Final Fantasyis one of the most popular JRPG series of all time. Since its debut in 1987,Final Fantasyhas been one of Square’s biggest franchises that has churned out hit after hit. Many people think that the modern entries in the series don’t live up to the lofty standards set by previous games in the series, but that’s a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.
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Since this series is so iconic in its own right, it’s only a given thatmany games have been inspired by the brilliance ofFinal Fantasy. Of course, the franchise has also been parodied quite a bit, and that’s no surprise given how there are so many things inFinal Fantasythat can be made fun of… even when it comes to its iconic moments! Here are some of themost notable video games around that have parodiedFinal Fantasyin their own way.
8The What-Iffers In: Final Fancy
Freeware RPGs are a dime a dozen, but there are some hidden gems that many people don’t get to experience.The What-Iffers in: Final Fancyis one such title thatparodies theFinal Fantasyseriesin its own unique way.
The game takes a look at a group of role-playing friends called the What-Iffers who decide to use the setting of a popular JRPG calledFinal Fancyto spin a tale of their own. However, instead of sticking to the usual turn-based combat, this game places a major focus on puzzles instead.
7EarthBound
EarthBoundisone of the most popular turn-based RPGs ever madedespite having little to nothing in common with the usual players in the genre. In many ways,EarthBoundis an anti-RPG that uses a run-of-the-mill modern-day setting to deliver a brilliant experience.
There’s just something funny about fighting regular dudes and objects that givesEarthBoundsuch a unique charm of its own. It also parodies several JRPG tropes, so it’s only a given that theFinal Fantasyseries would be a part of this harmless joke.
6Barkley, Shut Up And Jam: Gaiden
Speaking of JRPG parodies, another great game that comes to mind isBarkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden. The setting of this title is truly offbeat yet engaging, with the background of basketball being used to tell a pretty captivating story.
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Players control Charles Barkley and a ragtag group of heroes as they strive to bring B-Ball back from the depths of obscurity after Barkley’s Chaos Dunk causes a national tragedy. It’s a truly insane plot that is further aided by the game’s parodies of most mainstream JRPG games and mechanics, including that ofFinal Fantasy.
5The World Ends With You
The World Ends With Youisone of the most stylish JRPGsthat anyone can check out. Finishing the game unlocks a bonus chapter calledAnother Day, which is a love letter that references most of the tropes present in the major Square Enix RPG releases, includingFinal Fantasy.
From making fun of Aerith to commenting on the infatuation characters have with zippers on their clothing,The World Ends With Youdefinitely knows when to display its comedic chops with the writing. It’s a fun game that fans of Square Enix’s creative JRPGs will have a great time with.
4South Park: The Stick Of Truth
South Park’s venture into the realm of RPGs was a massive success, withThe Stick of Truthserving as a brilliant debut for this venture. The idea of kids taking their role-playing shenanigans so seriously that the entire town gets caught up in these twisted events is perfectSouth Parkmaterial.
From anime powerups to massive summons —The Stick of Truthhas more than enough references to satiate the most hardcore JRPG fan around. As a bonus, Stan actually doesthe classic Cloud celebrationof swinging his sword around after emerging victorious in battle.
3Victim Cache The RPG
A game that parodies the JRPGs of the past while paying homage to them in their own way,Victim Cache the RPGis a fun romp that any fan of the genre should check out. It’s not the slickest title around by any means, but it more than gets the job done.
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That being said, do keep in mind that the humor of this RPG is way more mature than one might expect. As long as players are okay with the sailor mouth of this game, they’ll definitely be chuckling all the way to the end of this charming JRPG.
2Fearless Fantasy
The name itself should make it perfectly clearwhatFearless Fantasyis all about. This game employs a pretty unique combat system where players need to use gestures with their mouse to nail attacks.
This mechanic in itself is so engaging that most people will instantly look at this game as more than just aFinal Fantasyparody. Battles can be challenging but are well worth the effort when players get through challenging battles by the skin of their teeth.
1Final Fantasy 9
Given how much of a homageFinal Fantasy 9is to the series' history, there are bound to be some self-parodies added to the mix. The most notable instance of the same is pretty early on during a rather important stage play.
Two characters in the play, Marcus and Cornelia, profess their love for each other in a pretty unique way, with Marcus saying the line, “No cloud, no squall shall hinder us!” Fans of the series will instantly recognize this line to be cheekily referencing the first names ofthe protagonists from the last twoFinal Fantasygames!
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