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Top 10 Best Final Fantasy Games – Ranked

One of the best, if not, THE BEST JRPG franchise ever is none other than the Final Fantasy series and fans are asking which final fantasy game is the best. In this article, we will put our Top 10 Best Final Fantasy Games. Feel free to comment down below your thoughts if you agree or otherwise. Enjoy!

Top 10 Best Final Fantasy Games – Ranked

#10 – Final Fantasy III

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The 2006 Nintendo DS remake of Final Fantasy III was the first to release in North America. The first game in the series to really start relying on some of Final Fantasy’s most well-known systems was the 1990 Family Computer title. Specifically, the systems for jobs and summons. Because it uses full 3D graphics and mainly emulates the NES games in gameplay, the DS remake is intriguing to explore.

The plot unfolds in a manner similar to that of the first game in the series. Final Fantasy III, which depicts a franchise going through a welcome transformation, is the best game from the NES era overall. Presently, playing Final Fantasy III on PC, iOS, and Android is the best choice.

#9 – Final Fantasy XV

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This game serves as proof that not every innovative risk is profitable. The reality is that there is a solid western RPG aspect here, and the overall experience felt quite new in a bad way. The open-world action role-playing game Final Fantasy XV completely gets away with random encounters in favor of a real-time battle system.
The encounters lack the subtlety that FF fans have grown accustomed to and don’t feel quite right. The core cast consists of a gang of fashionable and possibly annoying teenagers. The world is engaging to explore and well-made, but the story lacks substance and the DLC expansions didn’t make any difference.

#8 – Final Fantasy VII

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The inclusion of Final Fantasy VII on this list, which is debatably the most iconic game in the franchise, may surprise some of its avid supporters. The story of Final Fantasy VII is both smart and controversial, and it includes some of the most deservedly popular good and evil characters in the history of the franchise. It’s a terrific game, but with drawbacks, you wouldn’t anticipate following the popularity of Final Fantasy VI. The fighting system was agonizingly sluggish, the animation was incredibly awful, and gameplay-wise, it didn’t do much to build off of Final Fantasy VI. Even so, Final Fantasy VII is arguably the most significant game in the franchise outside of Final Fantasy IV, and the action-packed PS4 remake lets a new generation of fans enjoy the captivating narrative.

#7 – Final Fantasy IV

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Final Fantasy IV, the first game in the series for the Super Nintendo, is essentially the first Final Fantasy that really mattered. With all due respect to the first three games in the series, Final Fantasy IV catapulted the series into the stratosphere. The class system also acquired a lovely new layer, since each class felt meant to communicate a specific aspect of the tale, with active time battles becoming a thing in Final Fantasy IV, a system that persisted uninterrupted until Final Fantasy X. Cecil, his love interest Rosa, and his longtime friend Kain are the main characters of the plot, but there are a lot of other people who play important roles in the absurd tale that centers on the Lunarians, a race that inhabits a made-up moon close to Earth.

Final Fantasy IV seemed like a massive improvement over its predecessors because of the addition of the active time-fighting system and the new emphasis on character-driven tales. The most significant game in the series, and still one of the greatest, is Final Fantasy IV. Today’s ideal option to play it is on the 3D remake for DS, PC, and mobile.

#6 – Final Fantasy IX

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Despite its 2000 release at the latter end of the PS1’s lifespan, Final Fantasy IX had a nostalgic feel to it.  Final Fantasy IX’s return to high fantasy felt extremely fresh at the time, especially given that the game’s visuals pretty much pushed the 32-bit capabilities to their limit. Final Fantasy IX is the most conventional Final Fantasy game from the 3D era in many ways. This is one of the better uses of the active time battle system. The reason it strikes out the most, though, is that it mixes the fantastic storytelling of the adventures that would come after with the fantasy-infused ancient settings of the early games.
The world is captivating, the characters have depth, and the gameplay has a distinctly retro vibe. There are various platforms where Final Fantasy IX is widely available, including Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Android, iOS, and PC. If you’re a fan of JRPGs this is as classic as they come. Fighting random encounters takes up much of your time in Final Fantasy IX, which is a grindy game.

#5 – Final Fantasy XII

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A classic masterpiece is the HD remaster of Final Fantasy XII. Final Fantasy XII caused controversy among players since it was the first mainstream, non-MMO game to switch from random fights to real-time combat. It was difficult to compare Final Fantasy XII to any other Final Fantasy game because it played so significantly different. Because Final Fantasy XII is still unparalleled more than ten years later, it ranks very highly on this list. Beautifully rendered scenery and fascinating individuals abound in the wonderful world of Ivalice. The gambit system and a revamped Limit Break mechanism termed Quickenings made the battle, formerly known as the Active Dimension Battle system, incredibly sophisticated.

The first few hours of Final Fantasy XII won’t excite you as much as some other top-tier Final Fantasy games. The realm of Ivalice, however, holds one of the richest and most satisfying Final Fantasy experiences available after the world opens up and you become familiar with the progressive fight system. Like the Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy X, the License Board gave the leveling system more complexity.

#4 – Final Fantasy

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The only reason this is higher on our list is that it was the foundation for everything we are currently enjoying. Final Fantasy was a pretty ground-breaking game during its debut in 1987. But it has since remained in its early stages despite its tactical turn-based combat, enormous overworld, and epic story centered on four Light Warriors.
Although it is a large RPG by NES standards, there wasn’t enough variation or personalization to prevent it from occasionally becoming boring. It doesn’t hold up very well and was swiftly surpassed in the ’90s. You might want to play this game to see where the franchise made its debut. Purchasing Final Fantasy on iOS or Android is the simplest method to play it without requiring an emulator.

#3 – Final Fantasy VIII

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The most daring game in the Final Fantasy series is likely Final Fantasy VIII. Despite being one of the most distinctive games in the series, VIII never lived up to the standards set by VII and VI because it is so unique. Final Fantasy VIII, which is available in a remastered form on the PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC, is a good example of how perspective is developed with time. Final Fantasy VIII brought back the active time-fighting wheel while maintaining some of the series’ core elements. Each primary character had a specific weapon that significantly influenced their fighting style, and the new junction system replaced armor and other accessories for modification.
The emphasis on summoning was the largest adjustment, though. Final Fantasy VIII felt like the first truly daring step in a new direction, especially when combined with a cool collectible card game and a drastically different tiered leveling system. Players may select how they wanted to approach the experience thanks to all of these intriguing gameplay adjustments. Final Fantasy VIII made considerable design improvements so that Squall and his allies could be seen in more detail. It’s not something we’d advise you to try as your first game. Final Fantasy VIII has aged even after being remastered. It’s a fairly challenging game, so you might not enjoy the entire game if you can’t handle all of its idiosyncrasies.

#2 – Final Fantasy X

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As amazing as it was in 2001, Final Fantasy X is still today. The Spira world, which was influenced by Asia, and its character models now appear more lifelike than ever thanks to the PlayStation 2’s advanced visual capabilities. Final Fantasy X is a largely linear adventure with large, varied locations and challenging dungeon puzzles. The best relationship in the history of the series also exists in Final Fantasy X. It is a continual joy to see how Tidus and Yuna’s relationship develops as he joins her on a mission to eradicate Sin. The cutscenes were incredibly amazing and still look fantastic now because they used full voice acting for the first time.
Compared to most Final Fantasy narratives, the narrative, which is exclusively delivered from Tidus’ viewpoint, is more narrowly focused. A genuinely traditional turn-based combat system took the place of the active time battle system in FFX. A character’s chosen class can essentially be changed thanks to the sphere grid’s depth addition to the leveling system. The underwater sport that made Tidus famous, Blitzball, is also a must-remember.

#1 – Final Fantasy VI

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Final Fantasy VI, released in 1994, is by far the best mainline Final Fantasy game. It is a complete masterpiece in every manner. Final Fantasy 6 was the final 16-bit mainline game and was initially available in North America as Final Fantasy 3. It introduced the steampunk-style environment design that would appear in PlayStation games in the late ’90s.  The Second Industrial Revolution’s increasing technology and scientific advancements overtook magic at this point, turning high fantasy into the stuff of fiction. Because of its setup and flawless pacing, Final Fantasy VI was able to attain such high levels of narrative impact.
Terra Branford, the intriguing main character, and Locke Cole, a rebel treasure hunter, are both the starters in the early half of the game. Basically, the objective is to overthrow the Empire. The linearity of the first half allows you to develop relationships with each character and watch them evolve. However, the game’s second half broadened the possibilities by letting you finish missions and dungeons in any sequence. At the time, this degree of freedom was astounding. The classic active time battle system was made to create constant excitement. This is all thanks to robust customization elements like special magic spells, a redesigned summoning system, and a multitude of weapons.
The setting, battle systems, and everything else in Final Fantasy VI works together to provide a virtually perfect Final Fantasy experience. While the fact that Square hasn’t improved upon Final Fantasy VI in the 25 years after its release may seem awful, it’s actually a testament to the game’s astounding quality. The turn-based role-playing game Final Fantasy VI might be the best ever created. It is currently playable on iOS, Android, and PC.

HONORABLE MENTION

Final Fantasy Tactics

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This is a bit different from any other FF titles as this game for us, should be on the Top 10 list instead of honorable mention. But since it’s a bit different when it comes to the combat system, we decided to not include it.

Players in the tactical role-playing game Final Fantasy Tactics follow the adventures of Ramza Beoulve, the game’s main character. Battles and the globe map are the game’s two play styles. Combat takes place on three-dimensional, isometric battlefields. Character movement and action ranges are based on the character’s statistics and job class on a battlefield made up of square tiles. The geography and weather on the battlefield also affect the strategic advantages and disadvantages of battles. Battles are turn-based; a unit can act once its Charge Time (CT), a measure of time in battles, reaches 100.

With tons of different classes from being a Squire to becoming a Ninja. With a huge number of spells and summons available, this game is very well made. Did I mention secret characters that you may unlock along the way? This game is by far one of the most interesting FF titles ever made. Feel free to try this game out! It won’t disappoint.

Final Fantasy XIII

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When Final Fantasy XIII debuted in 2009 on the PS3 and Xbox 360, it certainly looked the part. The character representations and surrounding elements were realistic, and the animations were exquisite. Active time battles were again back in Final Fantasy XIII, but they are much more straightforward than before.
As a result, there were numerous random battles that could be won by repeatedly hitting the same button.  In comparison to earlier games, XIII’s biggest flaw was how linear it was. Because of the gorgeous characters and stunning graphic components, this game is still worth mentioning.

Final Fantasy XIV Online – A Realm Reborn

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Okay, the reason it’s not on the list is simply because of how bad FF14 is during launch. That is still true until the expansion ‘A Real Reborn’ happened.

If it weren’t for A Realm Reborn, the disastrous 2010 MMORPG that was shut down and rebuilt all in the period of three years, Final Fantasy XIV should not be really included even in the honorable mention list. The video game Final Fantasy XIV was terrible. A Realm Reborn, which was available again in 2013 on PC, PS3, and PS4 the following year, is fantastic. A Realm Reborn is the kind of MMO that you can easily lose hundreds of hours in thanks to its abundance of quests, raids, and exciting PvP combat. In terms of MMOs, the story and lore of the planet of Hydaelyn are among the greatest series ever. It is one of the best Final Fantasy worlds ever.

Since the game’s debut, many outstanding expansions have been produced. This includes the current and outstanding Shadowbringers and the even more lauded Endwalker. Fans of the franchise should play Final Fantasy XIV together for the optimum experience. Final Fantasy XIV may convince you to become an MMO lover even if you don’t already consider yourself to be one.

Final Fantasy VII – Remake

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After an ample period of anticipation, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was finally available, and reviews were mostly positive. Linear gameplay and too-long chapters hinder what is typically a visually spectacular and enjoyable game. Nevertheless, it’s still Final Fantasy VII, and you should still enjoy the extended version of Midgar.

In essence, Final Fantasy VII Remake has a more complex combat system and feels like a more linear Final Fantasy XV. The Final Fantasy VII Remake failed to live up to the anticipation. It deserves praise for setting the stage for one of the best modern video game plots.

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