Chocobo GP is a Final Fantasy-themed kart racer developed by Arika (Tetris 99). While there are better kart racers available on Switch, Chocobo GP is a fun respite from the more involved RPGs that make up the majority of the Final Fantasy franchise. Like other kart racers, it features time challenges, tournament-style races, and options for multiplayer racing.
Yes, Final Fantasy VII is often recommended as a starting point. Both the original and the Remake are viable options, although the Remake only covers a portion of the original’s story and significantly alters the narrative. Keep in mind that the Final Fantasy VII Remake is Part 1 of the full story. Final Fantasy VI was released for the SNES in 1994 and brought a dozen innovations.
I want a game with an excellent story: Final Fantasy VI
If you want to start with the older games, you can start with IV, V, or VI. Gone is the suffocating linearity of its predecessor Instead, you get time-travel mechanics that let you revisit and reshape the world across different timelines. It serves you storytelling and character depth like shows and games from the 90s did.
I want a good romance story: Final Fantasy X
Explore our list of the best RPG games for top recommendations across every subgenre. And trust me, those hot recommendations will satisfy all kinds of RPG lovers. Exploration, good plot, rich character arcs, and great action are all waiting for YOU to dive in. Do the newer games hold up to the golden era of Final Fantasy? This list doesn’t only value nostalgia but ranks the game for modern gameplay, accessibility, and overall experience for all types of players.
Putting these right in the middle of Final Fantasy 8 through Final Fantasy 12 would ensure players can bear witness to the series’ history while still slowly introducing themselves to its more modern installments. Square Enix’s Final Fantasy series may be nearing its fourth decade of life, but that doesn’t mean gamers have had the chance to experience all or even one of its games. Shifting gears, the conversation quickly turns to Final Fantasy VII, mentioned frequently as the most impactful installment, particularly in the West. ‘LanceCrescent’ points out that FFVII was pivotal for making RPGs mainstream in a region that had previously been dominated by other genres. Players cite its compelling story, rich characters, and groundbreaking 3D graphics as reasons it expanded the series’ fanbase exponentially.
Final Fantasy V takes the formula from its predecessors and throws whimsical and quirky dialogue into the mix. This strengthens its realism, making it a more believable tale as our characters are given substance outside of going through their adventure serious and unchanging. While the characters don’t have much depth, this classic JRPG takes all the elements you could possibly need to enjoy a fantastical adventure. Its combat uses the occupation system that offers experimentation with builds, increasing its overall replayability. FFV is more challenging than its predecessors, but that feels appropriate if you want to make a great JRPG. According to many game researchers and fans, Final Fantasy has a ton of different titles that could qualify as being the greatest games of all time.
Your occupation determines what weapons and abilities you can use, providing a layer of experimentation that was missing from its predecessors. The original game acts similarly to Pokémon, giving you the freedom to explore and take your chances out in the wilderness where enemies lie in wait for your arrival. Seen from a birds-eye perspective, you don’t know what you’re heading into until the battle starts as your screen shifts to combat. Final Fantasy brings it back to the basics because that’s what it is. There’s nothing fancy about it, nor any gimmicks to make you come back for seconds.
Opinions on FF Game Connections
It’s worth noting, however, that the game will not be cross-generation, meaning PS4 owners will have to make the move to PS5 in order to play it. The most recent mainline Final Fantasy release is Final Fantasy XVI, which has yet to see any variant or equivalent release on Switch. We probably won’t see a new mainline FF game on PlayStation or Switch anytime soon, as Square Enix’s current focus is its three-part remake of Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy VII Remake was released on PS4 in 2020, followed by Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PS5 in 2024, and both have since made their way to PC. This collection of three Mana games is on this list due to its inclusion of the 1991 Game Boy game Final Fantasy Adventure.
In other words, it was the franchise’s last 16-bit/32-bit game before the series transitioned to 3D graphics. Originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, there’s still something beautiful about this game’s artwork, character design, and graphics, even though it’s just 2D blocks. Not only that, but the way the story unfolded was also groundbreaking. Final Fantasy VII was one of the first-ever video games to use CGI cutscenes to tell its story. The game plays pre-rendered computer-generated short movies between the action and the player-controlled moments.
Final Fantasy VIII was put in a tough position, having to follow what to this point was the best selling game in JRPG history, but it still puts an admirable effort up. Capitalizing on the more realistic graphics of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII was the most graphically impressive game of its time and set a new standard for games, period. The story introduced a world that combined science fiction and fantasy, and the result was a modern feeling game that had some of the most human characters in the series.
The Remake is not a simple retelling; it’s a reimagining that assumes some familiarity with the source material. Clive is the son of his realm’s archduke, and wields Eikon-related powers in combat but isn’t necessarily a Dominant himself. He’s sworn to protect his brother Joshua, the young boy in the trailer who was fated as a Dominant instead.
Its Paradigm Shift battle system keeps fights fast and tactical, allowing real-time class switching to adapt on the fly. The story follows Lightning and her crew, rebels fighting against their fate in a world of warring gods and ffx machine-like rulers. Final Fantasy VI is the last of the “retro” Final Fantasy games.
The magical worlds, incredible visuals, imaginative attacks, amazing characters, and wildly creative stories all come together to create a package that is always an awesome time, regardless of which title it is. Final Fantasy V is a great entry to get to know the classics without having to give up the individuality of your characters, nor the breadth of customization with the different jobs available in the title. Its story is less engaging compared to its predecessor, but it makes up for it with several hours of gameplay and experimentation with one of the core elements that made the series a success. The best way to introduce a new player to the Final Fantasy series is to start them off with either Final Fantasy 6 or Final Fantasy 7. Final Fantasy 6 has long been recognized as the peak of the series’ storytelling, while Final Fantasy 7 has proven to be the franchise’s most influential entry to date.