The “iconic” and “definitive” get tossed around so often that they can lose their impact, but the best games in the Final Fantasy series manage to earn the usage. The franchise truly defines an RPG sub-genre all its own, having forged an incredible legacy and reputation over three long decades in the gaming industry. From its 8-bit origins on the NES to the recent launch of Final Fantasy 16, the greatest Final Fantasy games bring fantasy worlds to vivid life and fill them with narratives, characters, and gameplay that capture the hearts of players worldwide.
While Final Fantasy’s running legacy is one of undeniable success, it can hardly be claimed that every release was just as good as the last. Some titles in the series package interesting stories with lackluster gameplay, while others explore exciting new directions without sticking the landing. Nonetheless, every game among the 25 best entries in the franchise has something to offer fans, and the balance between familiar beloved elements and continued innovation has ensured that truly excellent Final Fantasy titles continue to come around when everything comes together just right.
25 Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13
Despite a very mixed fan reception to Final Fantasy 13, Square Enix committed to continuing its story in two follow-up games. Lightning Returns is the conclusion of this saga, and plenty of players returned to see the end to the story of one of the least annoying Final Fantasy protagonists. While it echoes many strengths and weaknesses alike from the first game, it also introduced one key problem of its own – a time limit for each save file. Granted, it's a part of the story, but it's a frustrating choice for a Final Fantasy game.
The concept of a time limit lends a sense of urgency to rushing through the game, which works against what many people consider the core Final Fantasy experience. Expansive worlds, hours of exploration, side quests, and secrets galore are typically a central appeal for the series. Turning the whole thing into a sprint just doesn't seem that fun.
24 Final Fantasy 13
Despite being an incredibly beautiful looking game packing some interesting and fun combat mechanics, Final Fantasy 13 doubled down on rail-bound gameplay and plot direction that seems to run counter to the spirit of the series. Many players lose interest in the game before it ever starts to open up, as its better features have trouble sustaining hours of running through hallways.
The linear plot and gameplay all but robs Final Fantasy 13 of the open sense of wonder that makes for a memorable Final Fantasy experience. Not everything the game has been derided for is all bad, as the Paradigm system's quirks don't stop it from being fluid and entertaining, but other games in the series just give the player more to do.
23 Final Fantasy Type-0
Final Fantasy Type-0 plays more like an experiment than anything else, and it certainly doesn't come up short in of ambition. That may be what holds it back from being great, however; It simply tries to do too much.
Incorporating strategy elements as well as continuing the action-RPG gameplay trend that many Final Fantasy titles have followed, Final Fantasy Type-0 manages to pull off an overall enjoyable experience despite being a bit convoluted in of both mechanics and plot. The characters, while distinct, don't offer too much to them by. Final Fantasy Type-0 is a game worth playing, but not one worth calling one of the best Final Fantasy games.
22 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Crystal Chronicles does what it was designed to do, delivering a solid Final Fantasy title to the GameCube and pull off an entertaining multiplayer experience. It achieves the first goal with aplomb, although the second's success is of a slightly more mixed quality.
The multiplayer implementation was a bit cumbersome, necessitating a system link with the Game Boy Advance that, while neat and novel, was a remarkably poor and unwieldy choice when it came to gathering friends for a session. As a result, it's actually incredibly difficult to play Crystal Chronicles as it was intended on its original hardware. The multiplayer changes in Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition available on modern hardware go a long way in making this an easier title to pick up and play.
21 Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core
In of PSP games, Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core offers an impressively ambitious action RPG experience. The visuals are impressive for the handheld, and any narrative that further explores Final Fantasy 7 is going to be welcomed with open arms. In the context of Final Fantasy games, however, Crisis Core is a bit of a mixed bag, and the same goes for its 2022 remaster, Crisis Core Reunion.
While it succeeds in telling a great story through the eyes of playable Final Fantasy 7 character Zack Fair, whose point of view was sorely lacking in the Final Fantasy 7 universe prior to its release, the actual gameplay can feel disappointingly thin at points. There's not a great deal of customization to go into making battles more interesting, and fights to feel monotonous pretty quickly. The plot, however, is well-worth the slog.
20 Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance had a difficult task on its shoulders, following up an acclaimed and ambitious PlayStation title on a handheld system. It succeeds on all the basics, and the essential, Ogre Battle-like gameplay is still well intact.
Nonetheless, the simplified, real-world crossover narrative feels incredibly awkward compared to the original's politically epic story, and it ultimately falls short of the incredibly high mark that Final Fantasy Tactics had set in that regard. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a good game in its own right, but compared to the original, it's a bit of a disappointing sequel.
19 Final Fantasy 2
Final Fantasy 2 had a tough road to appreciation in the United States, failing to receive a proper stateside release until 2002. It did see a few updates along the way, but the core game was pretty well dated before reaching mainstream North American audiences that had already been exposed to later, improved titles in the franchise.
All that said, this was still a very important chapter for the series. It introduced Chocobos, and these big, yellow avian creatures have become endearingly awkward Final Fantasy staples over the years. The action and skill-based character progression remains controversial, with most fans finding it more of a chore than anything. Mixed reception on this particular chapter is understandable.
18 Dissidia Final Fantasy
Dissidia was another attempt to break Final Fantasy out of the RPG box and into fresh territory, this time under the guise of a classic fighting game. The concept is sound – top-notch, even. Playing out Cloud and Sephiroth's duel in a real time brawl was no doubt a dream of many Final Fantasy fans for years before the game's release.
Unlike some spinoffs, Dissidia did manage to reasonably deliver on its potential. While the plot seems a little forced in order to for the variety of fighters from different worlds and universes, storytelling is rarely where fighting games excel. Nonetheless, the Dissidia series is definitely one of the less well known and less played games in the franchise for a reason. It's a decent fighter and an excellent diversion, but it definitely didn't push many boundaries for its genre.
17 Final Fantasy
The original Final Fantasy is an old school fantasy RPG adventure that shows its age plenty well, and its dated nature prevents it from ranking among the very best Final Fantasy games. Nonetheless, the fact that everything started with this title does make it worthy of significant consideration. There's plenty of credit due to the template set by the first entry in the series.
Credit does have limits, however. While Final Fantasy did introduce this beloved series to the world at large, even the remastered versions may be a tall order for modern audiences, offering up a fairly threadbare plot and a sometimes frustrating approach to difficulty. Veterans of the franchise tend to have more fondness for it as another fine stroll down memory lane.
16 Final Fantasy 3
Two different games have released as Final Fantasy 3 in the United States, with Japan's Final Fantasy 6 taking on the lower number for its SNES localization. The original wouldn't hit North America until 2006 in the form of an overhauled remake for the Nintendo DS, but it still has an important place in context with the rest of the series.
Final Fantasy 3 was the direct result of Square taking notes during the development and release of its previous two Final Fantasy titles, and it shows in a good way. The vastly improved job system went over well, and some key improvements made in the remake help this old title bear its age a little more gracefully than most.
