The creator of Dragon Quest has revealed that Final Fantasy X is his favorite installment in the series

 

Back before 2003, prior to the merger of Square and Enix, if you had asked Yuji Horii—the father of the Dragon Quest series—which Final Fantasy title was his favorite, he likely wouldn't have dared to answer publicly.

Fans at the time knew all too well that the two series were fierce rivals. Although developers from both sides often insisted there was no animosity, the two giants were constantly neck-and-neck in terms of sales, popularity, and sequel releases. While Dragon Quest held the crown in Japan, Final Fantasy was the undisputed global champion.

It wasn't until Square and Enix joined forces that the atmosphere changed. Now, 23 years after that historic merger, Horii-san has finally revealed that Final Fantasy X is his absolute favorite. Let's dive into the story behind this

This story originates from a special video interview titled 'Special Conversation: Yuji Horii x Yoshinori Kitase #DQ7 #FF7 #INSIDESQEX', featuring Yuji Horii, the developer behind DQVII Reimagined, and Yoshinori Kitase, the producer of Final Fantasy VII Remake.

The video’s description reads:

'To celebrate the release of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Dragon Quest VII Reimagined on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S, INSIDE SQUARE ENIX presents a special dialogue between Yuji Horii and Yoshinori Kitase. We discuss their feelings during the development of the original titles and their approach to the remakes, reflecting on the contrasting development styles of the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series.'

Among the various topics discussed, one standout question was: 'Which Final Fantasy title does Horii-san like the most?

Horii-san shared, "I like Final Fantasy X the most because it was the first entry to introduce voice acting, and the visuals were significantly enhanced. Yuna’s dance was also incredible; it felt like seeing Final Fantasy in its most perfected form."

He also touched upon Final Fantasy XII, noting, "Final Fantasy XII also looked great and represented an evolution in graphics on many levels, as Square had become much more adept at pushing the PlayStation 2's performance by the time it was released. Nevertheless, the world of Spira in Final Fantasy X remains uniquely vibrant and memorable. It feels so alive, as seen in many scenes—including the opening at Zanarkand, which dives straight into the action. It is a masterpiece of beauty that remains untouched by time

If you can recall the launch of Final Fantasy X back on July 19, 2001—nearly 25 years ago—many were left jaw-dropped by its breathtaking graphics. From the very opening, the seamless transition between gameplay and visuals was undeniably top-tier. The 'Sending' scene, where Yuna performs her ritual dance for the departed, left players even more stunned by its sheer beauty. It is hardly surprising, then, that Horii-san holds Final Fantasy X in such high regard.

(As for the author, I was personally most blown away by the graphics of Final Fantasy VIII back in the day.) How about you? Which Final Fantasy title is your absolute favorite?