Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008) version differences

The following is a list of version differences from the original Japanese version to the Westernized English versions of Dissidia Final Fantasy and the Universal Tuning International Version. The English release had a number of storyline additions from the Japanese version, in addition to other gameplay changes to rebalance the game, as well as some censorship.

General Gameplay

 * In the original Japanese release, the EX Gauge turns bright purple when full. In the English release, the gauge turns orange when full and remains orange when EX Mode is active, returning to the purple color when EX Mode has ended.
 * Characters learn moves at different levels than the Japanese release.
 * In the Japanese release, characters with real names (as opposed to occupationary titles) were often referred to on-screen by their full names, but in the English version, characters are referred to only by their first names. For instance, while the Cloud of Darkness is still referred to by her full title, Cloud Strife is referred to simply as "Cloud."
 * Cutscenes involving Shantotto and Gabranth are included for the "Distant Glory" storylines, whereas previously the dialogue delivered in the scenes was given in text boxes. New cut scenes in the prologue are also present, as well as a cutscene when the player receives the Moogle summon.
 * The English version contains a shortened tutorial that is separate from the prologue, which covers only the action-fighting aspects of the gameplay.
 * In the Japanese release, the player must complete all ten Destiny Odysseys to access Shade Impulse. In the English release, Shade Impulse can be accessed once any of the ten Destiny Odysseys is cleared.
 * The English version contains an Arcade Mode, a new gameplay mode that removes all RPG elements. All characters in the game except Shantotto and Gabranth are available at the start in Arcade Mode; the villains must still be unlocked for access in all other gameplay modes.
 * If the PSP was put into sleep mode or ran out of power during a battle and had to be restarted later in the Japanese version, the BGM would often be missing. In the English version, the BGM will always restart after a few seconds of gameplay, though finishing the battle before the music returns may freeze the game.
 * A new item in the PP Catalog is able to unlock all cutscenes in the game. This was not available in the original Japanese version.
 * At the end of a battle, when one character is defeated, the on-screen message was changed from "Finish!" to "The Final Blow!" Also, "Win" was changed to "Victory!",  "Lose" was changed to "Defeated...", and subtitles were added for the introduction, victory, and defeat quotes.
 * "Battle Rise" in the Japanese version, is now called "Battlegen" in the English version.
 * In the original Japanese release all of the characters in Inward Chaos were equipped with their unique ultimate weapon. In the English release the characters no longer are equipped with these weapons.
 * Additionally, the effects coupled with each character's respective ultimate weapon have all been altered for Western releases.
 * In the original Japanese version, you had to fight a single enemy 300 times to obtain a Player Icon; this was greatly reduced in the other versions in that it now requires you to defeat a single enemy only 30 times.
 * All characters now start with "Free Air Dash" and "EX Core Lock On" rather than leveling up to acquire them.
 * In the Japanese version, the default air dash skill is "Air Dash" where you must be quickmoving in order to do. In the English release, the default is "Free Air Dash"
 * Throughout all western releases, no matter what language the game text may be in, all audio is always in English, with subtitles in the player's native language (German, Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, etc.).
 * The Universal Tuning release contains only English voices for cutscenes, but both English and Japanese voices are available in actual gameplay battles, and gives the player a choice on which of the two spoken languages the characters will use in battle.

Warrior of Light

 * "Radiant Sword" homes in on opponents better than in the Japanese version.
 * "Sword Thrust" now causes the opponent to stagger.
 * "Shield Strike" and "Rising Buckler" have better range.
 * "Ascension" has wider range.

Garland

 * "Round Edge" and "Lance Charge" have different graphics.
 * Various moves now cause the opponent to stagger.

Firion

 * "Straightarrow" fires faster than in the Japanese release.
 * "Lance Combo" can now absorb enemies towards it.
 * "Rope Knife" now causes the opponent to stagger. It also has better tracking.

Emperor

 * A new HP attack, an aerial "Flare", although its properties are different from the original blue Flare.
 * "Bombard" can reflect attacks.
 * The projectiles fired from "Light Crest" last longer.
 * "Starfall" summons more fireballs, but they do not home on opponent as well as in the Japanese release.

Onion Knight

 * The damage done by "Holy" during an EX Burst is increased.
 * "Blade Torrent" now has greater range.

Cloud of Darkness

 * The dark balls from "[Fusillade] Particle Beam" are now slower.
 * While casting "Aura Ball" Cloud of Darkness can move faster than in Japanese version.

Cecil

 * "Paladin Arts" and "Dark Step" can now class-change Cecil without landing a hit on the opponent.
 * "Dark Flame" had its tracking nerfed.
 * "Saint's Fall" has better tracking.
 * "Lightning Rise" now has magic block ability.
 * "Dark Step" has magic block during the initial slash attack.
 * "Soul Shift" EX Burst is stronger.

Golbez

 * "Float System" and "Gravity System" now have the magic part of their attacks closer, so if the opponent blocks Golbez's physical part of the attack, they will still be hit by the lasers.
 * "Night Glow" has a larger range.
 * While performing "Black Fang" he can now move faster. The move is also now performed by holding and  instead of simply pressing the two buttons. This enables him to cancel out of the move.
 * "Gravity Force" has a significantly greater range.

Bartz

 * "Holy" tracks opponents better.
 * "Paladin Force" has had its range shortened. This is contrary to Cecil's version, which remains the same, this may be due to it being able to cause an infinite loop as long as Bartz is still near the enemy after the attack.
 * "Flood" has had its range shortened.

Exdeath

 * The circle of energy sent out by "Reverse Polarity" moves much quicker, it now also causes the opponent to stagger.
 * Exdeath's guard attacks have been improved.
 * Both "High Block"s have significantly less ending lag time.
 * Both "Black Hole"s have greater absorption, have greater range and last longer.
 * Both "Sword Dance"s allow Exdeath to move faster.
 * Exdeath's AI has been greatly improved.

Terra

 * "Holy" tracks opponents better.
 * "Flood" has had its range shortened.
 * While in her EX Mode, she now glides at a much faster speed.
 * "Blizzara's" range and speed are significantly increased.
 * "Meteor" has less stun time and can be blocked.
 * "Tornado" now guard crushes.

Kefka

 * Kefka's two "Firaga" attacks have different graphics.
 * "Waggle-Wobbly Firaga" has gained different forms: a small form, which can be blocked, and a large form, which causes opponent to stagger when blocked. The smaller form is the first form that is used, then it alternates between the larger form and smaller form.
 * Kefka fires only two fireballs when using "Waggle-Wobbly Firaga" in EX Mode.
 * "Extra-Crispy Firaga" has better tracking and speed.
 * "Lickity-Split Thundaga" deals more hits.
 * "Meteor" has greater vertical distance.
 * "Ultima" cannot be dashed through nor simply guarded.
 * "Trine" moves faster and lasts longer.
 * "Hyperdrive" can move upwards if the enemy's in the air, but only if the move is fully charged.

Cloud

 * "Double Cut" has less range.
 * "Slashing Blow" knocks opponents further away. This is due to an infinite combo Cloud had using "Slashing Blow", which is now near impossible to execute unless near a wall. Also has slightly better tracking.
 * "Meteorain" executes faster.
 * "Blade Beam" has had its range nerfed, but the move's startup speed has been increased.
 * "Fire" has had its movement speed slowed down, but its tracking improved.
 * "Rising Fang" has better tracking.

Sephiroth

 * The player may cancel "Hell's Gate" in midair to simply send a shockwave around Sephiroth.
 * Two new HP attacks, an aerial attack called "Heaven's Light" and an aerial version of "Scintilla".
 * "Octaslash" tracks opponents better and Guard Crush blocks.
 * "Shadow Flare" has different graphics. Japanese version of the move is heavily based on the graphics seen on Kingdom Hearts II.
 * In general, many of Sephiroth's attacks execute faster than before.
 * While performing "Heartless Angel", he can now move much faster. The move is also now performed by holding and  instead of simply pressing the two buttons. This enables Sephiroth to cancel out of the move.
 * Black Materia charges quicker.
 * Ending lag time of "Oblivion" has been significantly decreased.

Squall

 * A new aerial version of "Rough Divide". "Rough Divide" also executes faster than before.
 * A new aerial Brave attack, "Mystic Flurry".
 * "Heel Crush" can be canceled much earlier and causes the opponent to stagger.

Ultimecia

 * "Time Crush" can no longer be used repeatedly: using "Time Crush" while the opponent is already frozen will result in them being able to move again.

Zidane

 * "Free Energy" is now a normal HP attack and cannot be chained from a Brave attack.
 * "Storm Impulse" range has been nerfed and no longer chains into "Meo Twister".
 * "Vortex" has a larger hitbox, but no longer chains into "Meo Twister."
 * "Tempest", "Rumble Rush", "Swift Attack (ground)" and "Swift Attack (midair)" now chain into "Meo Twister".
 * "Tempest" has lost some tracking.
 * "Solution 9" now has greater range and tracking.
 * "Tidal Flame" stays put for a couple of seconds instead of immediately attacking the opponent. It tracks better and moves faster.
 * "Grand Lethal" has lost some range.
 * "Shift Break" can now be dodged out of slightly quicker.

Kuja

 * "Flare Star" has a smaller radius of impact than before.
 * Kuja may move while using "Ultima".
 * "Snatch Shot" has less tracking.
 * "Burst Energy" can now be blocked.

Tidus

 * "Charge and Assault" is now a normal HP attack and cannot be chained from a Brave attack.
 * In the North American release, this attack is called "Charge and Assault" in the abilities menu and "Slice & Dice" in battle. This is corrected in the European release by naming the attack "Slice & Dice" in both the menu and in battle.
 * "Hop Step's" range has been reduced and now has more lag time.
 * "Wither Shot's" range and homing capability has been improved.
 * "Sphere Shot" has reduced lag.
 * "Energy Rain's" horizontal range has been reduced.
 * After clearing the Moogle piece in Inward Chaos, with Tidus, the moves "Sphere Shot", "Wither Shot", and "Jecht Shot" will randomly throw or kick a Moogle ball instead of a blitzball.

Jecht

 * "Jecht Rush" and "Jecht Stream" are now only unblockable once fully charged. But it staggers rather than Guard Break.
 * "Jecht Block (ground)" and "Jecht Block (midair)" do not offensively attack the opponent anymore.

Shantotto

 * Shantotto's ending lag times for her HP Attacks have been reduced.
 * Shantotto's HP Attacks have slightly better tracking.

Gabranth

 * "Rupture" has better tracking.
 * "Guilt" now absorbs enemies into it.

Chaos

 * Chaos's AI has been improved.
 * When battling Chaos in Quick Battle, the music changes for each phase as though the player were fighting him in the storyline. In the Japanese version, the music for the second and third phase is "Chaos Battle:1".

Rating
The CERO content rating of C is intended for players aged 15 and up, and is equivalent to the ESRB rating of Teen (higher end), the PEGI rating of 16+, and the ACB rating of M. However, due to cultural differences in the Western world, the PEGI gave the game a lower rating of 12+, and the ACB gave the game a PG rating instead of an M rating; the ESRB still gave the game a Teen rating, but on the lower end. It should be noted that a wallpaper depicting an advertisement for the European versions of the game displayed a "16" rating, indicating that the PEGI originally intended to give the game a 16 rating, but later downgraded to a final rating of 12, as seen on the actual game box cover. Aside of somewhat possibly offensive language, nothing apparent seems to have been censored, however.

Firmware Requirement Differences
The Japanese version of Dissidia Final Fantasy requires the player to have 3.90 Official Firmware or higher or the player may install it on the PSP or they may install it from the UMD. The game's US and Canadian versions require the 5.50 Official Firmware or higher installed or the player may install it from the UMD. The EU version requires the 5.55 Official Firmware or higher on the PSP or it may be installed from the UMD.