REFERENCES TO OTHER GAMES
Below is a list of references in Final Fantasy Tactics to other games that I've gathered. (Feel free to drop me a line if you know of any more.)
FINAL FANTASY I
Floating Castle: The unexplored land known as the "Floating Castle" refers to location in the original Final Fantasy accessible via the Mirage Tower. It is also translated in various iterations of the original game as the "Flying Fortress" or the "Sky Castle."
Gulg Volcano: Gulg Volcano is a location in Gallione mentioned in relation to the "Girl at Gulg Volcano" (or "Mount Gulg Motherlode") Proposition one can undertake at Igros Castle. It shares a name with an area in the original Final Fantasy (sometimes also translated as Gulag or Gurgu Volcano).
Matoya: The unexplored land "Matoya's Cave" refers to the home of the witch Matoya in the original Final Fantasy. Matoya is also mentioned in the sound novel Oeilvert in one of Pablo's stories (titled "Matoya's Cave").
Mirage Tower: The unexplored land known as the "Mirage Tower" refers to a location of the same name in the orginal Final Fantasy, where it is located in the middle of the Great Desert.
Rat Tail: The treasure "Rat Tail" has its origins in the original Final Fantasy, where it is an artifact in found at the Castle of Ordeals (or Citadel of Trials). It appears in multiple other Final Fantasy installments.
Shrine of Chaos: The unexplored land called the "Shrine of Chaos" is an allusion to the first dungeon in the original Final Fantasy (sometimes also given as the "Temple of Fiends" or the "Temple of Chaos."
FINAL FANTASY II
Chocobo Forest: The unexplored land known as the "Chocobo Forest" refers to a recurring location name throughout the Final Fantasy series. Typically, this is an area where the player's party can recruit chocobos. It first appears in Final Fantasy II.
Longibunne: The treasure "Longibunne Spear" (or "Lance of Longibunne") is most likely based on the "Longinus," a weapon that recurs throughout the series and has its first appearance in Final Fantasy II.
Minwu: The treasure "Minu Orb" ("Orb of Minwu" in War of the Lions) is a reference to Final Fantasy II's Minwu (also called Ming-Wu or Mindu), who is a powerful magician who serves as a temporary party member.
Palmecia: There are numerous references throughout Final Fantasy Tactics to Palmecia (or "Paramekia"), which is the evil Empire featured in Final Fantasy II. Final Fantasy Tactics alludes to it in the description of the unexplored land "Pandemonium" as well as within the sound novel Mesa's Musings, where the titular hero fights against Palmecian airships.
Pandemonium: The unexplored land "Pandemonium" (or "Pandaemonium") is a reference to the final dungeon of Final Fantasy II.
Semitt Falls: The unexplored land "Semite Falls" (or "Semitt Falls") refers to a location in Final Fantasy II, where it holds a cache of mythril desired by the Palmecian army.
FINAL FANTASY III
Crystal Tower: The unexplored land known as the "Crystal Tower" refers to the stronghold of the wizard Xande in Final Fantasy III (which is sometimes also given as "Syrcus Tower" or "Styx Tower").
Eureka: The unexplored land "Eureka" (or "Forbidden Land Eureka") is a reference to an optional dungeon in Final Fantasy III, which can be reached via the Crystal Tower.
Falgabard: The unexplored land "Falgabird" (or "Falgabird") refers to a village of Dark Knights in Final Fantasy III's Saronia.
Kids' Bread: The treaure "Kids' Bread" (or "Moppet Bread") appears to be a reference to an item which first appeared in Final Fantasy III called MidgBread, which also appears as "Gnomish Bread," "Kiddy Bread," and "Pixioche" in other installments in the series. It's original function was to allow the player to cast "Sight" and access the world map.
Tozus: The unexplored land "Touzas Village" (or "Tozus Village") is an allusion to the homeland of the gnomes in Final Fantasy III.
FINAL FANTASY IV
Baron: The description of the unexplored land the "Crystal Tower" mentions the kingdom of Baron, which is the homeland of Cecil Harvey in Final Fantasy IV.
Calcobrena: The treasure "Calcobrena" is a nod to the enemies Calca and Brina in Final Fantasy IV., a pair of living dolls belonging to the Dwarven princess Luka who comprise a boss fight fought in the dwarven castle.
Gilbert and Anna: The Proposition "Letter to Love" ("Lettre d'amour") out of Riovanes Castle and "True Romance" out of Warjilis involve delivering love letters between the bard Gilbert and the singer Anna. These characters' names originate with Gilbert (or Edward) Chris von Muir and his lover Anna in Final Fantasy IV.
Excalipoor: The treasure "Excalipar" ("Excalipoor" in War of the Lions) is a reference to a recurring gag weapon in Final Fantasy games, which is known for its very poor stats. It first appears in Final Fantasy IV. It appears elsewhere in the series as "Excalipur" and "Caliburn."
Lugae: The treaure "Yurgeivogue" is a marionette referred to in the War of the Lions translation of the game as "Lugae." This appears to be named for Final Fantasy IV's Dr. Lugae, who is a mad scientist whose culinating creation is a robot named Balnab (elsewhere Barnabas).
Spoony Bard: In the War of the Lions translation of the game, Wiegraf exclaims "Ha! No spoony bard could spin a sweeter tale!" in the midst of the battle at the Fovoham Windflats. This is a reference to the much memed about line "You spoony bard!" as delivered by Tellah in the original 1991 English translation of Final Fantasy IV for the SNES (titled Final Fantasy II).
Tower of Babel: The unexplored land called the "Tower of Babel" is an allusion to the area with the same name in Final Fantasy IV.
FINAL FANTASY V
Boco: Wiegraf's chocobo steed Boco (who can later be recruited by Ramza) shares a name with the chocobo from Final Fantasy V.
Ronkan Ruins: The unexplored land known as the "Ronkan Ruins" is an allusion to the area of the same name in Final Fantasy V (also called the "Lonka Ruins").
FINAL FANTASY VI
Floating Continent: The unexplored land called the "Floating Continent" may refer to the floating continent from Final Fantasy VI, although the mention of a flying people may be meant as a nod to the winged race of the Tactics Ogre series.
Magic Train: The unexplored land called the "Magic Train" (or "Phantom Train") refers to the Phantom Train from Final Fantasy VI: one of the game's more iconic boss fights.
Setzer: Setzer, the gambling owner of the Black Jack who appears in several propositions, is a clear nod to Setzer Gaibianni from Final Fantasy VI.
Zanmato: The treaure referred to as the "Zanmato" in the War of the Lions translation (it appears as "Zeni-sword" in the original) is a recurring weapon in the Final Fantasy series. It makes its first appearance in Final Fantasy VI.
FINAL FANTASY VII
Cloud Strife: Cloud Strife, the protagonist of Final Fantasy VII, is an optionally recruitable character, who is summoned to Ivalice via a device constructed by Besrodio Bunanza.
Materia: The red, blue, black and white materia are treasures that all have their origin in Final Fantasy VII, where materia appear as crystallized deposits of mako energy that function as the basis of the game's magic system.
FINAL FANTASY XII
Dirtying One's Hands: In the War of the Lions translation of the game, Dycedarg tells Zalbaag that "I dirtied my hands to keep yours clean" during the battle at Eagrose, which evokes the words of Gramis Gana Solidor with regards to his son, Vanye, who has undertaken to murder him via poison: "So you would dirty your hands, to keep his clean?"
OGRE BATTLE / TACTICS OGRE
Denamunda: The Ivalician kings Denamunda II and Denamunda IV (Denamda II and IV in War of the Lions) may be a nod to Denam Pavel, the protagonist of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (who, himself, is a nod to the fabric blue jeans are made of...)
Zeltennia: Zeltennia shares its name with a city in Ogre Battle.
VAGRANT STORY
Dens and Dovecotes: In the War of the Lions translation of the game, Dycedarg orders Zalbaag to "search every den and dovecote" the members of the Corpse Brigade who led the raid on Eagrose. This appears to be a riff on Romeo Guildenstern's words regarding the the glyphs throughout the city of Lea Monde, noting "You'll likely find them on every den and dovecote in the city."
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