Summary

TheFinal Fantasyseries is well intodouble-digits with its mainline installments, and there are countless spin-off series, remakes, crossovers, and tie-in games. With such a massive franchise, it’s easy for some titles to go unnoticed, even by fans. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, from being part of a genre with low fan interest or launching simultaneously with much bigger games, to being released on obscure hardware or only in one region.

It could be argued that some of these games are unknown for a good reason, since they are below the high standard set by theFinal Fantasyseries, which has many of the best games ever made in its back catalog. Still, it’s worth remembering these titles. Some are certainly worth picking up, and others may cover a niche that certain players are seeking.

Considering its comparatively recent release,A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy 15may still be remembered by some. As a tie-in game forFinal Fantasy 15, it was initially a pre-order exclusive at certain outlets, but it was later released as a free download for everyone to enjoy.

A side-scrollingbeat ‘em up gamefeaturing retro graphics,A King’s Taleis set 30 years before the events of the main game. Players taking control of Regis Lucis Caelum, the father ofFF15protagonist Noctis. Combat is fast-paced, and a particular emphasis is placed on building combos, which grant powerful bonuses like summoning companions to help in battle.

7Justice Monsters Five

Pinball Spin-Off That Is Also Playable In The Main Game

Much likeA King’s Tale,Justice Monsters Fiveis a relatively recent release, but it’s already no longer available on app stores and many may not realize it even existed. A pinball game that is found around the world of Eos inFinal Fantasy 15, it was released as a free mobile app for pinball andFinal Fantasyfans to enjoy on the go.

Unlike traditional pinball games, it features elements of pachinko, arcade shoot ‘em ups, and monster battles, among other things. Assembling a team of four of the series’ iconic monsters who each launch their respective balls, players could even compete against friends in multiplayer action or play it solo, but as a short-lived promotional campaign it was discontinued in 2017.

6Final Fantasy 7 Snowboarding

One of the many games related to the series-definingFF7,Final Fantasy 7 Snowboardingwas a full release of the popular minigame. As a mobile game, it may seem somewhat primitive today. It contains three courses for Cloud to shred and slide his way down, collecting balloons and avoiding moogles along the way.

Launching almost a decade after the original game, it was part of theCompilation of Final Fantasy 7series. For a pretty basic game, the costs were incredibly high, requiring a monthly fee and a subscription to the V CAST service, which has since shut down. Since 2012, it’s no longer available to download, but those looking to enjoy some snowboarding as Cloud Strife can simply replay the minigame inFF7.

5Itadaki Street: Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary

Japan-Only Crossover Board Game

To celebrate 30 years since the first games in both series launched,Itadaki Street: Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy 30th Anniversaryis a crossoverparty and virtual board game. Exclusively released in Japan for the PS4 and the PlayStation Vita, it’s one of severalItadaki StreetorFortune Streetgames, in which players must purchase and develop properties on a board, much likeMonopoly.

Including a large roster of characters from both series, there are several game boards to play on, based on locations from different entries in each franchise. Not only can players make money from other players landing on their properties, but there are also highly lucrative stock-trading minigames.

4Final Fantasy Artniks

Collect Cards, Battle Monsters, And Socialize With Others

Developed by Square Enix with the Japanese social media platform GREE,Final Fantasy Artnikswas a card game where players could battle enemies or engage with other players. There were tons of cards belonging to either the character or equipment category, each possessing one of five ranks ranging from Normal to Super Rare+. Battling bosses or other players was a great way to earn rewards and move up an in-game leaderboard.

One of the more successfulFinal Fantasymobile games, it boasted a large player base and reasonable levels of profitability, causing it to spawn a sequel. Despite these positive metrics, and the regular events and updates, both games were only ever released in Japan, and have since been discontinued.

3Final Fantasy World Wide Words

Type To Defeat Enemies

Not the first series to have a typing spin-off game,Final Fantasy World Wide Wordswas a Japan-only typing game for mobile devices. Up to four characters, plus one summon, could be used in battles across over 80 game worlds, where players would encounter monsters and bosses in each.

Words would pop up either next to enemies or user-controlled characters, which then needed to be typed in order to attack the on-screen foes and damage them.World Wide Wordsis no longer available, but at the time, it was a great way to improve typing skills. Speed and accuracy were rewarded with increased damage to enemies, and mistakes were costly.

2Dive II Hunt: The Adventures of Sorbet

Spin-Off Collectathon On The Square Enix MySpace Page

A side-scrolling collectathon game,Dive II Hunt: The Adventures of Sorbetwas only available on the Square Enix MySpace page in North America and Japan. In this game, the titular Sorbet, a moogle fromIvalice and a character inFinal Fantasy 12,competed in an underwater treasure collecting tournament to earn the title of “Hunter Dive Master.”

Within thirty in-game days, the goal was to collect as much gil and treasure as possible, all while avoiding multiple obstacles and enemies. Special attention also had to be given to Sorbet’s oxygen levels, as running out would cost three in game days to recover, but upgrades could be purchased.

1Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode -Final Fantasy 7-

A Midquel To The PS2 Shooter

Part of theCompilation of Final Fantasy 7collection of games,Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode -Final Fantasy 7-was released around the same time as thepolarizing PS2 RPGand third-person shooter spin-off. Said to be a “midquel” toDirge of Cerberus, since the events take place during the timeline of that game, it also stars Vincent Valentine as he tries to save the world from Deepground.

Impressive in its time, especially when considering that it is fully voiced, it was only available on specific mobile devices outside Japan. Like many other games on this list, the service was eventually discontinued, largely due to outdated technology no longer being functional. A much-anticipated multiplayer mode was even planned, but never materialized.