Final Fantasy: Every Numbered Game Ranked

13. Final Fantasy III

Final Fantasy ranked
Square-Enix

Today, the third Final Fantasy feels like a demake of one of the series' later entries. That is to say, it feels entirely like a modern Final Fantasy transposed to an 8-bit setting should, unlike the first two games that are more akin to Smithsonian relics. Unfortunately, it isn't a demake; the joy of actually playing it is frequently interrupted by the frustrating trappings of the era.

Sure, you can now change jobs, though it can be a needlessly arduous process. Battles are much slicker, but are still utterly unforgiving; wipe-outs are common in dungeons that don't afford anything as merciful as a save point. Summons make their debut mind, and it's clear the seeds of a truly excellent game are being sown, but not ones which will come into bloom until the next step into the 16-bit era.

The whole affair then, while sprinkled with that future Final Fantasy magic, is still a slog - only this time, a slog with (something approaching) Mogs.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.