Best Final Fantasy Games of All Time

The Greatest RPG Franchise in History

Between 1987 and 2001, Square produced the most consistently brilliant run of RPGs any single studio has ever assembled. The Final Fantasy franchise didn’t just define the JRPG genre — it created the template for cinematic storytelling in video games, established the visual language of fantasy worlds, and demonstrated with each entry that the medium could carry emotional weight previously reserved for literature and film.

Seven of the games on this list were created in a thirteen-year window when Square was operating at the absolute peak of its creative power. Each represented a deliberate reinvention of the formula: new battle systems, new casts, new worlds, and new approaches to narrative. That willingness to rebuild from scratch with each entry — rather than safely iterating — is what makes this franchise irreplaceable.

Final Fantasy VI: The Peak of the 16-Bit Era

Final Fantasy VI (1994, known as Final Fantasy III in North America on initial release) remains the consensus greatest entry in the franchise and one of the greatest games ever made. The ensemble cast of fourteen characters, each with distinct backstories and motivations, represented a storytelling ambition unprecedented in the medium. Kefka Palazzo — the first villain in Final Fantasy history to actually destroy the world mid-game — changed what players expected from a JRPG antagonist.

The game’s operatic centerpiece — a ten-minute sequence in the floating city of Zozo rendered entirely through pixel art and Nobuo Uematsu’s MIDI score — remains one of gaming’s most cited examples of emotional storytelling without cutscene technology.

Final Fantasy VII: The Game That Changed Everything

Final Fantasy VII (1997) was the most consequential release in Square’s history. The decision to move from Nintendo to PlayStation — driven by Square’s need for CD-ROM storage for FMV cutscenes — was industry-shaking. The result sold over 11 million copies, introduced RPGs to an entirely new Western audience, and remains the most culturally referenced entry in the franchise.

Aerith Gainsborough’s death in Disc 1 is gaming’s most discussed narrative moment. The Materia system’s flexibility created character customization depth that later entries struggled to match.

Chrono Trigger: The Honorary Final Fantasy

Developed by the “Dream Team” of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, and Dragon Ball artist Akira Toriyama, Chrono Trigger (1995) is technically not a Final Fantasy game. It feels like one. Its time travel mechanic, 13 different endings, and New Game+ mode — then revolutionary features — make it essential reading alongside any Final Fantasy list. It represents the absolute zenith of what 16-bit RPGs could achieve.

The Tactical Branch: Final Fantasy Tactics

Final Fantasy Tactics (1998) proved the franchise could succeed in an entirely different genre. The political narrative of Ivalice — more adult and morally complex than any mainline FF — combined with 400+ job abilities, the deep Zodiac system, and Matsuno’s intricate class politics to create a tactical RPG that remains the genre standard two decades later.

The Classic Series Legacy

The original Final Fantasy (1987) saved Square from bankruptcy and launched the franchise with a direct wink at the audience: the “Final” in the title referred to Square’s financial situation, not a planned single entry. The game’s job class system and party customization established principles that carried through every mainline entry for the next fifteen years.

Every game on this list can be played today and still delivers an experience worth dozens of hours.