I really wish that people would get used to referring to the Final Fantasy games by their correct titles. FF3 on SNES is not called FF3 anymore. It's titled FF6. FF2 on SNES is not called FF2 anymore. It's titled FF4. When people learn to simply call the games by their correct titles, all of this confusion will cease to be a problem.

FF9 was the best in the series. Best characters, best plot, best art direction, best villain. It blew everything else in the series away.