In The Great Games column we look back at titles that have defined video games over the years and earned a special place in the history of the medium.

For many young gamers the Final Fantasy series began counting at seven. At times it seems many fans quit counting at six. Final Fantasy VI was originally released in the USA as Final Fantasy III. It was a weird numbering debacle that Square got itself into, but today the countless rereleases of the last SNES Final Fantasy have most fans corrected on their numbering.

Many fans consider every Final Fantasy a classic, so what makes this one stand out? The story begins with you in charge of a small group of soldiers setting out to investigate an unearthed ancient relic pertaining to magic. One of the members of your party is a mysterious girl. Upon arriving to the dig site there is a bit of a catastrophe before things go dim. The game then shifts you into control of a thief named Locke. Now, if you don’t already see the differences between this title and later entries in the series (hint: Locke does not look like a girl), then you haven’t played enough Final Fantasy. The rest of the story will take you across a vast world, to the end of the world (literally), and across another vast ruined world.

What really separates Final Fantasy VI from the other chapters is the huge party you eventually assemble, numbering over twenty characters. In a neat touch every single character is given a back story that plays out during the course of your adventure. In fact, the game’s structure resembles that of the television series Lost in many ways. You start out with a bunch of unknowns thrown together by fate, but as you discover their back stories you discover that each is on this adventure for a very important reason. Such side tales as the Ghost Train, opera house and the poisoned kingdom were shocking to gamers at a time when games were generally very immature in story.

Part of the appeal for many gamers was the number of secrets hidden within the game. Characters died if you made wrong choices, and simply never returned. Other characters were hidden away in secretive areas that you only really discovered by conversing with townspeople. A memorable soundtrack and multi-party control in some dungeons really pushed the game beyond what any other RPG had done before. While Chrono Trigger may remain the most famous of all SNES RPGs, one would have a hard time arguing that Final Fantasy didn’t stand shoulder to shoulder with it in the pantheon of great games.

Critical Reception

GameSpot
This game is an unequivocal masterpiece and is arguably the pinnacle of the series. Everything about this game, from the beautiful soundtrack to the diabolical villain, makes Final Fantasy VI an unforgettable experience.

IGN
To say that the story is epic and emotional would be an understatement. FF6’s cast of characters is huge and varied, and though several of them do draw from traditional RPG archetypes, this was the game that helped define those archetypes in the first place. Whether it’s the brotherly treasure hunter Locke, the womanizing king Edgar, or the untamed child-primitive Gau, there’s a vast pool of personality here and more than a dozen playable alter egos in all. That said, it’s the game’s maniacal nihilist Kefka that really stands out. The most evil and destructive villain in the entire Final Fantasy franchise, Kefka’s brutality and ruthlessness is unmatched and he has to be seen to be believed.

Related posts:

1. The Great Games: ICO
2. Top five most influential SNES games
3. The Great Games: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
4. The Great Games: Ninja Gaiden (NES)
5. The Great Games: Super Smash Bros.

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