Hey there folks, I'm a longtime fan of the series who has (sadly) never played any of the pre-VII games. I'm looking to add them to my collection, but there are an astonishing number of versions out there and the information on them is difficult to sort through. I'd love to get some recommendations from those who know.

Just FYI, I have a DS lite, an iPhone, and a PS3, so the GBA/DS, iOS, and PSN (psone) versions are all available to me. I believe the iOS games are mostly ports of the PSP versions, but I havent been able to confirm that for all of them.

Thoughts?

Thank you!

I'd say the PSP/iOS releases of I-III, DS of IV for the difficulty, but the style/graphics of the PSP release..granted it's not on iOS.
V GBA definitely, and VI I'd say GBA with the patch that fixes the music quality, but with headphones I don't seem to mind it.

SNES is the best version of 6 (3). It's the original! Maybe you could use an emulator.

I played the original 3.The original first on nes and the second and third on an nes emulator.I also played the remake of the first one which i think is gba.It was actually pretty enjoyable.

The PSP versions of Final Fantasy I, II, and IV are the best versions of those games. The original versions of Final Fantasy I and II were plagued by bugs and cumbersome gameplay. Squaresoft felt that Final Fantasy I and II were limited by the NES hardware. I am not a big fan of the DS or Smartphone versions of Final Fantasy IV. The PSP version of Final Fantasy IV is the best version of the game in my opinion, as it has high-resolution 2D graphics. The English translations of the Smartphone and PSP versions are faithful to the Japanese releases, unlike the U.S. SNES version.

The original version of the first game is always the way to go. The graphics were overhauled to be cute and colorful in most later iterations, which is terrible and totally removes the darker atmosphere that distinguishes that game. But yeah, I love the spell charge system, the gruesome difficulty, and the lack of auto-aim. Really separates this game from what came later and makes it easily my favorite game of all time.

I have played Final Fantasy III (VI) on SNES and FFI and I on GBA

For me, the PSX has the best versions of 1 & 2 (i.e. Origins) and 4 (Chronicle). The GBA version of 1&2 is too easy. As for FF4, I've never tried the GBA version and found the PSP version lacking in charm (probably because of its RPG-Maker-esque graphics). 5 plays best on the GBA, though I still enjoy the PS port. 6 plays best on the SNES, but I remember the PS version being fine also.

FF 6 for PSX is the best. Its a major toss of between 6, 7 and 9 being the best of all time.

You'd prefer those shitty FMVs on the PSX version over the crisp, smoothed iOS/Android version?

At least on my cellular telephone I can swap back and forth between FFVI and that other game, Aggravated Fowl. Can't do that on a PSX, now can you?

I don't like playing games on a touch screen and I never found a controller I liked with iPhone or Android

Fair point, I suppose.

In all honesty, RPGs are the only games I can handle on a phone. Anything that requires honest-to-doG precision, either give me a controller, or give me a keyboard – not a flat screen.

I like my PS versions of it, although the last time I played FF IV it bugged like crazy in my smart TV.

Best version of 6 is snes with woolsey uncensored romhack imo.