Why? Maybe they really like the cheesiness of it? Or like me think the battle system is very good. Bette rthen XIIs anyway and it feels more like a Final Fantasy over XII.

My first FF was VII, and yes it's still my favourite, best as well but that's a close fought game, 6 has a great story, 8 has the best magic system, 9 is fun. I really need to sit and play 1,2, 4 and 5 sometime on PS1 as I own them all...maybe I'll invest in a DS and play the graphical upgrade of 4. Never could get into them because of the graphics.

One thing I don't understand: why is it that many people who like 8 like its magic system? To me that was the one thing I really hated in the game. I had been playing MMOs at the time, and the fact that Square added in something as repetitive and time-consuming as an MMO into a final fantasy game really pissed me off.

I don't think the Junction system is anything like an MMO.  And the reason the Junction system is nice is because it gives the player total customization of your characters.  Where most FF limit your customization in many ways.  Either based on set classes, roles or just limited gameplay peramiters.

In other words, I enjoy junctioning sleep on my weapons, trippling my HP and being able to have 75% effectiveness from all status effects, all by simply attaching magic to your character.

Junction system = awesome

drawing magic over and over from every foe = mmo

FFVIII was my first and I really liked it. I played VI a year later on GBA and It is by faaaaar the best.

Who draws? Your GFs are the key, they have abilities that means you can create any magic from items. I only really draw near the start of the game and for drawing GFs.

I agree, but the Seifer battle (I think it's disc 4) is a fantastic source for Aura too. That's the only other time I drew

The Junction system was the best system aside from the Sphere Grid, imo. It gave you the most flexibility.

My First was FF4, but I prefered FF7 and FFT

FFIV +1

1. IV Most consistent, coherent, and engrossing story.
2. VI WO Balance was better than IV, but WO Ruin . . .
3. I First FF, blew away other games on the NES
4. V Thank god for emulation and patching
5. IX Return to roots was good for the series
6. II First great story for an FF game
7. III Great jobs, nonexistent plot
8. VII Plot made NO sense--some like to pretend it did
9. VIII Bleh--art direction ruined this one

[Did not play X-XII]
[FFT would be third on my list, but I don't consider it a "numbered" entry.]