35. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord (WiiWare)

Just like its kingly counterpart, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord's gameplay can be summed up in one word — deep. There’s absolutely no way you’ll be disappointed with the sheer number of things to consider throughout the game. Although the game is extremely addictive and represents great value for money (the less said about the generally-unnecessary DLC the better), the same general formula does exist for every level, so repetition may be an issue for those not captivated by the genre, and more intuitive controls could have easily been implemented. Nevertheless, if you were able to grab this title before the Wii Shop closed down, we’re more than confident that you won’t regret giving this strategy title a spin.

34. Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy! (Switch eShop)

Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy! easily proves to be the best version of Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon, and we would even go so far as to say it’s in the running of being the best Mystery Dungeon game in general. The story proves to be surprisingly heartfelt and mature in many places, and the depth offered by the jobs system, coupled with auxiliary systems like Buddies and equipment, helps to keep the endlessly repetitive dungeon crawling from becoming too taxing. If you’re the type of player who doesn’t mind very much grind in their games, or you’re looking for something rewarding, but relatively mindless that you can dump a lot of hours into, Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy! is a solid purchase that’s sure to entertain.

33. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS)

Far exceeding its DS and Gamecube ancestors, as well as a huge portion of the DS's catalogue, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is a superb game for fans of RPGs. It's the perfect fit for the handheld console, with great touchscreen controls and addictive gameplay. We'd recommend picking up this portable version over the Wii release without a shadow of a doubt.

32. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates (DS)

For many, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates is one of the best games in the Crystal Chronicles sub-series. Known for its cutesy charm and surprisingly deep story, Ring of Fates might not be wowing in the gameplay department, but it's still a solid and fun adventure that's easy to get absorbed into. Plus, that action combat seems to have been perfected here. Overall, this is one of the better handheld Final Fantasy spin-offs on the market.

31. Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon (Wii)

For people hoping that Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon is at the same standard as the main series, you aren’t going to get anything even close here. But, what you are getting is a very cute and cuddly-looking game that is as tough as nails. Though this experience is recommended for hardcore gamers, newcomers to the Final Fantasy series might be put off by the steep difficulty, with a strong chance that they’ll get frustrated fairly quickly. Still, if you savour a challenge then this is worth the investment.

30. Final Fantasy III (Switch eShop)

Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster at last gives fans a chance to check out the final NES game in the series as it was intended. The quality-of-life features go a long way to making this much more palatable than the DS remake, and the rearranged music is absolutely wonderful and one of the most underrated soundtracks in the franchise. The job system is also great though it is improved upon in later games. But this is arguably the way to play Final Fantasy III — and it looks great on Switch, too.

29. Final Fantasy III (DS)

Back when Final Fantasy III on DS launched, this was the first time the West had ever officially received the third NES title. Luckily, this remake is unlikely to disappoint long-time Final Fantasy fans. FFIII isn’t perfect by any means, but with its deep job system, it’s still eminently enjoyable and will provide hours of entertainment to RPG aficionados. Even with the Pixel Remaster now available, this is still worth picking up for its tough difficulty.

28. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (WiiWare)

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King is one of the most ambitious WiiWare games ever. There's never a lack of things to do in this adventure, and while you can't directly jump into combat itself, you'll soon find that being in charge has its perks and building your kingdom from the ground up can be quite rewarding in this unique simulation-style adventure. If you can get past any expectations that this game will offer the same type of RPG experience as those found in the regular Final Fantasy games and just appreciate it for what it is, you'll likely find a lot to enjoy about this wonderful and charming WiiWare release. That is, if you managed to snag it before WiiWare shut down.

27. Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (DS)

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light is certainly an interesting experience when it comes to many of its unique gameplay mechanics, but the game's overflowing sense of charm and hardcore level of challenge make it an irresistible experience for seasoned RPG fans. The game may simplify many of the traditional RPG elements a bit, but those who'll give it a chance and learn how to put them to good use will likely find a game that's every bit as strategic and challenging as past turn-based RPG offerings, maybe even more so. At the very least you'll get to experience one of the most engaging Final Fantasy storylines the series has seen, not to mention one of the most exceptional RPGs available for the system.

Also, without Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, we probably wouldn't have Bravely Default, so that absolutely counts for something.

26. Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS)

The Ivalice Alliance returns to a more tactical affair in Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, and with pretty solid results. The RTS-style gameplay blends tactics with RPG elements perfectly and gives you plenty of interesting Espers and units to play around with. It certainly slips up in terms of story and character — particularly concerning the excellent Final Fantasy XII — but gameplay-wise, there are worse ways you can spend multiple hours planning and strategizing.

25. Final Fantasy (Switch eShop)

If you want to play the original Final Fantasy, the Pixel Remaster is a no-brainer. Those updated visuals and rearranged music tracks to wonders for what could be seen as a pretty barebones RPG by today's standards. However, without Final Fantasy, we wouldn't have... well, basically 90% of the RPGs we play today. Don't forget those lovely QoL features that make a breezy RPG even easier to slip into. It's a classic for a reason.

24. World of Final Fantasy MAXIMA (Switch eShop)

World of Final Fantasy Maxima acts as a wonderful celebration of the Final Fantasy series that will surely appeal to fans both new and old. Though the difficulty is a little on the easy side, the story is uninspired and the visuals are disappointingly blurry, the Mirage-catching mechanics and well-crafted RPG systems make this one a good recommendation. If you loved the Final Fantasy games of days past, you’re sure to love this one, and if you’re new to the series or the JRPG genre in general, this is a great place to jump in; just don't expect anything too demanding.