5 Best Square Enix Games of All Time, Ranked

Square Enix games have provided us with some amazing gaming titles in the past decade. From franchises like Final Fantasy and Tomb Raider to fan favorites like Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Quest III, we can’t get enough of the powerhouse that Square Enix has become. 

And perhaps it makes the most sense to put out popular games after SquareSoft merged with Enix in 2003. Before the merge, each one brought its masterpieces to the table, and fans have been happier for it since.

However, not all powerhouses are perfect throughout their reign. Sometimes, we get slip-ups that produce disappointing games to fans and critics alike. Still, the noteworthy ones are worth the cheer many years later.  This article will rank the five best Square Enix games of all time. So whether you’re a newcomer or are curious which game takes first place, keep reading to find out more.

5. Kingdom Hearts III

The concept for this game sounded bizarrely wrong. Years down the line, Kingdom Hearts makes up for a fantastic crossover game ever made.  The idea was to bring Disney icons and Final Fantasy anime characters in one game. But before you judge it too soon, try playing it, and you’d most likely be blown away. 

The crossover characters worked pretty well. It’s perhaps what brings the spark to how popular Kingdom Hearts has become. Its universe is Disney-like, with expansions incorporated with each sequel release. We even explore popular Disney worlds like Frozen, Toy Story, and Big Hero 6. Additionally, Square put in time and effort in releasing a compelling narrative focusing on character-driven storylines. 

Since its first release in 2002, Square has released over ten games in the franchise. And even though it's commendable for the first-ever release that introduced the world to Kingdom Hearts, the most recent Kingdom Hearts III has seen advancements in the game’s graphics, combat styles, and gives a worthwhile winding up of the game’s decade-long saga.  

4. Dragon Quest XI 

There’s much to fan over the Dragon Quest franchise. While it’s not as popular in the West, there is notable traction with the latest Dragon Quest XI.  Specifically, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Exclusive Age incorporates wholesome content and an exciting protagonist to keep you engaged. Further, the music compositions, compelling visuals, and an intuitive turn-based combat system hail the game as the most successful game to play from home consoles. 

Overall, it’s a pretty simple game to start playing, and if ever you’re curious about its origins, you could always go back to playing previous installments dating back to 1986. 

3. Rise of the Tomb Raider

Another impeccable long-running franchise you may be familiar with is the Tomb Raider. The franchise features the iconic Lara Croft as the series’ female protagonist who shook things up in the gaming world. 

Choosing the best entry is difficult; there are always breathtaking adventures and tombs to raid in this action-packed series. However, Rise of the Tomb Raider took the franchise to its highest recognition level by going back to what made the franchise so great in the first place.

From combat to graphic displays, Square Enix did a great job refining users’ experience to a captivating one. Most of all, Lara Croft is more polished, and the storyline does well to develop her character continually.  The game follows her adventures into Siberia through puzzles and challenging tomb raids to keep you engaged throughout the game.

2. Chrono Trigger

Chrono Trigger, a classic game that lets you time travel to alternate dimensions, remains one of the legendary Japanese RPGs games.  Its first release was in 1995. Since then, Chrono has grown to one of Square Enix’s long-running franchises.

But it’s Chrono Trigger that brought Chrono to life mainly because it had the most compelling storylines of all time. It also helped that the game was the product of a dream team from Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy), Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball), and Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest).

Following the game’s protagonist, Crono, and other supporting adventurers, Lucca and Marle, the game employs time travel and tasks you with stopping the villain Lavo, who’s focused on causing a global catastrophe in the near future. 

It's known for tactful storylines with a whopping thirteen different endings and side quests that are plot-related to keep developing the game’s characters. Furthermore, the game employs a unique combat system and charming graphics that propels the culmination of the RPG world and Square Enix to the top ranks of the best games of all time.

1. Final Fantasy VII

Without a doubt, first place was always deserving of either title from the Final Fantasy franchise. The hard choice was selecting which title to choose from the overwhelming hot releases over the years. 

In essence, Final Fantasy X features compelling storylines and is arguably one of the best ones in the franchise. However, Final Fantasy XIV features a vast sprawling open world with thousands of hours of quality content enough to lose track of time. Still, the Final Fantasy VII title garnered immense popularity, sufficient to warrant its first-place position. 

With its release in 1997, the game took Final Fantasy to newer levels, marking Square Soft as a gaming powerhouse to look out for. Even with unpleasant graphics that looked like lego blocks, the compelling storylines made it an insignificant aspect to latch on to.  There are also remakes incorporating advanced technology and polished gameplay. With an elevated remake of the original masterpiece, Final Fantasy VII stands as the pioneer of the Final Fantasy franchise into mainstream Japanese RPGs and deserving of first-place.

So there you go! These top five Square Enix games will fill in your spare time with worthwhile gaming experiences. We’re curious, though, if there are other contenders you think should have made it to the list. So feel free to let us know in our socials here or the comments below. 

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