to play Final Fantasy 4 next. That was a great game too.

What do you think of Final Fantasy 6? Is it one of your favorite games?

More Thoughts From Me is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed here are mine and mine. I wish Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy Tactics were on the Switch also.