Since the release of the first Final Fantasy game in 1987, the series has had multiple opportunities to experiment with its formula. Its evolution has seen it reshaping its format to appeal to as many audiences as possible, leading it to become one of the most popular JRPG franchises in video game history.
Each Final Fantasy entry will feature an entirely new world and story, but elements of what made the original game so popular are always echoed in some shape or form. Many features from previous games will often return to reprise their roles in later installments, allowing them to become some of the franchise's most memorable tropes.
10 Racing Chocobos
Final Fantasy regularly forces its characters to venture into an unknown world without allowing them a chance to rest. There just isn't time to relax with the forces of evil threatening the lives of all the world's citizens, but luckily, there exist some overly large yellow birds to relieve some of the game's pressure.
Many entries allow the player to mount these Chocobos and use them to quickly explore a world. Doing so makes world exploration a much less arduous task, but much of the charm of Chocobos is owed to their racing abilities. While pursuing Sephiroth, Cloud and his party will venture to the Gold Saucer. While there, they will be invited to partake in Chocobo racing, a recurring Final Fantasy mini-game that offers a break from the main story.
9 The Power To Summon God-Like Entities
One of the best features in Final Fantasy is the option to call upon otherworldly beings to assist the player in combat. Sometimes these entities will be incorporated into a game without any explanation, but their presence can be made a lot more impactful when they serve a purpose in the story.
Final Fantasy 10 sees Yuna embarking on a quest to acquire a variety of different summons. Referred to as "Aeons" by the church of Yevon, these magnificent creatures harbor immense power and will often decimate all those who oppose their summoner. The ability to call upon these entities has become one of Final Fantasy's most prominent tropes.
8 The Reappearing Enemies
Though each installment of the series will feature an abundance of new enemies for the player to face in combat, countless monsters have reprised their roles. Many enemies have become iconic due to the challenge they pose or their memorable designs, earning them the chance to further plague longtime fans across multiple games.
Fans will usually breathe a sigh of relief after defeating a Tonberry or a Marlboro, so encountering them again in a different game will feel lack a slap in the face. No matter how many times these enemies are defeated, they will always return to punish the player for their past actions, even if it messes with the franchise's continuity.
7 Saving The World
The stakes of most entries in the Final Fantasy series are incredibly high and often place a great deal of pressure on the player. Most characters begin their stories blissfully unaware of the horrors lurking outside their safe havens, but the plot eventually requires the player to rise up and face them to prevent the destruction of the world.
Final Fantasy 6 sees that Celes and her friends were unable to stop Kefka from plunging the world into disarray, but that doesn't stop them from trying again. With the sanctity of the planet at stake, Celes tracks down her old comrades and asks them to join her once more, as they attempt to save their shattered and broken world.
6 Unlocking The Ultimate Weapons
A Final Fantasy game will typically become more challenging the further the player progresses. Enemies evolve and bosses learn more devastating attacks, so it is necessary to acquire the appropriate weapons to hope to survive their onslaught.
Some of the most challenging encounters a game has to offer will be unlocked upon completing a game's main story, so the player must seek out the best weapons available to them. To obtain these means of combat in Final Fantasy 10, Tidus and his companions will be forced to partake in some frighteningly difficult mini-games. Thankfully, the rewards they receive outweigh the effort they require.
5 The Recurring Item System
Since the first Final Fantasy game's release in 1987, the item system has become one of the best means of applying buffs to one's characters. Throughout a player's journey, they will regularly be forced to navigate the menu's item system to replenish the health and magic of their party members.
Each entry in the series features a unique variety of different items, but most of Final Fantasy's core healing methods, like the Potion and the Phoenix Down, will return without fail. Without the item system, healing a character could only be done in battle, but thankfully each installment features an appropriate system for item administration.
4 Conquering Dungeons
The concept of a dungeon in Final Fantasy has evolved exponentially since its first appearance in the series. Once used as a term to describe a series of dangerous caves or chambers, the term "dungeon" can now be applied to any location that isn't on the world map, so long as it is crawling with monsters.
After entering a dungeon, the option to save the game will vanish, forcing the player to attempt to conquer its challenges without a safety net to catch them. They work to weaken a character before reaching the boss fight awaiting in its depths, rendering the battle far more challenging than it would be if encountered on the world map.
3 Challenging Superbosses
The Final Fantasy series is renowned for including some of the most challenging post-game content available in gaming, with most of its entries including an array of ridiculously powerful super bosses. Though a player may think their characters are extremely powerful after completing a game's main story, they will need to put considerable effort into preparing for what comes after.
Some super bosses can be fought before the climax of a game, but it is never recommended to do so as the player will likely be unprepared for the encounter. Defeating one is usually the last objective of a game after its story has been completed, so they will often pose the greatest challenge the game has to offer.
2 Unlocking An Airship
The beginning of a Final Fantasy game will usually task the player with navigating the world on foot until a better means of traversal becomes available. Once all reachable locations have been explored, an airship will be given to make traveling a less tedious task.
When unlocked, an airship will take a game's characters to previously unreachable areas, but some will remain off-limits until the story has progressed further. Eventually, an airship will be able to fly and conquer all the terrain a game has to offer, but this ability typically needs to be unlocked beforehand.
1 The Crystals
Crystals can play a variety of different roles depending on the installment they appear in. They are most commonly known to grant the power to vanquish the forces of evil to those who ask for it, like Luneth in Final Fantasy 3 and Noctis in Final Fantasy 15, but sometimes their purpose is much less spectacular.
Many Final Fantasy games incorporate crystals into their story, but their implementation in Final Fantasy 12 sees them playing a less prominent role. When interacted with, the player can use a crystal to save their game, but some have been corrupted and will attack the player instead, further showcasing the power they hold.