Final Fantasy

is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi. It is developed and owned by Square Enix. Final Fantasy is a series of fantasy and science fantasy role-playing video games (RPGs). It also includes movies, anime, printed media, and other products.

The first game was published in 1987. The game was a success. It had sequels. The video game has since branched into other Video game genres. Some of these genres are tactical role-playing, action role-playing, massively multiplayer online role-playing, racing, third-person shooter, fighting, and rhythm.

Most _Final Fantasy_ games are independent stories. They have different settings and main characters. Recurring elements include plot themes, character names, and game mechanics. Plots center on a group of heroes fighting evil and exploring their internal struggles and relationships. Character names are borrowed from history, languages, and mythologies of many cultures.

The series is a commercial and critical success. It is Square Enix's best selling video game franchise. It sold more than  units. It is one of the best-selling video game franchises. It was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006. It has seven Guinness World Records in the _Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008_. Final Fantasy is known for its innovation, visuals, and music. It includes full motion videos, photo-realistic character models, and orchestra music by Nobuo Uematsu.

## Types

There are two main types of _Final Fantasy_ game: the main series, where the games are just numbered with Roman numbers, and several related games and spinoffs. Each of the games in the main series have very little to do with each other, with its own setting, story, and characters. Some exceptions include _Final Fantasy X_ and _X-2_, the sequel, or _Final Fantasy XIII_ and _Final Fantasy XIII-2_ and _Lightning Returns_. But the games are connected through the gameplay, themes, and 'style'. Newer sequels and prequels are _Final Fantasy X-2_ and the _Compilation of Final Fantasy VII_ games and films.

## History

Since 1987, more than seventeen games have been released. The series started on Nintendo Entertainment System, but today most _Final Fantasy_ games are made for the Sony PlayStation or PlayStation 2. Games have also been released for the Nintendo Game Boy and GameCube. _Final Fantasy VII_ is generally regarded as one of the pinnacle achievements of gaming. A must-play for any gamer.

In 2001, Columbia Pictures made a CGI movie called _Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within_.

### Exceptions

While it is not actually a _Final Fantasy_ game, one game called _Final Fantasy Adventure_ was released in America for the Nintendo Game Boy. The game was actually a prequel to the SNES game _Secret of Mana_, but was released in the United States with the name "Final Fantasy" to boost sales. In 2003 it was remade for the Game Boy Advance with the title _Sword of Mana_. In Japan, the Mana series is called _Seiken Densetsu_, which means "Legend of the Sword." There are three games in the series, but only the first two, _Secret of Mana_ and _Sword of Mana_, have been released in the United States.

## Gameplay

In _Final Fantasy_, players control a group of characters. They go through the game's story by exploring the game world and defeating enemies. Enemies are found randomly. This changed in _Final Fantasy XI_ and _Final Fantasy XII_. The player gives combat orders. These orders are "Fight", "Magic", and "Item". The orders are given to individual characters through a menu. This menu appears when in battles.

The games have used different battle systems. Before _Final Fantasy XI_, battles were turn-based. The main characters and bad characters were on different sides of the battlefield. _Final Fantasy IV_ introduced the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system. It made better the turn-based system with a time-keeping system. This system was designed by Hiroyuki Ito. It gave a feeling of urgency and excitement to the fights. It required the player to act before an enemy attacks. It was used until _Final Fantasy X_. This game had the "Conditional Turn-Based" (CTB) system. This new system returned to the old turn-based system.

Magic is common in the game. The way characters get magic depends on the game. It is generally divided into classes organized by color: "White magic" focuses on spells that heal teammates; "Black magic" focuses on hurting enemies; "Red magic" is a combination of white and black magic, "Blue magic" copies enemy attacks; and "Green magic" focuses on applying status effects to teammates or enemies.

There are other types of magic like "Time magic". This magic focuses on time, space, and gravity; "Summoning magic" brings legendary creatures to help in battle. This magic has appeared since _Final Fantasy III_. Summoned creatures are called names like "Espers" or "Eidolons". They are inspired by mythologies from Arabic, Hindu, Norse, and Greek cultures.

Different means of transportation have appeared through the series. The most common is the airship. There are also chocobos for travelling short distances. Others include sea and land vehicles. Following _Final Fantasy VII_, more modern and futuristic vehicles have appeared.

## Released Final Fantasy games

For Nintendo Entertainment System:
- _Final Fantasy_
- _Final Fantasy II_
- _Final Fantasy III_

For Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES):
- _Final Fantasy IV_
- _Final Fantasy Mystic Quest_
- _Final Fantasy V_
- _Final Fantasy VI_

For Sony PlayStation:
- _Final Fantasy VII_ (also released for PC)
- _Final Fantasy Tactics_
- _Final Fantasy VIII_ (also released for PC)
- _Final Fantasy IX_
- _Final Fantasy Origins_
- _Final Fantasy Anthology_
- _Final Fantasy Chronicles_

For Sony PlayStation 2:
- _Final Fantasy X_ (a high definition remake is currently in development for PS Vita)
- _Final Fantasy X-2_
- _Final Fantasy XI_ (also released for PC and Xbox 360)
- _Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII_
- _Final Fantasy XII_

For PlayStation 3:
- _Final Fantasy XIII_
- _Final Fantasy XIV_

For Sony PlayStation 4
- _Final Fantasy XV_

For Xbox 360:
- _Final Fantasy XI_
- _Final Fantasy XIII_
- _Final Fantasy XIII-2_
- _Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII_

For Xbox One:
- _Final Fantasy XV_

For Nintendo Gameboy:
- _Final Fantasy Adventure_
- _Final Fantasy Legends_
- _Final Fantasy Legends 2_
- _Final Fantasy Legends 3_

For Nintendo Gameboy Advance
- _Final Fantasy Tactics Advance_
- _Final Fantasy IV Advance_
- _Final Fantasy V Advance_
- _Final Fantasy VI Advance_

For Nintendo GameCube:
- _Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles_

For Nintendo Wii:
- _Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King_
- _Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time_
- _Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers_

For Nintendo DS:
- _Final Fantasy III_
- _Final Fantasy IV_
- _Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift_

For PlayStation Portable:
- _Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core_
- _Final Fantasy I and II remade_
- _Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions_
- _Final Fantasy Dissidia_

For PC:
- _Final Fantasy XI_
- _Final Fantasy XIV_
- _Final Fantasy XV_

## Released Final Fantasy movies

- _Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within_
- _Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children_
- _Last Order: Final Fantasy VII_

## Future Games

A list of upcoming _Final Fantasy_ games.

- _Final Fantasy XVI (Playstation 5)_

## Infobox (video game series)

- **title**: Final Fantasy
- **image**: Final Fantasy wordmark.svg
- **developer**: Square Enix (formerly Square (company), Square)
- **publisher**: Square Enix (formerly Square)
- **genre**: Role-playing video game, Role-playing game
- **year of inception**: 1987
- **platform of origin**: Nintendo Entertainment System
- **platforms**: Android (operating system), Android, Mobile phone, MSX, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo GameCube, iOS, PlayStation (console), PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, WonderSwan, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- **spinoffs**: Mana (series), _Mana_ series
- **website**: [http://www.square-enix.com/na/title/finalfantasy/ Official portal]
- **first release version**: _Final Fantasy (video game), Final Fantasy_
- **first release date**: December 18, 1987
- **latest release version**: _Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake_
- **latest release date**: April 10, 2020