Final Fantasy VI Advance Arrives on the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan

That's nice, but why the gba version? It was mostly just a slightly downgraded snes port.

Now we're talking! It's awesome to see those little evidences that Nintendo and Square Enix are making amends (let's not forget the talk of a NX port of Dragon Quest XI, straight from the horse's mouth).

FFVI is my absolute favorite entry in the series, so let's hope it comes to the West soon.

FFVI is my favorite in the series and I do like the gba version but at the same time it is a horrible port because of how they handled the music for the game.

This version includes many Espers, spells, and bug fixes the Super NES version didn't have, and the translation is better. I'm excited at the prospect of this coming to the U.S., but I'm not holding my breath. We're still waiting for lots of VC games that are already available in Japan and Europe.

I still have my gba copy would love for this to head west!!!

REJOICE!!!! I love that it is the GBA version - more content.

But I'll have to pay the full $8 for it.
That is probably why they did it.

I'm happy to donate to their FInal Fantasy VII remaster campaign - bring us SMRPG and FFIV and FFV and FFVI and whatever else ya got.

Front Mission? HMMMM????????? (in yoda voice)

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but Square Enix has released NES and SNES games on the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan, a while ago, and those never came over here. Here's hoping, though.

I bought Final Fantasy III on the European WiiShop years ago. I think it's still available. Oh, the Opera part is awesome. Actually, the entire game.

I want the SNES version really because I heard the music is a lot better. To me the music is an essential part of games, especially Final Fantasy ones.

I hope the DS versions of FF III&IV come to the Virtual Console.

Actually Japan did get the Super Famicon version as well. They got it way back in 2013. I would still rather have the GBA games on 3DS myself for many of the GBA games are ports of SNES games

Hmm I just got the Steam version because it has beautiful new graphics and character art so this doesn't really excite me. Just bring the remaster to Wii U instead.

one of my favorite games.i have a snes version on the wii virtual console that works and looks just fine,but my wii is in my brothers house so maby if this comes out i buy it because i dont wanna take the wii back because he still needs to play xenoblade

I don't know why you'd get those over the more recent editions on Steam or iOS (apart from avoiding OS upgrade issues that are plaguing iOS).

Here's hoping for the SNES version.

@sevex its on the wii shop which means you can view it on the gamepad but need a seperate controller. Personally I play it with my club nintendo wii snes controller for added authentic awesomeness.

The gba version has new espers and bug fixes but also a bonus dungeon. I think its worth a double dip if anyones a big FFVI fan.

I really hope, that this is coming to the West ...
FF6 is the best game in the seires for me

Son of a Submariner!

Coming to North America in 2019.

Great news! I hope it comes here.

Who thinks that the NES Final Fantasy games will come on the 3ds vc they are on it in japan so that could happen also the GB games do they have a chance to join in or not.

SNES or bust. Soon FF VI and Chrono Trigger will be teh only reasons I'll need to boot into the Wii OS.

this is the best version.
better script, fewer bugs, and more content.

@felix330 BAAHAHAHAHAHAHA, don't talk about things you don't understand. There were SLIGHT downgrades to sound and graphics, but other than that the GBA versions were VASTLY superior. The translation was much better than the original, and the added content was great.

The best way to play the SNES FF games is to play their GBA roms with patches to fix their graphics and sound, but if you have to choose between the raw SNES version and raw GBA version, the GBA version wins by a landslide.

I hope we get this, definitely my favorite version of final fantasy 6 with the additional content that was added and better translation. The music was fine to me on it. Although I still have a soft spot for the SNES version. One thing I can say is I hate the newer versions they put out on OS and Steam I can't stand the looks on those.

Been playing this on my PSP. Got this version too but prefer the original. The added content just didn't make it good for me.

@MrRight This is a Japanese release, so the better translation doesn't apply here at all. Sound was a lot worse and the GBA has a lower screen resolution.

Nice! Alongside FF9 this is my favorite entry in the series. I've been wanting to replay it for years now but have been holding out for an announcement of a remake... (i know, dont laugh). Ill buy this no question if it comes over here...also Secret of Mana...c'mon Squeenix!

I'm *square*ly in the the "just give us the SNES originals" camp. In this port, the colors are washed out for one thing. This was necessary back then since backlit screens weren't the standard yet. But today, it just looks gross.

Also, the sound and music has taken a noticeable hit as others have said. Not as bad as say SMW's Vanilla Dome getting a ear-bleeding key change, but it's definitely not where it should be.

Square Enix have a lot of their SNES RPGS on the Japanese eshop and have had for a over two years.

But with Mario RPG making an appearance and Cloud on Smash, maybe the wait is over?

WAIT!!!! If Nintendo and Square are getting to be pals, and Cloud is in smash bros.....
Anyone else thinking Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Wii U????
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

Alright, so they are getting that, EU is finally getting SMRPG....what are we getting? The normal unheard of VC game with an indie?

I would purchase it in a second. Best game in the series and best version of the game overall ( the SNES and PS version have better sound)

I still have the original GBA cart of this. I lost my sp sadly. I need to repurchase a DS Lite so I can play my old GBA games again. But if this comes West I'll definitely double dip!

@Tasuki Dawn of souls was so good! Hell bring back all 3 GBA remakes I'll buy em for sure

@felix330 And this is an American site. The only purpose this serves is for people to hope that the same title gets released in the US, so I'm discussing the US versions of the games.

"Sound was a lot worse and the GBA has a lower screen resolution."
Ahahaha, it was not a "lot" worse, and 256 x 224 -> 240 x 160 is not a very big drop at all. Unless you're using the wrong word and are talking about screen SIZE, which is irrelevant because these are Wii U GBA games that can be played on a TV.

The technical downgrades pale in comparison to the improved translation, and if you're for any reason whatsoever talking about the Japanese version instead, your point is still moot since the SNES version is already available on Japan's VC. They're simply adding this version because it includes additional content and bug fixes.

My two main things about the GBA version are the color and the audio.

Because of the GBA's darker (and with many, unlit) screens, the developers brightened up the color palette to try and compensate. This worked to a degree, but it caused the game to appear washed out. Now with it on the Wii U, you're going to notice this right away. There is a color restoration hack that was done that actually makes it look like the SNES version, and I so wish SE would have done the same for the GBA VC version.

http://i.imgur.com/7S2LBa9.png

The second is the audio. Now granted, it's ok in its own right because the GBA's audio capabilities are far less than what the SNES can output (2 direct mono channels + 4 GB channels with 8-bit output vs 8 stereo channels + effects with 16-bit output), so unless you've heard the SNES version's audio, you probably won't mind. However, there is a sound restoration hack for that too that is meant to adjust the music to sound closer to the SNES version. It does....to an extent. Most of the instruments sound close to the SNES ones, and many tracks are comparable, but some actually sound a bit worse than even the GBA versions due to the limitations of the system itself (Shadow's theme, for instance). Even the battle theme, which you're going to hear most of the time, sounds quite fuzzy and lacks the kind of beat you'd expect from the SNES version (while the GBA version even has this kind of beat, imo, and isn't as fuzzy). Overall, I'd say the restoration hack improves some, but makes others worse. There is the opera music in the hack........but I don't want to continue with that, for fear of jealousy towards that.

There are a few other things, like slowdown in the GBA version in places you wouldn't find it in the SNES version, but I don't think they're much of an issue for this kind of game. IMO, I would prefer the SNES version, but if your choice is either the GBA version or no version at all, then the GBA version is fine (but I really wish they adjusted the color palette). Be aware that the GBA does include numerous extras, like dungeons and such, so it's not so bad.

(Be aware, all hacks are done by patching the GBA games, so you won't be able to do anything about the VC versions).

I already got the Super NES version still on my Wii VC which is on my Wii U now so I probably skipped this one and the Steam version (which is just a lame port of the mobile version anyways).

@DiscoGentleman I wouldn't be too optimistic. Japan has had much of SE's NES/SNES catalog on the Wii U already, with NA/EU being dry with nay a drop. However, having SMRPG on Wii U outside of Japan (so far, EU only) would be that sort of indication that maybe we'll see more.

Actually, looking at the video provided in this article (assuming it isn't just the video encoding that did that), I almost want to say that SE/Nintendo did do something about the color palette, toning it down a little (not as much as to the levels the SNES or color restoration hack had it at, but still). Audio seems like the GBA version though.

I'd rather have the SNES version. After all, the music is one of the best parts of the game.

@MrRight Looks like you are the one not knowing what you are talking about. Nintendolife is European. British to be exact. Click on "contact" if you don't believe me. And no, its purpose is not just to report about US releases, but everything Nintendo related, in all regions. Not everyone visiting this site is American either, including me, so your comment is frankly just ignorant.

@felix330 Still, MrRight is correct in that the translation is an issue to be considered, since most of us here do read English and not Japanese.

Been playing this on my Micro, really an awesome game, I'm just preparing myself for the Dragon Den. I don't know exactly the consensus here but as far as I know many people consider this version the best FFVI version even with the sound downgrade.

Besides the bonus dungeon and extra Espers, the GBA version avoids several famous exploits in the SNES version.

However, I looked at that Steam version (or at least a video of it). The "upgraded" graphics looks like they took the original and took a terrible "smooth" filter to it which makes characters look LESS detailed.

My pipe dream: EU release on NA eShop, For all three of the SNES-era-ers. Especially for FFIVA, the EU versions feature the most bug fixes (FFIVA EU being based on the second, cleaned up JP release), AND multiple languages, AND the English script is lifted from the NA versions (with a bit of fixin' to, say, FFIVA's "Gilgamesh", more properly "Gil Turtle"...yeah?).

But, pipe dreams. And my wish SQEX would cast off their past idiosyncrasies. But then "Aeris" in the cheevos on FFVII Steam/PS4...

"Will hopefully journey to the west" ya ok

Japan already has like almost all the NES, SNES, GBA and DS Final Fantasy games as well as Chrono Trigger and Secret of Man and they've had most of them for years now... I highly doubt we will get them in the west. Square Enix NA/EU seems to have forgotten about Wii U Virtual Console sadly

@felix330 Now you're grasping at straws. If I had said "western" site, you'd have absolutely no argument to respond with. Okay, fine, you're right about SOMETHING and it's that I was wrong for off-handedly claiming this site is American.
I'm hardly ignorant, you're just cherry-picking a small paragraph of a much longer comment. You're still far more ignorant when it comes to the discussion at hand. Now go waste someone else's time.

Re-rewatched the video again, and sad to say, they didn't change the color-palette or had the emulator adjust coloring. At 0:15 in the video, you can see the steam in the lower-right of the screen. That is certainly what it appears on the "unaltered" GBA version. Far too white and washed out.