Connections Between Final Fantasy Games

One of the hallmarks of Final Fantasy has been its distinct, disconnected worlds that have their own signature style and voice. The anthology nature has been part of the appeal, except for the times when it wasn't.

Square is only human, of course, which means even they aren't immune to the allure of crossovers and the wave of multiverse media hitting us today. And while a full-blown Avengers-style crossover hasn't quite happened yet, there have been several times when the disparate worlds of Final Fantasy clashed.

These connections also show just how meticulous Square is with their touch. They're not afraid to do something bold when it comes to a connection, but are also more than happy to aim for subtlety.

Final Fantasy isn't going to see Cloud team up with Squall anytime soon (except Dissidia), but these connections are more than enough. Call it fan service if you insist, but these connections, be they big or small, are still cool to see either way.

5 A Final Fantasy Multiverse

Multiverse of Madness

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin hit the rumor mill back in 2021, described as a Soulslike re-telling of the very first game in the franchise. This was an immensely enticing offer to me, and the finished product was one of my favorite Soulslike games that I've played in the past decade.

Stranger of Paradise isn't just a contemporary re-examination of Final Fantasy's first game, however. It's also a deep, wildly imaginative look at the entire Final Fantasy universe.

Throughout its runtime, Stranger of Paradise makes one of the most concrete connections to other Final Fantasy games that you could ever ask for. It essentially establishes a Final Fantasy multiverse, as the Lufenians are building technology to explore and monitor other worlds.

As expected, this includes many of Final Fantasy's most iconic and beloved worlds. The Underwater Reactor from Final Fantasy 7 and the Delkfutt's Tower from FF11 are just a couple of the worlds that Stranger of Paradise connects to.

4 The Great Hyne

Lore Dump Connects FF8 and FF3

Hein is one of several villains that torment the heroes of Final Fantasy 3. This colorfully dressed skeleton is one of Final Fantasy's most underrated villains, and despite not appearing in the flesh, so to speak, Hein is directly referenced in Final Fantasy 8.

When the party visits Balamb Town, they can speak to an old man who seems to know quite a lot about ancient tales. And one he recalls to the party is of The Great Hyne, a man who created the world, but ended up casting off his own skin to save himself from the ire of the people he had created.

It is heavily implied that The Great Hyne is indeed the same one from FF3. They have the same origin story and background, as well as both being skeletons that sacrificed their body to survive.

3 Fabula Nova Crystallis

Overarching Mythology Connects Multiple Games

After Final Fantasy started to veer well into the territory of science fiction and edgy anime tropes, a few of the teams inside Square started to take notice. Final Fantasy was absolutely rocking, but it was starting to lose something.

Seeking to reconnect with the franchise's roots of crystals, Square started a new initiative known as Fabula Nova Crystallis. This powered not only the Final Fantasy 13 trilogy, but saw some of the most direct, impossible to ignore connections between games the franchise has ever seen.

The Fal'Cie and Etro make appearances throughout Final Fantasy Type-0. There are a few connections between Final Fantasy 15 and the 13 trilogy, as well, although they were toned down after FF15 started to steer away from Fabula Nova Crystallis.

2 A Common Tale

A Stealth Sequel?

The original Final Fantasy game featured the time-traveling villain Garland as he created a stable time loop, where he would be able to live forever. This was expanded upon in Stranger of Paradise, but there's another game that ties into this original title in ways that feels like a little more than just fan service.

Garland and the Four Fiends make an appearance in Final Fantasy 9, and there are some loose implications in some of his dialogue that imply they might be the same ones from FF1. There's also some seemingly deliberate locations that appear in similar spots as the original FF, including Mt. Gulug.

That's not all, of course. Final Fantasy 9's world map is remarkably similar to that of the original game. The continents are spaced out largely the same, and its overall structure feels eerily similar.

1 The Grand Origin Of The Planet Gaia

How Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 10 and the Spirits Within Come Together

The world of Gaia has existed across multiple Final Fantasy games. That, on its own, may not be very interesting, but there's an awful lot of smoke to the idea that Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 10 and The Spirits Within all take place within the same universe.

To begin with, there's a character in Final Fantasy 10 known as Shinra, an Al-Bhed boy who believes he can harness the power and energy of the Farplane in Spira for some greater purpose. This was all just a bit of fun until that same boy showed up in a picture at Shinra HQ during Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

It's quite possible that both Final Fantasy 7 and The Spirits Within serve as the dystopian, apocalyptic future that FF10 implies is imminent several times. Not only that, but several elements of the movie Advent Children, including the Geostigma virus and phantoms waiting to cross over to the other side, seem to have similarities with concepts seen in The Spirits Within.