The Best Final Fantasy Spin-Off Games: All 24 Ranked

24) Final Fantasy: All the Bravest

While most Final Fantasy spin-offs are fun romps through unique universes, All the Bravest is a disappointing mess of a game. Thanks to the lack of any story, customization, or deep gameplay mechanics - compounded by abusive in-game purchases - this game was universally panned by fans. It was a clear case of a developer trying to use nostalgia and not much else to make a quick buck.

23) Final Fantasy: Airborne Brigade

Airborne Brigade was all about social interactions, mixing the tried and true Final Fantasy formula with multiplayer. There were basic jobs on offer, including White Mage, Monk, Black Mage, and Fighter, and they had the opportunity to advance. Everything you expected from a FF title was present and accounted for, however, the lack of polish made it difficult to enjoy at times. Making matters a bit worse was the fact that this is possibly the only FF game to not have a beautiful soundtrack to take you through its journey.

22) Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius

Brave Exvius is one of Square Enix's more recent forays into the mobile scene. It uses a turn-based system that resembles the more classic entries in the franchise, but it lacks the depth that most fans have come to know and love. It's not horrible, however, and the plot revolving around Vision and the need to bring Lapis back to the light is entertaining fare. But, there are strong FF titles out there, so you'd be excused for passing this one up.

21) Final Fantasy Dimensions

Final Fantasy Dimensions was a mobile adventure that came out even before the dawn of popular smartphone gaming. This turn-based JRPG had a job system, colorful sprites, powerful monsters, and a story that placed players into the center of merging worlds. It was fun, but pretty simple when compared to current offerings. Still, the inclusion of a rewarding job system was appreciated.

20) Final Fantasy: Crystal Defenders

Crystal Defenders takes the job system from the Final Fantasy Tactics Advance games, and applies that to a tower defense game. Of course, each class has their own strengths and drawbacks, so figuring out the best combination is key. Maps don't have a ton of variation however, meaning this tower defense game can get a bit monotonous after a while.

19) Final Fantasy Adventure

Like the lore and characters of Final Fantasy but prefer the gameplay of classic Legend of Zelda games? Final Fantasy Adventure would probably be right up your alley. This top down, action-RPG tasks players with taking down the mysterious Dark Lord. It would eventually spawn the Mana series, a beloved RPG franchise.

18) Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light

The 4 Heroes of Light was a brand new adventure in the Final Fantasy series, sporting cute chibi-looking characters and a lighter story. It cuts back a bit of the depth in combat, simplifying things, but has more than enough charm with its characters, music, and art style to keep things going. It's an experience that's sure to evoke more than a little nostalgia from any fan of 2D Final Fantasy games.

17) Final Fantasy IV: The After Years

The After Years is a series of episodes taking place after the original Final Fantasy IV. Many of these involve the children of the main game's heroes, like Ceodore, Cecil and Rosa's son. It's definitely interesting to see how things turned out for everyone after the end of Final Fantasy IV, but its episodic structure makes character growth feel a bit awkward.

16) Chocobo Games

There are more Chocobo Games than you probably realize, ranging from dungeon crawlers to cute little racing games. They're all fairly cute, but that's pretty much it. You can definitely find worse games to play, as these are fun excursions that you can used to bide your time between major releases, like the upcoming FFXV. But, in the grand scheme of spin-offs, you aren't getting much lore out of most of these entries.

15) The Final Fantasy Legend

Final Fantasy Legend is actually the first game in the SaGa series, launching yet another role-playing franchise for Square. At the time, it was an impressive feat to bring such a huge RPG to the Game Boy. It can be easy to get lost in, however, as the game at times gives you little direction and a lot of challenges.

14) Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift

Grimoire of the Rift was far from a bad game, but it doesn't hold a candle to its fellow Tactics game. The colorful sprites and deep, strategic gameplay are present and accounted for, but there's just something about those classics.

13) Final Fantasy: Record Keeper

Yet another mobile game that you shouldn't overlook simply because it's free-to-play. Record Keeper takes the entire timeline of FF and lets you play through different events and meet characters from across the series, all in a cute, sprite-filled, turn-based RPG.

12) Mobius Final Fantasy

Mobius Final Fantasy is a free-to-play mobile game that you shouldn't just write off. It's fun, fast-paced, and offers a lot of depth thanks to its job and card-based combat and player development. The story is about as Final Fantasy as it gets as you endeavor to become a warrior of light, but the stunning visuals that were capable on smartphones are nothing to scoff at and definitely worth checking out.

11) Final Fantasy Explorers

Final Fantasy Explorers shows that Square Enix still knows how to make an amazing FF game on a Nintendo platform. This 3DS exclusive lets you join friends in a huge, open-world adventure full of multiple quests, tons of NPCs, fierce bosses, and jobs. It's like an MMO but without all the hassle.

10) Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

Revenant Wings takes place directly after Final Fantasy XII, following Vaan and Penelo on their quest to become great Sky Pirates. The two have obtained a ship and set out on their own. Interestingly, the game is actually an RTS on the Nintendo DS, having you control your units in battle with the touch screen. It works a lot better than you might expect, and the story takes some interesting turns, bringing back old friends and introducing new ones.

9) Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest

Many FF fans look at Mystic Quest as Final Fantasy lite, and for good reason. It's a fun, turn-based RPG that offers a challenge but never gets too deep. It's a perfect entry point for people looking to get into JRPGs and the fantastic story, lovely music, and adorable sprites help it stand up with the best of them.

8) Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Dirge of Cerberus strayed well off of the path of other FFVII titles. This third-person shooter RPG put players in control of Vincent Valentine three years after the original game ended. We admit that this entry takes some getting used to, but the super dramatic plot, the incredible boss battles, and the ability to control the badass Vincent are things you absolutely need to experience for yourself.

7) Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

There was a time when Final Fantasy and Nintendo went hand-in-hand, and from that relationship a wealth of amazing games sprung forth. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was one of the greatest, offering gameplay similar to that of the classic Final Fantasy Tactics, only bite-sized and with a much more vibrant palate. The introduction of Law Cards added even more challenge, as they could restrict your actions, forcing you to think outside of the box. It was a perfect tactical gameplay, and still holds up today.

6) Dissidia Final Fantasy Series

The Final Fantasy series has produced a number of characters perfect for the fighting game scene, so Dissidia Final Fantasy was just waiting to happen. Thankfully, this PSP game plays the part well, providing varied styles between the many characters (which includes both heroes and villains) as well as a story that manages to tie all of the generations together.

5) Final Fantasy: Type-0

Action-RPGs already offer a lot of opportunities for fun, and that's further expanded when you throw in unique playable characters that you can develop and switch between on the fly. Type-0 gave players control of Class Zero, 14 soldiers with amazing abilities whom you use to battle an invasion on your country. It's part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series (which includes FFXIII and FFXV), so there's a wide range of abilities and opponents on display, lending to the depth you can find in the action. Gameplay is fast-paced and fun, making this the perfect spin-off to lose yourself in.

4) Theatrhythm Final Fantasy and Curtain Call

If there's one thing that all Final Fantasy games have in common, it's fantastic music. Take that music and combine it with a rhythm-centric RPG and you have one of the freshest entries to the franchise in recent years. The adorable sprites, easy to learn gameplay, and fantastic score that spans an entire series are sure to captivate.

3) Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Series

After quite a few serious entries in the Final Fantasy franchise, it was time for something that was both lighthearted yet still provided the depth players had come to expect. Enter the Crystal Chronicles series, a multi-player, action-RPG adventure that gave cute characters intense situations to deal with. While later entries in the series don't have the same appeal as the first few games, Crystal Chronicles remains one of the best spin-off series to date.

2) Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Crisis Core does two things very well. The first is that it takes the world of Final Fantasy VII and gives it engaging action gameplay. The second is that it clears up a lot of confusion and helps to make Zack, a character from a spin-off, a fan favorite. Crisis Core serves as the perfect setup for what would eventually become one of the best games in Final Fantasy history.

1) Final Fantasy Tactics

Final Fantasy Tactics is often seen as one of the best Final Fantasy games period, so it's no surprise that the tactical RPG happens to be the best spin-off around. It's tight focus on strategy, decision making, and relentless challenge help it stand as one of the pinnacles of strategy RPGs.