The Final Fantasy series is home to some of the greatest games to ever grace the JRPG genre. Each entry follows a group of unlikely characters as they embark on a perilous journey to defeat a terrifying evil, and even though this sounds like it can become repetitive quite quickly, each title has managed to remain unique.
Countless fans believe that Final Fantasy 6 is the best game in the entire series, and for good reason. It features some of the best characters to appear in the series, one of the most unhinged villains in video game history, and also some of the best mechanics to appear in a Final Fantasy game. Though it may not be perfect, it certainly does a few things better than other entries in the series.
5 An Unforgettable Halfway Point
After learning Kefka's plan for world domination, Terra and her companions set off to ensure the court mage is unable to get his way. To do this, they must attempt to stop him from acquiring Espers and stealing their powers. Sadly, most of the party's attempts to do this fail, but they remain hopeful that Kefka can still be stopped if they fully commit themselves to hunting him down.
Just before the climax of the game's first half, Terra and her friends will confront Kefka atop the Floating Continent, on which the unhinged villain truly begins putting his plans into action. He slaughters Emperor Gestahl before tampering with the positions of the Warring Triad, thus throwing the world off balance. The world then begins to crack, destroying much of the surface and ending countless lives. Once the party escapes, all that remains of the World of Balance is a few towns scattered across a barren wasteland. Most Final Fantasy villains never get what they want, but Kefka did. Not only was his plan a success, but he also managed to celebrate his victory for an entire year before he was challenged again.
4 Compelling Character Arcs
The Final Fantasy series is home to some truly compelling stories and character arcs, but there's something extra special about the stories at play in Final Fantasy 6. With fourteen party members available to use during combat, it can be quite difficult to keep up with the stories at play. Thankfully, some stories overlap, which often serves to flesh out the game's characters and the relationships they develop.
Shadow learns to forgive himself for abandoning his friend, Terra comes to accept herself for who she is, and Cyan manages to put his tragic past behind him thanks to the help of his new friends. If these story arcs aren't compelling enough, the game is also home to a love story, a tale of loss, and two separate stories driven by the concept of family. These stories all serve to allow the protagonists of Final Fantasy 6 to grow, while also making them much more endearing. To top it all off, these characters must also gain the power required to save the world, so it's safe to say their character arcs can be quite compelling.
3 Missable Party Members
While most Final Fantasy stories are designed to follow a set path, Final Fantasy 6 will take multiple liberties if the player fails to fulfill certain objectives or if they don't realize what the game wants them to do. Most examples of this can be seen during the latter half of the story, wherein the World of Balance is transformed into the World of Ruin. Here, the player will be punished if they made certain choices and rewarded if they did what the game wanted them to do.
If the player wishes, they can attempt to beat Final Fantasy 6 shortly after they gain access to the World of Ruin. Unless the party they have has grown ridiculously powerful, however, they should probably continue to explore the remains of the World of Balance until they have reassembled the original party. One would think finding these characters would be quite simple, but some are gone forever if players chose poorly while playing through the World of Balance. Gau will never join the party if players fail to feed him Dried Meat while battling monsters in Veldt, and Shadow will never return if the player refuses to wait for him on the Floating Continent. Losing access to characters like this can often feel a bit cruel, but it serves to highlight exactly how much is at stake and how easily lives can be lost.
2 Splitting The Party
Depending on the entry, there are several moments throughout the Final Fantasy series where the party will be divided into separate groups. Some titles refuse to give players a say on where to place each character, but Final Fantasy 6 insists on taking the player's choice into account.
In Final Fantasy 6, players are encouraged to assemble as many party members as they can in preparation for the final battles awaiting in Kefka's Tower. Once inside, the party must be divided into three groups, each of which must be able to defeat some pretty high-level bosses and enemies. At this point in the game, the player should have access to four pretty strong characters, but figuring out where to place them can often be quite tough. Final Fantasy 6 forces its players to carefully consider each choice they make, but the way it incorporates party divisions is arguably one of its best features.
1 A Terrifying Villain
Most fans of Final Fantasy regard Sephiroth as the greatest villain in the entire series, but some believe the best Final Fantasy villain to be Kefka. There are many reasons why some fans share this opinion, and each of them is valid, but some reasons are more convincing than others.
Kefka doesn't just contemplate taking over the world, he commits to it and refuses to let anyone stand in his way. The first glimpse of this unhinged mindset can be seen during the siege on Doma, where Kefka opts to poison the castle's water supply. Not only is Kefka willing to sacrifice the lives of countless innocents to achieve his goal, but he is also more than happy to betray his comrades, so long as it means he will come out on top. He is arguably the most erratic villain in all of Final Fantasy, which is saying a lot, considering he has some pretty stiff competition.
Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster is currently available on PC and Mobile.