YouвЂ™d be hard-pressed to find any JRPG fan who doesnвЂ™t recognise the gameвЂ™s battle theme, opening track Overdrive, and main theme Zanarkand.ДЇinal Fantasy X was presented as a major leap forward for the franchise, and the same can be said for the soundtrack that was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Junya Nakano. There was a moment in time where no gamer could go anywhere on the internet without hearing a song from Final Fantasy X. The introduction song when you boot up the game, вЂA Place to Call HomeвЂ™ and the main theme вЂMelodies of LifeвЂ™, are great samplers to this medieval fantasy sound palette that Uematsu was going for. This heavy emphasis on medieval fantasy sounds makes the game stand out even more in the grand scheme of things. It features all the hallmarks of the series, with a fun mix of classical, jaunty, and heroic compositions. Known throughout the fandom as the вЂdefinitiveвЂ™ Final Fantasy experience, Final Fantasy IXвЂ™s soundtrack definitely is the most fantastical out of the rest of the series. It is also incredible how they managed to create an operatic aria in a 16-bit video game. This was also the first Final Fantasy that was not purely stuck in a fantastical world, with more steampunk elements being introduced in this entry. Not many games can boast a signature track for each of its 14 main characters and the main villain to boot. It is a major step up from IV and V, and manages to juggle so many tracks in its repertoire. Final Fantasy VIДЄfter two games on the SNES, Uematsu found his groove with Final Fantasy VI. ThatвЂ™s not to say it isnвЂ™t great: it is probably one of the most iconic soundtracks in the franchise of all time. Similar to FFIV, this was UematsuвЂ™s first foray into the PS1вЂ™s sound capabilities, so it is a mixed bag when it comes to the tracks at hand. Thankfully, the Remake has reinvigorated these songs. But there is a lot to be desired when it comes to the soundtrackвЂ™s original form on the PS1. Now, Final Fantasy VII has some stellar compositions, with the epic One Winged Angel and AertithвЂ™s Theme being fan favourites. FFXIIвЂ™s theme song, Kiss Me Good-Bye, also served as the perfect ending track to the adventure. Hitoshi SakamotoвЂ™s compositions are clearly inspired by the work of John Williams, featuring massive orchestral sweeps and placing a heavy emphasis on strings and horns for each track. This comparison can be extended to the soundtrack as well. Final Fantasy XIIДЇinal Fantasy XII is notable for being an almost one-to-one copy of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, with the six main characters having clear similarities with Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and more. His songs are definitely a lot more spacey and influenced by world music, but it is just a solid soundtrack all around. Masashi Hamauzu provided a breath of fresh air when it came to the composition of Final Fantasy tracks. The battle theme alone should convince anyone that it's a stark departure from the rest of the series, yet a welcome addition to the franchiseвЂ™s pantheon of battle themes. Say what you want about Final Fantasy XIII, but no one can deny that its soundtrack is amazing. Overall, the soundtrack of Final Fantasy V is underrated, just like the game it's backing. ThereвЂ™s a heavier emphasis on bass in this soundtrack, which can be heard in the main battle theme, as well as the iconic Battle on the Big Bridge. As such, Uematsu managed to fit in more upbeat tracks on top of his usual, fantasy epics. Final Fantasy VД¬oming right after FFIV, Final Fantasy V has a jauntier and livelier soundtrack, befitting the more adventurous heroes in this entry. Uematsu was still getting acquainted with SNESвЂ™s sound capabilities and did great despite its limitations. Since it was the first entry of the franchise on the SNES, it is a little rougher around the edges in its composition, but charming nonetheless. If anything, Final Fantasy IVвЂ™s soundtrack provided a sort of blueprint for the rest of the franchise as it contained an appropriate amount of character themes, villain themes, and iconic battle tracks that kept the player engaged to the story and action.

Overall, it's solid though it pales in comparison to ShimomuraвЂ™s work on the Kingdom Hearts franchise. And the music certainly cranks up in epicness when it comes to the more poignant points of the story. The tracks work well since most of the journey in FFXI is a massive road trip. The latest entry in the franchise, Final Fantasy XVвЂ™s ethos of being a вЂfantasy based on realityвЂ™ extends to its soundtrack as well, with Yoko Shimomura providing a ton of bossa nova and blues rock-inspired tracks into the mix.

So without further ado, letвЂ™s rank the top 10 best soundtracks in the mainline Final Fantasy franchise.

Final fantasy soundtracks