SinceFinal Fantasydebuted back in 1987, Square Enix’s beloved franchise spanned 15 main series titles, more than 20 spinoffs, two MMOs, and perhaps more to come. In 2020, fans got to see Cloud and his friends travel Midgar inFinal Fantasy 7Remake. And in turn, Square Enix reminded fans thatFinal Fantasyhas exciting or sometimes even hilariously-ridiculous elements.
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Fans can excuse Square Enix for using these elements to buildFinal Fantasy’s unique branding. After all, the franchise does span more than 30 years! These themes range from cutesy Moogles and Chocobos, powerful Summons, or even Jobs. Long-time fans may start noticing some of the funnier thingsFinal Fantasycan get away with because these elements make the series the treasure that it is to fans.
10Orphans Have Extremely High Chances Of Being Protagonists
In the world ofFinal Fantasy, orphans have an exceedingly-high chance of ending up saving the world. Most (if not all) of Final Fantasy’s protagonists are either orphans, become orphaned, have unknown parentage, or missing a parent or two. Many video games have orphans as protagonists, yes. However, orphans as the main heroes across 15 main games and spinoff titles across a 30-year-old period do seem entertaining.
Either way, in-depth analysis aside, having orphans as protagonists end up very convenient for the plot. After all, they don’t have to ask parents for permission saving the world from a God-like supervillain.
9Groups of Archetypes Often Go On Adventures
Why doFinal Fantasygames love groups of three friends? Many fans might put this as a need to “fill” in the basic Tank-Damage-Heal “triumvirate” of RPG roles. However, a lot ofFinal Fantasygames circumvent this need with the Job System. Interestingly, In mostFinal Fantasygames, these groups add a lot of character depth, as they don’t necessarily embody battle roles but rather archetypes.
Aside from the silent protagonist, there’s likely the quiet and shy friend, the loud and brash friend, and the smart and analytical friend.
8Nothing A Phoenix Down Can’t Fix, Except If It’s The Plot
Players who faced rather difficult bosses will thank a Phoenix Down or two for saving their characters. InFinal Fantasy, the iconic Phoenix Down allows players to resurrect characters killed in battle with a bit of HP. The Phoenix Down has become a staple item across allFinal Fantasygames, as it’s theseriesequivalent of a resurrection mechanic. With this in mind, it’s quite interesting as to how the Phoenix Down always ends up conveniently missing in crucial “scenes.”
In short, how come protagonists don’t use Phoenix Down whenever certain characters die? It seems Phoenix Down is just as practical as the plot would allow it to be.
7If It’s A Color, It’s A Kind Of Magic
Magic in most fantasy stories dwells in the realm of the incomprehensible. Thanks to creators, fantasy fans have magic schools, magic realism, and other spinoffs of magic systems. InFinal Fantasy,a lot of major magical systems come color-coded. General magic systems include White Magic (Healing) and Black Magic (Offensive). Other color-coded systems include Blue Magic (spells based on Monster Attacks), Green Magic (Buffs/Debuffs), and Red Magic (Low-rank spells from different schools).
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The game also features non-colored magic, such as Time, Spirit, Arcane, Dark, and Item Magic. Although, to be honest, Square should probably make these into color-coded magic, too.
6If It’s From Myth, It’s A Summon
Summoning has become a staple command inFinal Fantasysince Final Fantasy 3. Thanks to Summoners, Sages, and Evokers (among others), various creatures can help characters in their more difficult battles. Interestingly, a considerable portion of theSummons Rosterturns out to be gods and beings from multiple mythologies. Despite each game in the series having their unique mythology, it seems elements from the real world permeate throughout the game.
However, this does create an interesting question: What is the basis of the names of these Summons? Perhaps modern civilization has appeared inFinal Fantasygames before? And if so, what happened?
5Cid Means Awesome Upgrades
Groups of friends who somehow know a Cid should strap in for a wild ride, as they likely will get some awesome gear. Fans love theFinal Fantasyseries for its many themes and tropes, a part of which is the existence of one “Cid” in every major title. These “Cids” more often than not have something to do with the major conflict in the world around them, so they’ll likely attempt to repent for them by helping a group of wandering friends.
This Cid will likely be a father figure of some sort, constantly aiding and advising the heroes in their journey. There’s nothing wrong with a “persistent” character like Cid inFinal Fantasystories, as his (or her) presence makes the game rather unique. It’s quite funny, though - remember, meeting a Cid means the plot thickens.
4Let’s Talk About Blitzball
Players loveFinal Fantasy 10for its lovely take on aesthetics. Unlike previous entries,FFXtook a lot of inspiration from Thailand Southeast Asian aesthetic. This theme applies to the “culture” present in the game. In particular,FFXfeatures an (in?)famousminigamecalled Blitzball. Fans who spent time playing Blitzball might feel like they’re playing an entirely different game.
Blitzball takes place in an underwater arena where two teams compete to get the ball to the opposing goal. Unlike football, players can use special attacks to pass through opponents. In the game, teams also play under a timeframe as both attacks and movement cost HP to move. Many players hate Blitzball for its steep learning curve, while others love it for the “break” it provides away from the rather linear nature ofFFX. Not many RPGs offer in-depth minigames, so Blitzball gets a pass.
3Fight A Superboss After The Main Story
Players who want to maximize their gaming experience can find a lot of sidequests throughout theFinal Fantasyseries. And players who want to become the strongest in their game can try and fight Superbosses, or special bosses that may even be stronger than the final boss itself.
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These Superbosses often appear as very rare monsters with special encounter conditions. Other Superbosses can appear frequently, allowing players to farm them for EXP and items. Regardless, common Superbosses such as Omega, Ultima, and Shinryu can drop some of the most powerful weapons in the game (Omega, Ultima, and Ragnarok per boss, respectively).
2No Other Game Has An Onion Knight
The Onion Knight makes its first appearance inFinal Fantasy 3as the default class. Since it can only use limited equipment and has no special skills, players will likely move to more “practical” jobs. However, the Onion Knight’s stats grow significantly after Level 99. InFinal Fantasy Tactics, the Onion Knight can become one of the strongest jobs after the player gains mastery over the other available classes.
Other incarnations of the Onion Knight grant characters special abilities after achievements. Despite its ridiculous name, the class perhaps takes its name from the Japanese idiom on poverty, the “Onion life.” And just like in any setback, working hard to surpass challenges can pave the way to significant rewards.
1If It’s A God, It’s A Villain
Perhaps what’s more interesting is that protagonists who end up defeating these god-level entities should be god-equivalent themselves. Yet, everything seems to go back to normal after the final battle - no godhood, whatsoever.
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