Final Fantasy VII vs Final Fantasy VI
The short answer
Final Fantasy VI is the better-written game; Final Fantasy VII is the more influential one. VI has the largest and best-balanced cast in the series and a second half that genuinely changes the world. VII has Midgar, materia, and the moment most people mean when they say Final Fantasy.
What they have in common
Same era of Square at its peak, both turn-based, both with a villain the series never topped.
Pick Final Fantasy VII if you want the icon.
Midgar is still one of the great opening acts, the materia system is the most flexible in the series, and the Remake project gives you somewhere to go afterwards.
Pick Final Fantasy VI if you want the best story.
Fourteen playable characters who all get a real arc, and a structural turn at the midpoint that almost nothing else in the genre has attempted. The pixel remaster is the version to play.
Frequently asked questions
Should I play Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy VI?
Final Fantasy VI is the better-written game; Final Fantasy VII is the more influential one. VI has the largest and best-balanced cast in the series and a second half that genuinely changes the world. VII has Midgar, materia, and the moment most people mean when they say Final Fantasy.
What do Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VI have in common?
Same era of Square at its peak, both turn-based, both with a villain the series never topped.
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Buy This Game
* Affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
More head-to-heads are on the comparisons page.
