History VideoGame / FinalFantasyVI

A thousand years later, human civilization has rebuilt itself with the aid of technology, and magic is known only in myth and legend. However, the old Emperor Gestahl of the southern continent believes the legends, and has built himself an army of conquest based on a new technology -- the fusion of machinery and magic. Three magically enhanced army leaders help him in his war: the brave general Leo, the determined general Celes Chere, and the mad general [[MonsterClown Kefka Palazzo]], a PsychoPrototype bent on [[AGodAmI godhood]] who's slowly gaining power...

A thousand years later, human civilization has rebuilt itself with the aid of technology, and magic is known only in myth and legend. However, Emperor Gestahl the southern continent believes the legends, and has built himself an army of conquest based on a new technology -- the fusion of machinery and magic. Three magically enhanced army leaders help him in his war: the brave general Leo, the determined general Celes Chere, and the mad general [[MonsterClown Kefka Palazzo]], a PsychoPrototype bent on [[AGodAmI godhood]] who's slowly gaining power...

Popular gaming site IGN ranked FFVI as the #1 Final Fantasy game. FFVI has also made countless top 10 Games of All Time lists, even earning itself a cover on ''Game Informer'''s 200th issue, featuring their top 200 games list.

The sixth entry into the [[RunningGag testicle-explodingly popular]] ''FinalFantasy'' series, and a source of nostalgia for the SNES generation. The originally marketed outside Japan as ''Final Fantasy III'', because only the first and fourth games had been marketed internationally at the time.

* The [[EasyAmnesia amnesiac]] Terra Branford, whose own magic frightens her;
* Locke Cole, a LoveableRogue with a [[DarkAndTroubledPast tragic past; ]]
* Edgar Roni Figaro, the King of Figaro and a ChivalrousPervert who also has a knack for technology and engineering;
* Sabin Rene Figaro, Edgar's twin brother, a [[BareFistedMonk musclehead to the core]] who [[RebelliousPrincess didn't like his highborn status]];
* Celes Chere, a [[ActionGirl former general of the Empire]] [[TheAtoner seeking to atone for her sins]], who becomes Locke's LoveInterest;
* "Shadow", a {{Ninja}} mercenary with a deeply traumatic past and a pet dog who's MadeOfIron;
* Cyan Garamonde, a ShellShockedVeteran and {{Samurai}};
* Gau, who was RaisedByWolves... literally;
* Setzer Gabbiani, a [[TheGambler suave gambler]] who has something of both TheAce and TheDandy;
* Mog the Moogle, the game's [[SmallAnnoyingCreature mascot character]] and OptionalPartyMember #1;
* Strago Magus, [[BadassGrandpa old but powerful wizard and grandfather of...]];
* Relm, a [[BrattyHalfPint cute but foul-mouthed girl]];
* Umaro, TheUnintelligible and OptionalPartyMember #2;

A thousand years later, human civilization has rebuilt itself with the aid of technology, and magic is known only in myth and legend. However, Emperor Gestahl the southern continent believes the legends, and has built himself an army of conquest based on a new technology -- the fusion of machinery and magic. Three magically enhanced armz leaders help him in his war: the brave general Leo, the determined general Celes Chere, and the mad general [[MonsterClown Kefka Palazzo]], a PsychoPrototype bent on [[AGodAmI godhood]] who's slowly gaining power...

A thousand years later, human civilization has rebuilt itself with the aid of technology, and magic is known only in myth and legend. However, Emperor Gestahl the southern continent believes the legends, and has built himself an army of conquest based on a new technology -- the fusion of machinery and magic. Three magically enhanced army generals help him in his war: the brave General Leo, the determined General Celes Chere, and the mad General [[MonsterClown Kefka Palazzo]], a PsychoPrototype bent on [[AGodAmI godhood]] who's slowly gaining power...

The story takes place in a world where, one thousand years ago, a war between three deities, later known as the Warring Triad, devastated the world. During the War of the Magi, as it would come to be known, the Warring Triad turned many humans into Espers, entities endowed with incredible magical powers; these Espers then shared their magic with humans in an effort to recruit more soldiers for the war effort. At the war's conclusion, with the world in ruins, the three deities of the Triad sealed themselves and their powers away, in the interest of preventing future conflicts. Along with them went the Espers, and the few magically-gifted humans remaining were persecuted, hunted into extinction. As a result, magic was lost to human civilization.

A thousand years later, human civilization has rebuilt itself with the aid of technology, and magic is known only in myth and legend. However, one ruler in the southern continent believes the legends, and has built himself an army of conquest based on a new technology - the fusion of machinery and magic. Against him stand a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits ragtag band]] consisting of a thief, err, [[InsistentTerminology treasure hunter]], a king, a monk who is also the king's twin brother, a former general, a ninja, a samurai, children, a gambler, some animals, an old mage, a mime - and a frightened young woman with no memory and unexplainable powers at the center of it all...

And that's not counting the Imperial general [[MonsterClown Kefka Palazzo]], a PsychoPrototype bent on [[AGodAmI godhood]] who's slowly gaining power...

With 14 playable characters, this game boasted one of the largest-ever rosters of any RPG at the time - and provided nearly all of them with unique spotlights in the plot to boot.

'''As for characters, there's:'''
* The [[EasyAmnesia amnesiac]] Terra Branford, whose past hides a startling secret;

* Edgar Roni Figaro, the King of Figaro and a ChivalrousPervert who also has a knack for technology and engineering

The sixth entry into the [[RunningGag testicle-explodingly popular]] ''FinalFantasy'' series, originally marketed outside Japan as ''Final Fantasy III'' because only the first and fourth games had been marketed internationally at the time.

* {{Mordor}}: Vector is a massive city full of pollution, factories, and machines.

** Terra's Esper form is [[NakedOnArrival naked]] and the Goddess is not very clothed. The final boss is also a giant naked man.

* IdenticalStranger: Celes and Maria. Banon and Duncan.

** Banon is nowhere to be found in the World of Ruin. It's likely [[spoiler: he was killed when the world was demolished, or by Gestahl if he was still in Vector when he dropped the HeelFaceTurn facade.]]

-->'''''[[TheSpoonyExperiment MOTHERF**KER SUPLEXED]] [[http://bazookoidben.deviantart.com/art/The-Spoony-Experiment-fan-art-130499987 A TRAIN!]]'''''

** First, you eat in a SoulTrain's board restaurant and then suplex said train. And then [[spoiler:the train [[TearJerker picks up Cyan's deceased family]] and [[MomentOfHeartwarming he gives them a last goodbye]].]]

----

* MoodWhiplash: During the journey to Thamasa. Terra conversing with Leo and Shadow about love and her ability to feel it is followed immediately by Locke having a good puke into the sea.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Meltdown, quake, whirlwind and the Crusader esper do great damage, but hit your own characters as well. Meltdown and quake can be avoided with specific character builds.

* BalefulPolymorph: Imp/Kappa form. There is a specialized equipment that makes that form stronger, not to mention Cyan's infinite counter bug in his imp form. Add the Dragon Horn or Dragoon Boots and you'll acquire the dreaded ''Death God Dragoon Imp''.

* CognizantLimbs: Several bosses like Number 32, Air Fortress, Engine room tentacle monster and others.

* DifficultySpike: The Floating Continent: the random encounters are much stronger than you expect (if the party had trouble beating the Air Fortress boss they fought earlier, they should get off the continent and start grinding), and on top of that the Atma/Ultima Weapon is ThatOneBoss.

* DiscretionShot: When Doma is poisoned, Cyan can explore the rest of the castle, where he can find the last of the living soldiers near the door staring at the wall saying "...We are finished". Entering the said door makes Cyan stops just before entering the room, staying there for the few seconds, close the door, barely move back and say "...Here too."

* DualWielding: The Genji Glove relic enables it. Combine it with offering and Two {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s and we got a GameBreaker.

* DungeonTown: This game, next to ''FinalFantasyVIII'', contains some of the most prominent examples of this trope. You begin the game stepping on Narshe guards with your PoweredArmor in the city streets, which culminates with a trip through Narshe's mines. Later on, you are forced infiltrate an occupied South Figaro as Locke, having to solve some logic puzzles in order to get from the east side of town to the west. Once you pick up Celes, the under works of the town become a traditional combat-oriented dungeon. Sometime afterwards, you have to go to the dangerous and run-down Zozo and deal with armed homeless men and magical prostitutes before dealing with a gang-leader named Dadaluma. And after that, there's Vector, [[MookBouncer where guards will be eager to boot you out of the upper part of town]]. In the [[spoiler: World of Ruin, Narshe is all but abandoned, and monsters swarm the streets]], and [[spoiler:Owzer's House is invaded by a haunted painting]].

* ExactTimeToFailure: The fall of the FloatingContinent and the collapse of the burning mansion, among others. Ultros arguably does a bit of LampshadeHanging when he tries to drop a 4-ton weight onto the opera scene:

* FishingMinigame: Cruelly, done wrong can result in the moment cited on TearJerker.

* FreeFallFight: When riding the waterfall, and later when fighting the Air Fortress.

* GladiatorSubquest: The Coliseum.

* GottaCatchThemAll: Gau's Rages, Strago's Lores, Mog's Dances, Edgar's Tools, Cyan's [=SwdTechs=], Sabin's Blitzes, Magicites, [[spoiler:Your own party members in World of Ruin]]. There's a lot to catch. The fact that some of them (such as one of Strago's Lores, one of Mog's Dances, and some Magicites) are LostForever if you don't do stuff right can be painful. The Advance version added a Bestiary, which adds in the challenge of killing at least one of every creature.

* GuideDangIt: The game never tells you that the Jump command from the Dragoon Boots is more powerful when the Jumper is wielding a spear. Knowing this makes Edgar and Mog much stronger post-[[spoiler:Apocalypse]].

* HighAltitudeBattle: The battle with the Imperial Air Force, and later, Doomgaze.

* HumongousMecha: The Magitek armor, of course, gives up some giant robot action, but Alexander, one of the Espers, is based off of the concept art of the Giant of Babil from FinalFantasy4, and as such, he looks like a city on top of a giant destructive robot.

* LethalJokeCharacter: Gau, Relm, and Mog are among the most hideously underrated and overlooked characters in the series, even though all three of them utterly devastating when raised properly, and they all have access to some of the game's best armor and weapons. Using such equipment, Gau and Mog can easily max out their defense, and Relm has the highest magic stat in the game. Yes, even more than the [[StoryandGameplaySegregation half-esper Terra]]!

* LuckBasedMission: Betting at the coliseum due to the AIRoulette the game imposes on you. You can score some rare and unique items if you wager one of equal worth, but you are forced to use only one party member and the AI controls them. Because your party members are under AIRoulette control, they can either win battles effortlessly or waste turns casting spells on themselves that have absolutely zero effect, such as casting Esuna when the character isn't under any status ailments. Characters like Mog and Gau are horrible to use for coliseum battles due to how their Dance and Rage moves makes them be stuck with a set of certain list of moves and can't change out of it.

* MonsterArena: The Coliseum.

* MultiMookMelee: The falling battle against the Air Force. In the GBA version, The Soul Shrine.

* MyNameIsQuestionMarks: The "passenger" ghosts of the ghost train if one of them joins you. Also Terra during her first trip to Narche under Biggs and Wedge's command (she's amnesiac, after all).

** [[WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou Or lose Banon in battle]].

* OptionalPartyMember: Gogo, and Umaro are never even seen unless you explore their homes in the second world. Mog and Shadow only have short story appearances and can be missed as party members by the player's choices. Everyone except Celes, Edgar and Setzer are technically optional in the second world map.

* PuttingOnTheReich: The Gestahlian Empire bore several similarities to Nazi Germany, including unethical experimentation on an intelligent species, genocide, most of the footsoldiers uniforms being brown, constant displaying of their symbols, and technology advanced enough to allow themselves to start conquering various kingdoms.

* ReligionOfEvil: The cult of Kefka. Despite the fact he rules the world at that point, the cultists really don't do much harm at all, and it's not for certain if the enemies on the Fantatic's Tower are cultists themselves. It's also hinted that the cult of Kefka only serves Kefka out of fear of being killed if they don't, or in the case of Strago, being broken by loss of your loved ones to resist.

* SchizoTech: There is a mechanical castle capable of traveling underground, TheEmpire has a monopoly in MagiTek and SteamPunk mechs (and, apparently, flying robot satellites), and magic is [[HereThereWereDragons considered a myth]] by most of the world before the game begins. Yet not only are firearms an extreme rarity, but apparently only one man in the world has figured out how to use a crossbow, and the rest of the world is functionally stuck in the Middle Ages with a Victorian skin. Also, Siegfried is the only person seen with a revolver, and he doesn't even use in until the Coliseum. It's also debatable whether or not Edgar is the only one capable of using crossbows and so on. You don't get much chance to see Figaro in action, and the only other countries in the world are the Empire (with its mecha that fire laser beams and missiles) and the various medieval-level countries. Which probably explains why the Empire takes them over so easily.

* SequentialBoss: Not only do you fight Kefka's tower in succession, but if he kills your characters they will ''also'' be replaced in succession.

** The Air Force boss boasts a wave cannon and a minor enemy called a Bit that absorbs attacks, just like the R-9 starfighters in R-Type.

* SingleStrokeBattle: The Espers Odin and Raiden when summoned, as well as Cyan's Cleave and Shadow during the Anthologies ending cinematic and against some mooks.

* SphereOfDestruction: The Ultima spell, Crusader. There's also lots of them during TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.

* TimeSkip: The second half begins with Celes awakening from a ConvenientComa one year after the cataclysm.

** It's debatable if Setzer was giving the tutorial of the airship controls to the party and everyone can pilot it, or it was simply for the player's benefit and he still controls it. In the straight case, everybody seems to know how to pilot the Magitek Armor. Edgar does pilot it at some point, though (he crashes, but it's not really his fault).

** Decent physical stats optional with Locke. Just give him the Atma/Ultima weapon and the Valiant Knife, both of which ignore armor. 8x9999 is enough to destroy almost every enemy/boss in the game. In one turn. And to take it up another notch, teach him Quick.

* NotSoFastBucko: Before disc changing became a norm, the Floating Continent gave all the signs of TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon. All the empty spaces in the menus and the entire other side of the map packed in the game usually give it away, though.

* TwoHeadedCoin: Used twice against Setzer and once by Edgar to [[spoiler:guarantee him the throne]].

A thousand years later, human civilization has rebuilt itself with the aid of technology, and magic is known only in myth and legend. However, one ruler in the southern continent believes the legends, and has built himself an army of conquest based on a new technology - [[Magitek the fusion of machinery and magic]]. Against him stand a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits ragtag band]] consisting of a thief, err, [[InsistentTerminology treasure hunter]], a king, a monk who is also the king's twin brother, a former general, a ninja, a samurai, children, a gambler, some animals, an old mage, a mime - and a frightened young woman with no memory and unexplainable powers at the center of it all...

A thousand years later, human civilization has rebuilt itself with the aid of technology, and magic is known only in myth and legend. However, one ruler in the southern continent believes the legends, and has built himself an army of conquest based on a new technology - the fusion of machinery and magic. Against him stand a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits ragtag band]] consisting of a thief, err, [[InsistentTerminology treasure hunter]], a king, a monk who is also the king's twin brother, a former general, a ninja, a samurai, children, a gambler, some animals, an old mage, a mime - and a frightened young woman with no memory and unexplainable powers at the center of it all...