Final Fantasy doesn’t immediately make us think of apps, it’s one of those series that you instinctively associate with console gaming, which is understandable, given where they started. But in recent years, Square Enix’s franchise of exceedingly popular RPGs has amassed a not-insignificant library of impressive apps available on the Play Store, bringing that signature creative flair that only Final Fantasy can provide to your cutting-edge Android gaming phone. We’ve gathered our favorites in this roundup of excellent Final Fantasy apps on the market, with everything from ports to original titles up there with the best games on Android.
1 Final Fantasy IX
A high quality port of the PlayStation title, Final Fantasy IX presents a great RPG setting and plot, with engaging characters on a quest to save the world.The explorable overworld is pleasant to look at, chocked full of personality and tiny details in that classic pixilated kind of way. You don’t have to worry about lugging around a mountain of useless junk items either, the game allows the fusion of item, turning two useless resources into a single valuable asset. While some of the mechanic names have been changed, the turn based combat remains familiar for series veterans, with character specific attacks and abilities to change the flow of combat. Interestingly, Final Fantasy IX includes a gameplay style similar to a rhythm game, tasking the player with pressing the correct inputs to gain the upper hand in a duel; a cool little gameplay twist for a great port.
2 Final Fantasy IV
Describing itself as the “ultimate pixel remaster”, Final Fantasy IV definitely won’t disappoint fans of the original, recapturing everything great with some cool modern additions. Combat is engaging and strategy focused, with unique attacks and the introduction of the active time battle system, which adds a ticking clock element to the flow of combat that demands urgency; this mechanic became a staple of the series in future entries. The game looks great, with cute sprites and really cool enemy designs. The UI has been updated slightly to fit the touch interface more efficiently, keeping things accessible for the mobile platform.
3 Final Fantasy Dimensions
Final Fantasy Dimensions presents a fully-fledged JRPG experience on your phone. The plot involves a world split in half, with two parties of unique adventurers embarking on a quest to mend the broken planet. Through thirteen separate episodes, you’ll play through individual stories for your party characters, learning more about who you send into battle. The combat takes the form of good old fashion turn-based brawls, with the player wielding up to five characters at a time. Final Fantasy Dimensions bases its character progression around its job mechanic; each character can be assigned to a specific task in combat, increasing the power of these skills. There is a difficulty curve problem, with bosses being frustratingly hard and normal random encounters being insultingly easy. But if that does not dissuade you, Final Fantasy Dimensions offers a satisfying JRPG experience.
4 Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy V is a mobile remake of the classic Famicom release, redesigned for a touchscreen interface. The plot is very similar to Final Fantasy Dimensions, an unlikely band of heroes formed to save the world. The job system in this release stands out, providing various character classes with specific roles during combat, granting special abilities as characters level up. These special abilities can also be paired together to create more useful attack chains, such as the ability to hit multiple times in one turn. Ultimately, we have familiar territory for RPG lovers and a digestible barrier to entry for newcomers.
5 Final Fantasy III (3D Remake)
Just in case all that pixel art was getting on your nerves, Final Fantasy III (3D Remake) recreates Final Fantasy III in full 3D. The gameplay is largely unaltered by the additional dimension, leaving the expected turn-based combat trappings unspoiled. The touchscreen interface works great, as you can now simply touch the menu options rather than selecting them manually with a d-pad. The established job system is still here, and there’s a new quick save feature that ensures you can jump in and out with ease. Despite the 3D graphics looking a little dated, Final Fantasy III 3D Remake presents its additions to the classic FF formula very well.
6 Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos
Combining idle game mechanics with city-building gameplay, Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos presents an interesting gameplay loop. Take control of existing Final Fantasy characters and face down waves of enemies in high-production idle battles; using the spoils of combat to build and develop your kingdom. Upgrade your party as you play and explore other realms in pursuit of more resources. Combat requires minimal input but manages to still engage, and around-round presentation is impressive. If you’re a fan of the best idle games on the Play Store, you’ll like this.
7 Final Fantasy Vlll Remastered
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is an HD remake of the PS1 game. Notably, this release offers features that are handy for bypassing cutscenes and skipping random encounters, perfect quality-of-life improvements. Everything that you remember about the original release is present here, with a fresh coat of paint, including the junction system. You ascribe an ability to your character and gain stats by draining your enemies of magic during battle. Leveling up is rendered only semi-necessary, as enemy strength scales with your level and not your junction, resulting in gameplay that’s considered easy. But if you’re curious about this entry in the series and have yet to play, the Android port is the perfect opportunity to see what FF VIII is all about.
8 FINAL FANTASY BE: WOTV
Putting users in control of their own party, FINAL FANTASY BE: WOTV provides versatile combat that rewards creativity, a variety of mission types that further the story, and myriad quality-of-life options to help users feel at home. Take advantage of 3D elevated terrain to get the drop on enemies and use character-exclusive skills to finish them. Gather more characters as you play to customize your own powerful party. Multiple game modes and events keep FINAL FANTASY BE: WOTV interesting, and the gripping story seals the deal.
9 Final Fantasy Brave Exivus
If you thought these would all be ports, think again! Final Fantasy Brave Exivus is a game made for mobile, utilizing the touchscreen interface far more extensively as a result. Simply tap the screen to input commands and watch those numbers fall. The game offers a full Final Fantasy experience with its mobile centrism, complete with an overworld for exploring and a fleshed-out storyline. The big standout feature, however, is PVP. Similar to link battles in modern Pokémon games, two parties fight to the finish, pitting your strategies against a thinking, squishy human rather than an AI. You’ll feel well served whether you like the solo experience or the online battles; give it a try.
10 Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI is a remake of the classic title, decked out with improved graphics and touch controls. The benefits of time come across very overtly with this one, with a slew of features added to distinguish this remake from the original. This includes an auto-battle feature and an improved user interface, continuing the quality-of-life improvements applied to these older titles. The static nature of the series’ gameplay does have a serious drawback, the presumption of knowledge. The game assumes that you are familiar with the series and its primary loop, meaning it’s not the best entry point for newcomers. Despite this, the game is unspoiled by the platform transition, providing the SNES experience you remember.
11 Final Fantasy Tactics: War Of The Lions
An entry with a little more spice to its story and combat, Final Fantasy Tactics: War Of The Lions presents an interesting political plot told through strategic gameplay. The plot concerns a civil war between two leaders that wish to rule the kingdom, detailing the twists and turns of this dirty, underhanded conflict. In bold contradiction to the formula, however, victory is not attained simply by smacking your enemies to death. Final Fantasy Tactics: War Of The Lions introduces real-time strategy elements to combat, quite possibly the progenitor for more modern interpretations of turn-based battles. Levels take place in small enclosed maps, with your party on one side and the enemy on the other. While your levels and items are important for success, your positioning is also vital, as you are required to maneuver your unit across the terrain to accost your opponents. This adds a Chess quality to the game, which shakes up the classic JRPG formula significantly.
12 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
The Crystal Chronicles side story has made its way to Android and IOS with this 3D Final Fantasy mobile game. The gameplay includes the usual suspects, exploration, and instance-based real-time combat with up to four characters, each with unique attacks and stats. Despite its limited customization options, the touch interface is well-implemented and allows for responsive inputs during fights. Multiplayer permits cross-platform play with the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 consoles, an admirable prospect only slightly marred by the mobile version’s connectivity issues and lack of controller support, giving console players an inherent advantage. Graphically, the game is on par with versions on other platforms and delivers a serviceable JRPG experience. If you like Final Fantasy, but prefer a multiplayer service to a single-player experience, this is still an alright choice.
13 Dissidia Final Fantasy OO
A series-wide crossover like Dissidia Final Fantasy OO is a welcome addition to this roundup, showing how far the series has come. The game offers a nostalgic feel, with multiple characters from the series returning to fight alongside one another, which does, unfortunately, alienate newcomers. That being said, context is barely necessary when playing Final Fantasy (thank god), and new players are free to immerse themselves in the gameplay. The combat is spiced up by the bravery meter, a new addition functioning like a damage multiplier that rises and falls throughout the fight. Victory can sometimes hinge on this feature. As a game clearly made for the fans, customization and multiplayer features remain functional and level with the title’s overall quality. What with the number of games in this series, unique selling points are essential for standing out, even if it’s just referencing that the other games exist.
14 Final Fantasy VII
Last but not least, the most famous game in the Final Fantasy series is Final Fantasy VII. An early 3D JRPG following a team of revolutionaries and their attempts to thwart an evil corporation and save the planet. The very first game in the series to appear in full 3D, Final Fantasy VII presents both its cutscenes and turn-based brawls with fully realized 3D models, which was revolutionary at the time. These qualities have been ported to the Android platform with very little strain. It is a huge game, requiring a great deal of time investment, but this is expected by returning fans. Combat is still aided by exploration in the overworld, with the acquisition of new weapons and items. Final Fantasy VII also features the introduction of limit breaks, all-or-nothing attacks to get you out of tough situations, a mechanic that would go on to be a series staple. The game is still a great time despite its age, and worth a shot or replay if you’re a series veteran.
Relive Final Fantasy from anywhere
Final Fantasy is a series never out of the gaming community’s attention. Showing no signs of slowing down, there’s already a silly amount of titles under its name, and many of them benefit from the best Android applications. With its imaginative angles on design and replayability running parallel with Final Fantasy itself, you never have to worry about running out of fantastic new games from this time-honored series on the latest cheap Android tablets. There’s no need to say your goodbyes to console controls either; Android’s got some awesome gaming controllers for users who prefer physical buttons.
