Final Fantasy started as a franchise in 1987 as a last-ditch effort by Square to make a true hit, and it paid off. The series has now been around for decades, and it is assuredly not going to die off anytime soon. Most of the core games are available on modern consoles for anyone to jump in and enjoy at their leisure.
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With sixteen main titles and even more Final Fantasy spinoffs, it can be daunting to try and get acquainted with such an illustrious series. For anyone who wants to sample the games that have made Final Fantasy what it is today, these are the entries that will give players the clearest insight into the franchise as a whole.
Final Fantasy
Where It All Began
Final Fantasy (1987)
- Released
- December 18, 1987
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, Adventure
The NES version of Final Fantasy may seem a bit archaic by today’s standards, and it is, but there are several better ways to play it nowadays. The very best version was on the GBA, but the Pixel Remaster is just as good at delivering players some good ol' 80s nostalgia.
There’s not much to the story, and instead, players are given the freedom to explore and fight monsters in a myriad of ways thanks to the starting character system. It’s important to begin at the start, so that each evolutionary leap will make sense, and innovations can be traced back to their origins.
Final Fantasy 3
See The Job System’s Inception
Final Fantasy 3 (3D Remake)
- Released
- November 14, 2006
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Final Fantasy 3 was originally an NES game before getting a 3D makeover for the DS in 2006. This 3D version is still available on several platforms, the most prominent of which is on Steam.
This game is where the Job system was introduced, Final Fantasy’s version of classes from the playbook of Dungeons & Dragons. Players can find Crystals, get new Jobs, and then swap skills. It is another basic save-the-world story set-up, but the Job system is very important to the series as it moves forward.
Final Fantasy 7
The Turning Point Of The Franchise
Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- January 31, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Final Fantasy 7 was originally a PS1 game, and the first RPG that truly broke through to the masses. It’s impossible to describe the mania that this game created, leading Squaresoft, and eventually Square Enix, to greenlight multiple spinoffs, from prequels to full-blown movies.
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It’s almost like the series was rebooted at this point. While the polygonal graphics may not be as groundbreaking today, the core gameplay and story could not be better, and it’s easy to play Final Fantasy 7 via its remaster with cheats on nearly every modern system.
Final Fantasy Tactics
The Spinoff To End All Spinoffs
Final Fantasy Tactics
- Released
- June 20, 1997
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, RPG
Final Fantasy Tactics was one of the earliest spinoffs in the Final Fantasy series, adapting the Job system for tactical gameplay. Save for important story characters, players can build a party out of Monks, Ninjas, Black Mages, Dragoons, and more. It's challenging too, more so than any Final Fantasy game that came before.
It’s been gone for a while now, but fortunately, this classic tactical RPG is coming back via Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles. It’s probably best to wait and play this latest version of the game to see just how high the spinoffs can get in terms of quality.
Final Fantasy 9
A Farewell To Fantasy
Final Fantasy 9
- Released
- July 7, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Violence, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Final Fantasy 9 was the last mainline game to launch on the PS1, and it was like a farewell to the high fantasy days of the series for a while. It touches on everything that made the original game important, from Crystals to warring kingdoms to airships.
Final Fantasy 9 is an RPG in its purest form. It’s full of adventure and whimsy, and it has good gameplay to boot, which is easily accessible on most modern hardware thanks to the remaster.
Final Fantasy 14
Multiplayer At Its Peak
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
- August 27, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Final Fantasy 14 is the second MMO in the series, following Final Fantasy 11, and the service is still ongoing. Not only that, it is immensely popular, even all these years after its launch. For players who want to experience the Final Fantasy series as a multiplayer game, this is the one to do it with, and grabbing several friends can help as well.
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Even after several big expansions, fans are still playing Final Fantasy 14. The game can be daunting to jump into today, as there are months' worth of content to consume, but it’s worth a try, even for a week or so, just to get an idea of how this community thrives.
World Of Final Fantasy
The Series Is Capable Of Being Silly Too
World Of Final Fantasy
- Released
- October 25, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
World of Final Fantasy is the game that newcomers just have to get a look at to see that the series is capable of parody. Taking place within a fantasy book, two twins, Lann and Reynn, embark on a journey to save the many worlds of Final Fantasy.
They will meet iconic NPCs from the series, like Final Fantasy 7’s Cloud, and befriend monsters to have them join their party. It’s a light-hearted Pokemon-like experience that’s worth playing after consuming a good number of the core titles to see how silly things can get when the franchise stops taking itself seriously for a bit.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
The Current State Of The Franchise
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the latest game in the series, meaning it’s important for newcomers to see where the franchise is currently at. The budget could not be higher, and it's plain to see, from the size of the open world to the attention to detail in every character model and core gameplay mechanic.
This isn’t a spinoff; Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second remake in a three-part trilogy of Final Fantasy 7 remakes. It may seem odd to nominate two Final Fantasy 7 games, but everything will become clear upon playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, especially after playing the original Final Fantasy 7. Square Enix reached for the stars here and succeeded on every level.
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Final Fantasy is well-known for its turn-based combat and Job systems, but these series entries featured new mechanics that had never been seen before