As A Final Fantasy Fan, These Are The Games I Replay The Most

Most dedicated gamers have a few favorite series they cherish forever – the ones they’ve gone all-in on, buying collector’s editions, merchandise, and maybe even getting tattoos to celebrate. For me, those series are definitely Resident Evil and Final Fantasy.

What really makes Final Fantasy stand out, for me, is that each new game isn’t heavily tied to previous ones with a complex, ongoing story. Each main installment is mostly self-contained, letting Square Enix experiment with different gameplay styles and keep each game fresh. This also means players can easily revisit and replay the games they love most – and that’s exactly what I’ve done with the ones I’m about to share.

Final Fantasy 7

There’s Always Something New To Try With Materia

I absolutely love RPGs, and Final Fantasy 7 is the game that got me hooked. While it wasn’t the first Final Fantasy I ever played, it was the first one I actually owned, and it’s easily one of the best video games I’ve ever bought. It’s arguably the most popular game in the series, and the story of Cloud, Sephiroth, the Meteor, and the fate of the planet is truly legendary.

It’s easy to see why many players prefer the updated remakes over the original game – it looks and plays much better by comparison. Still, I make a point of playing through the original at least once a year. I like to mix things up: sometimes I challenge myself with strict rules, like only using starting equipment, and other times I focus on becoming as powerful as possible. I might complete every side quest for a long, immersive experience, or just rush through the main story. Another fun thing to do is create characters based on specific job classes, which adds a new layer of strategy to the game’s already flexible Materia system.

Final Fantasy 3

Luneth And Company’s Endless Career Changes

Job classes were a key feature, especially in early games in the series. Choosing a Job class defines a character’s strengths, skills, equipment options, and available magic. While the specific Jobs and how you get them change between games, in Final Fantasy 3, you receive them from crystals earned after completing dungeons. Each crystal—representing Earth, Water, Wind, or Fire—unlocks new Jobs that you can assign to your team members.

I first discovered and fell in love with Final Fantasy III on the Nintendo DS, and I’ve played it countless times since. What makes it special is the ability to easily switch character classes, allowing Luneth, Arc, Refia, and Ingus to fill different roles in each battle. I particularly enjoy using the Viking class as a durable tank, drawing enemy attacks. From there, you can build a team around protecting and strengthening the Viking. While some team combinations work better than others – like most turn-based RPGs, a good healer is essential – the game encourages experimentation, offering a fresh experience each time you play. My favorite class is the Ranger, a unique damage dealer with a variety of elemental arrows. With an average playthrough taking around 30 hours, according to How Long To Beat, the game’s dungeons are challenging and fun without feeling overly long.

Final Fantasy 8

Embrace The Junction System

Final Fantasy 8 has a lot of interesting and complex systems. The Junctioning system, in particular, really changes how you play the game. I’ve played it many times, and I’ve gotten much better at understanding it with each playthrough. When I first played, I struggled quite a bit, collecting random spells and not really understanding how different types of abilities – like support and command abilities – worked.

After playing this game many times, I’ve gotten much better at managing my characters’ abilities – specifically, how to combine them with stats and which items to focus on collecting to get the most powerful spells. The story of Squall and his friends fighting against Edea and Ultimecia can be complex, and it doesn’t appeal to everyone. However, there’s still a lot to enjoy if you’re willing to learn its unique gameplay. I like to replay it every year or so, trying out different character combinations.

Final Fantasy 9

My All-Time Favorite Game

I’ve now added the final game in the original PlayStation’s Final Fantasy trilogy to this list, completing the set. These three games, and the PlayStation itself, were hugely important to me growing up, and I still love revisiting them after almost thirty years. They definitely show their age compared to modern RPGs, feeling a bit clunky at times, but Final Fantasy 9 remains my all-time favorite. Even now, it gives me the same excitement from the opening scenes to the very end.

The music in this game is absolutely beautiful, and I treasure the signed CD boxset I got from Nobuo Uematsu at a concert. It’s the soundtrack to my life, really. The artwork is also charming and magical, from the landscapes to the character designs. Final Fantasy 9 perfectly captures the feel of the older Final Fantasy games – things like the classic dialogue boxes and over-the-top villains are all there. It’s a hopeful story, but it doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of war. Plus, it features a fantastic, resilient hero in Zidane, and Steiner, who is easily my favorite character in the entire series.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

As Much Final Fantasy Magic As Any Other Entry

This choice might seem unexpected, as it’s a side story from the Final Fantasy series, not one of the main games. However, I included it because it perfectly captures what the creators intended: a wonderful tribute to Final Fantasy and everything it represents. As the signed soundtrack CD suggests, the music is a huge part of what drew me to the series, and this game is a fantastic way to enjoy it.

It’s disappointing that Stenier and Zell weren’t included as playable characters again, but the game features a huge roster of beloved Final Fantasy heroes. What makes it even better is how unique each character is, with different stats and abilities. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a rhythm game that’s easy to pick up and enjoy on lower difficulties, but it also offers a surprising amount of depth for those who want a challenge. You can really fine-tune your team, including their special abilities, to maximize your score. This game is packed with content, incredibly replayable, and even has a fun multiplayer mode. While there have been other good Final Fantasy spin-offs, none offer as much content and replayability as this one.

2025-12-17 07:06