Disclaimer: This article is written as a collaborative effort between Brian Ross & Matthew Zubritsky. Remember these are the most memorable things as we saw them and due to localization problems that exist with Final Fantasy II, III, and V, those games often probably won't be held as in high regard as they deserve. We do wish that they could be remade as powerfully as Final Fantasy Tactics was for the PSP. We also primarily stuck to the core games, Final Fantasy I - XII, to keep things as simple as possible. Be wary of spoilers from this point forward.

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Brian Ross: Throughout the course of Final Fantasy you'll encounter many of the same creatures over and over. No matter the theme, motif, or world you can count on eventually meeting these folks. Final Fantasy creatures range in terms of roles. Some are meant to inspire fear and awe, while others are meant to remind a player that yes it is a game and meant to be fun. There have been some great one shot creatures and bosses, but surprisingly not a single one made the list.



BR: For one reason or another Bombs, Ahriman, and Malboros stuck into our minds. They didn't quite make the list, but it was very close on each of their accords. The Bombs and their explosive attitude are a mainstay of Final Fantasy, while Malboro's Bad Breath is often the most potentially fatal attack in the game. Ahriman you ask? I have no clue, Matthew fought hard for that little eyeball with wings.


The Behemoth goes "Rawr!"

BR: Behemoths first appeared in Final Fantasy II and have since become a series staple. You know you're just about at the end of the game the second these giant purple bastards start appearing. Behemoths are physical giants that are almost impervious to magic attacks and will retaliate with Flares and Meteors on anyone foolish enough to try that route. I remember playing Final Fantasy XI and stumbling into the Behemoth's Domain that was located conveniently in a lowbie area. It took everything in me to keep from fleeing, but I just had to see one. My TaruTaru was soon just tender bits of flesh in between the thrashing teeth of a very hungry Behemoth. I definitely remember smiling.



The Cactuar goes "Ge-ka!"

BR: The heck you say? Ge-ka? Sounds more like a squeak. Cactuars are super cute little 2-D cacti. As a rule of thumb anything that is cute and appears harmless in Final Fantasy is probably ultra deadly (See: Tonberry). Cactuars are no different. One second you're fighting some goofy looking Japanese commercial and the next second you're pin cushioned with 1000, 10,000 or even 99,999 needles. Sometimes its a coin flip to see if the Cactuar or party flees first.



Matthew Zubritsky:Odin, the legendary knight. First appeared in Final Fantasy III as a summon. He is best known for instantly slicing and dicing enemies. Odin is almost always seen riding his horse, Sleipnir, and wielding that awesome sword the Zantetsuken. In Final Fantasy VI, you have the choice of upgrading Odin to Raiden which is just a more powerful version of Odin. I think my favorite reiteration though was in FFVIII; man was his dungeon a pain in the butt. The time limit and challenge of actually defeating Odin, made finally obtaining him very rewarding.

BR: Most other summons in the series merely cast a spell for damage or a mass effect. Odin however rides in on Sleipnir and literally cuts an enemy in half leaving them two twitching parts. The best depiction of him ever has to be in Final Fantasy IX when Queen Brahne uses him to destroy the entire city of Cleyra. Its never quite stated if summons can be good or evil, but the man seems to exude a definite tinge of darkness.


MZ:Ramuh, the lightning god. Depicted as an old man with a staff and long white beard with flowing robes. At first glance he almost reminds me of Zeus of Greek Mythology. He first appeared in Final Fantasy III and has appeared in various games since. He played a major role in Final Fantasy VI as he called Terra to him when she lost control in her Esper form.

BR: Ramuh is one of the summons you can really count on. He may not be the fanciest or most impressive summon ever, but neither was Obi Wan Kenobi. The fact that Ramuh has so often played a part in the actual series almost begs the fact that Square-Enix has a soft spot for him. He is definitely the most approachable summon for a character to interact with thus far as the rest are a little intimidating to say the least.



The Tonberry goes ..... ...... ..... ..... ..... *DOINK!*

BR: Cute is deadly and boy are Tonberries cute. They have that smooth green skin, beady yellow eyes and adorable little lantern. Turn by turn they creep forward absorbing massive amounts of damage doing nothing at all. Then.... DOINK!!! Their tiny little knife comes out and death ensues. No one forgets about the Tonberry, messing with them is like touching a hot stove. The pain they bring is a lesson that sticks with many Final Fantasy players for the rest of their life. Yet, they somehow warmed a soft spot into my heart.


MZ:If there is one summon which I think is extremely bad ass, it would have to be Bahamut. He was introduced in the very first Final Fantasy as the Dragon King who promoted your heroes to their next class and ever since he was used as a summon. Heck, Final Fantasy VII had three variations of Bahamut each more bad ass than the last. In Final Fantasy IX, he is used as a weapon to attack various towns and cities in the game. He really reminds me of Godzilla or Destroyah in some of his presentations in the games. Here's to you Bahamut, Dragon King!



The Chocobo goes "Kweh!"

BR: Who doesn't love Chocobos? They're fast, nimble, and most definitely cute. Chocobos can fight, they can be mounted, and they can even be bred to learn new abilities. Whether it be a red, black, or even gold version of the bird they are loved just the same. They are loved so much they even got their own set of games that admittedly I've never bothered to play. Sometimes it seems they even act as Square-Enix's mascot. There is no doubt that this cute little fluffy bird is a powerful image.


MZ:Ahhh, Shiva, the Ice Queen. First appearing as a summon in Final Fantasy III she has been the Ice summon for the majority of the Final Fantasy games ever since. Skimpily dressed and quite the pixel beauty. Final Fantasy XII was the only game that introduced her as an airship. Well she wasn’t really an airship just someone named an airship after her. Instead the summon Mateus is our Ice Queen in that game which doesn’t make sense to me. If Ivalice is the same Ivalice as in Final Fantasy Tactics, shouldn’t Shiva be in FFXII’s Ivalice as well? Maybe we shouldn’t go too far into that…

BR: I know my favorite incarnation of Shiva was in Final Fantasy X. She came in with her usual icy arrival and then really stepped up the flair. Her casting of Diamond Dust was almost erotic as she covered the field in ice and then with a saucy snap sent shards exploding in every direction. Something about Shiva always gets my blood pumping, which is kinda ironic since she's an ice queen.



BR: Ifrit, the King of Flames. He accompanies the Ice Queen Shiva as the second most recurring summon in the series. Sometimes called Jinn, this beast appears to be a giant demon, but in reality is a creature inspired by the Efreeti and Djinni of Arabic lore. Shiva and Ifrit seem forever destined to rival each other as the lords of fire & ice. Other summons may have fancier graphics and crazier attacks, but there is something cathartic about bringing out Ifrit to rain literal Hellfire down upon your foes.



The Moogle goes "Kupo!"

MZ:Why are Moogles our number one? Though many could argue the Chocobo is the more iconic creature, the Moogle has been a constant staple in the series. These cute little fluffy creatures really stand out thanks to their bright red pom-poms. First introduced in Final Fantasy III, them they became a playable character in Final Fantasy VI. Moogles have had various minor to major roles in every game since. They have also appeared in other game series as well such as Seiken Densetsu and Kingdom Hearts. So here’s to you Moogles!

BR: Moogles make the perfect mascot for Final Fantasy and have been used thoroughly in that regards. They tend your houses, deliver your mail, and even teach you about how to play games. I've always wondered if the Moogles could carry a core Final Fantasy game. There is something to be said about them being so small and acting so resolute in the face of danger. I'm always glad to see them put on their tough faces and really mix it up in a game.

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BR: That does it for the creatures of the Final Fantasy universe. I'm sure many won't agree with some that were left off the list or the order of those on the list. Yet, that is the beauty of Final Fantasy. The game seems to touch and endear people in different ways. For every lover of the Cactuar there is another that despises it. So if you don't mind I'm off now to cuddle with my plush Tonberry. Just wanted to thank all the DeviantArt artists who made some fantastic artwork that we used today. I'd also like to thank garudoh for making the "Evolution of Final Fantasy" series on YouTube which runs roughly 350 minutes long over 35 distinct evolutions. Oh, and if you want a plush Tonberry or maybe an awesome reminder of your favorite Final Fantasy creature, here's some suggestions:

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