Do you remember where you were when you saw that iconicFinal Fantasyintro that truly changed everything? The moment you knew your life would be changed after the beginning of a new adventure, based on the cutscene unfolding before your eyes. Everyone has that moment, but that doesn’t mean some cutscenes aren’t better than others.
Whether they take you into the world through their whimsy or fantasy, or the music and CGI that pulls you in, once the portal opens in the series, you’ll be completely transported to a whole new world. So, which Final Fantasy game has the best opening cutscene?
10Final Fantasy 6
Magitek Magic And Dramatic
Take dramatic flashes of characters, large machines, and an industrial feel, mixed with an operatic display of the edges of a tense story, and you’ve got the introductory scene of Final Fantasy 6. The intense stare of Shadow, Celes running down the hall in her dress, letting her flowers go over the balcony, and Terra staring up at the sky.
Couple these dramatic scenes with the magitek portion of the intro, and you’re jumping into an exciting story. This includes flying machines and the magitek armor with the pipes releasing from it to ride Terra Biggs and wedge away, and you see the technological aspect the game is aiming for.
9Final Fantasy 8
A Score To Settle
An epic opera score, flashes of cutscenes, a deadly duel, a blood-splattered face, lovers falling into each other’s arms, and a mysterious woman with a sinister presence—all of this happens in just the first three minutes of Final Fantasy 8.
The music does a lot of heavy lifting here, but the dramatic introduction and the flashes of beauty mixed with the feeling of imminent danger will truly make you feel spellbound. You’ll get the sense of starting the game in the middle of all the chaos, only to want to play through and find out what’s happening with these characters.
8Final Fantasy 12
A Shakespearean Introduction With A Hint Of Star Wars
The opening scene of Final Fantasy 12 does a brilliant job of transporting you into a fully realized world. The spacecraft flying around, a look at all the different races and species in the world, and the classic opening with the celebration of a wedding, plops you right into the atmosphere of Ivalice.
Even better is the story being told in the beginning. We get a wedding, a war, and an impactful death. A complete story in the first few minutes that enraptures you, leaving you to see exactly what happens next. It is one of the best intros to a Final Fantasy game ever, and the scale and form make itfeel like a Star Warsepic.
7Final Fantasy 9
An Epic Fantasy Adventure
A blazing storm on the sea introduces us to Final Fantasy 9. Memories from what looks like a princess as she sits in her gown by the window, reminiscing with tears in her eyes. Who is she? Why is she crying? She steps to the window and opens it, introducing us to the world. Birds fly by, a ship is on the horizon, and we get a glimpse at a fantastical set of characters we will soon come to love.
A scrappy-looking kid with a tail, the indescribable Vivi, and an instant understanding that this is a fantasy tale with epic potential. The title card pops on the screen with the city in view, and it’s such a memorable start to what will becomesome people’s favorite game in the series. It’s a great way to start this particular adventure.
6Final Fantasy 7
A Sense Of Magic
Whether you’re watching the original Final Fantasy 7 cinematic intro or the Remake version, there’s just a bit of magic in this movie that enthralls you from start to finish. A beautiful woman on her knees praying, a wide shot through a city where you can instantly see the disparity in the quality of life. A large energy plant sits in the middle of the city that overshadows the small lives of those down below.
The music swells as we see the entire city, before zooming back in to the small life of a zooming train and a soldier flipping out of it. It’s one of the most impressive intro cinematics that grabs you from a culmination of music, atmosphere, and feeling that just cannot be replicated.
5Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn
A Story Of New Beginnings
Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn has an intro that does something unique in the series. From start to end, you get the entire story of what happened before you arrive, and after watching what unfolds, you get to see the new beginnings you’ll be jumping into. As the theme of Answers plays in the background, you watch a war unfold on the ground. As this occurs, a group of adventurers is highlighted in their efforts to stave off evil before the stakes escalate immensely as a large dragon takes up the entire sky.
Watching the death and destruction is devastating, but that feeling pulls you into the emotions of these characters, with a desire to help prevent the disasters that have already occurred. At the climax of the song and intro, all hope feels lost until life is renewed after tragedy. This beautiful section invites you into adventure, creating an unforgettable introductory movie.
4Final Fantasy 16
A Battle Of Eikonic Proportions
The full moon radiates in the sky as the dulcet tones of Ben Starr introduce us to this medieval world. Immediately, we’re thrust into the action, as one of the most epic battles in the series commences. That feeling of being larger than like Eikons, usually known for helping us on a much smaller scale, clashes against each other in a battle for the ages.
It’s truly indescribable unless you’ve played it. It drops you right into the action as you take control of Phoenix,battling against Ifritin this brand new world. Eventually, you wind up at the campfire and let the story unfold.
3Final Fantasy 10
Rock On
Speaking of campfires, that’s where this story begins. But before you get to the campfire scene, you’re treated to a blazing rock album, a stadium full of fans, and the beginning of an intriguing underwater sport with an unkown blonde boy and a mysterious figure with a sling in one arm, shades on, and an aura that makes the water around him float up along with the epic background music that let’s you know he means business.
The hype of the game and the crowd are quickly overshadowed as the world is invaded by monsters. Tidus does his iconic backflip as he soars into the sky for a winning shot, showing us the immediate alien destruction of his homeland. What a way to start a game.
2Final Fantasy 10-2
J-Pop Demon Hunters
One thing that makes any intro a classic is a catchy tune, one that just won’t leave your mind, no matter how long it’s been. Fans of the series will hear “What can I do for you” and already know the iconic J-Pop performer Yuna and her friends Rikku and Paine are about to put on the show of their lives while kicking but and looking fabulous doing it.
Honestly, that’s just it. All it takes is a J-Pop concert, a catchy song, some kick butt women, and a simple question mark in the background as they’re introduced, letting you know things aren’t exactly as they seem. An infiltration mission into it, and you’ve got one of the best Final Fantasy openings in the series, especially after seeing Yuna in a brand new light.
1Final Fantasy Dissidia NT
Everyone Is Here
From the first Final Fantasy up to FF15, there are a ton of iconic protagonists, side characters, villains, and fan favorites. There are so many characters in the 15 mainline Final Fantasy titles with different stories and personalities, but what would happen if your favorite protagonists from across the first 15 games were to interact with each other?
If you were around for the hype of Super Smash Bros Ultimate trailers where your favorite character was added to the roster, you’d recognize the feeling you’d get when seeing Lightning vs Sephiroth or Terra and Y’Shtola teaming up against Ultemicia and Cloud of Darkness, but then being saved by Shanttoto while Kefka battles with Vaan and Tidus. Iconic heroes and villains teaming up in an all-out battle of never-before-seen proportions. From the character highlights to the epic musc, It’s one of the most hype intro trailers for true Final Fantasy fans.
