Final Fantasy Games With The Best Summon Animations, Ranked

Final Fantasy is one of the most popular JRPG franchises of all time. Players love the idea of embarking on epic adventures, transforming their weak party into a team of capable heroes who can take on a godlike foe and still come out victorious.

To aid them in their quest, players can summon several massive monsters and divine beings who can turn the tide of battle in a flash (sometimes literally). These summons can look positively grandiose at times, with the shift to 3D letting the developers add a ton of style and flair to the summon animations that fans can't get enough of.

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8 Final Fantasy 7

Made Summoning More Awe-Inspiring Than Ever Before

Given how Final Fantasy 7 was marketed as one of the first AAA games in the industry, it's easy to see why the summon animations would receive a massive overhaul. They may not look impressive by modern standards, but the graphics in this game blew most people's minds when the game launched back in 1997.

Even now, summoning numerous versions of Bahamut or other powerful beings is a blast every time as players wreck their foes in style. They may cost a ton of MP, but these requirements are justified for players who want to take out a group of challenging enemies in the coolest way possible.

7 Final Fantasy 9

A Vast Array Of Powerful Summons That Look The Part

The beauty of Final Fantasy 9 stems from its combination of classic and modern Final Fantasy, making for a feel-good title that is charming to play, no matter how dark the narrative can get. Both Garnet and Eiko's summons look breathtaking and decimate enemies for a ridiculous amount of damage.

Summons like Bahamut and Ark are jaw-droppingly powerful, and they look the part too. However, compared to the previous entry, these animations were less over-the-top, albeit not by much.

6 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7

Summons Are Random, But Look Great Nonetheless

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 is one of the greatest spinoff games ever made, letting players control Zack Fair in an emotional adventure that serves as a prequel to the main events of Final Fantasy 7. This charming hero is a talented SOLDIER who uncovers a massive conspiracy and must fight against former friends to get to the root of the problem.

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This includes confrontations with the legendary Sephiroth, along with newcomers Angeal and Genesis. The DMV system doesn't let players control the summon that they can bring into battle, but the incredible animations make up for it and were modernized to look even better in the Reunion remake.

5 Final Fantasy 10

Control Summons Before Using Their Ultimate Attacks

Final Fantasy 10 was the first game in the series to let fans directly control the actions of aeons in battle. Letting players use Ifrit or Shiva's regular attacks before filling up the Overdrive gauge and unleashing some incredible attacks.

The eye candy in these moves is a joy to witness, as players make quick work of their foes. Each aeon in Final Fantasy 10 is viable in its own way. The Magus Sisters and Anima are two of the most powerful summons in the game, wowing players with their signature attacks.

4 Final Fantasy 8

Lengthy, Epic Summon Animations Let Players Boost Attack Power

Final Fantasy 8 may be the subject of much criticism for its Junction system and narrative, but there's no denying that the visuals of this title are top-notch. Back when this title followed hot on the heels of Final Fantasy 7, fans couldn't believe how impressive the graphics were, serving as a major upgrade from its predecessor.

This could be seen in the summon animations, which were lengthy and showed off the creative zeal of SquareSoft. The summon animations were so long that players could unlock a Boost for each Guardian Force that let players mash a button to increase the power of this attack. This could get tiring at times, but the visuals were so awe-inspiring that players didn't mind looking at these sequences over and over again.

3 Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

A Resounding Impact Before Smashing Enemies To Bits

While Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth doesn't give players full control over when a summon can enter battle, it's still clear enough for fans to anticipate help when they require it the most. Numerous summons arrive to make lengthy encounters easier, as long as players have staggered their foes once, pummeling them with powerful attacks that hit like a truck.

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Once these summons wear out their welcome, they leave the battlefield with a bombastic attack that can decimate most enemies with ease. It's a cathartic moment that never gets old, and makes lengthy encounters in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth a blast for players who want to use the powers of an impressive summon.

2 Final Fantasy 15

Sheer Scale Coupled With Destructive Impact

There's no denying that Final Fantasy 15 comes with its fair share of problems, with the random appearance of summons making them rather unreliable. However, once players get the chance to invoke the powers of an Astral, the spectacle is so impressive that they will forget about these annoyances for a few special moments.

The game's summons make a bombastic appearance and decimate most foes in no time, with only the toughest enemies boasting the HP to survive a hit. Some of these astrals have special animations based on the type of enemy being fought and the location, which makes these summons look even more impressive even if fans have seen these sequences over and over again.

1 Final Fantasy 16

Control Ifrit In Larger-Than-Life Encounters

The Eikons in Final Fantasy 16 make battles more involved than ever before, with the main character being able to transform into Ifrit itself. This leads to some of the most cinematic boss fights in Final Fantasy, as players battle other Eikons in epic battles reminiscent of kaiju fights.

While players only get to control one Eikon, the sheer production values of each boss fight make up for it. Players will love making progress in the story to enjoy the next Eikon battle, giving Clive access to more moves as he eventually saves the world from Ultima and the curse of magic itself.

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Final Fantasy

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Creation Year

1987

Developer(s)

Square Enix

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Publisher(s)

Square Enix

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