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Final Fantasy is a legendary series that has been going strong since 1987. Whilst it shares its roots with the likes of Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy stood out thanks to its dogged determination to constantly evolve and innovate with the burgeoning genre. Since its inception, countless characters have become iconic – nearly household – in their appeal and recognition.
Not too long ago Square Enix released the first six mainline entries in the series, tarted up with fresh balancing, new graphics, and even some minor gameplay changes. These are known as the Pixel Remasters. All of the games on this list are outstanding, but that isn’t going to stop up from ranking them.
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Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy III is a great game for 90% of its runtime. It’s fairly short at around 12-15 hours, it introduced the iconic Job System, and the world is a joy to explore. Not only that, the game uses our favourite magic system – the Vancian System – instantly recognisable from Dungeons and Dragons.
The game pushes the narrative and spectacular elements of the series further than ever before, and the themes it introduces are thought-provoking and help drive the game forward. So why is it at #6? The Crystal Tower. To keep this brief, the Crystal Tower is considered to be one of the most nonsensically frustrating final stretches of any RPG. Ever. It’s a sour note on an otherwise great game.
Final Fantasy
The game that started it all. Final Fantasy rolls up and nails the formula right from the get-go. Whilst it lacks iconic staples like Summons and Chocobos, it more than makes up for it with its overall unmistakable design. Despite being close to 40 years old, Final Fantasy’s world is a joy to explore and has just enough nooks over its 10-hour runtime to satisfy anyone.
Where the game shines, however, is in its opening hours. Selecting your party, purchasing equipment and medicines for your journey, and generally being front loaded with honest-to-god player choice is intoxicating. This feeling doesn’t quite carry to the end, and the final boss, in particular, is a bit of a swine, but overall, this a journey that must be taken at least once.
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy II is the dark horse of not just this collection of games, but the entire series. No game has ever received quite so much universal dismissal, which is odd because Final Fantasy II is excellent. No word of a lie, this game is the highlight of the original trilogy.
Where the first game had no real story, Final Fantasy II throws its narrative at you constantly, giving you ample reason to invest in the world. It dabbles in cinematics and emotion, and rewards players for paying attention constantly. It’s primitive, but you can see the building blocks of what the series would become, and it’s awesome.
Let’s quickly address the maligned combat system – it’s nowhere near as bad as you may have heard. The Pixel Remasters have tweaked it to perfection. There is 0 grinding required. The system is a lot of fun and overflowing with freedom. This is a game that has benefited greatly as a result of this remaster.
Final Fantasy V
What a game this is. Whilst all six games in this collection are excellent, the second trilogy is such a step up in so many ways, it’s staggering to think they managed to produce this much quality in such a short space of time. Final Fantasy V, and every remaining entry on this list, could be #1.
Final Fantasy V reintroduces the Job Systems from Final Fantasy III and then blows it out of the park. Not only are there more Jobs to choose from, but those Jobs come packaged with more stuff as standard. Throw in an excellent story, a protagonist canonically called Buttz, and killer combat and you’ve got a winner on your hands.
Final Fantasy IV
Just about everything modern Final Fantasy embodies comes directly from this game. That’s not hyperbole, it’s a traceable fact. Action combat, large-scale story, cutscenes, deeply personal character moments – the works. Final Fantasy IV is the game that got people thinking about Final Fantasy the world over. It is the game that sets everything else in motion.
The moment the game starts, Final Fantasy IV starts to weave a story filled with heartbreak, scheming, betrayal, and death. Ultimately, however, Final Fantasy IV is about redemption, acceptance, and growing beyond your trauma. This game pushed its characters in a way no other game had before, and as a result, you can’t help but feel invested. There’s a reason Cecil is, to this day, considered one of the best protagonists the series has ever seen.
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI is a game you only get to experience for the first time once, and you hate the concept of linear time as a result. This game refines everything we’ve seen so far and delivers a game that has stood the test of time without a blemish in sight. Right from the get-go, you should recognise how special this game is.
At this point you know exactly what to expect from the combat system, you’ve seen the Job System before, and the core mechanics are great. Final Fantasy VI pushes spectacle, emotion, and narrative more than ever before, and it comes together flawlessly. Not to mention the introduction of Kefka, one of the most despicable villains of all time. It may be the last 2D Final Fantasy, but it went out with one heck of a bang.
That’s all we have for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters for now. Be sure to check out our other Lists and Guide for more Final Fantasy content.
