The Final Fantasy series is one of the most celebrated and popular video game series of all time. The humble JRPG series has grown in massive ways over the years, and it’s been incredible to see the scope of the franchise expand and impressive remakes reinterpret classic entries in the series. The Final Fantasy series has gained acclaim for its engaging battle systems, epic stories, and lovable characters.
However, a consistent highlight in any Final Fantasy game is the amazing music that fills each fight and makes a stressful encounter even more cinematic and special. Most of the Final Fantasy themes are pure bliss, but some battle music has to be better than the rest.
10 J-E-N-O-V-A (Final Fantasy VII)
Nobuo Uematsu’s musical work in the Final Fantasy series is stunning. Final Fantasy VII is a game with a more modern and urban setting than its predecessors. “J-E-V-O-N-A” is an epic creed that plays during the battles against Jenova-BIRTH and Jenova-DEATH, as well as the party’s dazzling journey to the planet’s core.
“J-E-N-O-V-A” is a subtly deep number that riffs on its main theme by shifting to a new major key and indulging in new chord progressions that compliment the beginning of the song, but give it more weight. It’s a song that continually builds anticipation.
9 Crimson Blitz (Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3)
“Crimson Blitz” is a wild battle theme that throws in everything from rowdy electric guitars, addictive rattles, and whispered vocals that feel like they could be out of a J-pop band. Lightning is a complex character and “Crimson Blitz” is a theme that doesn’t marginalize her character and highlights her complexity.
The sprawling number also helps make Lightning feel like a true hero since the use of vocals in a battle theme is typically something resorted for ultimate evils. If a villain heard this song kick in, they’d probably run away from intimidation.
8 Battle Theme (Final Fantasy X)
Final Fantasy X marked a turning point for the series in a number of ways. It’s not only the first Final Fantasy game to be on the PlayStation 2, but its also the first time the series brings in additional composers beyond Nobuo Uematsu. These extra voices don’t diminish Uematsu’s work and in fact just bring out a more ambitious and complex collection of music for the game, which takes advantage of the next-gen hardware at their disposal. Final Fantasy X’s battle theme being one of the standouts from the game.
7 Battle Theme (Final Fantasy III)
Final Fantasy III’s battle theme feels like when Nobuo Uematsu really begins to fall into his groove. This track is easily one of the most passionate numbers to appear on the NES console. Brilliantly, this battle theme pays homage to the themes from Final Fantasy I and II, but the way in which a new synth beat tears through the introduction is a brilliant way to show that this is something new and different. The theme is an absolute behemoth in terms of arrangement and and it manages to convey the past, but also push the series into the future.
6 Those Who Fight Further (Final Fantasy VII)
Nobuo Uematsu’s work in Final Fantasy VII is particularly exciting because he takes advantage of the PlayStation’s hardware and achieves musical numbers that would have been impossible on the Nintendo or SNES. Uetmatsu marks this shift by ditching many of the staples that defined previous Final Fantasy battle themes and embraces things like electric guitars and frenetic rock music atmosphere. The standard battle theme in Final Fantasy VII has become iconic over time, but “Those Who Fight Further,” which is used for boss battles, creates an even larger sense of awe.
5 Man With The Machine Gun (Final Fantasy VIII)
No disrespect to “Don’t Be Afraid,” Final Fantasy VIII’s incredible main battle theme, but there’s something more ethereal and suspenseful about “The Man With the Machine Gun.” The exciting track’s name is a reference to Squall’s dream sequence alter ego, Laguna Loire, and his trademark weapon. In this sense, the battle theme is the perfect surreal inverse or the game’s primary battle theme and it reflects the shift that’s happened. Whenever Final Fantasy concerts and compilations are put together it’s usually “The Man with the Machine Gun” that’s chosen to represent Final Fantasy VIII, which is hard to argue with.
4 Clash On The Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V)
Final Fantasy V’s primary battle theme is another clever accomplishment by Nobuo Uematsu that pays tribute to the themes that came before it, but then makes it very clear that this number is going off in its own unpredictable direction. This battle theme carries a quick and adventurous tempo that properly represents the game. Final Fantasy V often falls between the cracks because both Final Fantasy IV and VI are such excellent entries in the series, but V’s music is one of the game’s best features.
3 Battle Theme (Final Fantasy IV)
Final Fantasy IV marks Nobuo Uematsu’s transition from the original NES to the Super Nintendo and the change in battle themes is representative of this evolution. There’s a much more ambitious sound present here that incorporates strings, brass, and a truly unpredictable bass line that cannot be controlled. This is a battle theme that initially sounds simple, but the deviations it takes sneak up on the player and feel like a commentary on the deeper gameplay and battle systems that the move to the SNES made possible.
2 Battle Theme (Final Fantasy VI)
Final Fantasy VI’s battle theme is easily one of the darkest and most depressing themes from the entire series. This is intentional and it’s meant to represent the bleak and oppressive world that the game takes place in and this battle theme’s contrasting nature to the rest of the soundtrack only pushes this feeling of isolation even further. There’s a frantic element to the theme that almost makes it feel like the song could just fall apart at any moment. It’s a dizzying tight rope act and it even manages to foreshadow the more eccentric nature of the diabolical Kefka.
1 Blinded By Light (Final Fantasy XIII)
Final Fantasy XIII’s battle theme, “Blinded by the Light” acts as the basis for the game’s entire soundtrack and it sounds as if every other song in the game is a response to this powerful track. Final Fantasy XIII introduces the memorable new heroine, Lightning, and this track emphasizes her importance. “Blinded by the Light” features a full orchestral range of sounds, but aggressive electric guitars make the biggest impression. Many other songs in the franchise are technically impressive, but this battle theme is genuinely catchy. It’s almost impossible to hear it and not hum it all day.
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