FFIX is a tribute to everything I have loved in JRPGs.
Wow. The characters may be blocky and blurry, but the game is still enjoyable years after its release. I consider FFVII as one of my favorites, and in general, I prefer FFVII's characters, story and materia system.
However, there is a certain old-school charm that this game retains and allows for a great, albeit nostalgic, experience.
The music is fantastic and just oozes emotion. Some of the characters are funny and quirky, while others are always brooding about their circumstances. You always know where to go and the story is fast-paced, always taking you from one place to the next, from one battle to another. The dungeons are short and there's never really much confusion or frustration. The battles aren't that simple and all your party members are specialized (tough warrior, fragile mage, etc.)
There are a few things that don't make sense to me, but I don't know if that's just part of the story or not.
But regardless, I just find this game to still be a great experience. It's simple. It really is. You don't need to make choices, you're quite limited in your equipment selection, there's really only one path you must take, and you pretty much know where some things are headed. But that's the beauty of it. It's really easy to get into. Even if you haven't played in a while, it's not hard to just jump right back in and slowly get reacquainted with the story. Even the card game is fairly simple (as well as, unfair and random).