Edition, Settings and Emulator Tips
Edition and scope
This guide covers the North American NTSC-U PlayStation version of Final Fantasy IV in Final Fantasy Chronicles, disc serial SLUS-01360. It does not cover the compilation’s Chrono Trigger disc, or the SNES, GBA, DS, PSP, mobile, and Pixel Remaster versions of FFIV. Similar-looking menus do not guarantee identical mechanics.
Settings
Here is a useful starting configuration, using the labels displayed by this release. These are not requirements, and you should adjust battle timing to what you find comfortable.
| Setting | Starting value | Alternative or range |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | Wait | Active |
| Bat Spd | 3/6 | Adjust battle speed |
| Bat Msg | 3/6 | Adjust message speed |
| Sound | Ster | Mono |
| Control | Normal | Custom |
| Control | Single | Multi |
| Cursor | Dfault | Memory |
| R | 0/32 | Window color |
| G | 0/32 | Window color |
| B | 12/32 | Window color |
Yes, there are two entries called Control. And yes, Ster and Dfault are what the menu says.
Cursor Memory
Don’t count on Memory to automate repeated battle selections. In this version, switching it on did not reliably restore an Item → EquipmentEquippable by Rydia (both forms), Palom, Tellah, FuSoYa. Power 5; Acc 45%. Attack element: Ice. Effective against Reptile enemies. Reusable Item spell: Ice1. selection, preselect Pray, or keep the previous enemy target. You’ll still want to check the highlighted command and target before confirming.
Emulator resume and the Memo slot
Treat Memo as a temporary save, not your permanent backup. Some emulators preserve the entire running session, which can make Memo survive between launches. That doesn’t make it equivalent to an ordinary memory-card save. Keep rotating in-game saves even if your emulator normally brings you straight back to where you stopped.
Keep a separate save-state backup before experimenting, and retain ordinary saves that aren’t tied to one emulator’s state format.
Emulator Notes
Optional: retrying an unfavorable level-up after Level 70
Some level-ups above Level 70 can lower primary stats. You can retry from an emulator save state to seek a different result; this has been demonstrated in this PS1 release.
- Preserve a separate state before the battle that will award the level.
- Note Strength, Agility, Vitality, Wisdom, Will, and maximum HP/MP.
- After leveling, compare the result with equipment and stat-boosting items unchanged. If a stat displays 99, matching equipment alone isn’t enough: compare unequipped readings before and after the level, and don’t infer unchanged base growth from two capped readings.
- If you want to retry, reload and vary your actions before or during the battle. Repeating the same inputs can reproduce the same result.
- Keep the result you prefer before replacing the checkpoint.
Casting MagicA spell Rydia learns on her second level-up after joining; its displayed icon still needs identification. before another attempt was part of a successful retry, but it isn’t a guaranteed recipe. HP and primary stats may improve differently, so compare the whole result. Bow users should also check ammunition and handedness before attributing a displayed attack change to growth.
This is optional. You don’t need perfect rolls, or Level 99, to finish the game.
See Leveling and Grinding for recovery loops, experience sharing, and the full capped-stat comparison procedure.