Maintaining a tidy desk area doesn't have to be labor intensive or expensive. Compressed air canisters used to be the standard but nowadays there is a more versatile and cost effective solution. The Konpayde cordless electric air duster is on sale for a very reasonable $19.99 after you apply $20 off coupon code "BMIOXMIP". Most electric air dusters under $50 on Amazon are pretty much identical (most are rebadged X3 or X3 Mini air dusters), so if you're looking for an air duster in that general price range, I'd recommend just getting whichever one is least expensive. There are other more powerful options out there, but they are not as affordable.

Konpayde Cordless Electric Air Duster for PC for $19.99

Here is a roundup of some interesting deals I found today. There are games, toys, electronics, you name it. If you've only got $20 to spend, don't worry it's enough. If you've got plenty of cash lying around and you want someone to tell you what to spend it on, well I've got something here for you too.

LADPED LP80 Electric Scooter for $133.79

Portable projectors often feel like a losing game: some end up compromising picture quality for a travel-friendly design, some are too bulky to carry, and some just don’t last long enough for a cord-free movie night. Xgimi is one of the very few brands that has come close to balancing the portability-performance equation, and with its new Mogo 4 series, it’s bringing that formula to an even more compact form factor.

The latest Mogo 4 and Mogo 4 Laser projectors improve upon their predecessors with a range of much-needed upgrades, while still being no bigger than a chunky water bottle. Most notably, there’s now an integrated battery that can last a two-and-a-half-hour movie, a refreshed built-in stand that rotates 360 degrees, and a full-size HDMI port. At a starting price of $499, they’re $50 more expensive, too, with the Laser variant going all the way up to $799. I’ve been testing the Mogo 4 Laser for weeks, and it offers an all-around portable projector experience.

Xgimi Mogo 4 Laser – Design and Build

The Mogo 4 Laser comes encased in the same familiar, cylindrical housing you’ll find on several of its peers. Though it’s made out of plastic, Xgimi has added a faux metallic finish that makes it appear more premium than it is and complements the speaker grills well, while keeping the body fairly light. That said, because of the battery, the Mogo 4 Laser is a tad heavier than before, and I could feel that heft on my shoulders when it was in my tote bag.

What’s nicer is a handful of thoughtful elements Xgimi has come up with to make the most of the portable design. The Mogo 4 Laser, for starters, sits on a 360-degree stand that allows me to comfortably project on the ceiling.

The side rail itself feels sturdy and, more importantly, can be pushed down to close the gap between the projector and the stand’s base. In this mode, it’s not only easier to carry the Mogo 4, but it also enables it to double as a Bluetooth speaker. The base has a translucent exterior and illuminates to provide ambient lighting, which can even be configured to respond to music. I also appreciated that the hinge has a lanyard you can attach the bundled, infrared mini remote to -- perfect for someone like me who nearly always forgets to pack the full-size one.

Speaking of which, the Mogo 4 Laser has two remotes: a tiny infrared clicker with only a D-Pad and volume controls, and another Bluetooth one with the usual collection of projector options, including buttons for entertainment apps, custom shortcuts, auto-focus, Google Assistant, and more. One feature I particularly liked about the standard remote is that some of its keys are backlit, a perk absent even on far more expensive projectors.

Other than that, the Mogo 4 Laser has a clean look, which helps it disappear into the rest of my room’s decor. There are three ports on its sides: an HDMI, a USB-A, and a USB-C.

Xgimi Mogo 4 Laser – Software and Performance

The Xgimi Mogo 4 Laser runs on Google TV and, unlike many mid-range projectors, supports a licensed version of Netflix. This means you can play all the mainstream entertainment apps at their best, including streaming HDR-compatible content. All the usual Google TV features are available, as well, such as global voice search and a personalized home screen. You won’t find much Xgimi bloatware either, apart from a couple of apps and settings like the ones for the ambient lighting.

The 2GB of RAM may seem inadequate, but in my testing, the software ran smoothly, and I didn’t have any major hiccups with the performance. It didn’t take long to set it up either, as I could log in and connect to the Wi-Fi from my Android phone.

Like most Xgimi projectors, the Mogo 4 Laser offers an exhaustive suite of keystone options. It can, of course, automatically adjust to whatever you are projecting at and avoid objects, but what sets it apart is that it lets you digitally manipulate the projection without adjusting the projector itself. You can apply digital zoom and move the projection to adapt to, for example, an awkward wall, like the uneven one I have in my bedroom. I also found the eye protection option handy, which automatically pauses the projection when someone interrupts it instead of blinding them.

Xgimi Mogo 4 Laser – Picture quality, speakers, and battery life

Much of the $200 difference between the Mogo 4 Laser and the standard Mogo 4 goes towards an upgraded projection tech. The Mogo 4 Laser, as the name suggests, is equipped with a triple-laser light source, and it makes a world of difference in the picture quality it delivers.

Compared to last year’s model and the Mogo 4, the Laser variant’s projection is about 25% brighter (550 ISO Lumens) and produces a much better contrast and color. This bump up is especially apparent when the room isn’t pitch black. I could easily watch content on the Mogo 4 Laser with a small light on.

The Mogo 4 Laser can project an image of up to 200 inches at Full HD resolution. However, I noticed that the sharpness begins to drop over 120 inches. In more favorable scenarios, however, the Mogo 4 Laser produces a crisp projection with an impressive color depth and dynamic range without overdoing the saturation. Even while watching darker scenes, like the ones in The Dark Knight, the Mogo 4 Laser did well to punch out the details in the lighter shades and achieve deep blacks in the rest.

I did notice that often, while pushing the brightness to the maximum in the performance mode, the picture loses some of its color accuracy and adds a grey tint. So most of the time, I stuck to the standard mode.

In the eco mode, where the projector tries to conserve power and keeps brightness as low as it can, the Mogo 4 Laser can go on for about two hours on a single charge. This worked in the majority of dark environments, but at times, I did find myself manually increasing the brightness, which brought the endurance down to 90 minutes. So for streaming longer binge-watching sprees on the go, you will need to plug in a powerbank.

The one area where I felt Xgimi has compromised to accomplish this form factor is the sound. The Mogo 4 Laser’s pair of Harman Kardon speakers has ample depth and detail for their size, but they don’t get loud enough to fill a room. Particularly outdoors, where the sound will scatter, you will feel the need for an external speaker, especially if there are more than a couple of listeners.

Xgimi Mogo 4 Laser – Gaming experience

As someone who’s used to gaming on higher-end projectors, the Mogo 4 Laser positively surprised me. Its dedicated Game Mode fine-tunes the 60Hz/1080p image for gaming, like raising the contrast to enhance visibility. I had no trouble making out the darker elements in The Last of Us and Zelda single-player campaigns, while still feeling immersed in their cinematic worlds. On most nights, I ended up projecting these on my ceiling and exploring while lying on my bed.

The Game Mode also significantly brings down the latency to under 20ms, as long as you keep auto keystone correction off. The fact that there’s now a standard HDMI meant I didn’t have to fuss with a dongle, either.

Xgimi Mogo 4 Laser – Accessories

The highlight of my Mogo 4 Laser experience is its set of optional accessories.

Setting up a white screen with a blanket in my backyard or fiddling with a powerbank is often what deters me from taking my projector outside of the living room. Xgimi’s convenient accessories eliminate these pain points and make the experience truly portable and seamless. I didn’t have to think twice before tossing them in my 20L backpack.

The $129 PowerBase Stand, for example, breaks down into two lightweight pieces and lets me quickly mount the Mogo 4 Laser with a release button mechanism, as opposed to screwing it in. Plus, the fold-out tripod base prevents it from tripping on any terrain. Its standout ability, however, is that it also doubles as a 20000mAh powerbank, and allows you to extend the Mogo 4 Laser’s playback time by about five hours.

Similarly, Xgimi’s $99 70-inch portable outdoor screen was shockingly easy to set up. When folded, it measures just 45cm in length and fits inside any small backpack. Each of its poles breaks down into multiple parts, but you don’t have to know which one goes where. They are all connected with an elastic cord. All you have to do is expand them and then tightly secure them in place.

The Mogo 4 projectors also support what Xgimi calls “creative filters.” These come complimentary with the Laser variant and magnetically snap to its lens to create a variety of light shows, like lunar phases and accent lighting. Though they are a hit at parties, I didn’t use them often, as they became repetitive after a while. Hopefully, Xgimi will continue to add more filters via software updates.

Every so often the bargain gods smile upon us, and today's crop of bangers feels extra generous. I'm not talking filler discounts either, these are games that have eaten months of my life and still tempt me back for more. Consider this my excuse for a cheeky top-up on an already overloaded backlog.

Contents

• Retro
• Nintendo
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• PC
• LEGO

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I'm making this Flame Djinn ignite a 22-candle cake for Golden Sun: The Lost Age. TLA wasn't just more of the same, it was a sprawling continuation that dared to demand we carry our precious save files over from the first game. On the Game Boy Advance, that felt pretty monumental, like a JRPG bridging two cartridges into one epic saga.

I remember launch week vividly, juggling link cables with friends to swap across our 28 Djinn and then debate which party build was best. This marvellous sequel took the series deeper into elemental puzzle-solving and layered combat, a kind of handheld alchemy that made the GBA feel like a powerhouse. Well worth a Switch buy.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Exhumed (SAT) 1996. Redux

- Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (PC) 2003. Get

- Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA) 2003. eBay

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

• Super Mario 3D World (-20%) – A$64 – Four-player chaos meets giant angry cat dad.
• Super Mario Odyssey (-20%) – A$64 – Mario hat-naps his way around the globe.
• Disney Illusion Island (-50%) – A$29.95 – Mickey and mates save the day, again, in a Saturday morning cartoon come to life.
• Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (-50%) – A$39.95 – Dynasty Warriors, but everyone’s got anime hair and tragic backstories.
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons (-27%) – A$58 – Move to an island, pay off debt to a raccoon, and call it “relaxing.”

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

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Exciting Bargains for Xbox

• EA Sports FC 26 (-28%) – A$79 – Same beautiful game, shinier boots, new number slapped on.
• Ghostrunner 2 (-64%) – A$20 – Cyber ninja slices neon baddies faster than your broadband.
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (-56%) – A$43.76 – Pillage monasteries, drink mead, make Thor jealous.
• Sonic Origins Plus (-52%) – A$28.71 – Blue blur does loops so fast your eyeballs spin.
• System Shock (-29%) – A$39 – Classic “evil AI ruins everything” simulator, remade to still haunt your sleep.

Xbox One

• Assassin’s Creed Origins (-66%) – A$34.06 – Bayek stabs crocodiles in the neck, historically accurate or not.
• Kingdom Hearts III (-79%) – A$20.61 – Keyblades, Donald Duck, existential anime yelling.
• Alien: Isolation (-25%) – A$45.13 – Hide in a locker, cry quietly, hope the Xeno gets bored.

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

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Pure Scores for PlayStation

• Hitman WoA (-46%) – A$57 – Murder’s never looked this fashionable, especially at a price like this.
• The Witcher 3 Complete (-30%) – A$49 – Toss a coin, but less of them than usual.
• Star Wars Outlaws (-74%) – A$29 – Han Solo vibes without Harrison Ford’s fees.
• Octopath Traveler II (-36%) – A$54.48 – Eight heroes, one massive JRPG excuse to avoid sunlight.
• Far Cry 5 (-66%) – A$34.16 – Cultists, chaos, and exploding trucks. The Montana tourism board was thrilled.

PS4

• Lost Judgment (-65%) – A$35.11 – Punch thugs by day, solve murders by night.
• Cris Tales (-66%) – A$23.76 – JRPG where you save the world yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
• Valkyria Chronicles 4 (-40%) – A$28.98 – Anime tactics with tanks and far too much crying.

PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from Sep 2 with this subscription

• Psychonauts 2 (PS4)
• Stardew Valley (PS4)
• Viewfinder (PS5/PS4)

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

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Purchase Cheap for PC

• Borderlands 4 (-15%) – A$93.46 – Gun bazillion simulator returns, now with even more loot jokes.
• Don’t Starve Mega Pack (-52%) – A$26.16 – Die horribly in the wilderness, this time with friends.
• Commandos 2 – HD Remaster (-64%) – A$10.71 – Tiny soldiers sneak around, shout “sir yes sir,” still get shot.
• Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (-25%) – A$41.20 – Lowest price ever for old-school fisticuffs. Quarter-circle forward never goes out of style.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Headset (-27%) – A$218.26 – Hear footsteps before your enemies rage-quit Discord.

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

Legit LEGO Deals

• Spidey and Gobby’s Raptor Battle (-51%) – A$44
• The Bat-Pod Bike (-42%) – A$69
• Mario Kart – Shy Guy (-37%) – A$19
• 2 Fast 2 Furious Skyline (-36%) – A$159

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The brand new Apple AirPods Pro 3 might be one of the best noise canceling earbuds, but $250 is still a steep price to pay, at least for myself. Instead of waiting to contribute to Apple's coffers, I instead opted to pick up a pair of Baseus Bass BP1 Pro earbuds during the Amazon Prime Day Sale back in July. I paid a little more than what it's priced at today (all three colors are $19.59 for Prime members with coupon code "X6F6U5M6"), but I still came away thoroughly impressed. They're not $250 good, but they sound a lot better than what you'd expect from an expendable pair of $20 earbuds.

Baseus BP1 Pro Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds for $19.59

The release of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is still about a month away, and while there’s a lot to get excited about, like the new chipset and the funky controller grips, I’ve been more fascinated by the software since the system was announced back in June. The idea of a trimmed down version of Windows that works better on handheld gaming PCs is something I’ve wanted for years now, and the Xbox Ally X is going to be the first device that’ll have something like that. Kind of.

Microsoft has said that this new ‘Full Screen Experience’ for the Xbox app will be rolling out to other Windows devices in early 2026. But what if you could get it now? Well, I’m happy to tell you that you can get the full screen experience running on pretty much any Windows machine right now, though it comes with a load of caveats.

Sneak Peek Via Windows Insider

As explained by Reddit user Gogsi123, you can potentially enable this feature early by joining the Windows Insider program and downloading the Windows 11 25H2 update on the Dev channel, then going into settings, Gaming, then enabling the full screen experience. I say potentially, because there’s a good chance this option simply won’t show up for you – it didn’t for me.

There is still a way to enable this mode if Windows 11 25H2 doesn’t allow you to by default, but I don’t recommend it unless you’re comfy with the idea of bricking your Windows installation. It involves downloading a library called ViVeTool from GitHub, running a couple of command line prompts and then diving into regedit. If that’s something you want to do, then I strongly suggest you follow Gogsi123’s guide.

After all of that, if you did everything right, the option to enable the full screen experience in the gaming settings will appear. Simply toggle it to the Xbox app and reboot the system and you’ll be good to go. However, because this is an experimental build of Windows, there’s a good chance that something is going to break. For instance, I ran it on the Asus ROG Ally X, and my controllers just stopped working. These things happen on early builds of Windows.

I’m more interested in gaming performance anyway. After all, since the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS launched, it’s become more apparent that Windows 11 is so bloated at this point that it can hamper gaming performance. And the FSE definitely helps there.

Turbo Boosted

Because the FSE doesn’t need to load in the Windows desktop or other optional features, it frees up a lot of system resources for gaming, at least in theory. Since enabling it earlier this morning, I ran it through most of my standard benchmarking suite for handheld reviews just to see how much of an impact it would have.

Unsurprisingly, this new version of Windows had the biggest impact in 3DMark, where I was able to get 3540 points in Time Spy, compared to 3346 points on an older build of Windows. Fire Strike gave an even bigger performance differential, with the new build getting 8306 points compared to 7187 – a 16% uplift. In Night Raid, the Ally X got 30427 points, compared to 25278 – a 20% boost. That’s promising, but when testing actual games, I saw smaller improvements.

In Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p with High settings, I went up from 35fps to 39fps, which is about an 11% performance boost. However, counterintuitively, the system got 22fps in both Monster Hunter Wilds and in Total War: Warhammer 3, compared to the 23fps it got before in both games. That’s within the margin of error, but it was technically slower, if even just by a bit. Monster Hunter was also very jittery, but it’s not really a game you should be playing on a handheld gaming PC anyway.

Your Mileage May Vary

It’s a little too early to say whether or not the new full screen experience for Xbox on Windows is good, especially because it’s so rough around the edges. But the performance uplift alone makes it fascinating. There are several handheld gaming PCs launching in the next couple months, all using the same hardware. But while something like the Legion Go 2 is going to be launching on a regular Windows 11 install, the ROG Xbox Ally X will feature this full screen experience front and center, meaning it might have a bit of a performance headstart out of the box – at least for a couple months.

You can technically get this running on your handheld now, and it’s even worth it if you’re willing to deal with the headache of heavily tweaking your device to get it running right. Just be warned that there’s a decent chance you’ll break something, so proceed at your own risk. Even if you don’t want to deal with that headache, though, the fact that it’s even in a preview build at all means we won’t have to wait long to download a fully functional version of it on any device. I know I’m looking forward to getting it running on my living room PC later today.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

If you're looking for an affordable high-capacity power bank that will fast charge your most power hungry gaming handhelds, then this deal might be the one you've been waiting for. Amazon is offering the compact Iniu 20,000mAh 65W Power Bank for just $27.49 after an extra 45% off coupon that's automatically applied during checkout. As far as I can tell, only the red color is discounted. Iniu power banks are well reviewed and are less expensive than Anker models.

Iniu 20,000mAh 65W USB Power Bank for $27.49

Spoilers follow for Alien: Earth through Episode 7.

Travis? Taylor? Pfft. America has a new sweetheart, and her name is… Well, she has a couple of names, from Trypanorhyncha Ocellus, to T. Ocellus, to Species 64, to simply The Eye. Whatever you call her, though, Alien: Earth’s horrible octopus eyeball monster has captured the love of viewers everywhere thanks to a mix of fascination and revulsion. And even beyond what we all see on screen, fans are taking inspiration from The Eye to make everything from fan art to LEGO builds to even elaborate cakes.

In a show that already includes one of the most iconic monsters of all time, the Xenomorph, what is it about The Eye that has created such a subcultural captivation with the “character?” We’ve already gone in depth about this before, but in order to get into the topic even further, IGN reached out to a few of the many craftspeople who are diligently paying tribute to next year’s assured Lead Actress winner at the Emmys to find out why we’ve all gone eye-crazy. And particularly in light of the events of this week’s episode, which finds Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) becoming utterly engrossed (and us grossed out) with the currently-possessing-a-sheep Eye, it’s likely that we’ll see a severe uptick (no shade to fellow Alien: Earth creatures The Ticks) in #EyeBoy fanfic on AO3. Meaning Eye Fever is just getting started.

If you want a single platform to play games at home and on the go, the Nintendo Switch has got your back. Even better if you're a fan of Sonic: Ever since the Switch arrived in 2017, Sega has worked like clockwork to consistently release Sonic games for the hybrid console. Last year we got Sonic x Shadow Generations alongside the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie, so it's safe to say Sega's speedster is bigger than ever.

Now that the Switch 2 has officially launched, it's pretty much guaranteed more Sonic games are on the way. The next big release, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, is launching on the original system, but as we move toward Switch 2-exclusives, some good ol' backward compatibility means your existing Sonic games aren't going anywhere.

For anyone looking to check out the modern era of Sonic (and friends), here are all the Sonic the Hedgehog games you can play right now as well as upcoming Sonic games on the Switch 2.

How Many Sonic Games Are There on Nintendo Switch?

A total of nine Sonic games have been released for Nintendo Switch. This spans the first year of the system back in 2017 to the most recent game, Sonic x Shadows Generations, released in October 2024. Keep in mind that this list below does not include the additional games available with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Sonic Mania was developed by PagodaWest Games and Sonic fangame community member Christian Whitehead as a love letter to the classic Sonic the Hedgehog titles released on the Sega Genesis and Sega CD platforms. Taking place after the events of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, the game remixes eight iconic levels, including Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone, and introduces five new ones, including the glamorous Studiopolis Zone and the peaceful Press Garden Zone. This game also introduces a new troupe of Eggbots called the Hard-Boiled Heavies for Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to beat.

Mania is considered one of the best Sonic games of the 2010s because of the experiment in allowing a group of Sonic fans to create a game other Sonic fans would love, the vivid neon graphics, and the new challenges present in every stage.

Sonic Forces (2017)

Sonic Forces makes Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic form a resistance against Dr. Eggman after he conquered most of the world alongside Infinite, a masked jackal who uses the Phantom Ruby to create doppelgangers and warp reality. The game switches gameplay modes between third-person Boost gameplay with Modern Sonic, side-scrolling gameplay with Classic Sonic, and a mode with the custom avatar character, which can be any animal you want, whose weapons use Wisp power-ups. Forces’ writing and lighting aren’t exactly the best in the series, but the game is still tolerable for some people.

Team Sonic Racing (2019)

Team Sonic Racing takes racing games to a whole new level by having players race with each other, not against each other. This game has a cooperative gameplay mechanic similar to Splatoon and Overwatch, using Sonic Heroes as a frame of reference, where you play in teams of three characters and work together to win each race, paying very close attention to your teammates’ performance and sharing Wisp power-ups with them to allow them to speed up and pull your ranks. Since most of the karts are sports cars, you can customize them with gold rims and paint your car any color you want West Coast Customs style.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019)

Released a year before the real-life Tokyo Olympic Games was scheduled to begin (only to be postponed to 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic), Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 brings the platform rivalry between the jolly red plumber, the speedy blue hedgehog, and their respective friends back to the world stage with new events, like surfing, skateboarding, karate, and sport climbing, and bonus features. The game includes a story mode that takes Mario and Sonic back to the Tokyo 1964 Olympics and their early 2D sprite selves, while everyone else works to help bring them back to the real world in the present day. You get the best of both eras and some history lessons about the Olympic Games in Tokyo to go with it.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate (2021)

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a remastered version of the original Sonic Colors developed by Blind Squirrel Games for Sonic’s 30th anniversary in 2021. The remaster enhanced the graphics to brighten up the colors of Eggman’s interplanetary amusement park and the character models, introduced a new Jade Ghost Wisp to help Sonic phase through walls and ceilings, replaced the traditional lives with rescues from Tails, and introduced mini races against Metal Sonic. You can also collect Park Tokens to customize Sonic with the wackiest designs for his shoes and gloves.

Sonic Origins (2022)

Sonic Origins compiles the first four classic Sonic games released on the Sega Genesis and Sega CD and remasters them for modern consoles and the audience that plays on them, whether they’re veteran fans seeking a nostalgia fix or young fans who want to understand Sonic’s history. Players can experience the game in Classic Mode, which is the original format presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio, or Anniversary Mode, which replaces lives with coins and allows Sonic to use Drop Dash as he did in Sonic Mania. Each game in the compilation features new animated cutscenes at the beginning and end done by the incomparable Tyson Heese to connect all four games into a cohesive story, provided you play them in the original release order.

Sonic Frontiers (2022)

Sonic Frontiers is the first open-world game in the Sonic franchise – or should we say, “open-zone”? – born out of a trend of open-world games being styled after The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Sonic explores the vast Starfall Islands to fight cybernetic enemies, solve various puzzles, and run through Cyber Space levels modeled after the levels from past Sonic titles in an effort to save his friends from the digitized dimension. Both veteran and new Sonic fans alike will enjoy running around the mysterious island set to a soundtrack that strikes a delicate balance between serenity and chaos.

Sonic Superstars (2023)

Sonic Superstars is a collaborative effort between Sega and Arzest to bring 3D graphics to a Classic Sonic game, a move that surprised everyone at the 2023 Summer Game Fest (including this author). With Classic Sonic being a CGI character on his own for the first time and classic levels getting revamped with new music and upgraded level designs, the game allows up to four people to locally play together as Sonic and his friends throughout 11 levels across the Northstar Islands and grants new powers for every Chaos Emerald they collect to overcome obstacles.

Sonic X Shadow Generations (2024)

Team Sonic's latest is Sonic X Shadow Generations, a remastered version of 2011's Sonic Generation that goes beyond graphical upgrades and quality-of-life improvements by including an all-new campaign comprised of reminagined Shadow stages from past Sonic games. The two campaigns combine for 15-20 hours of content across over 150 stages, leading us to say in our Shadow x Generations review that it "soars far and above previous enhanced versions we've gotten in the Sonic franchise."

More Sonic Games Available with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack

If you're looking to play some classic Sonic games with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, there are a few available under the SEGA catalog. You can find more info about them below:

• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Sonic Spinball

Upcoming Sonic Games on the Switch

2024 was a big year for Sonic fans between the release of a new game (Sonic X Shadow Generations) and movie (Sonic the Hedgehog 3). An upcoming Sonic game, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, was announced at the 2024 Game Awards and is set to release on the Switch (as well as PC, PS5, and Xbox) on September 25.

The game follows up on 2019's Team Sonic Racing, featuring the full set of Sonic characters as well as new crossover racers like Joker, Hatsune Miku, and Steve from Minecraft. Jada Griffin's review of Cross Worlds for IGN says the game "fires on all cylinders with a fantastic roster, excellent courses, and lengthy list of customization options."

Outside of games, Paramount has confirmed it will make Sonic the Hedgehog 4. The movie is targeting a Spring 2027 release window.

Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications, including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions, and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.

It's never too late to become a Star Wars fan. If you're just getting started with the franchise and are trying to catch up with everything canon in Star Wars, we've got you covered with a full chronological guide to the entire Star Wars timeline.

While three new live-action Star Wars movies are in development, the next new addition to the Disney-owned franchise is the TV series Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld, arriving on Star Wars Day. See our list of all the upcoming Star Wars TV shows and movies for more info.

Jump to:

• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch by release date

But what about all of the Star Wars content that you can binge right now, and how do you watch it in the order it was meant to be seen? Well, fear not! We have a list of all the current Star Wars movies and shows you can watch right now in chronological order and by release date. And it's never been easier, now that all of these titles are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

We will continue to update the list as more movies and shows are released.

Star Wars Movies and Shows in Chronological Order

1. The Acolyte (Series, 2024)

Chronologically, The Acolyte is the earliest part of the Star Wars timeline that you can watch. Set at the end of the High Republic era, long before the Skywalker Saga kicks off, this Disney+ series follows a young former Jedi named Osha (played by Amandla Stenberg) who works with her old Master, Sol (played by Lee Jung-jae) to investigate the murder of another Jedi. The series received generally mixed reviews, earning a 6/10 in our The Acolyte season 1 review.

2. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Movie, 1999)

Released in 1999 and starring Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, and Natalie Portman, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace explored what happened long before the original trilogy, making it the starting point for a chronological watch. It introduced us to a young Anakin Skywalker (played by Jake Lloyd) who would hopefully be the one to bring balance to the force. Though not an overall critical hit at the time (as it sits at 51% on Rotten Tomatoes), it’s since garnered a much more positive reception, as even Ewan McGregor noted during interviews for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

3. Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (Movie, 2002)

The second installment of the prequel trilogy, which came out only a few years after its predecessor in 2002, is the next stop in a chronological watch. Taking place ten years after Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, it centers on an older Anakin (played now by Hayden Christensen) and Obi-Wan (played once again by Ewan McGregor) as they discover new and terrifying threats in the galaxy, which in turn leads up to the Clone Wars.

4. Star Wars: Clone Wars (Animated Series, 2003-2005)

Clone Wars is a 2D animated series that ran on Cartoon Network from 2003-2005 and explored what happened during the titular wars, making it the perfect story to slot in between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Anakin and Obi-Wan returned as characters as well, but were voiced by different people (Mat Lucas and James Arnold Taylor, respectively). Even though this series came to an end in 2005, the Clone Wars stories continued with a movie and new series in 2008.

5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Movie, 2008)

Before the rise of the new Clone Wars series, there was a computer-animated film of the same name that released two months before the series did to kick it all off. It serves as a pilot episode to the show, taking place shortly after Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. It also saw James Arnold Taylor returning as the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, but had Matt Lanter replacing Mat Lucas as Anakin and featured Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano, who would all carry on into the new series, too.

6. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Animated Series, 2008-2020)

Two months later, Star Wars: The Clone Wars followed the 2008 computer-animated film and ran on Cartoon Network. It takes place in the three years between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, serving as a continuation of the aforementioned Clone Wars series from 2003, and featured several familiar faces and returning voice cast members (such as those listed in the film above). All of the events within the series eventually led to the prequel trilogy’s grand finale: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

7. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (Movie, 2005)

The third and final installment in the prequel trilogy was Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which released in 2005. Following all of the thrills from The Clone Wars, this film takes place three years after Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and sees a major shift in Anakin, eventually bringing the prequel trilogy of the Skywalker Saga to a close. And while Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope starts up a new chapter of that Saga, there are plenty of stories still to explore in the time between in this galaxy far, far away.

8. Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Animated Series, 2021-2024)

Star Wars: The Bad Batch serves as a sequel to The Clone Wars series and takes place in the aftermath of said wars. It follows a group of elite clone troopers, known as Clone Force 99, and the mercenary missions they take on post-Clone Wars. Its second season is currently running until March 29th, so it’s the perfect time to start catching up in your chronological watch.

9. Solo: A Star Wars Story (Movie, 2018)

In the time before the original trilogy of the Skywalker Saga, there’s a film that details the origin of one of its most important characters: Han Solo. Solo: A Star Wars Story is set 10 years before the events of Stars Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and starred Alden Ehrenreich as the titular smuggler, following him and Chewbacca on an adventurous heist. He’s not the only character we get a bit of backstory on before the original trilogy, though.

10. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Series, 2022)

Obi-Wan Kenobi is a mini series that was released in 2022 and follows the titular Jedi 10 years after the events of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, with Ewan McGregor returning to the role. Though originally planned as a limited series, the door is always open for another season if fans want, according to Lucasfilm. And, if you want a quick way to take in all six episodes of the series without any pacing issues, it's even been recut by a fan into a full-length movie!

11. Star Wars Rebels (Animated Series, 2014-2018)

Also taking place a little over 10 years after Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and five years before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Rebels is an animated series that follows the Rebellion’s small beginnings in a galaxy far, far away. It ran for four seasons with 75 total episodes, so you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied as you follow the stories about the rise of the Rebellion.

12. Star Wars: Andor (Series, 2022-2025)

Similar to Star Wars Rebels and also taking place five years before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars: Andor follows the formation of the Rebel Alliance, with Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna) leading the series. The first season features 12 exhilirating episodes and we finally got the second and final season earlier this year. The building of this Rebellion eventually leads to…

13. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Movie, 2016)

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set just before the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and follows a group of Rebels, Cassian included, as they plot to steal the plans for the Death Star. This film was the first of the standalone Star Wars spin-offs and featured a stellar cast alongside Luna, including Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, and many more.

14. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Movie, 1977)

And all of these events finally lead us into the trilogy that started it all, and the next chronological chapter of the Skywalker Saga. Released in 1977, Stars Wars Episode IV: A New Hope centered on Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) as he begins Jedi training under Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and sets out on a journey to rescue Rebel Alliance leader Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) with the help of smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). It’s an incredible classic that started this whole journey in the first place, and chronologically will set you up right in the middle of your Star Wars journey.

15. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (Movie, 1980)

Star Wars came back bigger and better with Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Set three years after its predecessor, this film follows our favorite Rebels as they continue to fight back against Imperial forces, and as Luke begins training with Yoda. It also sees Darth Vader reaching out to Luke in an attempt to lure him to the Dark Side. It’s dramatic, action-packed, and sure to keep you invested as you jump into the final film of the original trilogy.

16. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (Movie, 1983)

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi brings the original trilogy’s Skywalker Saga to a close. Set one year after the events of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, this story revolves around the Rebel fleet as they aim to take down the newly-rebuilt Death Star. It’s a climactic finale that also sees Luke confronting Darth Vader once more, tieing up remaining strings as the Rebels make their final assault. It’s a film that leaves the fate of the galaxy in new hands, and open for new stories.

17. Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Series, 2019-Present)

In the time between the fall of the Empire and the rise of the First Order, there are several stories to appear - and one of the most exciting comes from Star Wars: The Mandalorian. This space western is a series running on Disney+ that instantly won over fans with its exciting story of a bounty hunter named Din Djarin (played by Pedro Pascal) and his adventures with little Grogu.

Season 3 is set after the events in The Book of Boba Fett listed below - and the series shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Mando isn’t the only story of a bounty hunter that needs covering in a chronological watch of Star Wars, though.

18. The Book of Boba Fett (Series, 2021)

A familiar name to many Star Wars fans, Boba Fett (played by Temuera Morrison, who also appeared in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones as Jango Fett and re-recorded lines for Boba in the DVD re-release of the original trilogy) is another bounty hunter who roams the galaxy. Serving as a spin-off of Star Wars: The Mandalorian, and set around the same period of time, The Book of Boba Fett follows the titular character as he leaves the life of a bounty hunter behind to take over the territory formerly run by Jabba the Hut. It currently only has one season out with seven episodes that run almost an hour each.

19. Star Wars: Ahsoka (Series, 2023)

Ahsoka centers on the titular former Jedi Knight as she investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy. And for those who have been wondering where the show fits on the timeline, we have some potential answers. In an interview with SFX magazine (via GamesRadar) Sabine Wren's actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo stated that, "Ahsoka runs along the same timeline as The Mandalorian season 3, and the shows are all connected. There's just so many parallels." In our 7/10 review of the first two episodes, IGN said: "Dave Filoni’s new Disney+ series Ahsoka has plenty of action but still gets off to a slow start by getting viewers up to speed with the events of Star Wars Rebels."

It was recently announced that an Ahsoka season 2 is officially in development.

20. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (Series, 2024)

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew "is set concurrently with The Mandalorian and Ahsoka," according to Empire Magazine (via Screen Rant). The Goonies-inspird series follows a group of ordinary suburban kids from the planet At Attin who find themselves mixed up in a space-pirate adventure. Jude Law stars as Jod Na Nawood.

21. Star Wars: Resistance (Animated Series, 2018-2019)

Arisen from the ashes of the Empire comes a new threat to the galaxy: The First Order. This rise is first explored in Star Wars: Resistance, an animated series that premiered on Disney Channel and Disney XD. It follows a young pilot named Kazuda (or Kaz) Xiono who’s recruited by the Resistance (namely Poe Dameron - played by Oscar Isaac) to spy on the First Order. It takes place just before the events of the sequel trilogy, laying the groundwork for what’s to come in the next chapter of the Skywalker Saga.

22. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Movie, 2015)

The sequel trilogy kicked off with Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which introduced us to a brand new band of Rebels. At the center of these films was Rey (played by Daisy Ridley), who joins up with ex-Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), Resistance pilot Poe (played by Oscar Isaac), and our beloved smuggler Han Solo (played once again by Harrison Ford) as they work with the Resistance (led by Carrie Fisher’s General Leia Organa) to track down Luke Skywalker (once again played by Mark Hamill) and take down the First Order, with Kylo Ren (played by Adam Driver) as the film’s main antagonist. It’s a reunion of old and new that started the sequel trilogy off with a bang.

23. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (Movie, 2017)

The search for Luke Skywalker leads straight into Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Kicking off immediately after the end of The Force Awakens, this story follows Rey as she seeks to recruit Luke’s help. Given the First Order’s relentless pursuits, The Resistance could use it, but she’s not the only one out looking for ways to gain the upper hand. Finn gets help from a mechanic named Rose Tico (played by Kelly Marie Tran) and the two work together to help Resistance members escape the First Order. This film also serves as the farewell to Carrie Fisher, and was lovingly dedicated to her at the end.

24. Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (Movie, 2019)

The final installment of the sequel trilogy, and grand finale of the Skywalker Saga in general, sees our crew of Resistance fighters take their final stand against Kylo Ren and the First Order. However, the First Order isn’t working alone, as Emperor Palpatine makes his return to aid them. Unfortunately, this film wasn’t a massive success amongst critics. Our own reviewer called it “a film engineered to hit the viewer on multiple levels while struggling to settle 42 years’ worth of story elements,” but noted that it’s “if nothing else, a tribute to [the Skywalker Saga’s] legacy.”

25. Star Wars: Visions (Anime Series, 2021)

With the Skywalker Saga over and done with, it’s time to explore new stories in this galaxy far, far away, and that’s exactly what Star Wars: Visions does. This series is actually a collection of animated short films done by some of the best Japanese anime studios out there. For each episode, the creators were given complete freedom to tell a story of their choosing outside of the usual canon and with their own visual style. It currently has two volumes available to stream on Disney+ with Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 added this year.

Star Wars Movies and Shows by Release Date

• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Movie, 1977)
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (Movie, 1980)
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (Movie, 1983)
• Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Movie, 1999)
• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (Movie, 2002)
• Star Wars: Clone Wars (Animated Series, 2003-2005)
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (Movie, 2005)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Movie, 2008)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Animated Series, 2008-2020)
• Star Wars Rebels (Animated Series, 2014-2018)
• Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Movie, 2015)
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Movie, 2016)
• Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (Movie, 2017)
• Star Wars: Resistance (Animated Series, 2018-2019)
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (Movie, 2018)
• Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (Movie, 2019)
• Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Series, 2019-Present)
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Animated Series, 2021-Present)
• Star Wars: Visions (Anime Series, 2021)
• The Book of Boba Fett (Series, 2021)
• Obi-Wan Kenobi (Series, 2022)
• Star Wars: Andor (Series, 2022-2025)
• Young Jedi Adventures (Animated Series, Spring 2023)
• Star Wars: Ahsoka (Series, 2023)
• Star Wars: The Acolyte (Series, 2024)
• Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (Series, 2024)

Upcoming Star Wars Movies and Shows

A third season of Star Wars: Visions is set to hit Disney+ in October. The only other upcoming Star Wars projects with a release date or window is Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22, 2026).

The longer list of undated projects in development includes Taika Waitaik's Star Wars movie (seemingly on an indefinite hold), James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi movie, Dave Filoni's Mando-Verse New Republic movie, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's New Jedi Order movie with Daisy Ridley, Simon Kinberg's new Star Wars trilogy, Shawn Levy/Ryan Gosling's Star Wars movie, and Star Wars: Ahsoka Season 2.

You can check out our full list of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV series for more details.

David Griffin is the Senior Editor, Features and Content Partnerships for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.

For over 35 years, the Final Fantasy franchise has captivated fans with its anthology storytelling, keeping things fresh in its magical fantasy world by continuously introducing new characters and stories. The Final Fantasy games are mostly standalone, meaning you can jump into them in any order because they each have a fresh story. In general, Final Fantasy games tend to be set somewhere between the past and the future, staying connected with the same overarching, universal themes: a group of young heroes gathering to fight a great evil threatening their world while exploring their internal struggles and relationships with each other.

If you’re new and want to get into the Final Fantasy series, there are technically 16 numbered games, a few direct sequels, and a prequel to the first game. Each numbered game has its own stories, characters, and world to dive into, though a number of remakes and remasters can make things confusing at a glance. It sounds like a lot, but we’re here to help you make the journey a little smoother.

Jump to:

• How to play in chronological order
• How to play by release date

Which Final Fantasy Game Should You Play First?

Looking at the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole can be overwhelming as most of them have hundreds of hours of content to play through. If you want to ease yourself into the franchise, we recommend starting with Final Fantasy VII. This game left an indelible mark on the game industry for having the easiest gameplay and combat systems to get the hang of, especially with the Limit Break system, and giving us the most memorable characters, like Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Sephiroth. Its popularity inspired Square to create Kingdom Hearts in collaboration with Disney so that some of its characters could interact with Disney characters. If you want the OG experience, FFVII is available on Steam and has been re-released for most consoles, including Nintendo Switch.

Square Enix is in the process of remastering Final Fantasy VII in three separate parts: Final Fantasy VII Remake hit consoles back in 2020, while Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth just launched on PC following its console release in 2024. A third and final part to the remastered trilogy is currently in development. Gorgeous graphics, endless minigames, and awe-inspiring motion capture performances make these Game of the Year-nominated remakes our recommendation of where to start with Final Fantasy in 2025.

How to Play Final Fantasy Games in Chronological Order

If you want to do a deep dive into the Final Fantasy franchise and play all of them in chronological order, here’s the full list. That said, there is no direct continuity between the Final Fantasy games, so I'd recommend trying out the game with the story that seems most interesting to you.

1. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin takes place in the kingdom of Cornelia, a dark fantasy world version of the setting of the original Final Fantasy game. Jack Garland and his companions and fellow Warriors of Light, Ash, Jed, Neon and Sophia — each carrying a darkened crystal representing earth, wind, fire and water — set out to find Chaos and destroy him, restoring light to the world. Despite what the prophecy foretold about the heroes, each Warrior grows skeptical about their role.

You can change characters’ jobs on the fly, but with Jack as the player character you can only switch between two positions. No matter his job title, Jack has a decisive finishing move that crystallizes enemies and shatters them to restore a portion of his magic meter once the enemy's break gauge is depleted.

Read our review of Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.

2. Final Fantasy

Centuries after the events of Stranger of Paradise, Final Fantasy introduces four new young Warriors of Light, each of them carrying an orb representing the four elements that have been darkened by the four Elemental Fiends. At first, they’re tasked by the King of Cornelia to rescue Princess Sarah from the evil knight Garland, but their journey expands to defeating the fiends and restoring the orbs to their former glory, thus saving the world from eternal darkness.

Final Fantasy gets its name from series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s threat to leave the games industry and go back to university if it didn’t sell well, and Square Enix dealing with the notion of the game being its very last due to the threat of bankruptcy. Ultimately, the game sold over 1.3 million copies worldwide and grossed over $21 million, saving both the company and Sakaguchi’s career.

Read our review of Final Fantasy.

3. Final Fantasy II

In Final Fantasy II, Firion, Guy, Maria, and Leon become orphans after the Palamecian Empire destroys their hometown and kills their parents, rendering them orphans. They join the Wild Rose Rebellion and, under the guidance of Princess Hilda, who initially deemed them too young to join the army, journey to stop Emperor Mateus’ plans to take over the world with his hellspawn.

Unlike the first Final Fantasy, the sequel had no character creation or job system because Square wanted the game to be more story-driven rather than filled with heavy gameplay mechanics. This game is notable for introducing a couple of staples that would forever define the series: chocobos and the recurring inventor character Cid.

Read our review of Final Fantasy II.

4. Final Fantasy III

Another group of four orphaned teens — Arc, Refia, Luneth, and Ingus — are drawn to a crystal of light in the Altar Cave after an earthquake hits the village of Ur. The crystals grants the youth a portion of its power, their first set of jobs, and instructs them to restore balance to the world.

Final Fantasy III is the first numbered game in the series to feature the job-change system, allowing players to change how the characters would battle monsters throughout the game. Instead of staying in one job or class, they could explore other job options and see which one suits each character. The 2006 Nintendo DS remake retained the elements of the original game, but gave the characters more well-rounded personalities.

Read our review of Final Fantasy III.

5. Final Fantasy IV

Final Fantasy IV centers on Red Wings captain Cecil Harvey, who questions the King of Baron’s motives after he and his knights steal the Water Crystal in a raid on Mysidia. After the king strips him of his title as punishment for disloyalty, Cecil sets out on a quest with Kain Highwind and the allies they meet along the way to stop the sorcerer Golbez from seizing the other crystals in order to save the world.

This game introduced the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which allows characters to perform a move when their gauge is full. Whereas a party is limited to four people in the previous games, Final Fantasy IV allowed a party of five characters.

Read our review of Final Fantasy IV.

6. Final Fantasy V

Adventurer Bartz Klauser comes across a fallen meteor and finds four strangers, including King Tycoon’s daughter Lenna, and set off on an adventure to save the Crystals from falling apart, a phenomenon caused by Exdeath, an entity trying to free himself from imprisonment and gain the power of the Void. The group becomes Warriors of Light and focuses their attention on defeating Exdeath and stopping the Void’s energies from plunging their world into darkness.

Final Fantasy V expanded on the job system, giving players more than 21 jobs to choose from. To make the job system even more interesting, you can combine a skill you learn from a certain job with a different skill from another job in order to defeat challenging dungeons and bosses.

Read our review of Final Fantasy V.

7. Final Fantasy VI

Set in a steampunk-style world filled with technology resembling that of the Second Industrial Revolution, Final Fantasy VI centers on a rebel faction known as the Returners fighting the Gesthalian Empire, which gained the power to take over the world by experimenting on magical creatures known as Espers. The Returners, including amnesiac former imperial soldier Terra Branford, work to free the regions under Gesthalian control using the magic they seek out and put a stop to the empire’s reign.

Final Fantasy VI, which was released as Final Fantasy III in North America and heavily censored due to Nintendo of America’s policies at the time, has 14 playable characters to choose from throughout the story, making it the largest cast in the series’ history. It also deals with mature themes of immoral military dictatorship, use of chemical weapons in warfare, the pursuit of a magical arms race, personal redemption, and the renewal of hope and life. This is also the first Final Fantasy game to not be directed by Sakaguchi, who handed the reins over to Yoshinori Kitase.

Read our review of Final Fantasy VI.

8. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Set in Midgar seven years before the events of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII centers on fresh-faced SOLDIER Zack Fair, who is assigned to look for missing SOLDIER and defector Genesis Rhapsodos, who went off on a rampage for reasons unknown. During his search, he discovers Genesis’ origin, Project G (or the Jenova project) and how it’s connected to the two aforementioned high-ranking SOLDIERs, and eventually battles him and other products of the project, which involves injecting Jenova DNA into them.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII was notable for exploring the sensitive side of Sephiroth, the most successful SOLDIER beloved by everyone before he went insane after discovering the unnatural circumstances of his creation and quickly fell from grace, as well as some of Cloud Strife’s life as a SOLDIER before leaving Shinra Electric Power Company. It was originally a PSP-exclusive title, but managed to get remastered as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in honor of the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy VII.

Read our review of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.

9. Final Fantasy VII

In one of the most iconic games of the series, ex-SOLDIER turned mercenary Cloud Strife joins Avalance (led by Barett Wallace) in the fight to stop Shinra from lining the company’s pockets by mining all the mako from the planet to use as an energy source. Cloud initially fought for personal gain and to keep a promise he made to Tifa Lockhart when they were kids, but eventually developed friendships with other members of Avalanche, including Aerith Gainsborough, and works with them to save Midgar from both Shinra and Sephiroth, who was hellbent on destroying the planet in order to be reborn as a demigod.

Afters its original release in 1997, Final Fantasy VII grew so popular that most of its characters appeared in the Kingdom Hearts series and spawned the CGI sequel film, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. It also spawned the full-blown and critically reclaimed remaster, Final Fantasy VII Remake, which will be released in three parts. The first Final Fantasy VII Remake was released in 2020, while Final Fantasy VII Rebirth came out on Leap Day 2024. Little is known about when we can expect the third and final game in the trilogy.

Read our review our reviews of the original Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

10. Final Fantasy VIII

In this contentious follow-up to Final Fantasy VII, a group of young SeeD mercenaries led by Squall Leonhart (or Leon, as he’s known in the Kingdom Hearts series) help out a group known as the Forest Owls, an endeavor that escalates into a conflict by Sorceress Edea, who has seized control of a powerful military state and intend to destroy time itself. As they fight to stop Edea, Squall struggles with his role and falls in love with Forest Owls leader Rinoa Heartilly.

Final Fantasy VIII still incorporates ATB as part of its gameplay, but it overhauled the character leveling system. As far as spell-casting goes, the game threw out the Magic Points-based system, making characters collect, draw, and create magic from items to power themselves up using the junction system instead. This is also the first game to incorporate a vocal theme into its soundtrack with “Eyes On Me” by Hong Kong pop star Faye Wong.

Read our review of Final Fantasy VII.

11. Final Fantasy IX

In the first Final Fantasy game of the millennium, a thief named Zidane Tribal is tasked with kidnapping the Princess of Alexandria, Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, as a part of a war wage against the neighboring nation of Lindblum. His thief troupe ends up becoming the princess’ guardians, and Zidane teams up with Garnet to defeat her mother, Queen Brahne, who started the war.

Despite Final Fantasy IX being released in 2000, when most game franchises transitioned from 2D to 3D graphics by then, Square Enix designed the game to look like a retro-style RPG. However, it still managed to render CGI graphics for the characters and everything else in the world of Gaia.

Read our review of Final Fantasy IX.

12. Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy X is one of the most beloved games in the series next to Final Fantasy VII — and we’re not just saying that because it’s the first Final Fantasy game for the PS2. The story revolves around star blitzball player named Tidus, who is taken to Spira — a world inspired by the South Pacific, Thailand, and Japan — by Auron after his hometown of Zanarkand is destroyed by a colossal monster named Sin. He joins summoner Yuna and her guardians on a quest to defeat Sin and bring about the Calm after learning its true identity is Tidus’ missing father Jecht.

This game replaced ATB with the Conditional Turned-Based Battle system that uses an Act List in which characters’ turns are determined by their stats. It also introduced a new leveling system called the Sphere Grid, which sets characters down a specific path with stats and abilities and allows them to unlock all their abilities once it opens up.

Read our review of Final Fantasy X HD Remasters.

13. Final Fantasy X-2

In the follow-up to Final Fantasy X, Yuna becomes a sphere hunter and a member of the Gullwings, comprising Rikku and Paine. She sets out to find Tidus — or at least, a mysterious man who looks like Tidus — but gets caught in a political conflict that the Gullwings must resolve before it escalates to a war involving a secret weapon that was built to destroy Spira.

In addition to being the first game in the series to be an official game sequel, Final Fantasy X is also the first to feature an all-female cast and have multiple possible endings. It brought back ATB, but enhanced it to allow characters to interrupt enemies while preparing to attack. It also introduced dresspheres and the Garment Grid, which allow characters to change their character class mid-battle to alter the course of the battle.

14. Final Fantasy XI

Square Enix took a page out of World of Warcraft and made Final Fantasy XI an MMORPG instead of a regular console game. Players could customize their characters and make it into one of many races of being roaming the land of Vana’diel — Humes, Elvaan, Tarutaru, Mithra, Galka, etc. The plot revolves around defeating a demonic leader called the Shadow Lord, who rose from the ashes of the Crystal War and sent his beastmen armies off to terrorize the land, albeit in a less organized fashion.

Support for the PS2 and Xbox 360 versions of Final Fantasy XI ended in 2016, but fans can still play it on PC. Rumors circulated last year that the game would shut down, given that it’s over 20 years old, but director Yuji Fujito stated that that was not the case. In other words, it’s still alive and well and beloved by many retro Final Fantasy fans.

Read our review of Final Fantasy XI.

15. Final Fantasy XII

Final Fantasy XII is set in the kingdom of Ivalice, where the Archadia and Rozarria empires are fighting an endless war with each other. When Dalmasca is annexed by the former nation, Princess Ashe forms a resistance movement and meets Vaan, who dreams of becoming a sky pirate, teaming up with him to rally against the tyranny of the Archadian Empire.

Final Fantasy XII took three years for Square Enix to develop after Final Fantasy X-2 was released, and it paid off. It won several Game of the Year awards and spawned the Nintendo DS sequel, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, in 2007. Over a decade later, the remastered version of the game, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, released on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows.

Read our review of Final Fantasy XII.

16. Final Fantasy XIII

Lightning, the series’s first female protagonist aside from Yuna in Final Fantasy X-2, is a former soldier living in the floating world of Cocoon whose sister Serah goes missing after she’s branded an enemy of Cocoon by the government, Sanctum, for coming in contact with a god-like creature from Pulse. As Lightning searches for her sister, she’s joined by a band of allies to rally against Sanctum for authorizing a purge on citizens who also came into contact with Pulse, leaving the fate of the world at risk.

This game wasn’t received well not because it had a female lead, but rather because it had confusing battle systems — Command Synergy Battle and Paradigm Shift — and linear maps. Even so, it was well-received and spawned two more direct sequels.

Read our review of Final Fantasy XIII.

17. Final Fantasy XIII-2

Three years after the events of Final Fantasy XIII, Serah takes the lead and teams up with Noel Kreiss, a young man from the distant future, to travel across time and space to find Lightning. Meanwhile, Lightning finds herself in Valhalla, a realm between death and chaos at the edge of time in the distant future, ruled by the goddess Etro, who she protects as a knight during a war with Caius.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 retained the Command Synergy Battle and Paradigm Shift systems, but they were improved upon to make battles flow better. Mog Clock was added to the mix, which prompts players to attack monsters on the field before time runs out to gain the upper hand in battle.

Read our review of Final Fantasy XIII-2.

18. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

In the last installment of the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, Lightning awakens from her 500-year hibernation to discover that the world is about to end in 13 days. She is chosen by the god Bhunivelze to save everyone, but along the way she learns the truth about the world’s fate and Bhunivelze’s real motives.

Players slammed this game because it featured a ticking clock that signifies how long you had until the game was over, putting a strict time limit on missions and side quests. Its saving grace was the heavily modified version of the Command Synergy Battle system, which employed real-time features, like freely taking control of Lightning’s movements and attacks.

Read our review of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.

19. Final Fantasy XIV

Final Fantasy XIV has several storylines, but the main one involves the player character traveling five years into the future to escape the destruction of Eorzea at the hands of the primal dragon Bahamut. They enter Eorzea in the Age of Calm and work to rebuild the land, but must deal with the threat of invasion by the Garlean Empire.

The circumstances surrounding Final Fantasy XIV’s development were pretty complicated — especially since it’s the second MMORPG title in the series. The original 2010 game was embroiled in controversy because it was released in an unfinished state, although its servers remained active until November 2012. The next year, Square Enix released Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn with favorable acclaim.

Of course, Square Enix hasn't forgotten about its MMORPG. Dawntrail, the fifth expansion for Final Fantasy: XIV Online, launched this past July, and more expansions and updates are sure to come in the future.

Read our review of Final Fantasy XIV.

20. Final Fantasy XV

The previous installment revolves around Noctis, a prince from the kingdom of Lucis is set to marry his childhood friend Lunafreya when he goes on a quest to rescue the Crystal from Niflheim, who stole it during an attack on the Lucian capital of Insomnia, killing his father in the process, on the eve of peace negotiations between the two empires. During his journey, he learns of his destiny to use the Crystal’s powers to save the realm of Eos from eternal darkness.

Final Fantasy XV received critical acclaim for its stunning visuals, gameplay — like driving around the world in the Regalia and the Active Cross Battle system — and its visceral soundtrack, including a rendition of “Stand By Me” by Florence + The Machine used as the game’s theme song as well as a few contributions from Afrojack. The game spawned a few spin-off games, the anime series called Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, and a feature film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

Read our review of Final Fantasy XV.

21. Final Fantasy 16

The latest Final Fantasy game in the franchise has arrived, and it has essentially redefined the series. With a third-person action style and fast, reflexive combat, there are a lot of new things to love about Final Fantasy 16.

If you're wondering whether or not you can hop right into the series with this game, the answer is a definitive yes. While the gameplay may be quite different than previous titles, the characters and story fulfill that core Final Fantasy feeling.

Read our review of Final Fantasy 16.

How To Play The Final Fantasy Games By Release Date

If you want to play the Final Fantasy games in the order in which they came out, here’s the list of games by release date. Keep in mind that most titles were released in Japan first, followed by the U.S. at a later date. The first six games are remastered for the Nintendo Switch in Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster.

1. Final Fantasy - December 18, 1987 (JP) / May 1990 (NA) - Famicom/NES
2. Final Fantasy II - December 17, 1988 (JP) / April 8, 2003 (NA) - Famicom, PlayStation
3. Final Fantasy III - April 27, 1990 (JP) / August 24, 2006 (NA) - Famicom, Nintendo DS (remake)
4. Final Fantasy IV - July 19, 1991 (JP) / November 23, 1991 (NA) - Super NES
5. Final Fantasy V - December 6, 1992 (JP) / October 5, 1999 (NA) - Super Famicom, PlayStation
6. Final Fantasy VI - April 2, 1994 (JP) / October 11, 1994 (NA) - Super NES
7. Final Fantasy VII - January 31, 1997 (JP) / September 7, 1997 (NA) - PlayStation
8. Final Fantasy VIII - February 11, 1999 (JP) / September 7, 1999 (NA) - PlayStation
9. Final Fantasy IX - July 7, 2000 (JP) / November 14, 2000 (NA) - PlayStation
10. Final Fantasy X - July 19, 2001 (JP) / December 18, 2001 (NA) - PS2
11. Final Fantasy XI - May 16, 2002 (JP) / March 23, 2004 (NA) - PS2
12. Final Fantasy X-2 - March 13, 2003 (JP) / November 18, 2003 (NA) - PS2
13. Final Fantasy XII - March 16, 2006 (JP) / October 31, 2006 (NA) - PS2
14. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - September 13, 2007 (JP) / March 28, 2008 (NA) - PSP
15. Final Fantasy XIII - December 17, 2009 (JP) / March 9, 2010 (NA) - PS3, Xbox 360, PC
16. Final Fantasy XIII-2 - December 15, 2011 (JP) / January 31, 2012 (NA) - PS3, Xbox 360, PC
17. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII - November 21, 2013 (JP) / February 11, 2014 (NA) - PS3, Xbox 360, PC
18. Final Fantasy XIV - August 27, 2013 - PS3, PS4, PS5, PC
19. Final Fantasy XV - November 29, 2016 - PS4, Xbox One, PC
20. Final Fantasy VII Remake - April 7, 2020 (PS4) / June 10, 2021 (PS5) / January 22, 2026 (Xbox, Switch 2)
21. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion - December 13, 2022 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
22. Final Fantasy XVI - June 22, 2023 - PS5 / September 17, 2024 (PC)
23. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - February 29, 2024 - PS5 / January 23, 2024 (PC)

Upcoming Final Fantasy Games

While this longstanding saga isn't going anywhere anytime soon, we'll probably have to wait a couple more years for word on Final Fantasy 17. Square Enix has admitted that FFXVI and FFVII Rebirth both underperformed in terms of sales, though Part 3 of the remake is still in the works and tentatively targeting a 2027 release window.

Going forward, it's pretty likely we'll see more remakes, especially as Square Enix pushes for a multiplatform strategy. The most recent Nintendo Direct confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will be making its way to Switch 2 and Xbox on January 22, 2026.

We're also getting a new remake from the Tactics sub-series, titled Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. The remake comes with new content in addition to a number of enhancements, including full voice acting, for the original PS1 game. The Ivalice Chronicles is set to release on Switch 2, Xbox, PS5, and PC on September 30.

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As a brilliant scientist with an almost limitless bank account, Bruce Wayne can afford the best of the best when it comes to his Batsuit. But there's one question DC has never answered before now. Does Batman wear socks underneath those fancy boots? That's finally changed thanks to the new Batman #1.

The reveal comes as DC announces that Batman #1 has sold over 500,000 copies, likely making it the best-selling single issue of 2025 (though we'll see what the numbers for Deadpool/Batman #1 and Batman/Deadpool #1 end up being). The publisher will be issuing a second printing of the book in October, featuring a pair of new covers by artists Jorge Jiménez and Dan Mora. And Jiménez's cover addresses the all-important socks question at long last: