Final Fantasy VI, called Final Fantasy III when first released in North America, is a 1994 role-playing video game created and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the sixth main game in the Final Fantasy series. This game was the last to use 2D images for characters and the first to be directed by someone other than the series creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi. Yoshinori Kitase and Hiroyuki Ito directed the game instead. Yoshitaka Amano, a longtime artist, designed the characters, and Nobuo Uematsu composed the music, which has been released on multiple albums.
The game is set in a world with technology similar to the Second Industrial Revolution. The story follows a growing group of fourteen characters who can be played throughout the game. Themes include a rebellion against a cruel military government, the race to create powerful magical weapons, the use of chemical weapons in battles, intense and violent conflicts, character growth, a teenager becoming pregnant, and the idea of hope and life continuing. These elements make the story darker and more serious than earlier games in the series.
The game was later released on the PlayStation in 1999 and the Game Boy Advance in 2006, with small changes. The Super NES version was re-released on the Wii’s Virtual Console in 2011 and included in Nintendo’s Super NES Classic Edition in 2017. When it first came out in North America, it was named Final Fantasy III because the actual games titled Final Fantasy II, III, and V had not been released outside Japan at that time. This left Final Fantasy IV as the second game released outside Japan and Final Fantasy VI as the third. However, later versions of the game, except for re-releases of the original, use the original title, Final Fantasy VI.
Final Fantasy VI was widely praised by critics for its graphics, music, story, characters, and setting. Many reviewers consider it the best game in the series and one of the greatest video games ever made. Because of its influence, it is often seen as an important milestone for the role-playing genre. The game was commercially successful, selling over 3.48 million copies worldwide for the Super NES and PlayStation versions by 2003, as well as over 750,000 copies as part of the Japanese Final Fantasy Collection and the North American Final Fantasy Anthology.
Gameplay
Final Fantasy VI includes four main gameplay elements: an overworld map, town and dungeon field maps, a battle screen, and a menu screen. The overworld map is a smaller version of the game's world, used by players to move characters to different locations. As in most games in the series, players can travel across the overworld by walking, riding a chocobo, or flying in an airship. Enemies are usually found randomly on field maps and the overworld when moving on foot, except in a few story-driven situations. The menu screen allows players to choose which characters join the party, select their equipment and magic, and adjust game settings. It also tracks experience points and character levels.
The game’s story progresses as players explore towns and dungeons. Towns often have citizens who provide helpful information or run shops selling items and equipment. Later in the game, visiting certain towns unlocks side-quests. Dungeons include areas like caves, forests, and buildings. These areas often contain treasure chests with rare items not found in shops. Some dungeons include puzzles or mazes, and may require splitting the party into smaller groups to complete challenges.
Combat in Final Fantasy VI is controlled through a menu, where players choose actions like Fight, Magic, or Item. Up to four characters can battle at once, using the Active Time Battle (ATB) system first introduced in Final Fantasy IV. This system uses action bars that refill based on a character’s speed. When a bar is full, players can assign an action. Each character has unique abilities, such as Locke’s ability to steal items or Celes’ Runic power, which lets her absorb magic attacks until her next turn.
A special feature is the Desperation Attack, a powerful move that appears when a character’s health is low. Similar features appear in later games under different names, like Limit Breaks or Overdrives. Players earn experience points and money (called gil, or Gold Piece in the original North American version) after winning battles. When characters gain enough experience, they level up, improving their abilities. An extra player can join battles, with control of characters assigned through the menu.
Characters can wear weapons, armor, and accessories called "Relics," which are unique to this game. Weapons and armor improve combat skills, while Relics have varied effects, can be shared among party members, and can change battle commands or break normal game rules.
Although only two characters can use magic at the start, most characters can learn magic later through magicite, which contains magical energy from creatures called Espers. Espers are powerful beings that can be summoned in battle, and many are reused from earlier games, such as Ifrit, Shiva, Bahamut, and Odin. Final Fantasy VI includes about 24 Espers, with more added in later versions.
The game’s story and setting focus heavily on Espers and their remains, called magicite. Each piece of magicite teaches specific magic spells when equipped. If used often, these spells become permanent even if the magicite is removed. Some magicite also boosts a character’s stats when they level up. When equipped, magicite allows players to summon the corresponding Esper during battles.
Plot
Final Fantasy VI takes place in a world with more industrial and mechanical features than earlier games in the series. Developers created a setting where machines and magic work together. Opera and the fine arts appear often in the game, especially during a special opera scene. In the first part of the game, the planet is called the World of Balance and has three large, green continents. The northern continent has many mountains, the southern continent is controlled by the cruel Gestahl Empire, and the eastern continent has the Veldt, a large wild area where monsters live. Later in the game, a major disaster changes the planet into the World of Ruin, where the land breaks into islands around a large continent.
The game refers to a past event called the "War of the Magi," which happened 1,000 years before the story begins. During this war, three groups known as the "Warring Triad" forced humans to fight as magical beings called Espers. The Triad later realized their mistakes, freed the Espers, and locked their powers inside three stone statues. The Espers also sealed themselves away from humans. Over time, magic became a myth as humans focused on science and technology. At the start of the game, the Empire has weakened the barrier between humans and Espers, capturing some Espers. The Empire uses these Espers to create "Magitek," a technology that combines magic with machines and gives humans magical abilities. The Empire is opposed by the Returners, a group fighting to free lands under its control.
Final Fantasy VI has fourteen characters that players can control throughout the game, the most of any main series title. Other characters appear briefly. The main character, Terra Branford, is a quiet girl who is half-human and half-magical being. She was enslaved by the Empire using a mind-controlling device and does not know about love. Other key characters include Locke Cole, a treasure hunter who protects women; Celes Chere, a former Empire general who joins the Returners; Edgar Roni Figaro, a king who secretly helps the Returners; Sabin Rene Figaro, Edgar’s brother who trains in martial arts; Cyan Garamonde, a knight who lost his family; Setzer Gabbiani, a gambler with an airship; Shadow, a ninja who works for both sides; Relm Arrowny, a young artist with magic powers; Strago Magus, Relm’s grandfather who uses magic; Gau, a child who lives on the Veldt; Mog, a Moogle from Narshe; Umaro, a yeti who joins the Returners; and Gogo, a mysterious person who can copy others’ actions.
Most main characters dislike the Empire, especially Kefka Palazzo, one of the game’s main villains. Kefka was the first test subject for Magitek Knights, which made him mentally unstable. Another character, Ultros, is a villain who also provides comic relief. Some characters return in later games. A short demo called Final Fantasy SGI showed 3D versions of Locke, Terra, and Shadow.
In the town of Narshe, Terra joins an Imperial mission to capture a powerful Esper trapped in ice. When she touches the Esper, the soldiers with her die, and she falls unconscious. After waking up, she learns the Empire used a device called a "slave crown" to control her. With the crown removed, she forgets most of her past except her name and her ability to use magic. She meets the Returners, who help her fight the Empire. The Returners learn the Empire plans to capture the frozen Esper again. After stopping Kefka’s attack, Terra touches the Esper again and transforms into a creature that looks like an Esper, flying to another continent. There, she meets Ramuh, an Esper who tells her she needs help from another Esper trapped in the Empire’s capital, Vector.
At Vector, the group tries to save Espers but finds they are dying from Magitek experiments. The Espers instead give their lives by turning into magicite. The group returns to Terra, who reacts with the magicite "Maduin," regaining her memories. She reveals she is the child of Maduin, an Esper, and a human woman. The Returners ask her to convince other Espers to join their cause. She travels to the sealed gate between humans and Espers. However, the Empire uses her to access the Esper world. There, Emperor Gestahl and Kefka retrieve the statues of the Warring Triad, creating a floating landmass. The group fights Gestahl and Kefka, who kills Gestahl and destroys the balance of magic, causing widespread destruction.
One year later, Celes wakes up on a deserted island. She learns Kefka rules the world with the Warring Triad, destroying villages and killing life. She finds her friends scattered across the ruined world. They decide to fight Kefka and accept their roles. Terra embraces her heritage as a half-Esper. The group attacks Kefka’s tower, destroys the Warring Triad, and defeats Kefka. Magic and Espers vanish, but Terra survives by holding onto her human side. The group escapes as the world begins to heal.
Development
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Final Fantasy VI began development after the release of its previous game, Final Fantasy V, in December 1992. The game was completed in just one year. The development team had about 30 people, which was a large group for that time. Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator and director of the series, could not be as involved in this project as in earlier games because of other projects and his new job as Executive Vice President of the company in 1991. Because of this, Sakaguchi became the producer, and he shared the director role with Yoshinori Kitase and Hiroyuki Ito. Kitase was responsible for the story and events, while Ito handled the battle systems. Sakaguchi oversaw Kitase’s work on the story and made sure the game was consistent and well put together. The story of Final Fantasy VI was based on the idea that every character is the main character. Each member of the development team contributed ideas for characters and their parts in the story. Kitase called this process a "hybrid process." As a result, Terra and Locke were created by Sakaguchi; Celes and Gau by Kitase; Shadow and Setzer by graphic director Tetsuya Nomura; and Edgar and Sabin by field graphic designer Kaori Tanaka. Before Final Fantasy VI, sound effects in the series were often made by team members after they completed their main tasks. This showed a shift toward more specialized roles during development. In addition to creating characters, Nomura was also responsible for designing the game's monsters and the look of the battles. In a 30th Anniversary interview, Nomura explained that he used a new technique to design the final boss, the Statue of the Gods. He scanned hand-drawn sketches directly into the game to create sprites, which was a new method at the time and was not used again when the series moved to 3D graphics with Final Fantasy VII.
It was Kitase’s job to bring together the story idea from Sakaguchi with the individual character ideas to create a complete and consistent story. The story of Final Fantasy VI was written by a group of four or five people, including Kitase, who contributed key parts of the story, such as the opera scene and Celes’ suicide attempt, as well as all of Kefka’s appearances. The team decided to split the game into two parts, called the World of Balance and the World of Ruin, because they were tired of the usual story where the hero barely saves the world. When writing the second part of the story, which takes place after the world has been destroyed, the developers allowed the player to choose their favorite characters to show that every character is the main character.
Yoshitaka Amano, the regular series character designer, used his concept art as the basis for the models in the full motion videos made for the game’s PlayStation re-release. Tetsuya Takahashi, one of the graphic directors, drew the imperial Magitek Armors seen in the opening scene. He did not follow Sakaguchi’s plan to use the same designs from other parts of the game. Kazuko Shibuya drew the sprite art for the characters’ in-game appearances. In earlier games, the sprites on the map were less detailed than in battle, but in Final Fantasy VI, the resolution was the same on all screens. This allowed for animations that showed different movements and facial expressions. Although it was not the first game to use the Super NES' Mode 7 graphics, Final Fantasy VI used them more than previous games. For example, unlike Final Fantasy IV and V, the world map in Final Fantasy VI is rendered in Mode 7, which gives the game a three-dimensional look even though it is mostly two-dimensional.
The original North American release of Final Fantasy VI by Square for the Super NES had several changes from the original Japanese version. The most noticeable change was the title, which was changed from Final Fantasy VI to Final Fantasy III. This was done because only two games of the series had been released in North America at the time, and VI was given the number III to keep the numbering consistent. Unlike Final Fantasy IV, which was originally released in North America as Final Fantasy II, there were no major changes to gameplay, although there were some changes in the English script. In a January 1995 interview with Super Play magazine, translator Ted Woolsey explained that Japanese games often had more playful and sexual content, which was not allowed in the United States due to Nintendo of America’s rules. Because of this, some objectionable graphics, such as nudity, were censored, and signs in towns were changed, like "Bar" becoming "Café." Religious references, such as the spell "Holy," were also changed to "Pearl." Some direct references to death, killing, and violent expressions, as well as offensive words, were replaced with softer expressions. For example, in the Japanese version, Kefka shouts "Go! KILL THEM!" when he sends soldiers to chase Edgar, Locke, and Terra. This was translated as "Go! Get them!" in the English version. When Imperial Troopers burn Figaro Castle and Edgar says Terra is not inside, Kefka says "then you can burn to death" in the Japanese version, which was changed to "Then welcome to my barbecue!" in the English version. When Kefka swears in Japanese, Woolsey translated it as "Son of a submariner!" The localization also changed some names, such as "Tina" to "Terra." Due to limited space on the game cartridge, the dialogue text files had to be shortened, which led to more changes in the English script.
The PlayStation re-release had only minor changes to the English localization. The title was changed back to Final Fantasy VI from Final Fantasy III to keep the numbering consistent with the earlier release of Final Fantasy VII. A few item and character names were adjusted, such as "Fenix Down" becoming "Phoenix Down." Unlike the PlayStation re-release of Final Fantasy IV, which was included in the later Final Fantasy Chronicles compilation, the script was not changed much. The Game Boy Advance re-release had a new translation by Tom Slattery. This translation kept most of the character names, location names, and terminology from Woolsey’s translation, but changed item and spell names to match more recent games in the series. The revised script kept some of the original quirky lines but changed or edited others. It also helped clarify some confusing parts of the original translation.
Although the game was officially released in Japan on April 2, 1994, the exact date of the initial North American release is unclear. However, the game was widely available and was on top of the sales charts by October of that year.
The soundtrack for Final Fantasy VI was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, a long-time contributor to the series. The score includes themes for each major character and location, as well as music for standard battles, boss fights, and special cutscenes. The use of leitmotif, or recurring musical themes, is one of the key features of the soundtrack. One of these tracks is "Aria di Mezzo Carattere," which plays during a cutscene involving an opera performance. This track includes an unintelligible synthesized "voice" that harmonizes with the melody. This was due to the technical limitations of the SPC700 sound format chip, which prevented the use of an actual vocal track. Some developers later found a way to use actual vocals, but this was not done for this track.
Re-releases
Final Fantasy VI was moved to the PlayStation by Tose and released again in Japan and North America in 1999. In Japan, it was sold separately and also included in the Final Fantasy Collection. In North America, it was only part of the Final Fantasy Anthology. In Europe, it was sold separately. Fifty thousand special copies were released in Japan and included a Final Fantasy-themed alarm clock.
The PlayStation version of Final Fantasy VI is very similar to the original Super Famicom version. It added two full-motion video sequences for the start and end of the game, as well as new screen effects for battle scenes. The graphics, music, and sound remained unchanged from the original. Gameplay differences include faster loading times and a new "memo save" feature that lets players save progress to the PlayStation's memory. Other features added were a bestiary and an artwork gallery. The PlayStation version was released again in December 2012 as part of the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Ultimate Box in Japan.
Final Fantasy VI was released as a PSone Classic in 2011. It was available in Japan on April 20, in PAL regions on June 2, and in North America on December 6.
The "Pixel Remaster" version of Final Fantasy VI was released for PlayStation 4 in April 2023.
After the PlayStation, Tose moved the game to the Game Boy Advance, where it was released as Final Fantasy VI Advance. It was released in Japan by Square Enix on November 30, 2006, and in North America by Nintendo on February 5, 2007, and in Europe on July 6. It was the last game released on the Game Boy Advance in Asia and the last one published by Nintendo on the system. This version included improved visuals, new gameplay features, and a new translation that used Japanese naming conventions for spells and monsters. It did not include the full-motion videos from the PlayStation version. Four new characters, called "espers," were added: Leviathan, Gilgamesh, Cactuar, and Diabolos. Two new areas were added: the Dragons' Den, which includes a monster not in the original game, and the Soul Shrine, where players can fight monsters continuously. Three new spells were added, and some bugs from the original were fixed. It also included a bestiary and a music player. In the Japanese version, the music player used English names, such as "Strago" instead of "Stragus." The package included new artwork by Yoshitaka Amano, a veteran artist from the series.
The original Super Famicom version was released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan on March 15, 2011, in PAL regions on March 18, and in North America on June 30. It was released in the West with the original North American title, Final Fantasy III. The Super Famicom version was later released on the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan. Square Enix also released the Game Boy Advance version on the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan in December 2015.
Nintendo released Final Fantasy VI worldwide in September 2017 as part of the Super NES/Super Famicom Classic Edition.
The "Pixel Remaster" version of Final Fantasy VI was released worldwide for Nintendo Switch in April 2023.
Versions of Final Fantasy VI for Android and iOS mobile devices were released in 2014. The Android version was released on January 15, and the iOS version on February 6. These versions included high-resolution graphics, new movement controls, and auto-battle features.
A Windows PC version, based on the Android version, was released on Steam on December 16, 2015. Another version from the "Pixel Remaster" series was released on Steam on February 23, 2022.
The "Pixel Remaster" version of Final Fantasy VI was released for Xbox Series X/S in September 2024. This was the first time the game was available on Xbox consoles alongside other NES/SNES titles from the series.
Reception
Final Fantasy VI was praised by critics and sold well in Japan when it was first released. In mid-1994, Square's publicity team reported that the game had sold 2.55 million copies in Japan, making it the best-selling video game of that year in the country. In the United States, where the game was released in the last quarter of 1994, it was the top-selling Super NES game in October and the eighth best-selling Super NES cartridge of 1994. However, it was not a commercial success in the United States, according to Sakaguchi. By March 2003, the game had sold 3.48 million copies worldwide, with 2.62 million sold in Japan and 860,000 sold in other countries. Final Fantasy Collection sold over 400,000 copies in 1999, making it the 31st-best-selling release of that year in Japan. Final Fantasy Anthology sold about 364,000 copies in North America. Final Fantasy VI Advance sold over 223,000 copies in Japan by the end of 2006, one month after its release.
GamePro gave the game a 4.5 out of 5 for graphics and a perfect 5.0 for sound, control, and fun, saying that "characters, plotlines, and multiple-choice scenarios all combine to form one fantastic game!" Four reviewers from Electronic Gaming Monthly said the game set a new standard for excellence in role-playing games (RPGs). They especially praised the graphics, music, and the emotional depth of the story. The game won several awards from Electronic Gaming Monthly in their 1994 video game awards, including Best Role-Playing Game, Best Japanese Role-Playing Game, and Best Music for a Cartridge-Based Game. They also ranked the game ninth in their 1997 list of the 100 greatest console games of all time. Famitsu gave Final Fantasy VI some of their highest scores of 1994. Nintendo Power said the game improved sound and graphics compared to earlier versions and had a broader range of themes. They also noted that "with so much story and variation of play … fans may become lost in the world for months at a time." Nintendo Power also said the game's plot was "not particularly inventive" and the "story is often sappy–not written for an American audience."
In 1997, Nintendo Power ranked it as the eighth greatest Nintendo game, saying it "had everything you could want—heroes, world-shattering events, magic, mindless evil—plus Interceptor the wonder dog!" The same year, GamePro said it "still remains one of the most fun, innovative, and challenging RPGs to date." In 1996, Next Generation said the scene in which Terra cares for a village of orphaned children "can perhaps be safely named as the series' finest hour… no other game series has tackled such big issues, or reached such a level of emotional depth and complexity."
Review aggregators report strong scores across multiple releases, with most versions receiving scores in the high 80s, to 90s, reflecting continued critical acclaim.
Final Fantasy Collection received 54 out of 60 points from Weekly Famitsu, scored by a panel of six reviewers. IGN described the graphics of the PlayStation re-release as "beautiful and stunning," noting that at the time of its release, "Final Fantasy III … represented everything an RPG should be," inspiring statistic growth systems that would later influence titles like Wild Arms and Suikoden. They also praised its gameplay and storyline, saying these aspects "took all… preceding RPG concepts and either came up with something completely new or refined them enough to make them its own," creating an atmosphere in which "[players] won't find it difficult to get past the simplistic graphics or seemingly out-dated gameplay conventions and become involved." RPGamer gave a perfect rating to both the original game and its PlayStation re-release, citing its gameplay as "self-explanatory enough that most any player could pick up the game and customize their characters' equipment," while praising its music as "a 16-bit masterpiece." Joe Juba of Game Informer called the split between the World of Balance and World of Ruin one of the game's distinguishing features, citing its non-linear, freeform nature, a contrast to the standard linear gameplay of the first half. He called it a "pioneering approach" to wander the land reassembling your former team, noting that it made the narrative "largely player-driven," calling it part of the basic structure that would later be used by open world games.
The game's release for the Game Boy Advance also garnered praise. The Game Boy Advance re-release was named the eighth best Game Boy Advance game of all time in IGN's feature reflecting on the Game Boy Advance's long lifespan. Official Nintendo Magazine ranked the GBA version of the game 32nd on a list of greatest Nintendo games in 2009. Final Fantasy VI is often regarded as one of the best titles in the series, and one of the best role-playing video games ever created according to multiple websites. Readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu voted it as the 25th best game of all time. In an updated version of the "Top 100" list in 2007, IGN ranked Final Fantasy VI as the ninth top game of all time, above all other Final Fantasy games in the series. They continued to cite the game's character development, and especially noted Kefka as one of the most memorable villains in RPG history. Nintendo Power listed the ending to Final Fantasy VI as one of the best finales, citing the narrative and cast variety. Time Extension included the game on their "Best JRPGs of All Time" list.
The 2022 Pixel Remaster release for PC and mobile also received positive reviews. RPGamer described it as bringing "the definitive version of a 28-year-old game to today's audiences," praising its modern enhancements, while honoring the spirit of the original game. CGMagazine called it "an accessibly modern yet aesthetically authentic re-release of an essential RPG," noting that the updated visuals and improved resolution offered a net positive over previous versions.
Legacy
After the release of Final Fantasy VI, Square Enix tested its next game, Final Fantasy VII, for the Nintendo 64. However, technical problems, rising costs for game cartridges, and the larger storage space offered by CD technology led Square Enix to move Final Fantasy VII and later games to the PlayStation. During early tests using 3D software, the team created a battle scene featuring characters from Final Fantasy VI: Terra, Locke, and Shadow. This decision worsened the relationship between Square Enix and Nintendo. Because of this, Final Fantasy VI became the last main series game released on a Nintendo platform until Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles appeared on the Nintendo GameCube in 2003. It also remained the last new mainline Final Fantasy game on a Nintendo system until 2018, when the shortened version of Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition was released on the Nintendo Switch. Later that year, remastered versions of Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2, and XII were also released on the same platform. Final Fantasy VI was included in the Super NES Classic Edition, where it was named Final Fantasy III for North American and European releases in September 2017.
In 2024, the game celebrated its 30th anniversary. Developers discussed how its focus on a story driven by all characters, each acting as a main hero, shaped the future of the series. In an anniversary interview, Nomura stated that Final Fantasy VI marked the end of the pixel art era and that the shift from Final Fantasy VI to VII was a major change for the series in both technology and creativity. He also shared that he has a strong personal connection to the game.