Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 9, Final Fantasy 10/10-2, Final Fantasy 12, and World of Final Fantasy have all released for Nintendo’s hybrid sensation, the Switch, within the past few months. While this is plenty as is, there’s room to include even more classics from Square Enix’s signature JRPG franchise. Seeing as how the machine is perfectly suited for long adventures with Cloud, Zidane, or Tidus at home or on the go, what’s stopping Squall, Terra, or Lightning from jumping in on the fun? Here are some other titles in the series that are worthy enough to be featured on the Switch’s JRPG catalog soon.
Final Fantasy Switch Ports That Need to Happen | Final Fantasy 8
It’s a mystery why Square Enix has seemingly ignored Final Fantasy 8‘s existence ever since it released for the original PlayStation in 1999. It doesn’t make much from a business standpoint, as the game was the fastest selling entry in the franchise until Final Fantasy 13 launched for multiple platforms in 2010. Square released an up-scaled version of FF8 for PC in 2013, but that’s just about all the love the company has shown for the title within the past decade. It’s a shame, especially when one considers the fact that the entry celebrated its 20th anniversary this past March.
A port of FF8 for Switch can incorporate a lot of the quality-of-life features that the PC version introduced, like attacks that deal 9,999 damage and the fun Chocobo World minigame. The entry’s lighting effects and motion-capture work could benefit from a visual upgrade, but the title doesn’t require much extra polish. Final Fantasy 8‘s strange story, unique combat system, and down-to-earth characters deserve to be experienced by more people. The Switch may serve as the perfect means of introducing new audiences to one of the franchise’s most distinct entries yet.
Final Fantasy Switch Ports That Need to Happen | Final Fantasy 6
There’s no better way to celebrate Final Fantasy 6‘s 25th anniversary this year than to release it on Switch. Square could get away with porting its iOS and Android edition to the console, as this version has mobile-adapted controls, redrawn sprites, and more save points for newcomers. While retro fans can experience the game on the Super NES Classic Edition, the miniature machine lacks the Switch’s portable design.
Final Fantasy 6 deserves to be taken on the go, as its story runs roughly 40 hours and is told from the perspectives of 14 playable characters. Each member of the cast is written so well that it may be hard for players to play anything else until each protagonist achieves the happy ending he or she deserves.
Square Enix and Nintendo could stealth release a port of the title and include it as part of Switch Online’s monthly offerings. The move would undoubtedly be greatly appreciated by fans of the franchise and the hybrid system, especially in light of all the ports the machine has recently received. Final Fantasy 6 could serve as a “freebie” of sorts, reminding people of all the other awesome JRPGs they can play on the platform.
Final Fantasy Switch Ports That Need to Happen | Final Fantasy Type-0
Switch fans may not be able to play the original version of Final Fantasy 15 anytime soon, but another Hajime Tabata-directed entry in the franchise has a good shot of appearing. Final Fantasy Type-0 debuted on PlayStation Portable in 2011, then went on to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in 2015. A Switch edition could incorporate elements from both versions of the title, preserving the action-packed, portable-friendly gameplay of the former and the updated visuals of the latter.
Like in FF6, fans have access to a cast of 14 playable characters in Type-0. The story in this game focuses more heavily on the consequences of war, however. It’s noticeably more adult than its JRPG contemporaries, as it isn’t afraid to have soldiers magically vaporized during battle.
Blood plasters the faces of the game’s main cast as each student tries his or her best to fight back against the formidable Militesi Empire. Type-0 is a great Final Fantasy entry to play if one is new to the franchise or JRPGs in general, as each character has a move set that accommodates a different play style. Should the title ever come to Switch, here’s hoping that it includes its multiplayer portion. This allowed players to tackle story missions and side quests with friends on PlayStation Portable, and could work well remotely or while docked when or if it comes to Nintendo’s hybrid system.
Final Fantasy Switch Ports That Need to Happen | The Final Fantasy 13 trilogy
Final Fantasy 13 and its sequels, 13-2 and Lightning Returns, all deserve a shot on Switch, considering how the console is powerful enough to support the Final Fantasy 10/10-2 and 12 remasters. Though Western fans of the franchise aren’t too keen on Lightning’s adventures through time and space, a re-release for Switch could perform well in Japan given the pink-haired soldier’s popularity in the country. It may even give the series a second chance in the United States.
Each port could be packaged together at retail or made available individually on Nintendo’s eShop. This would allow fans to pick up whichever entry they missed out on without having to buy every game in the trilogy. Given the breadth of each title’s combat systems and the innovations that Square Enix implemented as the series went on, there’s a ton of content to consume with this trilogy. Square just needs to be mindful of the Switch’s aspect ratio and limited frame rate capabilities should it want the games to run as smoothly as its recent remasters.
Final Fantasy Switch Ports That Need to Happen | Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics is one of the best tactical RPG series to play at home or on the go. The original game, Tactics Advance, and Tactics A2 all take between 40 to 50 hours to complete, though side quests and extra missions could easily extend any entry past 100 hours. The series’ challenging strategic gameplay and captivating narratives motivate players to find the right movements and patterns quickly, lest they find themselves in a never-ending battle against a lowly foot solider.
The 2007 PlayStation Portable remake of the first Tactics, titled The War of the Lions, is the entry most eligible for a re-release on Switch due to its enhanced visuals and inclusion of additional jobs and classes. This being said, fans of the series would probably be more than happy to receive any iteration at this point.
Of course, other Square Enix JRPGs outside of the Final Fantasy franchise are welcome to join the Switch’s library. Bravely Default, Secret of Mana, and some entries in the Kingdom Hearts universe are great candidates, seeing how they’re already available in handheld form. Sales of Nintendo’s console recently surpassed 34 million units, so Square would be wise to port as much as it can to the system while it’s still hot. A complete new entry in the Final Fantasy Tactics series couldn’t hurt either.
