PixlBit

Developer: Squaresoft 

Publisher: Squaresoft

Genre: RPG

Release: 1994

Currently available on: PS1, GBA, Android, iOS, Windows, SNES Classic Edition 

About the game: In Final Fantasy III (FF VI in Japan), you join the resistance to fight agains the Empire. The game has a whopping 14 playable characters, and the battle system is excellent due to each character's unique abilities. The villain, Kefka, is a lunatic who seems harmless at first, but then he kills the emporer and gains the power of deity. FFIII did something incredible for its time: it actually has the villain win! The second half of the game has you wandering a destroyed world trying to find your friends in order to regroup and have a final showdown with Kefka. Due to its excellent story, interesting characters, strong gameplay, and fantastic music, FFIII is still regarded as one of the best in the series--and one of the best RPGs ever. 

Why I love it: This is my favorite RPG ever! I have tons of nostalgia for this one, as I remember sitting in the basement as a young kid watching my older brother play through it. We were all mesmerized by its fascinating world and the awesome music. Yes, the music! This is by far my favorite video game soundtrack. The quality of the instrumentation is astounding. In fact, I think the instrumentation here sounds better than that of FF VII! Okay, but guys, it's not just nostalgia, this game still holds up! The story is STILL remarkable, and the music is STILL amazing! This is STILL perhaps the best in the series (it's debateable, I know). Square was way ahead of its time with this game, and it rightly deserves all the praise and recognition it gets. 

You can read my full review (more gushing) of this game here