3. Final Fantasy VI (1994)
We can say many things about Final Fantasy today: It’s tired, it’s outdated, it needs to end. It’s sad to see what has happened to this once great series. There was a time when Final Fantasy was synonymous with excellence and it looks like Square Enix may have lost its way in the past decade. There is a beacon though, something from the past that Square could learn from. A place where Final Fantasy became more than just a little RPG. A game that pushed a console to its limits so it could tell a dark and mature story. That game was Final Fantasy VI, and it is the best Final Fantasy game. When it came to the US in 1994 we called it Final Fantasy III, it would be way too confusing for me to explain it, so just let yourself know it’s actually Final Fantasy VI. Final Fantasy VI came out at just the right time for me, I had played Final Fantasy on my NES non-stop and for some reason skipped Final Fantasy II (IV) on SNES. I played Mario and Zelda and Donkey Kong, but then one I day I saw Final Fantasy again, and it reminded me of that NES favorite I had played before. I jumped all over Final Fantasy VI. It’s a game I play every so often, and it’s worth every minute spent.
What makes this game so special? It’s everything really. Final Fantasy VI is incredibly cinematic, as the game even opens up with a 16-bit cut-scene of sorts.
You follow the story of Terra, a girl that has the unique ability to cast magic in a society that has lost their grip on the lost art. The story follows a group of outcasts and misfits as any great fantasy story should. Square was able to create deep characters with massive backstories to the level of perfection. This is all done with 16-bit sprites! Characters like: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Shadow, steal the show. And one of them can suplex a train…
Final Fantasy VI is a bit on the intense side when it comes to customization, but each character still represents their own “class”. Square showed us that deep and intricate stories could be told on primitive hardware, and while gaming was about to make the jump to 32 and 64 bits, 16 bit gaming still contained real depth. FF6 is what could only be described as the quintessential classic JRPG. It’s unfortunate that VII gets all the praise and attention, due to its shinier graphics and the PlayStation’s beefed up processing power. Very few games have been able to captivate me like Final Fantasy VII, as it’s such a complete title. FFVI also allows you to play your own way, as customization is left open to the player. It also boasts the largest cast of any Final Fantasy game, there are 14 playable characters! Square pulled no punches with FF6, as they gave every character a unique backstory, and pumped the game filled with some of the most memorable scenes in JRPG history. There is a fully opera in Final Fantasy VI! FF6 also gave us the most evil villain in series history in Kefka. Never has a character truly loved being so EVIL! He puts Sephiroth to shame. Final Fantasy VI is a MUST PLAY for any RPG fan, it is the greatest…almost ever.
2. Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)
Let me come out and say this, Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars is my FAVORITE game. Now, saying favorite is a bit different from what I think is the “best”. Is Mario RPG the best game ever, no, but it’s got the #2 spot because it’s my favorite. When I was 9 years old, Super Mario RPG came into my life and changed it forever. Looking back Mario RPG may just be my favorite piece of fictional media. I had been playing RPGs for a while at this point, but Mario RPG was able to impact me in a way that keeps me coming back. I’ve started many a summer by playing through Super Mario RPG, because nothing makes me happier than a complete smash of my favorite two genres: platformer and JRPG. I think it’s the inherent fun of Super Mario RPG that has me hooked. It’s an innocent RPG that isn’t afraid to be funny nor be self aware. Mario RPG’s strengths lie in its ability to take a historically up-tight and serious genre and strip it down to craft a fun and unique experience. Super Mario RPG, developed by Square, was able to craft a game that brought Mario to a new plane. Before Super Mario RPG, the Mario games had some LIGHT story elements. We knew that Princess Peach had been captured by Bowser and Mario was going to save her. That’s about it. Super Mario RPG created a world around Mario, something we had never seen before. He was a small piece to this much larger world. There were towns, dungeons, and even a cool island where Yoshi hangs out.
We had never seen the rest of what Mario’s world could look like. Super Mario World gave us a much more expansive experience than the first 3 Super Mario Games, but we had never seen Mario interact with a fantasy land like he did in Mario RPG. All of the characters are there as you team up with Peach and Bowser, but we’re also introduced to two new characters, Geno and Mallow. These characters have become fan-favorites in the 20 years since Super Mario RPG’s release. We miss them! Mario’s take on the RPG still also feels a bit like Mario, as if Square knew that Mario still had to jump, hit blocks, and smash things with hammers. What Mario RPG’s real accomplishment was is that it showcased how Mario could hold an RPG by himself. We can thank Super Mario RPG for the likes of Paper Mario and the Mario and Luigi series. Mario RPGs are great! Mario’s quest to save his universe from the evil Smithy Gang, is a bright moment for me on the SNES. I can hear the music now, as its all fantastic as well. Mario RPG employed a unique spin on combat where characters could time their hits for a little extra damage, or they could BLOCK! It help to keep the combat feeling awake, and not just turn after turn of hitting “A”. As Nintendo has always marched to the beat of their own drummer, Mario RPG does that similarly for the RPG. Very few games feel like Mario RPG does, it’s a totally Nintendo take on what makes the RPG great. It’s fun and different, but ultimately, its undying charm is what makes Super Mario RPG one of the best games ever!
STAY TUNED FOR #1!!
GET CHOMPED