Final Fantasy VI (or FF3 on SNES, if you grew up with that confusing numbering) is one of those RPGs that just sticks with you. You start off with Terra, this mysterious girl with magic powers, stomping around in a mech suit for the Empire—until everything goes sideways and you're suddenly part of a ragtag rebellion. The cast is huge (14 characters!), and somehow they all get their moments to shine—even the optional ones like Shadow the ninja or Gau, the feral kid who learns monster skills.

The combat’s got this cool twist where each character has a unique ability—Edgar’s tools, Sabin’s button-mashing martial arts—but you can also teach anyone magic by equipping these little stat-boosting espers. I spent way too long grinding to make Cyan, the samurai, into a black magic powerhouse. The story goes from steampunk political intrigue to straight-up existential horror by the end, and Kefka might still be the most unhinged villain in the series. That opera scene? Absolute chills.

It’s one of those games where you’ll remember specific moments years later, like the first time the world map theme kicks in or that one party member who just… doesn’t make it. If you’ve only played modern Final Fantasy, this is the one to try for a taste of the classics at their peak.