Why is Final Fantasy IX underrated?

Of course there are a lot of gamers who hail that Final Fantasy IX is the best FF (or even best RPG or game), but we are all aware that there are far more who underrate it.

So, what are your thoughts why that kind of attitude towards FF9?

Personally, I love FF9. It is a grood game as it is. However, I just feel iti s lacking on the aspect of customization, which is very important to me in RPGs the like FF series. Also, I did notl ike the fact that stat growth is affected by your equipment (and I don't even remember any hint about it in the game until I noticed it in my second playthrough, and confirmed to me in the GameFAQs message board. Aside from that, the game is so lovely. Vivi is the best! Chocobo Hot & Cold beak level 99. Yay! I also got all key items except for that aannoying jump rope mini-game. Completed all cards, too! :D

I really think the way you develop for characters (for battle purposes--stat building, customization) is one of the main reasons.

I really don't think the timing was abig factor for its low sales, though. As much as the PS2 was making a big fuzz then, FF9 was quite advertised being the last single-digit FF... and come on. It is a main Final Fantasy game! Regardless of whether or not there are new consoles out there coming out, it will still sell if people want it. Say, we've been waiting for FF13 now and suddenly a Wii 2 or X-Box 520 was released, do you think FF13 will be underrated? I think not.

Anyway, ratings does not at all times translate to sales. Maybe there are just some games that are "charming" enough as compared to the rest. :P

Personally I think FFIX is one of the best FF, right after FFVII of course...it was so addictive that I remember playing all night long just to get all characters maxed up and get 100% completion...and of course I didn't give up until I did so :P How is it possible not to like Vivi's magics, Zidane's trance attacks or the fantastic Eidolons? Remember that cut-scene with Alexander and Bahamut? One of the best ever! Of course the storyline was also great and the side quests kept you always busy doing something, even trying to find that funny quiz guy :P so why not like it? Again, one of the best FF ever!!

Hold on a second your weapons effect your stat growth why was i never told this and im just replaying it now. Do they ever actually tell you this?

Hold on a second your weapons effect your stat growth why was i never told this and im just replaying it now. Do they ever actually tell you this?

FF-Is-Awsome

No. That's why it is really annoying.

It was outshined by its successor, Final Fantasy X, which quickly became the PS2's best selling game for the first couple of years while Final Fantasy IX suffered a slow death. :(

It's too bad not many people appreciated IX, as they did with VII. It deserves much more praise than it currently gets, imo.

FFIX is one of my favorite RPGS. However it seemed pretty easy to me as I didn't see the game over screen often.^^

Anyways this game offers everything FinalFantasy fans (should) love including great graphics, which were really good for PS1 standards. FFIX was an adequate farewell to the PS1 era and one of the few Final Fantasies I finished within some days.

I love(d) it.

I personally enjoyed FFIX. It was really fun and I got into it really easy. My favorite person on there character wise was Freya. She was so awesome! That lance was killer bada$$!lo_Reaper_ol

Yup, Freya is probably the most bad-ass rat ever! 8)

I enjoyed FF IX and it was one of the FF games i didnt put down after 15-20 hours and pick it up a couple months later to finish it off. Its story from what i can still remember was entertaining and i would play it again over FF7 almost any day.

The characters just werent that cool imo, except for Amarant Coral who was the only character i really liked. Eiko was lame, i thought Freya was a guy for years, stiener was alright but he wore eye liner, Quina Quen was super lame, and zidane was a monkey trapped in a 16 year olds body.

Other then the characters in the game i never got really into the card mini game which didnt really excite me very much, i felt that it wasnt near as fun as the card battling in ff8.

And i believe FF IX wasnt as big due to that it was released on PS1 so close to the release of the PS2