Final Fantasy was released in Japan for the Famicom before making its way to the NES in North America in 1990. After initially being planned as a one-and-done situation, the series quickly skyrocketed into becoming the flagship title from Square. There are now sixteen Final Fantasy main entries, not including spinoffs and sequels in all types of media, and things aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
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It’s also probably the most played Japanese RPG series throughout the world, or at least one of the biggest. With things getting so close to its 40th anniversary, let’s take a look at the gameplay innovations that helped shape the Final Fantasy series, and figure out where things are going next.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Mini-Games (In A Broad Capacity)
From Sliders To Blitzball
Believe it or not, mini-games were a part of the original game. In Final Fantasy, players could patch in a code while on their ship to play a slider puzzle. While it may not have exactly been a mini-game that Final Fantasy fans would grow to know and love, the DNA was there at the start.
All fans have their favorites from Blitzball in Final Fantasy 10 to Chocobo Racing in Final Fantasy 7 that they would gladly enjoy in a spinoff game. More so than side quests, mini-games allow players to take a break from the usual turn-based and action combat routines and give them a glimpse into the creativity of the development team.
Chocobo Riding
Kweh!
Chocobos were introduced in Final Fantasy 2, one of the black sheep of the family, which did not affect the franchise as a whole and instead inspired another series to bloom within Square: SaGa. Players could ride Chocobo safely across the world map as a mode of transportation, which has remained a staple in most of the mainline games.
Their implementation changes between games, some more than others, like in Final Fantasy 9, wherein players just get one Chocobo that they evolve through a mini-game called Chocobo Hot and Cold. In Final Fantasy 7, players could catch and breed them to create special Chocobos that could access secret areas of the world map. Chocobos even became somewhat of a mascot for the series, being featured in several spin-offs from Chocobo Racing on the PS1 to Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon, also on the PS1.
The Job System
A Switchable Class System
Technically, there was a class system, referred to as Jobs, in the first Final Fantasy. That said, once players made their party of four, their characters were stuck in those roles and only evolved once. The true Job system, as fans know it today, was introduced in Final Fantasy 3, allowing players to swap between Jobs as they acquired them.
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Surprisingly, Jobs are rarely featured in the mainline games and are instead a bigger part of the spinoffs, including Final Fantasy Tactics and Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Jobs have made their way into other Square Enix games, too, like Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default, so they’re not even exclusive to Final Fantasy, but more like an identity within Square Enix.
Summons
Relying On The Gods
The Jobs differ depending on what version of Final Fantasy 3 players are enjoying, but in the original NES version, players could be an Evoker, Summoner, or Sage to call upon powerful beings known as Summons. Summons and the Summoner Job became a huge part of the series, not just in terms of gameplay, but in story implementation. In Final Fantasy 10, they were called Aeons, and when Yuna called upon an Aeon in battle, they acted like a temporary party member until they either died or were dismissed.
In the latest mainline entry, Final Fantasy 16, they were called Eikons, and certain individuals, known as Dominants, could call upon their power and transform into their avatars. There are a lot of recurring summons like Ramuh, Shiva, and Ifrit, but some entries also get pretty creative with creatures that rarely appear, like Doomtrain and Brothers from Final Fantasy 8.
Limit Breaks
One Last Shot
The idea of Limit Breaks was first introduced in Final Fantasy 6, which was called a Desperation Attack. Players had a rare chance to evoke them based on HP levels, and even then, most probably never saw or used them. This combat mechanic would go on to influence Final Fantasy 7, which is where the term “Limit Break” was first used.
By taking damage in battle, players could build up a meter that, when full, allowed players to unleash powerful attacks that evolved with each character over time. Most Final Fantasy games have Limit Breaks of some sort, following this like Final Fantasy 9’s Trances, or Final Fantasy 10’s Overdrives. And with the Final Fantasy 7 remakes, a lot of the Limit Break attacks from the original were converted into weapon skills like Cloud’s Braver and Blade Burst.
Weapon Upgrading/Tinkering
Making More Out Of Your Gear
For the first six Final Fantasy games, equipment was just equipment, but that evolved in Final Fantasy 7. Armor and weapons had slots that players could put Materia into, that game’s form of magic, which could affect stats and how spells performed as well. In the Final Fantasy 7 remakes, there were still Materia slots, but players could also level up weapons to upgrade stats and even learn abilities, like Cloud’s aforementioned former Limit Break moves.
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In Final Fantasy 9, armor and weapons carried abilities with them that let certain characters learn active and passive skills and spells. Any RPG that treats gear like more than just an item to collect can largely thank Final Fantasy for always trying to evolve the concept.
Card Games
A Very Specific Mini-Game Type
If there is one mini-game that has persisted and evolved, it’s the card games. The first big idea was introduced in Final Fantasy 8, which was called Triple Triad. Players could collect cards in various ways to challenge other characters to matches. Final Fantasy 9 got Tetra Master, and both Tetra Master and Triple Triad have been featured in the MMOs Final Fantasy 11 and Final Fantasy 14, respectively.
It would not be until Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth that a new card game would enrich the lives of players via Queen’s Blood. All three card mini-games play differently, but they are all beloved by certain factions of the fanbase, even going so far as to create standalone fan versions like Triple Triad: Tournament of the Elements.
Non-Turn-Based Systems (For The Mainline Games)
Easing Into Action
Even though the gameplay mechanics changed from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy 10, every mainline entry used turn-based combat systems. Final Fantasy 11 is the first game that changed all that, using the traditional autobattle attacks found in other MMOs. Players could target enemies and then use skills and spells that ran on a cooldown meter, which was also used in Final Fantasy 12 and Final Fantasy 14 to varying degrees.
This change in pace could largely be noted as the gateway mechanic that led to the action systems of Final Fantasy 15, Final Fantasy 16, and the ongoing Final Fantasy 7 remakes. Technically, there were real-time combat systems before this, like in Final Fantasy Adventure, but that spinoff was actually part of the Mana series retroactively. It’s hard to say whether a mainline Final Fantasy will ever be turn-based again, as real-time combat is also a sign of changes in taste within the RPG genre as a whole.
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