VGChartz Dissidia Countdown - The Final Fantasy IX Characters - News
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 24 August 2009 / 13,731 Views
Welcome to the Dissidia Countdown, an exclusive VGChartz feature where we’ll be posting daily a series of profiles of the characters that appear in the upcoming PSP fighter Dissidia: Final Fantasy. Each day, we’ll be going through each Final Fantasy, making a profile for both the hero and the villain that are featured in the PSP game, from the very first game to end up with Final Fantasy X on August 25th, the day that the game hits store shelves.
Be sure to check our previous editorials about Dissidia to see more info about the previous games of the series
A monkey called Zidane. A Queen with a face so ugly not even a mother could love. And a rogue princess named Dagger. Yes, Final Fantasy IX was one weird game. While developed simultaneously with the previous iteration, the differences are more than evident. While Final Fantasy VIII followed the line the legendary VII drew, IX went back to the series fundamentals back to Final Fantasy I. Square married the classic job changing system and ATB battle system with VII and VIII's cinematic storylines and twists. This surely alienated many players that got into the series with FFVII or FFVIII or even FFVI. Nevertheless, the game's reception was as stellar as ever, and the game got to sell more than 5 million copies.
Final Fantasy IX's battle system retain's the ATB system (Active Time Battle) introduced in Final Fantasy VI. Square focused in the uniqueness of each character though, thus Vivi, while apt with the arcane, will always be a useless close combat fighter. Zidane's thief skills are actually useful, like Flee and Detect. Quina is the sole character than can learn and use Blue Magic (Magic learned by the enemy). Even Dagger and Eiko, both summoners, have completely different eidolons to summon. This, in my humble opinion, was a very wise decision by Square as it obliterated overpowering characters, like a Cloud summoning Knights of the Round and doing higher magic damage than Aeris. Unfortunately, this did not carry over to the next Fantasies, and especially in FFX.
Character progression is simple yet engrossing. As you win battles, you gain EXP that level up your characters raising their stats. Along with said EXP you also get AP that are distributed among the currently equiped weapons, armor and accessories. After reaching a certain amount of AP show in the item's description, the character masters the skill and it can be used without the item equiped. There's no cross-learning skills, however, in line with character differentiation mentioned above. Sword skills are exclusive (popular word lately) to Steiner for instance.
The game's story begins as the main character Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Group tries to kidnap princess Garnet (Dagger). Garnet herself is trying to flee to regent Cid (sic) due to her mother's (?) recent erratic behavior and agressiveness. It turns out he ordered the Tantalus Theater Group to get Garnet as he was worried with the Queen's behavior. Back in Alexandria, Queen Qrahne orders an assult to Burmecia. Princess Garnet and her loyal guard Steiner return to Alexandria to stop the war, with Zidane and the rest tagged along, but they fail.
Kuja, in trance
Princess Garnet is crowned Queen shorly before Alexandria being assaulted by Kuja and Bahamut. The city is defended by the eidolon Alexander. After successfully stoping Kuja's assault, the party counterattacks his fortress and fails. Kuja imprisons the second summoner in the party, Eiko and tries to extract her eidolons. With the help of her guardian moogle, she goes into Trance (FFIX's limit breaks, kind of) and stops the process. The party follows Kuja in his homeworld of Terra. There, Kuja successfully enters into Trance himself. Shortly after defating Trance Kuja, he destroys the world's Crystal making Necron appear, the "Eternal Darkness" bent on destroying life. After their victory, the party but Zidane escaped and he loses his life (?) trying to save Kuja.
Zidane
The main character in Final Fantasy IX and representative of the game in Dissisia, Zidane is playful and quirky. A 180 degree turn from the almost emo characters of FFVII and FFVIII, Cloud and Squall. He has shoulder-long blonde hair and a monkey tail. He was created an "Angel of Death" as a Genome on the planet Terra by a being named Garland. He was then cast down to Gaia and turned into a thief. Drawn to the story when the leader of Lindblum, Cid, urges the Tantalus to kidnap Garnet worried as he is about her safety. After many trials throughout the story, he finds out that he is bound to replace Kuja as the next, more powerful "Angel of Death".
Original, Yoshitaka Amano's artwork of Zidane. Yup.
In Dissidia, Zidane is using two Mage Mashers as weapons, with the appearances of his game of origin. He can also turn them into the swallow blade Ogre, another weapon he can use in Final Fantasy IX. His crystal is the very Crystal of Final Fantasy IX as seen in the logo and final dungeon of the game. The same crystal also appears in the representative arena of Final Fantasy IX, the Crystal World. He is a very agile, airborne player. He has very few notable ground moves, but in the air, he is unmatchable. In EX Mode he goes into trance, enabling him to jump 15 consecutive times (!) in the air. Also, during these moves, he is mostly invincible. Lastly, his EX Burst "Reverse Gaia", is a flurry of attacks where the player must press the O button at certain times to makes the two worlds collide.
Zidane Tribal in Dissidia
Kuja
Kuja is a weapons dealer for the Alexandrian empire at the start of the game. In fact, he's behind Queen Brahne's hostile actions using the "Mist" emanating from the Lifa Tree. Kuja is a classic villain, being ambitious, cruel, narcissistic, flamboyant and ruthless in achieving his goals. Kuja was the first successful Genome created by Garland, and is about to perish, being replaced by Zidane. Kuja couldn't handle this, thus he threw Zidane to Gaia.
Original Yoshitaka Amano artwork
In Dissidia, Kuja can attack while moving and hover in the air. This is very important to Kuja's Brave attacks as his distance from his opponent dictate the effects and amount of damage he deals. In his EX Mode he too goes into Trance, having magical orbs orit around his body damaging anyone nearby. His EX Burst "Final Requiem" begins by multiple casts of Flare Star attacks, finished by an Ultima spell.
And, Kuja in Dissidia
Both, in a battle to decide who is the less ridiculous-looking
Final Fantasy IX was a very much different beast than its imediate predecessors that made the series known to the West, namely FFVII and FFVIII. Even if you hate the change in art style, character progression or the somehow simpler storyline and shallower characters, you can't ignore its merits. Each character is unique in battle and useful, and the whole experience is much more accessible, at least enough for newcomers to delve into. The problem is, these newcomers will be probably put off by the change in direction itself.
For the writer, this is the best Final Fantasy game yet (Hironobu Sakaguchi agrees 
). I got into the series with FFVII and got through to play the whole series but Final Fantasy XII. While FFVII surely occupies a special place in my heart, I loved what Final Fantasy IX was: a Final Fantasy game at heart, without all the bells and whistles the latest entries have patched to make the series commercial. Yes, Zidane is not an ideal character to align yourself with, but I'd rather take him than the emo profiles of Cloud and Squall or Vaan's and Tidus' complete carefree attitudes. Anyways, next is the last editorial on the characters of Dissidia, from Final Fantasy X. Shoot, Tidus, the ball is in your field!
More Articles
Love [url="http://www.ghdhairsales.co.uk/"]ghd hair straightener[/url] ? Want to feel gorgeous? Then you have found heaven. GHD MK4 Kiss, [url="http://www.ukghdstore.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Kiss.html"]GHD MK4 Kiss[/url] Hair Straighteners On Sale. I've tried [url="http://www.ukghdstore.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Kiss.html"]GHD MK4 Kiss[/url] a lot... the texture of my hair has a combination of wavey frizz, and this does WONDERS! Large of discounted [url="http://www.ghdhairsales.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Gold.html"]GHD MK4 Gold[/url] are provided in our GHD MK4 UK store. The GHD Gold Hair Straighteners are all highest quality and lowest price. Save 50% I was a little worried about [url="http://www.ghdhairsales.co.uk/GHD-IV-MK4-Black.html"]GHD MK4 Black[/url] hair straightener bc the price was lower than I expected. When 2009 Christmas day comes, [url="http://www.uschristmasgifts.com" title="christmas gift"]Christmas Gifts[/url] store provide variety christmas gifts for different recipient.
@ routsounmanman
Yes i read that it is your favorite FF, and for a fan your presentation is not enough nice towards FF IX. I mean just your comment on the last screenshot is totally nonsense for a fan.
And it is not the less appreciated by the fans.
じ is pronounced as "ji" in Japanese. Like "zillion".
@RukiSama
Nah, it's "Zidane" in Japanese as well. Try a google image search for じだん and you'll know why.
This was not the fans least favorite Final Fantasy
It just got released so late its sales wernt as strong
Yes it is! At least mine :-P
But it certainly isn't the fans least favorite!
@tonio_13
Did you read the part where I said IT IS MY FAVORITE FINAL FANTASY EVER?
A little disappointed by the article, FF IX have detractors but FF 8 AND 10 too. Especially FF 12 which is surely the most hated FF by the fans.
Except that, good presentation.
FF IX forever !!
OMG, I'm not appreciated in my own time! ;-)
I DIDN'T WRITE THIS! I feel insulted that you think I'd have wonders to say about this game, Seraphic. Other than Vivi and the battle themes
Anyway, nice article, routsou, even, though, y'know, I disagree with everything you said ;-)
FFIX was enjoyable. Wasn't my favorite, but that's probably because it was my first old-school FF. I'm very excited about FFX tomorrow, my favorite second to FFVII. And I plan on picking up Dissidia first thing tomorrow morning. ^_^
@Riku- o yew r rite. :D well still, it stands. xD
Hehe, sorry Rout.
But you had it coming with your insulting of FFIX in the summary! :-(
Oh and Kuja is more fruity then sephiroth because atleast sephiroth wears MANS cloths, Kuja wears a thong for crying out loud! xD
I hated this one, the characters looked weird, and the story was odd, Zidane is to short and Kuja is a sephiroth wannabe.
Overall, i thought VII and VIII was MUCH better then IX, i have't played VI yet but im sure that one is even better.
All IMO of course.
Overall great Update Zexen, odd that you reviewed since your opinion is like mind.
my fav FF. (on par with VIII maybe)
Jitan (in jap) is my favourite main chara, more for personality than other.
Kuja is very cool too
I can't wait to read the one for FFX. My favorite in the franchise and my favorite rpg.
Despite what others may thing (cough_lowecough), the story was superb and the battle system was a big step up from the predecessors.
never liked ff9, thought it were too short 25 hours on the 1st play, when ff8 lasted me 50+ on the first try. disk 1+2 were great but 3+4 didnt offer anything...
:-(
Great work Naz!
Zidane is a beast!
