So most, if not all, know that the Final Fantasys used different numbering systems up until 7 -- This owed to the omission of FFs II,III and V in the U.S. This led to FFIV(j) being known in the US as FFII and FFVI(j) being known as FFIII. This all ended with FF7 which was known as such in both locales.

I have been thinking: What if the American numbering system had continued? Aside from the attendant confusion, there are some interesting parallels between the games had they retained their U.S. numbers compared to the corresponding japanese number. It may seem confusing but you will see what I mean in just a second. For the remainder of this discussion a (j) will indicate the Japanese system and a (u) will indicate the united states system.

FFI(u) = FFI(j)
No tricky analysis here.

FFII(u) = FF(j)
Not a lot of comparison here -- one game is generally loved and the other reviled. However, there are more than just cursory comparisons: Both games involved an expansionist imperialistic power, dragoons, and a traitorous comrade. Both games featured the town of Mysidia. Richard is a Highwind as is Kain, and Richard leaves an (in the NES version) unamed boy as the last dragoon. Also, Kain's ending in IV -- Where he leaves to be alone on Mt. Ordeals to atone for his betrayal -- is Leon's ending from II only a bit more fleshed out and with pretty background layers. So although gameplay and general reception are markedly different, comparisons to exist.

FFIII(u) = FFVI(j)
Also a fairly week comparison. One is a major classic and the other a hidden gem. However, again, some comparisons can be drawn: Both games were the last FF on their respective consoles (NES and SNES), and you can argue that both represented the pinnacle of RPG achievement on that console. Both pushed the console to its graphical limit, and both involved multiple worlds (although that is old hat for the FF series.) There is not more beyond that, but it is something.

Here is where the crucial shift occurs. Hence forth I will address the games as they would have been had FF7 retained the American numbering system.

FFIV(u) = FFVII(j)
Perhaps the strongest comparison. Both games were the first FF on their respective consoles. Both opened with a cinematic story sequence that impressed gamers with the technological capabilities of the new system. Both games featured a stoic proteganist with a dark past, and had subtle love stories. Both villains, Golbeze and Sephiroth, are strongly tied to the protaganist and act as foils to him. Both games involve, although in only cursory ways, an spatial object that represents some danger to the planet (Meteor and the Lunarian moon,) both games involve a "buggy" of sorts. Both games introduced many gamers to the FF series I could go on.

FFV(u) = FFVIII(j)
Not the strongest comparison but a servicable one. Both games involve a gameplay system that is a departure from the norm (job class and junctioning) and that requires a gamer to put extensive thought into the set up of her party. As a result, all the characters are fully customizable, and thus have fairly similar base stats. Both games play "hide the villain" at first, though V's villain is presented much sooner than is VIII's. Both games allow non-magic users access to magic. The connections are primarily in these gameplay aspects.

FFVI(u) = FFIX(j)
Not many real comparisons here: One game is a classic and the other, while good, is really just an homage to the first V games of the series. In that way I suppose there is an ironic mirror effect -- VI in many ways steered the series in the steampunk direction and represented a departure from the old conventions while IX represented a return to those conventions. Also, you learn abilities from equiping items. I guess there are more comparisons than I originally thought, but sill one of the weakest comparisons in the bunch.

FFVII(u) = FFX(j)
Perhaps the second strongest comparison. Both games were the first FFs on their respective platforms (although admittedly that will be the same henceforth as long as there are three per console). Both games involve the threat of apocolypse. Both games are spiritual adventures with a living, breathing planet (and Square has confirmed that both games are set in the same universe). There are maddening chocobo minigames in both. Both involve a major villain (Jenova and Yu Yevon) who is not very well developed and far too easy to beat. And again, both introduced a new generation of gamers to Final Fantasy.

FFVIII(u) = FFXI(j)
Not a whole lot of comparisons, other than both being rather polarizing in that you love them or you hate them, and both are considered "black sheep" of the franchise.

FFIX(u) = FFXII
I have not played XII so I cannot make to many comparisons, other than both represent a return to the medieval fantasy roots of the series

I realize that these comparisons occurred by pure chance, and I do not claim there to be any sort of hidden meaning behind all this, but I do find it interesting. I realize that some of my comparisons are stretches, and others are debateable -- Please feel free to add your imput.

D4D

i dunno if i agree with you on this stuff. it seems like most of this stuff is because it's a series. square makes sure to keep the same sort of themes from game to game. and as far as the "first games on their respective systems" thing, i think that's purely because the development time for making a game has grown at the same rate as the lifetime of a specific console. just my opinion.

Well I suppose that I agree with you to an extent -- and that is part of my point. I would say that many think of FF's as largely closed universe. People pick their favorite and least favorite, etc. But, like you say, this is a series that we deal with, with recurring themes, archetypes and motifs. I think that the pattern comparison between SNES and PS1 installments can be illuminating: IV was all about story, V about gameplay and VI about characters; VII was all story, VIII character and gameplay. Anyway, my point is that Square seems to have a very formulaic way of developing titles within a console series.

There are a few connections, but mostly not a lot. Given the nature of FF you can find little connections on how square does things that relate some part of one game to every other game in the series. Good work though, I had to read it a couple times to get what you were trying to say