Final Fantasy Games That Are On The Most Consoles

Summary

As of 2023, there are now sixteen mainline entries in theFinal Fantasyfranchise which began in 1987. Taking into account ports, remasters, and spinoffs, there are easily over a hundred titles to consider. That’s astounding for any franchise not to mentionFinal Fantasy, as a brand, still being relevant decades later.

Here’s an interesting thought question that fans may have never considered. What entry, be it mainline or spinoff, has been released and re-released on the most consoles not taking into consideration straight digital ports like with the Wii’s Virtual Console? It’s time to do some math for some interesting results.

Final Fantasy 5was released first on the SNES in 1992 but in Japan only. The first time North America got a taste of this was on PS1 through the collectionFinal Fantasy Anthologyin 1999. This was the first time players got to play with aJob system outside ofFinal Fantasy Tactics. Also bundled inFinal Fantasy AnthologywasFinal Fantasy 6. There was a small gap in-between releases until 2006 when the game was enhanced for the GBA which still might be the definitive version ofFinal Fantasy 5.

In 2013, it made it to both the iOS and Android marketplaces, and then those versions were later ported to the PC in 2015. After that, the art style was remixed again for the Pixel Remaster version, and Square Enix did that for all six originalFinal Fantasygames and not justFinal Fantasy 5. Between 2021 and 2023 thePixel RemasterofFinal Fantasy 5made it to PC, iOS, and Android platforms along with the PS4 and Switch for consoles.

Final Fantasy 6was released in 1994 asFinal Fantasy 3in North America. That title would get corrected in 1999 via that aforementionedFinal Fantasy Anthologycollection. There was a GBA port in 2007 in North America and likeFinal Fantasy 5, some fans consider it to be the best way to playFinal Fantasy 6thanks to new additions like bosses.

A new version was made for iOS and Android phones in 2014 and those versions made it to PC platforms in 2015. And then to mirrorFinal Fantasy 5once again, a new version ofFinal Fantasy 6was made via the Pixel Remaster which hit PC, iOS, and Android platforms in 2021 before console players could buy it on the PS4 and Switch in 2023. It’s a better version than the original mobile port, but again, the GBA version is the way to placeFinal Fantasy 6beyond the SNES classic.

Final Fantasy 5andFinal Fantasy 6were more or less tied for platforms butFinal Fantasy 3is where things get interesting. First, the game was released in 1990 on the NES in Japan which is also, funnily enough, the same year North America got the first game. North America could not playFinal Fantasy 3officially until 2006 when it was remade for the DS. Overall, that was the first time the game, in any form, ever made it off of the NES which is strange because it was a groundbreaking game.

Final Fantasy 3introducedthe exchangeable Job systemto the franchise which was a big deal. It was almost remade for the WonderSwan Color but that got canceled. Post-DS, most ports were based on this remake including the iOS, Android, and PSP versions. It hit a unique platform in 2013, the now-forgotten Ouya. After that, it went to the Windows phone and then PC before the NES version finally got remixed via thePixel Remasterversion on the already-mentioned platforms.

Final Fantasy 2is one of the strangest entries in the series and operated like a backdoor pilot fortheSaGaseries. What made it unique was that characters leveled up stats and magic through repetition, a trait that was used primarily inThe Final Fantasy Legendin 1990. In Japan, it was released in 1989 on the Game Boy asMakai Toushi SaGa.SaGahistory aside,Final Fantasy 2was released in 1988 on the NES in Japan. It was another missing entry for years until the PS1 collection,Final Fantasy Origins, was released in 2003 in North America which packaged it with the first game.

Final Fantasy 2was also released on the WonderSwan Color in 2001 before the PS1 version as a standalone title. Also, notable platforms include the GBA, PSP, mobile platforms like iOS and Android along with all of thePixel Remastersystems. There are three interesting Japanese releases that fans may not know about. First, the i-mode was a popular phone service platform while

EZWeb and Yahoo! were browser-based.Final Fantasy 2was made available on those platforms along with other entries that will be explained later.

Final Fantasy 4was released asFinal Fantasy 2in North America on the SNES in 1991. The name was corrected whenFinal Fantasy Chronicleswas released on the PS1 in 2001 in North America which strangely includedChrono Triggeras well. Making the snub toFinal Fantasy 3even weirder,Final Fantasy 4did get a port for the WonderSwan Color along with the GBA. It also hit the aforementioned Japanese mobile and browser services via i-mode, EZWeb, and Yahoo! before getting its ultimate update.

In 2008, North America received the DS remake ofFinal Fantasy 4which updated the graphics and addedvoice acting for Ceciland the whole crew. The next port used a more traditional art style on the PSP viaFinal Fantasy 4: The Complete Collectionwhich included the sequels that were released on the Wii digitally. The iOS, Android, and first PC port used the DS remake version while thePixel Remasterrewound the clock once more to feature a more 16-bit art style on the usual systems.

Last but not least, the originalFinal Fantasyhas been ported to the most number of platforms. It was released in 1987 on the NES in Japan thus kickstarting an RPG phenomenon that would not hit North America until 1990. Most of the platforms have already been covered such as the WonderSwan Color, PS1, GBA, PSP, and all of the mobile, PC, browser, andPixel Remasterplatforms. However, there are some new systems of note including the MSX2 in 1989 which was a Japanese PC platform where theMetal Gearseries also got its start.

LikeFinal Fantasy 3, it was also released on the Windows phone which is not new, but still exclusive. Another Japanese-centric platform though was the J2ME which used Java programming. The coolest version ofFinal Fantasywas bundled withFinal Fantasy Explorersin Japan as a 3DS bonus. Itconverted the NES original to feature 3Dlike other NES games includingKid IcarusandKirby’s Adventure. That might be the rarest entry and it is a shame North America never got the 3DS conversion.