With fifteen mainline entries and countless ports, the Pixel Remasters, and Final Fantasy XVI’s upcoming release, the Final Fantasy series can feel overwhelming for new players to get into. Thankfully, anyone can enjoy a Final Fantasy game without having played the others, for each is a stand-alone experience with its own unique story and memorable characters. There are certainly recurring themes and mechanics throughout the series, including turn-based combat, magic, epic summons, job classes or character archetypes, chocobos, moogles, airships, and Cid. Then there are the stolen names and ideas from Tolkien, Norse and other mythologies, Dungeons & Dragons, and arbitrary Star Wars references.
When a person plays a Final Fantasy, they primarily play it for the story and music. Final Fantasy’s turn-based RPG gameplay typically involves presses the confirm button (usually “A” or “X” [O in Japan]) on the controller repeatedly to attack, attack, attack, heal when characters are hurt, and use magic and job/character abilities to target the enemies’ vulnerabilities. Any “difficulty” in FF games is usually the result of being under-leveled (or unintelligent), so, as is the case with many RPGs, simply grinding and mindlessly defeating groups of enemies for hours will provide the necessary experience points for the player’s party to become overpowered. Or, as is the case with the modern remakes and ports, you can simply turn off random encounters, or use auto-battle or cheats to cheese your way through the games, whatever you see fit. Again, Final Fantasy games are all about the music and story.
Before I became enamored with reading and analyzing poetry, classical literature, Shakespeare, and philosophy, it was the stories and characters of the Final Fantasy games that opened my mind to a better understanding the essence of human nature and life’s hardships: love, pain, loss, personal failure, the emo teen phase of one’s life, and the power of the human spirit to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
Having played every mainline non-MMO entry (multiple times for IV-X), my personal recommendation for which Final Fantasy games are essential include IV, VI, VII, and IX. If you had to pick one or a few games to start with, these should be your go-tos. I also want to include V, X, and Tactics, but if I’m not careful, I may end up recommending every single FF (except II and XIII, but if you like them, that’s fine). XI and XIV are MMOs beyond the scope of this article, especially since writing about XI would be an entire memoir of the seven years of my life I enjoyed and lost to that game. And I’ve been intentionally avoiding XIV since I know exactly what will happen once I start playing it.
Final Fantasy IV
Original release: 1991 on the Super Nintendo/Famicom
Recommended versions: Final Fantasy IV The Complete Collection (PSP) and Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster (PC, Mobile, Switch, PS4)
Of all the Final Fantasy games, IV is notable for several reasons: it has the most remakes and ports (SNES, PS, GBA, DS, PSP…), and IV established the template for the character-driven storytelling that every Final Fantasy thereafter incorporates. It was also marketed as “Final Fantasy II” in North America since the actual Final Fantasy II and III on the Famicom never released outside of Japan until decades later, leading to years of widespread confusion and ignorance.
To avoid spoilers, I’ll simply focus on the recommended platforms and version differences. The original FFIV on the SNES/Super Famicom is infamous for its high difficulty, and considerable grinding is necessary in order to make it through the game. The PSP FFIV Complete Collection (released in 2011) is the most content-heavy, including an extra post-game dungeon from the GBA port and a forgettable sequel. Also worth mentioning is the DS or “3D remake” version (also on mobile and PC) that includes voice acting, a revamped battle and skill system, and 3D graphics that looked acceptable on a portable Nintendo console in 2007. I would recommend the PSP Complete Collection if you want the most definitive and COMPLETE version of the game (and the updated sprites look gorgeous), whereas the most recent Pixel Remaster more closely resembles the original SNES game visually, with a much easier and balanced difficulty level for beginners. FFIV Pixel Remaster lacks the extra content in the Complete Collection, but it includes its own standout features. Like in all the Pixel Remasters, there is a masterfully arranged soundtrack that original composer Nobuo Uematsu supervised, which in itself makes all the Pixel Remasters worth playing. In the Pixel Remaster games, you can also turn off battle encounters and turn on experience multipliers if you want to save time or just experience the amazing story. There’s also a spoony bard in FFIV who’s worth mentioning.
Final Fantasy VI
Original release: 1994 on the Super Nintendo/Famicom
Recommended Versions: Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster, or any other version
Alongside Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI is widely considered the epitome of RPGs during the 16-bit era. With its drastic shift to a steampunk and post-apocalyptic setting and the largest cast of unique party members in an FF game (all of whom are unforgettable and lovable), FFVI also has one of the best soundtracks and stories ever seen in the medium of video games. The second half of the game is largely open-world (after you recover the airship), before the concept of “open-world” became widespread and overused.
FFVI is personally my favorite Final Fantasy and was the first one I played. I recall when my sixth grade self was too dumb to understand how to teach my party members magic by equipping espers, and I just used “attack” and Sabin’s Pummel repeatedly to brute force my way through bosses, only for Ultros and Typhon to obstruct my progress. Then there was my failure to wait for Shadow on the Floating Continent (learn from my mistakes). After I became smarter and eventually beat the game multiple times in its various incarnations, my love and appreciation for FFVI has only grown with the passing years. As far as recommended versions, I honestly believe any version will do. The original American SNES version (which is also included on the SNES Classic) has several issues with its misnomer “Final Fantasy III” and inaccurate translation, censorship, and bugs, but it’s still a fine way to experience the game. I also still prefer the original pixel art in the SNES release over the later remakes. The GBA version is only acceptable if you play it with the “Sound Restoration” fix, since the original GBA port butchered Uematsu’s work with the GBA’s terrible sound quality. FFVI Pixel Remaster is missing the extra content (some additional espers, equipment, and a post-game dungeon) from the GBA release, but again the remastered soundtrack and HD-2D depiction of FFVI’s most iconic scene makes the Pixel Remaster still a near-perfect way to experience the game.
Final Fantasy VII
Original release: 1997 on the original PlayStation
Recommended Versions: Switch due to convenience and accessibility (I suppose), and PS5 for FFVII Remake
For numerous individuals, especially casuals, FFVII is their favorite and first Final Fantasy. VII was my second, and by god was I obsessed with this game (and the FF series in general) in my youth. Its story, amazing. The music, magnificient. Its graphics, impressive at the time, but less aesthetic today. Again, these are commonalities in all FF games. If you can learn to tolerate the outdated 3D models with missing noses and giant forearms, and enjoy the better in-battle animations and breathtaking story, FFVII still holds up today as one of the greatest and most influential video games of all time. It’s also much easier and accessible than the average FF game.
So much has already been said about VII, so there’s little for me to add. The ostentatious hairstyles and giant swords of Cloud Strife and Sephiroth have ensured that these two will always be Final Fantasy’s most popular protagonist and villain, even if Terra and Kefka in FFVI are much better and far more interesting characters. Practically everybody knows of the tragedy that occurs at the end of FFVII’s first disc, even if FFII and FFIV technically already included permadeaths of party members. And then, of course, there is FFVII Remake and the upcoming Rebirth, which hopefully won’t taint the story of the original (or maybe it’s too late). You can play the original FFVII on everything: PC, PS4, mobile, Xbox, and Switch. The experience is more or less identical to the original on the PlayStation One, and yet again you can turn off random encounters and use other cheats to make the game easier and a playthrough much faster. Don’t worry too much about FFVII’s prequels (though Crisis Core is worth a playthrough), the shooting game sequel, or the movie Advent Children if your time is limited.
Final Fantasy IX
Original release: 2000
Recommended versions: Any modern platform (PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch)
FFIX is another contender for the best FF of all time. In fact, Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the series, himself has gone on record to say that IX is his favorite. After dabbling in more modern/futuristic science fiction settings for VII and VIII, IX returns the franchise to its roots: medieval fantasy with less emphasis on emo teenagers/young adults (though Zidane sure has his moment toward the end of the game). In many ways, IX embodies everything that people love about FF; it may very well have the most charming, unique, and fleshed out characters, and YET ONCE AGAIN an incredible story and soundtrack for the ages. IX is also more challenging compared to more recent FF titles (which, in this context, include VII and everything after), but again players can use cheats and battle encounter toggles in the game’s remastered version on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox.
The sheer variety of settings and story arcs in IX make a compelling case for its claim to be the greatest Final Fantasy. IX is arguably Final Fantasy in its purest and most actualized form. Vivi is my favorite character in the series, and he is a constant reminder of how much we should cherish the little time we have. Zidane is perverted, Freya is cool, Beatrix is scary, Steiner is funny, Amarant is boring, Quina is quirky, Garnet is predictable, and Eiko is adorable. Zidane’s monkey tail also becomes a plot point later in the story. There are too many emotional and memorable moments in FFIX that, in a lot of ways, might make its story the best in the series.
I’d love to write more about each Final Fantasy game and my reverence for Sakaguchi and Uematsu in more depth, but I’ve already gone on too long. For the remaining entries, I’ll simply write a sentence for each one:
Final Fantasy: Dungeons and Dragons led to Ultima and Wizardry, which led to Dragon Quest and subsequently Final Fantasy, which was supposed to be Hironobu Sakaguchi’s last game.
Final Fantasy II: What happened to leveling up the normal way?
Final Fantasy III: Onion Knights rule!
Final Fantasy V: FFV has maybe the best implementation of the job system, and “Battle on the Bridge” is an amazing song.
Final Fantasy VIII: Gunblades, flying gardens, and the song “The Man with the Machine Gun” are great.
Final Fantasy X: Another top-tier story, even if Tidus is annoying; Auron is a legend, and there’s the “Zanarkand” theme, one of the best piano pieces ever composed.
Final Fantasy XI: To quote Hamlet, “You cannot, sir, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal — except my life — except my life — except my life.”
Final Fantasy XII: Hunts in Ivalice and Gilgamesh’s cameo are fun; story is meh.
Final Fantasy XIII: It’s like running down a straight tunnel; although Lightning is cool, XIII’s story is even more meh, and Lost Odyssey on the Xbox 360 is the true Final Fantasy successor.
Final Fantasy XIV: Yoshi-P saved it.
Final Fantasy XV: Beautiful graphics, generally fun (non-turn-based) gameplay, and the most wasted potential in cast of characters or story I’ve seen in a long time.
Final Fantasy Tactics: As a strategy game, Tactics has a Shakespearean quality story and exceptional utilization of the job class system.
Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core: Crisis Core is an enjoyable action RPG prequel to FFVII and includes perhaps the best ending sequence in a FF game.
I think that’s enough for now, so I’ll just end with some lyrics from FFIX’s theme song “Melodies of Life”:
“If I should leave this lonely world behind
Your voice will still remember our melody
Now I know we’ll carry on
Melodies of life
Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts
As long as we remember.”