Few video game franchises are as well known as Square Enix’s Final Fantasy series. Square has been at the forefront of the RPG genre for nearly 35 years ever since the first Final Fantasy game debuted back on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The Final Fantasy series continues to evolve in exciting ways that have turned it into a property that’s known even outside of video game circles.
It’s a video game franchise that is in no danger of disappearing. A popular device that’s exploited in not just video games, but all forms of entertainment, is surprise cameo appearances. Final Fantasy has become so celebrated that characters from various games in the series have shown up in some very unexpected and unrelated video games.
10 Ehrgeiz: God Bless The Ring Banks Off Of Final Fantasy VII’s Entourage
Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring is a sturdy two-player arcade fighter developed by DreamFactory and initially published by Namco for its release in the arcades. However, Square helped publish Ehrgeiz's release for the PlayStation and helped celebrate the collaboration with the addition of several popular characters from Final Fantasy VII. Ehrgeiz has over ten original fighters, but the major selling point for the uninitiated is that they could play as Cloud, Sephiroth, Tifa, Zack, Vincent, and even Yuffie in a fighting game. Little did Ehrgeiz know that they’d set a precedent here.
9 Mario Hoops 3-On-3 Has Nintendo’s Best Clash With Final Fantasy Staples
Square Enix is a very talented developer, which makes it exciting when they play outside of their typical wheelhouse with certain releases. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 is a Mario basketball game for the Nintendo DS handheld, but it's actually developed by Square Enix. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 has no shortage of Mario characters, but Square dips into the Final Fantasy well to put together a dream team of basketball players made up of miscellaneous Final Fantasy figures like White Mage, Black Mage, Moogle, Ninja, and even Cactuar. This bizarre experiments continues with Mario Sports Mix, also developed by Square.
8 Secret Of Evermore Reunites Players With Final Fantasy IV’s Valiant Hero
Secret of Evermore is a Super Nintendo action-RPG with a strong premise where a boy and his dog get whisked away to a fantasy world. However, the dog now transforms into incredible creatures as they progress on their adventure.
When players reach the Ebon Keep region in Gothica, they may recognize that the merchant is Cecil Harvey, the lead of Final Fantasy IV. Cecil doesn’t hide this fact and he willingly reminisces over his adventures in the Final Fantasy game. Additionally, the game’s Coliseum is filled with other Final Fantasy IV characters in attendance in the crowd.
7 Tobal 2 Highlights Chocobos Among Its Sprawling Roster Of Fighters
The Tobal fighting franchise from DreamFactory and Square uses Square's passion for excess to really drive the project. It's still astonishing how much content is packed into these PlayStation games. Famously, Tobal 2 has a roster of 200 characters, which is a total that even the Super Smash Bros. or Mortal Kombat games haven’t topped in the decades since Tobal 2’s release. This exaggerated character roster means that Tobal 2 can experiment and have fun with some of their picks, which is exactly why both a Black and a Yellow Chocobo are among the many playable fighters.
6 Dragon Quest X Connects The Dots With Final Fantasy’s Online Offerings
Dragon Quest is the other major RPG series that’s been able to evolve through the decades alongside Final Fantasy. A crossover between these two worlds feels all but inevitable, but it officially happens once both series make the transition towards the direction of MMORPGs. Dragon Quest X is a huge change of pace for the franchise, but it features some satisfying crossover events with the online Final Fantasy games. Shantotto and her Chocobo from Final Fantasy XI show up, and a second event brings a very confused Kuplo Kopo from Final Fantasy XIV into Dragon Quest X’s world.
5 Yo-Kai Watch: Wibble Wobble Turns Cloud Strife Into An Unexpected Ally
There are still countless Pokémon clones, but the Yo-kai Watch craze is one of the more successful and creative examples of exploring new territory with a familiar idea. The Yo-kai Watch series seems like the last place that a Final Fantasy character would appear, which makes it even more surprising that it happens in the series’ mobile puzzle spin-off title, Yo-kai Watch: Wibble Wobble.
The puzzle game features a collaboration alongside Final Fantasy Dissidia, which results in Cloud Strife’s appearance as a befriendable Rank S Yo-kai that also boasts a Rank Z Limit Break after he fuses with Aerith’s Ribbon.
4 The Itadaki Street Board Game Series Turns To Final Fantasy For An Extra Boost
Itadaki Street, sometimes known as Fortune Street, is a Monopoly-esque board game that first appears as a minigame in Dragon Quest III before its creator, Yuji Horii, spun it off into its own series. There are frequent Dragon Quest figures in Itadaki Street because of the series’ roots, but it’s also a franchise that’s steadily incorporated Final Fantasy. There is a strong assortment of Final Fantasy characters across the different Itadaki Street games, but the PlayStation 2 release includes mainstays from all of the PlayStation-era Final Fantasy games, from Tifa to Squall to Vivi.
3 Monster Strike Proves That Cloud Is Dangerous Regardless Of what Genre He’s In
It's become increasingly difficult to avoid the mobile gaming market, and there are certain series in that realm that continue to dominate. Monster Strike combines RPG elements with the puzzle and strategy genres to create a quick and addictive experience. Like many mobile games, the biggest hurdle is for Monster Strike to not feel disposable, and one way in which it stands out is with its inclusion of Cloud Strife. Monster Strike turns the Final Fantasy VII legend into a seriously heavy hitter. It’s a trend that’s also continued in the comparable mobile puzzle game, Puzzle & Dragons.
2 Super Smash Bros. Brings Final Fantasy VII’s Icons Into The Crossover Chaos
Nintendo has found itself with one of the most popular fighting game series of the past few generations with their crossover free-for-all fighter, Super Smash Bros. The series started as a celebration of Nintendo’s legacy and their many franchises, but the games have progressively incorporated more “guest fighters” from non-Nintendo franchises. It’s exciting to have Solid Snake, Mega Man, and Sonic the Hedgehog fighting against Mario, but Smash Bros. has also brought in both Cloud and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII as formidable fighters. This has only fanned the flames for more Final Fantasy representation in the series.
1 Kingdom Hearts Creates An Overwhelming World That Merges Final Fantasy With Disney
Kingdom Hearts is one of the most bonkers video game series to ever exist, and the franchise has only become more cumbersome with the dirge of new releases. There’s no lack of ambition in the Kingdom Hearts series and it’s adopted some of the crazier tone and story impulses from the Final Fantasy games. The series’ whole premise revolves around a world that blends together both Final Fantasy and beloved Disney properties, so it’s common practice for figures like Cloud, Tifa, Squall, Tidus, or Wakka to mingle with Donald Duck or Goofy before an epic battle breaks out.