Makkuro:
You remembered me. I'm so happy! Anyway, I'm a Lancer man myself. I like their great range. And they look so cool! Sure, later in the game they become less useful, but by then you have T.G. Cid anyway. For the first and second chapter, monks are cool too.

Googleshng:
I'm not going to get into the most useful class, since that always starts a raging unending debate, but in terms of how much I actually like having them on my party, Dragoons and Monks rule. As for the password thing, that's what I assumed, although I'd heard weird rumors.

Makkuro:
Considering how large that thing would have to be, and the difference in resolution between the GBA screen and a TV, practically nil. You'll just have to get by on re-releases, I'm afraid.

Googleshng:
Actually, the GBA has a higher resolution than most TVs, and that nice wide screen, but the whole system is roughly the size of an SNES game, so that would be darn awkward, plus there's no X and Y. Don't worry though, you can play GB/GBC games on it, and a whole truck load of NES, SNES, and even some PSX and DC games are being ported and remade for the sucker, so chances are you can play whatever you had in mind in a portable fashion.

Makkuro:
There's a difference in rare item and monster placement. Basically, there's more of them. But if you mean the split screen mode, it should be the same, except you see your party members in real life (and on the screen) and it's free!

Googleshng:
OK, when you play offline, the items you find are slightly better, the monsters you fight have slightly less HP, there's a little more to the plot, a lot more to the endings, and most importantly, it saves how far along you are for both online and online play. Meaning, if you've killed the dragon solo, you can skip straight to the caves whenever you play offline, or host online. So really, the only reasons to ever play ONLINE are to make it easier to temporarily get past tough bosses and find some better equipment, and because, well, it's more fun to play with friends than without.

Makkuro:
Yes, they are both very good games, though FFT is, in my opinion, better. Anyway, Vanguard Bandits is quite a bit shorter than Final Fantasy Tactics, but then you have the branching storylines and multiple endings. Still, VB is probably best to start with, because there are only a set number of battles, and you won't get stuck in a complex and addictive job system.

Googleshng:
VB is a shortish game with 3 paths and 5 endings. FFT is pretty long and just has the one. So yeah, I'd go through VB at least once first, then hit FFT, then go back and gut VB.

Makkuro:
Thank you, and thanks for giving me a chance to ramble about Xenogears.

1. I'm inclined to think he was some sort of rodent. His whiskers just give that impression.

Googleshng:
I think I once heard he's officially a rat, but I've always thought he looked more like a camel or a sloth myself. Odd how everyone always seems to narrow it down to those 3.

Makkuro:
2. Just keep your head cool. Don't use the booster until you fight Elly, and heal your armor when Broyer uses his piledriver. And don't forget to heal yourself with that maintenance gear first.

Googleshng:
Also try not to waste fuel on overkill if you can.

Makkuro:
3. Difficult to say. I'm still kind of miffed that I'll have to buy a PS2. It seems like it will take place before the Eldridge is launched and, as I understand, on Earth.

Googleshng:
I haven't heard much, but I've liked what I heard... except the lack of anime bit.

Makkuro:
4. You get the RPS Badge. I don't know if it's good for anything, though. Maybe if you have the Hide and Seek Badge too.

Googleshng:
If you get all three of those badges (there's also tag as I recall), you can take them to Shivat and get a pile of little items. Nothing really important per se, just a whole bunch of stat boosters and such.

Makkuro:
5. There are so many cool villains in Xenogears that it's difficult to choose. Krelian, I guess, with Ramsus or Id as a close second.

Googleshng:
Id, unless I'm allowed to say the Voltron rip-off the elements get.

Makkuro:
6. Doctor Citan Uzuki! Easily.

Googleshng:
Indeed, Citan rules.

Makkuro:
7. Miang. Redheads are nice, but nothing sparks my fancy like purple hair. Besides, evil chicks are hotter. Evil is good, evil is... nope, I can't bring myself to say it.

Googleshng:
I'll have to pass due to a total lack of libido.

Makkuro:
8. Chu-Chu is... weird. Completely useless in battle, too. I like her squaks, though. They're strangely soothing.

Googleshng:
All of the above! By the way, for quoting the end of The Movie there, have this ampersand: &

Makkuro:
Yes, and when you defeat him, you get to resurrect Aeris.

Googleshng:
You know, I've seen about 3 times as many questions regarding crazy FF7 rumors this month than in the rest of my life combined. What the heck gives? In other words, NO.

Googleshng:
Yes, but FF7's more popular. It's like how people say Doom clone not Wolfenstein clone. Of course I'm reasonably certain Sakura Wars didn't invent the whole silver haired bishonen nutjob stereotype. Heck, I remember examples of that from anime in the 80s. Maybe I should research where that started some time...