10 Games That STOLE From Final Fantasy
10 Games That Stole From Final Fantasy
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we are looking at JRPGTs .. Japanese Role Playing Game Thieves .. Or more like Japanese Role Playing Game Copiers Because They Saw a Formula That Worked And It Made Financial Sense To Emulate Them. JRPGCBTSAFTWAIMFSTET. These are 10 Games That Stole From Final Fantasy. Let’s go!
“Shadow Madness” (1999)
This was one of those games that looked like the coolest thing to ever be created waaaay back in 1999. Unfortunately, the actual experience felt like somebody looked at "Final Fantasy VII" from across the street and tried to recreate it entirely from memory. The party spends most of the adventure arguing nonstop, throwing insults around, and generally acting like coworkers trapped on the world’s worst road trip. On top of that, the difficulty is so easy that half the battles practically play themselves. There are ideas here that could have worked with better execution, but the overall game just never comes together. Honestly, even with the recent Switch port, I would only recommend it to the truly curious.
“Lord of The Rings: The Third Age” (2004)
Developed by the team that would later create "Dead Space", "The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age" basically looked at "Final Fantasy X" and said, “Can I copy your homework?” The similarities are honestly impossible to miss. The turn-based combat, menus, progression, and overall structure feel so close to "Final Fantasy X" that longtime RPG fans spotted it immediately back in the day. The funny part is that the game arrived in 2004, years after Squaresoft had already dominated the genre with its own masterpiece. Even so, there is still some charm to seeing a "Lord of the Rings" adventure handled like a classic JRPG. Sure, it borrows ideas with the subtlety of a Balrog kicking down your front door, but the battle system is still surprisingly fun to mess around with.
“ The Granstream Saga” (1997)
Made by the same studio behind classics like "Soul Blazer", "Illusion of Gaia", and "Terranigma", "The Granstream Saga" basically feels like the weird forgotten cousin nobody talks about enough. The game keeps Quintet’s signature depressing energy alive too, throwing players into a dying world where entire continents are literally sinking into the ocean. Naturally, things only get more emotionally brutal from there. What starts as a normal save-the-world quest slowly turns into a story packed with difficult choices and one absolutely miserable ending decision that still sticks with players years later. Gameplay is also surprisingly unique, ditching turn-based combat for sword fights that feel closer to a one-on-one action game. Then there is the art style, where characters famously have no faces because the developers sacrificed eyeballs for frame rate performance. Somehow though, the gorgeous anime cutscenes still make the whole thing weirdly memorable.
“ Guardian's Crusade” (1998)
"Guardian’s Crusade" looks like a cheerful little children’s RPG at first glance, but underneath the colourful storybook style is a surprisingly emotional adventure that quietly sneaks up on you. You play as a young knight creatively named Knight, who teams up with a strange pink creature called Baby on a journey to reunite him with his mother, and it’s just as cute as it sounds. What makes the game memorable is how attached you gradually become to Baby over time. He is not just some extra party member either, because his behaviour actually changes depending on how you treat him. Early on he is basically the gaming equivalent of a lazy coworker, constantly sleeping or hiding during battles, but with encouragement he slowly grows stronger and more dependable. Between the emotional story and the bizarre toy-based combat system, the whole experience ends up feeling weirdly heartfelt and unique. It was one of my favourite games as a kid, and a big part of that was because it felt like a Final Fantasy game .. WHICH I LOVE!
“ Thousand Arms” (1998)
Published by Atlus, this game basically asks the important question: “What if a JRPG protagonist spent less time saving the world and more time accidentally building a dating résumé?” You play as Meis Triumph, a lazy spirit blacksmith whose greatest skill initially seems to be disappointing absolutely everyone around him. The clever part is how the romance systems actually tie into gameplay. Instead of finding stronger weapons in treasure chests, you forge them yourself, and their power depends on how close you are with the women in your party. That means going on dates, picking dialogue carefully, buying gifts, and surviving awkward mini-games in order to improve your gear. It is shamelessly anime, ridiculously over-the-top, and packed with enough voice acting and cutscenes to make it feel like somebody turned a late-night harem series into a playable RPG.
“ Lufia and the Fortress of Doom” (1993)
While most people immediately talk about "Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals", the original "Lufia & the Fortress of Doom" deserves way more credit for how ambitious it was back in 1993. The game opens by tricking players into thinking they are already at the grand finale, handing you an overpowered team of legendary heroes and letting you storm the final dungeon like absolute gods. Then everybody dies, the fortress collapses, and the story suddenly jumps decades into the future. It is an incredibly cool setup for a Super Nintendo RPG. Gameplay-wise, things are pretty traditional with random battles and classic town-to-dungeon adventuring, but the real focus is the emotional story. It feels disrespectful to claim they stole elements from FF, but the similarities are impossible to ignore.
“Paladin's Quest” (1992)
This might honestly be the weirdest "Final Fantasy" clone ever made, because it feels less like a normal fantasy RPG and more like somebody described “Final Fantasy” to an alien over a broken radio signal. You play as Chen Zie, a student at a magic school who accidentally unleashes ancient evil after messing with a mysterious machine called Dal Gren. Standard JRPG mistake, really. What makes the game unforgettable though is the setting itself. Instead of castles and ordinary fantasy towns, the world looks like a psychedelic science-fiction painting where somebody replaced normal colours with whatever crayons were left in the box. Just look at the box art, this could EASILY be a “Final Fantasy” spin-off world.
“ The Legend of Dragoon” (1999)
Back in the PlayStation days, "The Legend of Dragoon" was hyped up as Sony’s answer to "Final Fantasy", and honestly, the game carried itself like it knew it had something to prove. This was the famous four-disc RPG monster that immediately opened with the hero Dart watching his village get obliterated, because apparently every JRPG protagonist legally needed trauma before leaving home. Where the game really separates itself though is with characters like Rose, who brings a surprisingly dark edge to the story thanks to her guilt, immortality, and horrifying past. Combat also stands out. But, it’s undeniable how similiar to “Final Fantasy VIII” it looks, and plays. Press button to make attack stronger? Where have I seen that? Gunblade?
“ Legend of Legaia” (1999)
While a lot of JRPGs in the late ‘90s were busy throwing players into giant fantasy kingdoms filled with crystals and destiny speeches, "Legend of Legaia" went in a much darker and stranger direction. The world feels cramped, miserable, and constantly on the edge of collapse thanks to a deadly mist that transforms helpful creatures called Seru into horrifying monsters. The creepy part is that humans once relied on these creatures in everyday life, giving the whole game this unsettling body-horror vibe where the tools people depended on suddenly fused to them and drove them insane. Combat also stands out because it mixes turn-based battles with fighting-game style inputs, letting you chain attacks together like a martial arts combo video. Honestly, the game feels less like a "Final Fantasy" clone and more like its moody, sleep-deprived opposite.
"Bravely Default" (2012)
Calling "Bravely Default" a "Final Fantasy" clone almost feels unfair, because the game is basically wearing the series like a Halloween costume while also quietly understanding why people loved old-school JRPGs in the first place. From the crystal-focused storyline to the classic job system and turn-based combat, the inspiration is about as subtle as a Chocobo crashing through your living room wall. In fact, the game originally started life connected to "Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light", and you can absolutely feel that DNA all over it. What helps "Bravely Default" stand out though is the Brave and Default system, which lets players store turns or unleash multiple actions at once, turning battles into chaotic strategy sessions. It feels like a modern love letter to classic "Final Fantasy", right down to the charming world and slightly ridiculous amount of crystals.
