Final Fantasy Games Ranked: Which Is the Best?

The Final Fantasy series wasn’t supposed to go beyond its first installment — hence the name. It accumulated an unprecedented following, leading it to be one of the most beloved series in gaming history. Its cult following has determined the best games in the series alongside some with contentious opinions. What are the facts? What are the best Final Fantasy games?

With many remakes, multiplayer and spin-off games in the franchise, we are only going to be focusing on single-player, numbered experiences. Sorry, Final Fantasy XIV fans.

10. Final Fantasy XII

Release date: 2006

Final Fantasy XII is the most underrated entry in the series. It often misses most of the top rankings when it is just hidden beneath the sales success of the games that followed. It also had big shoes to fill — Final Fantasy X is a fan favorite (more on that later), and Final Fantasy XI was an MMO.

However, the aesthetic of Final Fantasy XII is stunning. The art direction is gorgeous and the combat system was a fascinating spin on the rest of the series. You have in-world combat with fascinating mechanics, like gambits. Fortunately, the small group of dedicated fans for this game earned the Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age remake.

9. Final Fantasy VIII

Release date: 1999

This entry is one of the most contentious in the series. The reason it ranks so low on this list is not because of the soundtrack or graphics — both of which are phenomenal. Even Ultimecia is a sinister addition to the series’ villainous roster. The low rank is because the story becomes bewildering, even to Final Fantasy players, past the halfway point. This includes an equally dissatisfying ending, as considered by most fans. But, at least it isn’t as complicated as Kingdom Hearts.

8. Final Fantasy I

Release date: 1987

The inaugural Final Fantasy game is our number eight. It should rank higher based on its cultural impact alone — in which case, it would be ranked first. However, looking at it objectively, it is an old-style dungeon-crawler. It has a nice balance of difficulty and old-game mystery to confuse gamers along their journey. Be sure to talk to NPCs if you ever get stuck. Also, many can experience this title now since it has been rereleased many times.

7. Final Fantasy XVI

Release date: 2023

It may be the recency bias, or the tendency to compare it to its predecessor, Final Fantasy XV, this game seems like one of the most worthy modern entries in the series. It has a beautifully written story that highlights its relationships and moral quandaries. Plus, it’s obviously the best-looking title in Final Fantasy history.

6. Final Fantasy V

Release date: 1992

One of the things players expect from Final Fantasy is battle-forward games. Combat systems are a staple of this series, and Square Enix has surely been experimental. This title has the iconic turn-based system, and each character assumes a job so you can build a curated party. Many people enjoy V because the tone is less intense compared to its predecessors. It has a slight sense of humor, and the strong pixel graphics make it memorable.

5. Final Fantasy IV

Release date: 1991

The creative leap from Final Fantasy III to IV shows the moment when the series was establishing its footing for the future. Its open-world setup lets you spend so much time with its deceptively well-written characters. The class system doesn’t have a lot of flexibility, but you could say Square Enix was still learning.

4. Final Fantasy IX

Release date: 2000

This is where rankings are going to start getting spicy. Final Fantasy IX is some of the fandom’s favorite by a mile. It has some of the most iconic characters dressed in one of the most compelling environments. Who doesn’t love a good airship? It often is the underdog of the series. Many fans believe it would’ve done better if released during a different era of gaming.

3. Final Fantasy X

Release date: 2001

Welcome to Spira. Despite being released on the PlayStation 2, the game is beautiful. Everyone remembers the cutscene where “Suteki da Ne” plays. Everyone remembers the meme-worthy laughing cutscene. Everyone remembers how epic it is to fight your father, Jecht, with some of the most diverse party of characters in the world. The combat is fluid, the play styles are made better by the uniqueness of the Sphere Grid, and these qualities earned it a high ranking.

2. Final Fantasy VII

Release date: 1997

You might be asking yourself why this isn’t number one. It could be, considering how well the remaster is being received. However, there is one more that ascends the ranks for most die-hard Final Fantasy fans.

Regardless, Midgar and its dystopian setting is one of the most cinematic and edgy in the series. Sephiroth is one of the most identifiable villains in gaming history, with “One-Winged Angel” to make his mark even more legendary. It is irrefutable that this game altered the course of Japanese RPGs forever, setting a precedent for in-depth stories, complex characters, sweeping soundtracks and immaculate storytelling.

1. Final Fantasy VI

Release date: 1994

Ask most people in the fandom, and even if Final Fantasy VI isn’t their favorite, they will understand it could be the best. The 16-bit graphics still hold up to this day, and they paint the post-apocalyptic world in a wonderful way. It has a class system like IV and V, but Square finally found the happy medium with its experimentation. The Esper system is also a fun inclusion, telling the future of the series with how players will be able to manipulate character stats.

Ultimately, the story is captivating, the soundtrack is iconic as always, and combat is rewarding. There are few minor gripes to have with VI, so go on and play it for yourself.

Best Final Fantasy Games

Determining the top games isn’t a walk in the park, especially when nostalgia and individual playing experiences determine so much of a game’s enjoyment. Looking at some of the more objective qualities, such as story, combat system and soundtracks, these are some of the most memorable and genre-defining entries in the series. If you haven’t played any of these top 10, grab yourself a copy if you can on an available system. Your RPG-loving heart will thank you.