Final Fantasy is a series like no other; sprawling levels, amazing turn-based battles, and memorable characters that live on long after you've completed the games. The series has come a heck of a long way since the early days on the NES, garnering a loyal fanbase of millions of players all over the world. I mean, when a series surpasses an estimated 210 million sales, I think you can sit back and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
But when you have a series that impressive, how do you choose the best game out of the bunch? There are 16 main games in the series as well as countless spinoffs that expand on this amazing world. It would have been a tough job to pick the best of the best on my own, so I picked 16 of the most influential titles in the entire canon and put it to you, the Retro Dodo readers, to decide which is the best title of the bunch.
A lot of you said that the first round was the toughest, claiming FF IX and FF VII should have been the final, but with a series with as many great titles in it as this, there were always going to be some uncomfortable battles. 55,000 of you turned up to cast your votes, with some of the rounds coming down to just a couple of hundred votes too, making them incredibly close.
In the end, however, only one title could be crowned the winner, and even though there were some close calls, the winner reigned supreme right from the very first round.
Yes, Final Fantasy VII has officially been crowned as the best Final Fantasy game in the series, although as I said, it wasn't ever a done deal. There were a couple of times where it only progressed by a couple of hundred votes, showing that it had some tough competition to go up against!
Still, if you ask any FF fan, they'll tell you how incredible this game is. There's a reason it's one of the most loved RPGs of all time and a firm favourite with our readers. It doesn't matter whether you discovered Cloud Strife in the original or via the remake; all we care about is that you've experienced the beauty of Gaia and battled till your thumbs are sore.
Final Fantasy VII lost to Metal Gear Solid in the first round of our Best Retro Game competition, with Ocarina of Time taking the crown. But here, on its own turf and surrounded by its series brethren, it's finally claimed victory. Thanks for voting, everyone, and we'll see you on the next tournament!
