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Final Fantasy Games in Order
The 16 mainline Final Fantasy games in release order, plus their direct sequels and the remasters you actually buy today: 24 steps. Most entries are standalone, but X and XIII are not.
Final Fantasy Games in Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Final Fantasy is unusual among long-running franchises: there is no overarching saga to follow. Almost every numbered entry is set in a completely separate world with its own characters, so the "right" order matters far less than it does for a series like The Legend of Zelda or Mass Effect. The two orders below cover the two questions people actually ask: how the series unfolded, and where a newcomer should start.
Release order is the default and the truest way to experience the series. Playing from Final Fantasy (1987) forward lets you watch the genre grow up in real time, from blocky 8-bit dungeon crawls to the cinematic, fully voiced spectacle of Final Fantasy XVI (2023). You see how each generation reinvented combat, storytelling, and visuals. The list runs 24 steps: the 16 mainline numbered games, the direct sequels that continue them, and the remakes and remasters that are what you actually buy today, each slotted at its own release year rather than next to its parent. The one thing release order ignores is friendliness to modern players, since the earliest entries are deliberately old-school and punishing.
That is what the beginner order fixes. It front-loads the four games most likely to hook a newcomer: Final Fantasy VII, the cultural landmark that defined the PlayStation era; Final Fantasy X, the first fully voiced entry and a clean, linear adventure; Final Fantasy XVI, the most accessible modern action-driven entry; and Final Fantasy IX, a warm, classic-fantasy love letter to the whole series. None of these spoil the others.
Which version should you buy? For Final Fantasy I through VI, the Pixel Remaster line is the default: it is the 2D original with cleaned-up sprites, a rearranged score and modern quality of life, and it is sold on Steam, mobile, PS4, Switch and Xbox. Its one real cost is that it drops the bonus dungeons, extra jobs and superbosses that the old Game Boy Advance versions added. Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy IV additionally have full 3D remakes, built for the Nintendo DS and later ported to PSP, mobile and Steam; treat those as a different interpretation rather than a better version, which is why they sit here as their own steps next to the 2D ones. For three other games there is no choice to make at all: Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (on Switch 2 since July 23, 2026) and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age are the only versions sold on modern hardware. Buy Final Fantasy XV as the Royal Edition, which bundles the Royal Pack and the three Season Pass Episodes, Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis; the later Episode Ardyn is not part of it. Buy Final Fantasy XVI as the Complete Edition, which includes both DLC chapters, Echoes of the Fallen (December 7, 2023) and The Rising Tide (April 18, 2024).
There are exactly two places where "start anywhere" stops being true. Final Fantasy X has a direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, which picks up two years later with Yuna as the lead, so play X first. And Final Fantasy XIII is a trilogy: XIII, then XIII-2, then Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, each one assuming you finished the last. Everything else on this list can be started cold.
Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV are MMORPGs rather than single-player games, so they sit apart from the rest. The 2010 version of XIV no longer exists: it was shut down and rebuilt from scratch as A Realm Reborn, relaunched on August 27, 2013, and that relaunch is the only version anyone can buy or play. Everyone starts there, and a generous free trial covers a large chunk of it. Its expansions, Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, Endwalker, Dawntrail and the announced Evercold, are strictly sequential, and they are listed under the XIV entry rather than as separate steps.
Final Fantasy VII is the one entry whose universe outgrew this list. The 1997 original is here, but the modern remake trilogy (Remake in 2020, Rebirth in 2024, and Final Fantasy VII Revelation, announced on June 5, 2026 for a Spring 2027 window), along with Crisis Core Reunion and the rest of the compilation, has its own guide at /order/final-fantasy-7/. Spin-offs such as Final Fantasy Tactics stay off this page too, which sticks to the numbered series and its direct sequels. If you enjoy the genre, Square Enix's Dragon Quest series is the natural next step.
Timeline 1987-2023
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 1987 Final Fantasy
- 1988 II
- 1990 III
- 1991 IV
- 1992 V
- 1994 VI
- 1997 VII
- 1999 VIII
- 2000 IX
- 2001 X
- 2002 XI
- 2003 X-2
- 2006 XIIIII (3D Remake)
- 2007 IV (3D Remake)
- 2009 XIII
- 2010 XIV
- 2011 XIII-2
- 2013 Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIIIX/X-2 HD Remaster
- 2016 XV
- 2017 XII: The Zodiac Age
- 2019 VIII Remastered
- 4-year gap
- 2023 XVI
Where to play it today
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Final Fantasy.
Cameos & crossovers
Characters from Final Fantasy who also show up elsewhere. see the full character atlas →
- Cloud Strife
Spiky-haired SOLDIER of Final Fantasy VII who crossed over as a Kingdom Hearts boss.
Also in Kingdom Hearts - Sephiroth
One-winged Final Fantasy VII villain recurring as Kingdom Hearts' optional superboss.
Also in Kingdom Hearts - Squall Leonhart
Final Fantasy VIII gunblade loner who appears in Kingdom Hearts as Leon.
Also in Kingdom Hearts
Frequently asked questions
How many Final Fantasy games are there?
There are 16 mainline numbered entries, from Final Fantasy (1987) through Final Fantasy XVI (2023). This list runs to 24 steps because it also breaks out the direct sequels (X-2, XIII-2 and Lightning Returns) and the remakes and remasters you actually buy today. Counting spin-offs and the wider FF7 compilation, the whole series runs to dozens of titles.
What order should I play Final Fantasy in?
Play in release order, starting with the original Final Fantasy. Because each numbered game is a standalone story with its own world and cast, you can also start with any entry that appeals to you. The exceptions are Final Fantasy X-2, which continues X, and the XIII trilogy, which runs XIII, then XIII-2, then Lightning Returns.
Do I need to play the Final Fantasy games in order?
No. The mainline games share themes, recurring monsters, and motifs but not a continuous story, so you can pick up almost any entry without playing the earlier ones first. Only the direct sequels break that rule: play X before X-2, and play the XIII trilogy in order.
Which Final Fantasy game should I play first?
Good starting points are Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XVI, and Final Fantasy IX. All four are accessible, well-loved, and self-contained.
Which version of each Final Fantasy should I buy?
For I through VI, buy the Pixel Remaster, keeping in mind that it omits the Game Boy Advance bonus dungeons, jobs and superbosses. III and IV also have separate 3D remakes, which are a different take rather than an upgrade. VIII Remastered, the X/X-2 HD Remaster and XII: The Zodiac Age are the only modern versions of those three games. Get XV as the Royal Edition and XVI as the Complete Edition.
Which Final Fantasy games are MMORPGs?
Final Fantasy XI (2002) and Final Fantasy XIV (2010) are online multiplayer MMORPGs. The rest of the mainline series consists of single-player games. The 2010 version of XIV was shut down and relaunched as A Realm Reborn in 2013, so that relaunch, not the original, is what you play today.
Is Final Fantasy VII Remake the same as the original?
No. The original Final Fantasy VII (1997) is one game, while the modern remake is a separate trilogy that reimagines the story: Remake (2020), Rebirth (2024) and Final Fantasy VII Revelation, announced in June 2026 for a Spring 2027 window. That trilogy and the rest of the FF7 compilation have their own guide at /order/final-fantasy-7/.
Is Final Fantasy Tactics part of this list?
No. Final Fantasy Tactics (1997) and its 2025 remaster, The Ivalice Chronicles, are spin-offs rather than numbered entries, so they sit outside this page's scope.
What is the next Final Fantasy game?
Final Fantasy Resonance, due October 22, 2026. It is an HD-2D adaptation of the mobile spin-off Brave Exvius rather than a mainline numbered entry, so it is not a step on this list.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, blog.playstation.com, Wikidata
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