Groggy's Final Fantasy Collection

King's Knight (JP)

Released: September 18, 1986

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating:

Comments: You might be thinking: hey, why is a non-Final Fantasy game starting off the list? And that's a great question! King's Knight was Final Fantasy-creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's first NES/Famicom game at Square Enix, and it serves as a perfect bridge between his prior to games (Death Trap I & II, Cruise Chaser Blassty) and what was to come the following year as he and his team expanded their technical skills. As such, I consider it a genuine staple for understanding the Final Fantasy franchise.

This was part of a short-lived genre called "Formation Role-Playing Games" that tried to put a spin on classic vertical shooters.

Final Fantasy (JP)

Released: December 18, 1987

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, pink warning sheet, plastic holder, cartridge

Rating:

Comments: One of the few purchases I actually made in Tokyo's Akihabara neighborhood during my 2024 trip. A beautiful gem in my collection's crown.

Final Fantasy II (JP)

Released: December 17, 1988

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, plastic holder, cartridge

Rating: Unplayed

Comments:N/A

Final Fantasy III (JP)

Released: April 27, 1990

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: I don't own a Famicom, and I can't read or speak Japanese. But I love how Famicom cartridges look on display shelves (so tiny!) and the box art for this one is just classic Amano. I couldn't resist.

Final Fantasy

Released: July 12, 1990

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, sleeve, world map/monster poster, and dungeon/equipment poster

Rating:

Comments: This was the first game that I bought with the intention of collecting. It felt like a good splurge, given how many times I'd beaten FF1 for speedruns and with the Final Fantasy Randomizer community.

I spent a pretty penny to get a CIB version that was in decent shape (there are some rips on the cardboard flaps on the box's opening, but they're still attached), but being able to see the old manual (which is pretty much a complete strategy guide) along with everything else is so rewarding. It now lives in two acrylic cases to protect it: one for the cartridge, and one for the box and supplemental material.

Final Fantasy I & II (JP)

Released: February 7, 1994

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, plastic holder, cartridge

Rating: Unplayed

Comments:N/A

Final Fantasy II (IV)

Released: November 23rd, 1991

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating:

Comments: If you're looking for a place to start playing Final Fantasy, is there a better place than FFIV? All the melodrama, beautiful artwork, and engaging combat you expect from the series, but not so complex as to be off-putting.

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest

Released: October 5, 1992

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating:

Comments: Better than it had any right to be. Very simplistic, and yet quite fun.

Final Fantasy III (VI)

Released: April 2nd, 1994

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating:

Comments: Still a masterpiece, in my opinion.

Final Fantasy VII

Released: January 31, 1997

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, three discs

Rating:

Comments: This was, like many others, my first entry into Final Fantasy. I have a vivid memory of standing at the GameStop and seeing a PC game with a cool dude with a big sword and a motorcyle on the back cover, and I lost my mind. I never beat this as a kid (I didn't have the attention span until I ended up beating IX a few years later) but it occupied a huge place in my mind and catapulted me into the world of internet forums and culture.

It's not my favorite Final Fantasy game, but it is perhaps the most impactful for my own history.

Final Fantasy Tactics

Released: January 28, 1998

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: I bounced off of Tactics the first time I tried to play it (one early level in particular got me, like with most people) but I finally stuck it out and am so glad that I did. You can bust this game wide open, and Thunder God Cid is one of the most overpowered characters in any FF game. I love it, and it actively made me want to spend more time in the SRPG genre.

Final Fantasy VIII

Released: February 11, 1999

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, four discs

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon

Released: March 4, 1999

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, two discs

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Chocobo Racing

Released: March 18, 1999

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy Anthology

Released: October 5, 1999

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, two discs (FFV and VI), extra FFV/VI music CD

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Chocobo's Dungeon 2

Released: December 17, 1999

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual and disc

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Chocobo Collection (JP)

Released: December 22, 1999

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Plastic cover slip, manual, three discs (Chocobo Racing, Dice de Chocobo, and Chocobo Stallion)

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy IX

Released: July 7, 2000

Status: Mostly Complete

Contains: Manual, four discs. Missing two small inserts to make it truly CIB.

Rating:

Comments: This was the second Final Fantasy game I played, but it was the one that really made a fan out of me. I've beaten it three times now, including taking down the ultra-hard secret boss, Ozma, and more than any other characters in the franchise Vivi and Zidane's stories still just hit me so hard. The Black Mage Village is one of the most emotional places in the whole franchise for me, and Vivi might just be my favorite character. It feels impossible to encapsulate my love for this game, which I acknowledge is imperfect and slow and a little obtuse. I just don't care.

Final Fantasy Chronicles

Released: July 2, 2001

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual and two discs

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy Origins

Released: April 8, 2003

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual and disc

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy X

Released: July 19, 2001

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy XI

Released: May 16, 2002

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, two discs

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy X-2

Released: March 13, 2003

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: Don't knock it 'til you try it. My favorite job system in the franchise, easily.

Final Fantasy XII

Released: March 16, 2006

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: Technically I have two versions of this: the original edition and the Collector's Steelbook. The latter was given to to me very kindly by a collector from whom I purchased Dragon Quest VIII, also on the PS2.

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Released: August 15, 2006

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: Is it good? No. But is it interesting? Also, mostly no.

Final Fantasy XIII

Released: December 17, 2009

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: The final mainline game that I beat. After hearing all the divisive opinions, I was totally ready to hate this one. Instead, I had a really good time. One of my favorite battle systems in the franchise, and some incredible graphics.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Released: August 27, 2013

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating:

Comments: If Final Fantasy IX is my favorite single-player Final Fantasy of all-time, XIV probably takes the prize as my overall favorite. Yoshi-P, Koji Fox, Natsuko Ishikawa, and Masayoshi Sokken are all the new vanguard of the franchise and - despite some missteps - have crafted an intensely good MMO experience that I can't help but keep coming back to. Soken especially is a worthy inheritor of Uematsu's legacy.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD

Released: March 17, 2015

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Disc, advertisements

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy XV Deluxe Edition

Released: November 29, 2016

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Game disc, Kingsglaive Blu-Ray, three inserts

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy XIV: The Complete Edition

Released: June 20, 2017

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Disc, activation code. Includes ARR, HW, and SB

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT

Released: January 30, 2018

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Disc, advertisements

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy VII Remake

Released: April 10, 2020

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Two discs (play, data), three inserts

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon EVERY BUDDY! (JP)

Released: March 20, 2019

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge, download code, registration card

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster Standard Edition

Released: April 16, 2019

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge, download code for FFX-2

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Collection of Mana

Released: June 11, 2019

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge only

Rating:

Comments: Contains three games, including what was originally Final Fantasy Adventure for the Game Boy. However, this was really just a different game (Seiken Densetsu) renamed for an American audience. The other games included in this (Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana) are all-time greats, though.

Chocobo GP

Released: January 12, 2022

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge only

Rating:

Comments: This is an imported Asia (English) version since there was never officially released physically in North America. I believe that this has my highest playtime of any game on the Switch, thanks to my hundreds of hours of practice speedrunning it for Summer Games Done Quick 2022.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

Released: February 16, 2023

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge only

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection

Released: April 18, 2023

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge only

Rating:

Comments: Like Chocobo GP, this is an Asia (English) import from PlayAsia due to this game's extremely limited release. I had a hell of a time getting it, as my first copy came with an inch-long gash in the plastic. Thankfully we got it all sorted out and I have this beautiful collection on my shelf. I'm a huge fan of the Pixel Remasters, perhaps with the exception of the awkwardly skinny font and lack of additional content from previous versions.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Released: March 15, 2022

Status: Complete in Box, Sealed

Contains: Disc

Rating:

Comments: N/A

CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII- REUNION

Released: December 13, 2022

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Disc

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy XVI Deluxe Edition

Released: June 22, 2023

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Disc, FFXIV leaflet, two steelbooks (one Best Buy exclusive), and cloth map of Valisthea

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Deluxe Edition

Released: February 29, 2024

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Two discs, two steelbooks (one Best Buy exclusive), art book, and CD

Rating:

Comments: I thought the FFVII Remake was mostly good, but very slow. Rebirth, however, took all my criticisms of the first game (especially the combat and pacing) and absolutely nailed the delivery. I no-lifed this game hard, and really enjoyed what it had to say about the franchise.

Final Fantasy Adventure

Released: June 28, 1991

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Chocobo Land: A Game of Dice (JP)

Released: December 13, 2002

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon (JP)

Released: March 4, 1999

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, cartridge, cartridge sheath, plastic holder, advertisement, registration card

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy (JP)

Released: December 9, 2000

Status: Cartridge Only

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Nintendo 3DS LL Final Fantasy Theatrhythm Curtain Call Console

Released: April 24, 2014

Status: Console Only

Comments: N/A

Mario Hoops 3 on 3

Released: September 11, 2006

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: Yes, yes. I understand your confusion. But two things to note about why I have this in my collection: (1) this is a Square Enix game, believe it or not and (2) this was the first time Masayoshi Soken (the music director for FFXIV and FFXVI) and Christopher 'Koji' Fox (localization for the same games) worked together! A fun little fact sure to delight at dinner parties.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time

Released: March 24, 2009

Status: Sealed

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call Collector's Edition

Released: September 16, 2014

Status: Sealed

Contains: Two music CDs, 3DS collector's pouch, limited edition copy of game, and five trading cards

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy Explorers

Released: January 26, 2016

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, cartridge

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Dissidia Final Fantasy

Released: December 18, 2008

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Manual, disc

Rating: Unplayed

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (JP)

Released: December 26, 2013

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge, control sheet

Rating:

Comments: I bought this and the X-2 Remaster on my trip to Japan in 2024. I just adore the cover art, and games like this were gettable for less than $5 USD without much issues.

Final Fantasy X-2 HD Remaster (JP)

Released: December 26, 2013

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge, control sheet, registration card

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster

Released: March 18, 2014

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge, sealed art cards, registration card, X-2 download code

Rating:

Comments: N/A

World of Final Fantasy

Released: October 25, 2016

Status: Complete in Box

Contains: Cartridge only

Rating:

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy S Generation CD

Comments: I've always been bad about saving things that I own. It's too tempting to get trade-in value when you don't have a lot of money! And that's why this CD (selected songs from Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX) is such an important part of my collection: it was really, really mine. I listened to this thing constantly. I tried to get my friends to understand why I was making them listen to video game music. It has a horrible stain on the top of the disc, and I don't think it plays anymore. But this CD was as responsible for my love of the franchise as any single game, and I treasure it immensely.

Nintendo Power Issue #17

Comments: This is such a wonderful little treasure trove of small details. You can view the whole thing here thanks to the Internet Archive, I particularly enjoy Page 7, where you get the classic image of four warriors on a hill overlooking the castle, but they've completely changed the Amano-style art into this quite gaudy westernized, '80s-era fantasy style. It's gross, and I love it.

Monty the Moogle

Comments: My wonderful partner, Jessie, made Monty for me as a gift for my birthday. He keeps watch over my collection. You can find the pattern on Etsy here.

Final Fantasy IX Bandai Action Figures

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy II Reproduction

Comments: N/A

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Comments: I own this not just on Blu-ray, but as an unopened PSP UMD disc. I find it sort of fascinating, really. It's barely Final Fantasy on the surface and represents just a colossal failure on Square's part. And yet I still really love the movie and all the failed media things (like Aki Ross in Maxim as a prosposed digital actress, voiced by Ming-Na Wen no less!) and so it holds a special place in my collection.

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within CD Cardz

Comments: These, believe it are not, are a set of five rectangle-shaped CD Roms with character information and movie goodies. Just peak early 2000s media. From what I understand, Ryan Whitaker was not sold as part of the set but was a promotional giveaway.

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 35mm Slide

Comments: This iconic 35mm image of Aki Ross from FF:TSW was part of a general media promotion.

Chocobo Miniature Diorama

Comments: I made this! And I'm very proud of it. Well, I should say - it was a 3D-printed file that I purchased, then painted and based on top of a wooden cube. It took about a dozen hours of work.