Six of the best Final Fantasy songs ever

The Final Fantasy series has been going for longer than many gamers can remember. Though most entries have very little to do with each other plot-wise, there are some key elements that are common throughout the games. Chocobos, moogles and a character named Cid all make numerous appearances in the games, but it is the music of Final Fantasy that ties everything together. The games themselves can be uneven at times, making picking the six best a difficult task.

However, we’re not here to tackle the tough questions, so here are six of our all-time favourite Final Fantasy music tracks instead. Be sure to also check out our look at Final Fantasy XIV’s best boss themes!

Six of the best Final Fantasy tracks

There is nothing we love more than some solid video game music, whether it is mainstream like Final Fantasy or more overlooked examples. With so much music coming from this series, it is impossible to fit every worthwhile song on this list. If your favourite didn’t make the cut, you can fight for their cause in the comments or by writing to the Rice Digital Friday Letters.

Apocalypsis Noctis

Unpopular opinion: I think Final Fantasy XV is criminally underrated (You have my axe -Ed.) and a big reason for that is the music. This track is epic, sweeping, and chaotic, just like the band of bros who have their bachelor party interrupted by a minor apocalypse. This song is the perfect accompaniment to the game, feeling both defiant and overwhelmed at the same time.

Love Grows

I have made the case for Final Fantasy VIII being a highly underrated entry in the series (You have my a… wait, deja vu -Ed.), and a big reason for that is the love story between Squall and Rinoa. Though the plot can be nonsensical at times, the romantic in me can’t help but root for these two. Love Grows might not be their official love theme, but it embodies the slow build-up of their affection throughout the game, peaking at an undeniable crescendo of emotion toward the end.

Maria and Draco

I don’t, as a rule, try to pick a number one in these lists because they tend to shift and change all the time based on how I’m feeling. Not with this one, though. Maria and Draco is a collection of four songs used in the Final Fantasy VI soundtrack that come together as an operatic collection. Of all the great music that came out of the SNES era, nothing feels as epic or ambitious as this, which is probably why it has been remastered and rearranged countless times.

One Winged Angel

Though Final Fantasy VII might not be my favourite game in the series, it does have one of the all-time greatest video game villains of all time. One Winged Angel is the theme of Sephiroth — specifically, the one that plays during your final encounter with him — and it perfectly captures the growing madness and chaos behind those glowing eyes. It has everything you could want from a Final Fantasy score, from its undeniably epic tone to the ominous Latin lyrics, drawn from the medieval poetry collection Carmina Burana. It is the most recognisable and iconic track in this series’ long history.

Suteki Da Ne

One of the best love themes in the Final Fantasy series is Suteki Da Ne from Final Fantasy X. There is a bittersweetness to it that is appropriate for a story that is crashing towards heartbreak at an alarming speed. There are moments of playfulness in the song, but these are quickly washed away by the weight of what the characters must do. It is a beautiful track that sums up the game’s themes of sadness and sacrifice perfectly.

Zanarkand

When you first load up Final Fantasy X, this is the song that is waiting for you. All the characters look broken and beaten, at the brink of hopelessness. Without a word of context, you know what they are feeling because of how well the music sums it up. There is an otherworldliness to it with the flute playing along with epic highs and painful lows that stay with you even after you leave the starting screen. When it finally comes around again and you have the context of why the party looks so broken, it hits twice as hard.

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Trent Cannon

Trent is a fan of anything that doesn't take itself too seriously. He is frequently hilarious and adorable. If 240 character takes on gaming, anime, or rat pictures are your thing, follow him on Twitter.

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