Summary
Final Fantasyis one of Square Enix’s most lucrative properties. It wasn’t always a cash cow, but eventually, it became a huge deal with the advent ofFinal Fantasy 7. That may be the most popular game in the series, and it has received a remake. Well, two of the three parts have been finished to this point, as it is an ambitious project.
There have been smaller remakes and remasters in the series, likeFinal Fantasy 4on the DS. Most of the bigger games have received remasters at least, but these other, more forgotten games haven’t been touched. Let’s check outwhichFinal Fantasyentriesare most deserving of a remake,from spinoffs to mainline games.
Final Fantasyhas been remade and re-released more times than one can count. The GBA version might be the pinnacle, but all versions after the original NES release have been great. However, there is a reason Square Enix could, and should, remake the first game as a full 3D adventure. In 2022,the Job-heavyStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originwas released, which was a collaboration between Team Ninja and Square Enix.
It was advertised as a reimagining of the first game, but the surprise at the end revealed it to be a prequel leading up to the events ofFinal Fantasy. It would make sense for Team Ninja to then remake the game fully as a 3D action adventure with less of an emphasis on Soulslike gameplay.
Final Fantasy Mystic Questhas a bizarre history. This happened a few times in the 90s, where a Japanese franchise would get a more Western-themed entry.Final Fantasy Mystic Questwas first released in North America on the SNES. In Japan it is known asFinal Fantasy USA: Mystic Questand they wouldn’t get it until a year later.
As another example,Super Mario USAis the Japanese name ofSuper Mario Bros. 2. In the PAL region, theFinal Fantasyname was dropped completely, and it’s just calledMystic Quest Legend. It’s a shame, because it has all the trappings ofa classicFinal Fantasyentry. It has killer music, crystals, and turn-based combat. It may be forgotten to time now, but it definitely needs a reappraisal.
Final Fantasy Tacticsgave fans another reason to love the PS1 besidesFinal Fantasy 7. It was the first spinoff to introduce tactical grid-based combat, and it was wildly challenging too. It still might be thehardest game in theFinal Fantasyseries.
Difficulty aside, what made the game great was its dramatic story, packed with adult themes, and the Job system. It became an instant classic among fans and even got a few sequels on Nintendo portables.Final Fantasy Tacticsreceived a PSP port later, but besides a few extras and some nicely drawn cutscenes, it has never truly been remade. It hasn’t even been made available on a console for over a decade, and that’s the true crime here.
Square Enix is seemingly going all out on remaking theFinal Fantasy 7universe, and not just the main game.Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, the Zack prequel, got more of a remaster than a remake in 2022, but it was a start. The Yuffie DLC ofFinal Fantasy 7 RemakeintroducedDeepground, which is the organizationfound inDirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7.
That’s why it makes sense for Square Enix to remake it, besides giving Vincent a better run-and-gun action game. Technically, there is alsoFinal Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis,which is remaking bits of the whole franchise as turn-based RPGs chapter by chapter. It’s an interesting move for the mobile market, but it’s also not exactly what fans ofDirge of Cerberuswant.
Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wingsis the only big entry in the series to get the RTS treatment. There have been RTS-like mini-games in levels likeFort Condor inFinal Fantasy 7 Remakethough.Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wingswas a sequel to the original PS2 title and saw Vaan and Penelo joining Balthier and Fran on sky pirate adventures.
Along the way, they unlock the ability to summon monsters to fight battles for them. It proved to be a good idea, and it got good reviews despite the small screen size of the DS. A bigger screen via a console remake would improve some of the problems fans had withFinal Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings’visual real estate.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicleswas the first co-op focused experience in the franchise. It was released for theGameCube, and it had a unique multiplayer setup via Link Cables. The sequel,Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, was less of a hassle to set up because it just used the DS’ internal infrastructure for multiplayer.
It was an improved concept with less of an emphasis on being bogged down by Miasma. Character customization was more robust and the action felt tighter too.Final Fantasy Crystal Chroniclesgot a remaster in 2020, and now it is high timeFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fatesgot the same treatment. Maybe it could even be bundled with the third game,Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time.
