Which Final Fantasy Spin-Off Games Are Worth Playing in…

Final Fantasy has reached sixteen numbered entries, all of which are available on modern hardware, even if that just means PC in the case of FF11 and FF13. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, as while the mainline games have pushed the franchise forward, plenty of Final Fantasy spin-offs have spread across the game industry over the years. Whether on consoles or mobile devices, they encompass many genres that their numbered counterparts could not afford to experiment with, and have aided the Final Fantasy series in gaining a rich, complex texture that few properties can match.

There are even more Final Fantasy spin-offs than there are mainline titles, so keeping track of them and trying them out isn't easy. A lot of Final Fantasy’s side games are trapped on older consoles or mobile devices, and most of those have also been terminated. What remains is largely worth checking out in the current year, though having a plan of attack before tracking them down is the best way to go. The following lists will include Final Fantasy spin-offs that are or are not worth playing right now, and will exclude Japan-exclusive titles and games functionally replaced by newer releases, as well as related franchises like Kingdom Hearts and SaGa.

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Final Fantasy Spin-Offs That Are Still Worth Playing in 2025

Modern Final Fantasy Spin-Offs That Deserve Attention

Which Final Fantasy spin-offs are worth revisiting is a question with many answers, but there are some safer bets than others. Plenty of FF spin-offs are on modern hardware alongside their major counterparts, and the ones both accessible and generally well-regarded include:

Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy! - PS4, Switch
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion - PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis - Android, iOS, PC
Final Fantasy 10-2 - PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Final Fantasy 13-2 - PC
Final Fantasy Portal App (Triple Triad) - Android and iOS
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD - PC, PS4, Xbox One
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 - PC
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin - PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - PS4, Switch
World of Final Fantasy Maxima - PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

That gives interested players a wide range of genres and platforms to start with, even if some titles like the sequel games and Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon could be considered acquired tastes. Reviewing the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 entries holds more value now that the FF7 Remake trilogy is approaching its conclusion, and both Stranger of Paradise and Theatrhythm Final Bar Line have rolled out all of their DLC. However someone wants to start, Final Fantasy will deliver.

Older Final Fantasy Spin-Offs That Are Worth Digging Back Up

Not all of Final Fantasy's all-time greats are so accessible, unfortunately, but emulators and old hardware can still get these titles into eager fans’ hands. These classic spin-offs include:

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy - PSP
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers - Wii
Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings - DS
Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions - PS1, PSP, Android, iOS
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - GBA
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift - DS

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy Tactics are influential enough that anyone even remotely interested in them should hunt them down, with some mind paid to longstanding rumors of a Final Fantasy Tactics remaster potentially bearing fruit. The rest can be viewed as offshoots of those two, though there are a couple of caveats. Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers is an especially unique game for the series, but it's also built mostly around the Wii’s motion controls, so emulation may be difficult. Revenant Wings, meanwhile, is one of the franchise’s few RTS games, so it's hard to say how a typical Final Fantasy fan will respond to it.

Spin-Off Final Fantasy Titles That Aren't Worth Playing in 2025

Final Fantasy Spin-Offs That Can Be Safely Skipped

There are far too many Final Fantasy spin-offs to cover in the span of a single year, and some of them are bound to only appeal to certain players or suffer from some kind of handicap. Polarizing Final Fantasy side games that only the most dedicated fans should consider include:

A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy 15 - PS4, Xbox One
Chocobo Racing - PS1
Chocobo GP - Switch
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 - PS2
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT - PC, PS4
Final Fantasy 4: The After Years - Android, iOS, PC
Final Fantasy 15: A New Empire - Android and iOS
Final Fantasy 15: Pocket Edition - Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Final Fantasy 15: War for Eos - Android and iOS
Final Fantasy Adventure - GB, Switch (as part of Collection of Mana)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition - Android, iOS, PS4, Switch
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time - DS, Wii
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King - Wii
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord - Wii
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates - DS
Final Fantasy Dimensions 2 - Android and iOS
Final Fantasy Explorers - 3DS
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales - DS
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest - SNES
Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light - DS
Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy 15 - PSVR

Why these titles are listed here is as varied as the games themselves. Chocobo GP and Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition are dependent on online communities that aren't very active now, while Final Fantasy Explorers is a fascinating experiment that's confined to the tough-to-emulate 3DS. The WiiWare “My Life” Crystal Chronicles games will be confined to emulators for most people, and Monster of the Deep’s status as a PSVR1 exclusive means it's probably out of reach. Most of the rest, especially RPGs like Mystic Quest and 4 Heroes of Light, are average games that pale in comparison to their alternatives, but interested parties can keep them in mind for later.

Mobile Final Fantasy Games That Aren't Available Anymore

Unfortunately, many mobile Final Fantasy titles are completely inaccessible in 2025, owing to their services being terminated. Those with global releases include:

Chocobo GP'
Crystal Defenders/Crystal Guardians
Crystal Defenders: Vanguard Storm
Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy 7
Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia
Final Fantasy 7 Snowboarding
Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier
Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade
Final Fantasy All the Bravest
Final Fantasy Awakening
Final Fantasy Mobius
Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
Final Fantasy Brave Exvius Tap!
Final Fantasy Grandmasters
Final Fantasy Record Keeper
Justice Monsters Five
Mobius Final Fantasy
War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius (as of May 29, 2025)

It's a shame that so many Final Fantasy titles have been lost to the winds of time, even though they're just mobile spin-offs. Opera Omnia, being a story-focused Dissidia entry, meant it had many character interactions that can't be seen anywhere else, and the other mobile RPGs had their own gameplay, narrative, and presentation appeals. Final Fantasy has an abundance of spin-offs to occupy players during 2025, so at least these lost titles have plenty of replacements.

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%

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Released: February 29, 2024
ESRB: T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
Developer(s): Square Enix
Publisher(s): Square Enix