It’s a miracle that Final Fantasy even exists. The original Final Fantasy for the NES was intended to be series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s final video game after working with Square Enix, then known only as Square Co. Instead, it was a massive hit, prompting Sakaguchi to create several more titles and turning the franchise into the household name it is today.
Besides the myriad number of “main” Final Fantasy games, the series’ success has spawned a huge number of spinoffs for all three major console families, PC, and mobile. Current fans might be most familiar with the enormous success of MMO Final Fantasy XIV on PC, but most earlier titles in the franchise generally appeared on consoles or handheld devices. Needless to say, there are a lot of Final Fantasy games.
Main series
There are 15 main-series Final Fantasy games, with No. 16 on the way in the summer of 2023. While early Final Fantasy numbering conventions were confusing and often redundant, particularly between Japanese and Western versions, today the numbers have become more consistent. The games are numbered one through 15 using Roman numerals and span a wide variety of genres, from the classic turn-based JRPG to action-RPG to MMO.
A handful of the games on the list also have closely related sequels and prequels. Final Fantasy X-2 is the sequel to Final Fantasy X, while Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings is a combination sequel and spinoff of Final Fantasy XII. Final Fantasy IV received The After Years, an episodic prequel on WiiWare and mobile devices. Final Fantasy VII also got a prequel called Crisis Core. Final Fantasy XIII has two direct sequels: Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. If they’re considered main series games, these related games bring the total number of titles up to 21.
Side series
There are almost too many Final Fantasy side games to count. Many of them, especially mobile titles, are exclusive to Japan and never received a release in the U.S. Some of the more notable side series include Final Fantasy Tactics, a turn-based strategy spin-off, the Chocobo series, which includes Chocobo Racing and Final Fantasy Fables, the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series, a set of action-RPGs for Nintendo platforms, and Dissidia Final Fantasy, which appeared mostly on PSP and mobile platforms.
Memorable single spinoff titles include Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, whose sequel became Bravely Default, and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, a critically-acclaimed rhythm game that includes some of the series’ best music. One that should stay forgotten is Final Fantasy All the Bravest, a mobile game that was met with extreme dislike from fans. A variety of old Final Fantasy titles have been re-released on mobile, most of which have mixed reviews from critics and players. This list hardly even scratches the surface of the total number of spinoffs.
The easiest way to see Final Fantasy‘s success is to count its huge slew of games in almost every conceivable genre. Even if you’re not a JRPG fan, chances are there’s at least one game in the series that skews into your favorite genre. The number of titles in the franchise speaks to its quality, longevity, and ability to keep its fans interested in an ever-changing cast of characters.
