There likely aren’t many gamers who are unaware of Square Enix, the RPG powerhouse that has brought the world some of the finest games in the history of the medium. However, there is now a generation of gamers who are full-grown adults that have never known a world where Square and Enix were two separate creators of their own fantastic video games.
Before the 2003 merger, Square had already built a resume that could stack up with the best of them. Many of those games were produced in the 16-bit heyday when the world of gaming was exploding in popularity. Taking a look back at some of the best entries from those years makes it abundantly clear why Square (along with their merger partner) has been able to maintain so much success to this day.
9 Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy is Square’s biggest franchise to this very day, and the seeds that grew into that veritable money tree were the entries that were mostly released during the 16-bit era. The series began on the NES, and had achieved plenty of success before making the leap to Super Nintendo with Final Fantasy IV, but it was this entry that redefined the franchise’s possibilities.
The world was bigger and bolder, the characters and story had more depth, and the gameplay was more nuanced. It was with this title that Final Fantasy started ascending toward the elite ranks in the world of RPGs.
8 Final Fantasy VI
Like Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI marked another big leap for what is now one of the most beloved franchises in gaming. Previous entries had told stories that took place in a fantasy environment similar to something like Lord of the Rings: a medieval world full of magic and monsters. But with VI, the medieval aesthetic crossed over with a steampunk one and became a whole thing unto itself.
On top of simply being both a groundbreaking and generally fantastic game, FFVI is also among the titles that have aged the best over the years. Whether fans pick up the original full 16-bit version or the modern remake, they're bound to have a top tier JRPG experience.
7 Secret Of Evermore
Square moved away from the strict high fantasy RPG clichés with Secret of Evermore similarly to how Earthbound did, and although it’s rarely mentioned with as much reverence as anything from the Mother series, it’s still a great game that’s deserving of some praise of its own.
This action RPG follows the adventures of a boy and his dog as they journey through various worlds modeled after notable periods in human history. The clear American flavor is no mistake: it’s the one and only Square title ever developed in North America. Secret of Evermore may be just a tier below the best of the best 16-bit Square titles, but it’s still a unique entry that holds its own among other action RPGs of its era.
6 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
One of the biggest 16-bit titles Square ever created was quite a bit different in tone and style than the games they were best known for. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars called on the beloved Nintendo mascot to tell a tale with a ton of humor and character, and a super simple yet incredibly impressive battle system that suited the little Italian plumber curiously well.
This game was still a traditional RPG, of course, but it was a lot more lighthearted and funnier than it was dramatic and action-packed, and it threw players into its own vision of an already well-established world in the gaming universe. It could easily have flopped, but instead it was yet another 16-bit masterwork from a startlingly consistent game developer.
5 Secret Of Mana
Some gamers like a good amount of action and pace to their gaming experience, which can make turn-based RPGs seem somewhat outside their wheelhouse. But if those same gamers still love a great epic adventure story set in a colorful world, then action RPGs like Secret of Mana may be the gateway that can get them there.
This style of game wasn’t all too common for Square, but they absolutely nailed it on this one. It was a critical and commercial success that has stood the test of time, frequently ranking among the best RPGs ever made. While the gameplay was spot on, the real treasure of Secret of Mana probably has to be the visually stunning world which that gameplay takes place in.
4 Seiken Densetsu 3
While it would eventually make its way over to America under the title Trials of Mana, the sequel to Secret of Mana was a Japanese exclusive for many years. For any RPG fan who has ever played it that’s likely a pretty shocking fact, because this was a fantastic entry in the series that somehow looked even better than its already-beautiful predecessor.
The game features six playable characters that can be assembled into teams of three to play out an epic high fantasy tale that deftly weaves together multiple different narratives. It allows for up to two players, as well, so the adventure can be shared with a friend.
3 Live A Live
Before Chrono Trigger allowed players to traverse time and experience stories from across the ages, Live A Live offered Japanese fans a similar yet distinctly different opportunity. Rather than a sweeping singular story, this game told seven individual tales, beginning with prehistoric cavemen in the distant past and traveling forward through various eras in human history.
This unique and ambitious game was supposed to make its way out of its homeland of Japan in the mid 90s, but underwhelming sales prevented it from going global until July 2022 when a remake was released for Switch. Finally, the whole world can enjoy one of Square’s most impressive 16-bit titles.
2 Front Mission: Gun Hazard
It’s quite clear that Square’s 16-bit bread and butter is the turn-based RPG, but that doesn’t mean that's all they had in the bag. Front Mission: Gun Hazard certainly maintained RPG elements, but it was loaded with a lot more shoot ‘em up action than any of Square’s most notable titles of that era.
This entry in the Front Mission franchise made its way to the Super Famicom in February 1996, which was pretty late in the system’s lifetime. While this did mean that the game looks absolutely fantastic, it also meant that it would never wind up being released in Europe or North America. Fortunately, an excellent English language patch exists, so western fans don’t have to miss out on this lesser known gem.
1 Chrono Trigger
It’s possible that Chrono Trigger is the best game in the entire Square, Enix, and Square Enix combined catalog, although there are several others that can make their own claim to the throne. Where this epic time-traveling RPG falls on any all-time lists isn’t ultimately all that important, though. What is important is that it is really, really good.
From the Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball, Dragon Quest) character designs to the spellbinding story to the crisp and creative battle system to the masterful music of Yasunori Mitsuda, Square hit home runs on all fronts with this title and came up with a timeless masterpiece.