Where to Start · Final Fantasy
Where to Start with Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy is Square Enix's flagship JRPG series running since 1987 across nearly every platform in gaming history. Unlike most long-running franchises, Final Fantasy is almost entirely non-sequential — each numbered entry is a standalone game with its own world, characters, story, and battle system. There is no "correct" starting point and no required play order. The name and certain recurring elements (chocobos, moogles, the job system, the summon Ifrit) connect the games thematically rather than narratively.
This means you can start anywhere. The real question is what kind of RPG experience you want.
If you only play one Final Fantasy game
Play Final Fantasy VII (1997). It is the most influential JRPG ever made, the game that brought the genre to a global mainstream audience, and still one of the most emotionally resonant stories in the series. Cloud Strife, Aerith, Sephiroth, Midgar — all of it holds up. The original PS1 version is available on modern platforms. Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) and Rebirth (2024) retell and expand the story with modern production — if you want the full modern experience, start with Remake on PS4/PS5. If you want the classic, the original is on Switch, PS4, and PC.
Remake vs original — Remake and Rebirth are reimaginings with new combat and a broader arc, not a shot-for-shot retread of the PS1 game. Treat each version as its own reward if you play both.
The SNES golden era
Final Fantasy VI (1994) is the other candidate for best game in the series — a large ensemble cast, an operatic story, and Kefka as one of gaming's greatest villains. Final Fantasy IV (1991) is the game that established the series' dramatic storytelling template — Cecil's story is the foundation everything else built on. Both are available in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection on Switch and PS4, which is the best modern way to play the classic entries.
The PS1 era
Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX form the PlayStation golden era. FFVIII (1998) is divisive — its junction system is polarising — but its story and setting are distinctive and it has devoted fans. FFIX (2000) is a deliberate love letter to the series' origins, with a classic fantasy setting and a warmer tone than VII or VIII. All three are on modern platforms via ports and remasters.
The modern era
Final Fantasy X (2001) is the best entry point for players who want modern production values with a classic turn-based system. The Tidus and Yuna story is the most emotionally direct in the series. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster on PS4/Switch/PC is the definitive version. Final Fantasy XII (2006) introduced real-time combat and political storytelling — The Zodiac Age remaster on PS4/Switch/PC is excellent. Final Fantasy XV (2016) is an open world action RPG road trip — more accessible than most entries but narratively uneven. Final Fantasy XVI (2023) is the most action-focused mainline entry, closer to a character action game than a traditional RPG.
What to skip
Nothing in the numbered mainline series is worth skipping if you love the genre — even the divisive entries have devoted communities. Final Fantasy II (1988) has an unusual levelling system that frustrated early players but is playable today. Final Fantasy XI and XIV are MMOs — XIV in particular (A Realm Reborn onwards) is considered one of the best MMOs ever made and a legitimate way into the series if multiplayer RPGs appeal to you.
Recommended starting points by preference
Best story: Final Fantasy VII or VI. Best turn-based combat: Final Fantasy X. Best modern action RPG: Final Fantasy XVI. Best classic JRPG feeling: Final Fantasy IX. Best political narrative: Final Fantasy XII. Best starting point for newcomers with no JRPG experience: Final Fantasy X — it has the best tutorial structure and the most guided early experience of any entry.