1) Final Fantasy IX (2000)
This is it, the creme of the crop. Final Fantasy IX is the culmination of everything that came before it, and the standard to which modern Final Fantasy titles should strive.
What starts off as an amusing romp with a rag-tag pack of thieves turns into a fantastic story that covers all the bases. It is witty and light-hearted while also managing some incredibly dark and dramatic moments beautifully. The love story within is top-notch too, and not just made for hopeless romantics. Unlike Squall and Rinoa’s forced relationship in FFVIII, or Cloud settling for Tifa because the other girl got killed, Zidane and Garnet’s relationship feels organic and real. They laugh, cry, fight together, and grow closer until they finally throw away all doubts in the most satisfying way at the end.
More than any of that is the way FFIX brings together all the best pieces of the series to date. Every single numbered Final Fantasy title that came before it gets an homage of some sort. Whether it’s Ramuh telling the story of Josef from Final Fantasy II, Cloud’s Buster Sword hanging on the wall of a weapon shop, or Garland making a reappearance from the very first game, there’s a nice shout out to them all.
From the stage show “I Want to Be Your Canary,” which bookends the entire game, to the extravagant battle between Bahamut and Alexander, to the heartfelt stories of the black mages and summoners, and everything in between. Final Fantasy IX knows how to make you laugh, and it knows how to make you cry. The pacing is near perfect, the story sublime, and the cast of characters rich and diverse. Any game more fit to be called the best Final Fantasy has not yet been made.
