The best Final Fantasy games to play before Rebirth

Localthunk, the enigmatic creator behind the new poker-themed deckbuilder Balatro, had no idea the game would be successful until the day before it launched.

Naoki Yoshida, better known as Yoshi-P among fans, says he wants to direct another "major" Final Fantasy instalment. This comes after he previously suggested he would not lead the development of Final Fantasy 17, something he now appears to be reconsidering.

Bringing the once-doomed MMO Final Fantasy XIV back to life and directing the latest mainline title of the long-running franchise isn’t enough for Square Enix superstar Naoki Yoshida. In a new interview with Famitsu, Yoshida chatted at length about his desire to direct yet another major game for Square Enix.

All of your Summons in can be upgraded when you visit Divine Intel locations scattered in the regions of each story Chapter. These shrines host a rhythm mini-game you can complete to strengthen the powerful allies you call upon from red Materia. Interacting with Divine Intel spots will also let you make boss fights against the strongest summons much easier.

While Mario has become the face of Nintendo, and perhaps video games as a whole, it’s important to remember that it was in a Donkey Kong game that he really became an icon. Since then, our beloved ape has bounced between being friend and foe of the plumber, as well as broken free to star in his own series of games with an expanded cast of friends and enemies. It’s been a long time since we’ve been graced with one of his banana-fueled adventures, so we decided this was as good a time as any to look back at Dinkey Kong’s legacy and decide which of his many solo efforts stand as the best.

A series constant, Final Fantasy's Moogle is a familiar sight to many, and along with the Chocobo, serves as a mascot of sorts for the franchise. But the busted-looking Moogle we got in the recently released Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has been rejected by a particular segment of the community, who are convinced the gritty redesign looks more like Matthew McConaughey playing a drug mule named Miguel than a fantastical portmanteau of mole and bat.

Several Final Fantasy 14 players took to the streets of Ul'dah to pay respects to the late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, with campfire vigils and outfits based on characters that Toriyama drew over his career. These vigils in Final Fantasy 14 are ongoing at the time of writing and are being held across several data centers, such as Aether and Crystal in North America.

We all love spotting references in games, especially if you manage to find something a bit niche, but when it comes to obscurity, it'd be hard to top this clever nod to a mysterious Final Fantasy 7 fight in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. 

Final Fantasy 7 Remake and the recently released second part of the remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, won't be coming to rival platforms.

[audience makes "wohhhhh" controversial noise]

Finding ways to level up members of your party fast in is the best way to deal with various challenges found throughout your adventure. As enemies and bosses get stronger in later story Chapters, your team needs to be prepared for tougher fights. Taking the time to farm EXP through different tasks will let your party grow in strength to face future obstacles head-on.

The ultimate challenge in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is Gilgamesh — the mysterious being from another world menaces Cloud and company throughout the game if you tackle the many Protorelic quests. Finishing those quests unlocks the hidden Gilgamesh Island where you’ll face off against some of the toughest battles in the entire game. I recommend waiting until you’ve finished the story before even thinking about taking on the bosses on Gilgamesh Island.