History Trivia / FinalFantasyII

* NoExportForYou: This originally applied to the game until the UsefulNotes/PlayStation port. Official reasons for the original localization ("Dark Shadow Over Palakia") being canceled were given as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' being released right around the corner, and NES development was drying up in the west.

*** A later draft features is closer to the final game, but features more changes: The Wyvern scenario happens early on (i.e. before Salamand), Minwu was originally a pacifist and is implied to have an active aversion to using damage-dealing spells (making him more of a strict, dedicated White Mage), There is no mention of Maria and Guy being Leon and Firion's siblings and are instead said to be their friends, there were a number of scenes building on Firion's character such as Minwu warning him that "going down a path of carnage makes you like the Emperor! I see a bit of him in you!" or the rebellion accusing Firion of being a spy, Leon [[spoiler: was to confront the party multiple times with it being revealed early on that he sided with the Empire]] and more. Notably, in this draft retains Aile from the previous one, making her a roaming fortuneteller [[spoiler: and the Emperor's mother]]; While she was scrapped from the final game, she does appear in the novelization with the same role.

* NoExportForYou: This originally applied to the game until the UsefulNotes/PlayStation port (The Japanese novelization of the game will most likely always fall into this category). Official reasons for the original localization ("Dark Shadow Over Palakia") being canceled were given as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' being released right around the corner, and NES development was drying up in the west.

* FanNickname: Emperor [[Music/DavidBowie Bowie]] for The Emperor.

* NoExportForYou: This originally applied to the game until the UsefulNotes/PlayStation port (The Japanese novelization of the game will most likely always fall into this category). Official reasons for the original localization ("Dark Shadow Over Palakia") being canceled were given as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' being released right around the corner, and NES development was drying up in the west. However, the likely real reason the game sat in Japan for so long is the fact that the game carries a ''heavy'' death theme and the endgame involves a trip to Hell, which would have been impossible to alter or dodge by Nintendo's CensorshipBureau.

* DummiedOut: Four music tracks not present in the game itself show up on an early soundtrack, including Battle Scene 3 (probably intended for the FinalBoss battle, which in the final game just uses the same "tough boss battle" theme as a number of other bosses), and an early version of what became [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI World of Ruin Jidoor]]'s theme.

** This game features the first Cid. Every ''Final Fantasy'' game after this[[note]]excluding some of the side games[[/note]] has a man named Cid who is usually older than the party (though he may join it temporarily or as a main member) and associated with airships. If he doesn't own, operate, or command an airship, then he's probably still an engineering genius of some sort. (The Cid who is mentioned in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' was {{retcon}}ned into the backstory of the UpdatedReRelease.)

** Princess Hilda. [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds Enough said.]] Unintentional, but someone has to have laughed when they noticed. What makes it more hilarious, one is blonde, while the other is brunette, and depending of the version, dark-skinned.

* DummiedOut: Four music tracks are still in the coding of the NES version, including Battle Scene 3 (probably intended for the reborn Emperor), and what became [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI World of Ruin Jidoor]]'s theme.

* NoExportForYou:
** This originally applied to the game until the UsefulNotes/PlayStation port. The Japanese novelization of the game will most likely always fall into this category.
** Official reasons for the original localization ("Dark Shadow Over Palakia") being canceled were given as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' being released right around the corner, and NES development was drying up in the west. However, the likely real reason the game sat in Japan for so long is the fact that the game carries a ''heavy'' death theme and the endgame involves a trip to Hell, which would have been impossible to alter or dodge by Nintendo's CensorshipBureau.

*** The original plotline revolved around a civil war between two brothers to determine the heir, a conflict which is taken advantage of by both a neighboring kingdom and a group of monsters who were previously chased out. Some of the elements such as Altair as a setting, and a number of characters such as Firion, Leon, Josef, etc (albeit with most being heavily revamped; Gordon was a "cruel bounty hunter" for example) were kept, other elements were recycled for the [[VideoGame/RomancingSaga Romancing SaGa]] games.
*** A later draft features is closer to the final game, but features more changes: The Wyvern scenario happens early on (i.e. before Salamand), Minwu was originally a pacifist and is implied to not use black magic spells (making him more of a straightforward White Mage), There is no mention of Maria and Guy being Leon and Firion's siblings and are instead said to be their friends, there were a number of scenes building on Firion's character such as Minwu warning him that "going down a path of carnage makes you like the Emperor! I see a bit of him in you!" or the rebellion accusing Firion of being a spy, Leon [[spoiler: was to confront the party multiple times with it being revealed early on that he sided with the Empire]] and more. Notably, in this draft retains Alie from the previous one, making her a roaming fortuneteller [[spoiler: and the Emperor's mother]]; While she was scrapped from the final game, she does appear in the novelization with the same role.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: In the unreleased English NES prototype of the game, Gordon and Ricard were named Gilbert and Edward respectively. Leila was also referred to as "Reila," but this was likely just a [[SpellMyNameWithAnS translation glitch]].

* TheWikiRule: The [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Wiki Final Fantasy Wiki]].

** Princess Hilda. [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds Enough said.]] Unintentional, but someone has to have laughed when they noticed.

* RemadeForTheExport: It saw a release outside of Japan on the ''Final Fantasy Origins'' disc on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation.

* RemadeForTheExport: It saw a release outside of Japan on the ''Final Fantasy Origins'' disc on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation.
* ThrowItIn: The Ultima spell in the original version was bugged and wouldn't power up as it's supposed to. This left it doing a measly 500 damage. Director Hironobu Sakaguchi wanted it fixed, but the programmers insists on leaving the bug in, justifying it as Ultima being an outdated spell overshadowed by newer and improved ones, mirroring real life. Sakaguchi then tried to fix the problem himself, but the programmers ciphered the code's source. As such the bug remained. Fortunately Sakaguchi looks back at it more fondly these days.

** Princess Hilda. [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds Enough said.]] Unintentional, but someone other than [[Tropers/MugenKagemaru This One]] has to have laughed when they noticed.

* FanNickname: "Emperor [[Music/DavidBowie Bowie]]." for The Emperor.

* ThrowItIn: The Ultima spell in the original version was bugged not to by powered up by the levels of the users' other spells. Director Hironobu Sakaguchi wanted it fixed, but the programmers insists on leaving the bug in, justifying it as Ultima being an outdated spell overshadowed by newer and improved ones, mirroring real life. Sakaguchi then tried to fix the problem himself, but the programmers ciphered the code's source. As such the bug remained. Fortunately Sakaguchi looks back at it more fondly these days.

* ThrowItIn: The Ultima spell in the original version was bugged not to by powered up by the levels of the users' other spells. The director wanted it fixed, by the programmers insists on leaving the bug in, justifying it as Ultima being an outdated spell overshadowed by newer and improved ones. No one is more determined than the programming going all the way to assure that Ultima stays bugged.

* NamesTheSame: Leon has the same name as another [[spoiler: traitorous]] [[VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny JRPG knight.]] Subverted in the Japanese version of both, though - as their names were Leonhart and ''Lion'' respectively.

* RemadeForTheExport: It saw a release outside of Japan on the ''Final Fantasy Origins'' disc on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation.

* FanNickname: "Emperor [[DavidBowie Bowie]]." for The Emperor.

** Official reasons for the original localization ("Dark Shadow Over Palakia") being canceled were given as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' being released right around the corner, and NES development was drying up in the west. However, the likely real reason the game sat in Japan for so long is the fact that the game carries a ''heavy'' death theme and the endgame involves a trip to Hell, which would have been impossible to alter for or dodge by Nintendo's CensorshipBureau.

** This originally applied to the game until the PlayStation port. The Japanese novelization of the game will most likely always fall into this category.
** Official reasons for the original localization ("Dark Shadow Over Palakia") being canceled were given as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' being released right around the corner, and NES development was drying up in the west. However, the likely real reason the game sat in Japan for so long is the fact that the game carries a ''heavy'' death theme and the endgame involves a trip to Hell, which would have been impossible to alter for or dodge by Nintendo's CensorshipBureau.

* NoExportForYou: This originally applied to the game until the PlayStation port. The Japanese novelization of the game will most likely always fall into this category.