The Rules

Updated: 2/27/2026:

I have added FFII, FFIII, and FFV to the list. I originally didn't add them because they were re-releases and did not come out here when they were first released; I realized that is a little silly. That said, I am sticking to U.S. release order. For example, Final Fantasy V came out as part of the Final Fantasy Anthology collection on PSX in 1998, so that is the version I will be playing. Final Fantasy II released as part of the Final Fantasy Origins collection in the U.S. in 2003. And Final Fantasy III was released for the first time in the West as a DS remake in 2006.

To clarify, part of the reason I'm playing the games in this order is to emulate what it would have been like if I had been playing these games as they became available in the U.S., to partially emulate the experience of my peers as they grew up with this series.

Here are the rules I am abiding by for Finally Fantasy:

  • I must play all of the main series that was originally released in the U.S., in order. For those of you keeping track, that order is going to be:
    • Final Fantasy (NES)
    • Final Fantasy IV (SNES)
    • Final Fantasy VI (SNES)
    • Final Fantasy VII (PSX)
    • Final Fantasy V (PSX)
    • Final Fantasy VIII (PSX)
    • Final Fantasy IX (PSX)
    • Final Fantasy X (PS2)
    • Final Fantasy II (PSX)
    • Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
    • Final Fantasy III (DS)
  • I do not need to play any spin-off games (like Tactics Advance or Crystal Chronicles) or the MMOs (XII and XIV)
    • I probably WILL play these games, but I might not stick to a strict order with these, and I will not put myself under any obligation to "finishing" them.
  • I am not committed to playing XIII yet. A lot of people seem to think very poorly of it. I'll probably play it after XII, just no promises.
  • If at all possible, the goal is to play the games in their original format. I am a retro gaming nerd, so I should have everything I need to do it-- but I might run into some hardware issues that end up with me having to play some of the games in some modernized capacity (like a re-release for a newer platform that is more accessible/easier to stream with.)
  • I do not need to 100% these games, but I do need to beat them (as in defeating the final boss and watching the credits roll.)
  • I will use guides if I get horribly stuck to the point it begins to ruin my enjoyment, however for the most part I will refrain from using them as much as possible.
  • I will document, in writing, my experiences through playing the games. I'll also write up what I think the game is about beforehand-- and then I'll write up a retrospective once I've beaten it, also mentioning all of the things I've discovered I was horribly wrong about.