The Final Fantasy series has long been regarded as one of the JRPG series with the best soundtracks. Much of the music composed for the first 10 games in the series was composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu, and even after he departed from Square Enix in 2004 Uematsu has still composed occasional additions to the newer titles. With 16 main numbered entries and dozens of spinoffs, that’s a lot of games with a lot of high-quality music. It can be difficult to narrow down such a broad and varied list to just 3, but let’s try anyway.
World of Balance (Final Fantasy 6)
World of Balance, which is also commonly regarded as Terra’s theme, is the game’s overworld music. World of Balance takes a leitmotif from Awakening (another piece regarded as Terra’s theme) and expands into being the main melody, while also changing the instrumentation. Where Awakening makes more use of flutes and pianos with strings as accompaniment, World of Balance is characterized by guitar and pan flute with percussion as accompaniment. Awakening is also a more somber and contemplative piece, while World of Balance tones down the somberness and adds energy.
Figaro Castle (Final Fantasy 6)
Also from Final Fantasy 6, the theme of Figaro Castle contrasts both Awakening and World of Balance by being a bombastic piece characterized by heavy use of brass. The brass and percussion give the castle a powerful and noble atmosphere, though the brightness of the brass makes it more grand than intimidating. When the strings take over the melody and the brass becomes the accompaniment, it emphasizes the nobility of the castle and its king Edgar.
Aerith’s Death Theme (Final Fantasy 7)
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Aerith is a beloved character from Final Fantasy 7. Few scenes have emotionally impacted so many players, such as her tragic death. The music that plays in that scene is a slower and subdued version of her theme, played primarily on piano and strings but lacking the fuller brass and wind section of the regular version. Rather than playing up the shock of the moment, this variation on Aerith’s theme instead focuses on the tragedy.
Honorable Mentions
Let the Battles Begin! (Final Fantasy 7)
This is the main battle theme of Final Fantasy 7, and it’s a fantastic example of a battle theme. Energetic and bombastic, with a catchy brassy melody and percussion accompaniment that’s still fun to listen to even on the hundredth loop, which is perfect for some of the longer battles or level-grinding sessions. It’s safe to say that Let the Battles Begin! is an iconic Final Fantasy track.
Blue Fields (Final Fantasy 8)
Like World of Balance, this is another overworld theme. However, Blue Fields is a more laid-back and contemplative theme. The instrumentation adds to this – plucked strings as a constant background, with some phrases of the melody played by xylophone and steel drum accompanied by various wind instruments while other phrases have those same wind instruments take center stage.
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