Final Fantasy Characters in Nintendo Games

Final Fantasy is an RPG franchise that was created by Square-Enix (when it was just Squaresoft) in 1987 and was Nintendo-exclusive for its first decade. It is one of the most popular and iconic RPG series, and most of its games are set in different continuities. The Final Fantasy series has crossed over with Nintendo several times over the years. Several Final Fantasy characters appeared as playable characters in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario Sports Mix. Final Fantasy VII has also been represented in several Super Smash Bros. games, through its protagonist Cloud Strife and later the antagonist Sephiroth being playable.

Mario Hoops / Mario Sports Mix

These games notably do not feature specific characters, but rather representatives of classes from the early games as well as generic representatives of different species.

Playable

Black Mage

First Appearance: Final Fantasy (1987)

The Black Mage has been around since the first Final Fantasy. They are usually armed with staffs, but their true power lies in their magic. Black Mages are usually seen wearing a blue robe with a tall yellow hat. Their faces are usually hidden.

In Mario Hoops (as well as Sports Mix), Black Mage is classified as a tricky player and is nicknamed Abracadabra Kid. His special shot, Meteor Shot, is based on the spell Meteor.

Cactuar

First Appearance: Final Fantasy VI (1994)

Cactuar is monster in the Final Fantasy series. He resembles a cactus with arms and legs. The Cactuar are very fast, very hard to hit, and have high defense. Their signature attack is 1000 Needles, which deals 1000 HP of damage.

In Mario Hoops, Cactuar is classified as a speedy player and is nicknamed Stick & Sting. His special shot in the 1000 Needles Shot. Additionally, Chocobos appear around Cactuar's head after it has performed its special shot. In Sports Mix, Cactuar is reclassified as a tricky player.

Moogle

First Appearance: Final Fantasy III (1990)

Moogles are a race in the Final Fantasy series. They resemble white cats with wings and a red "pom-pom" coming out of their head. They are usually helpful and sometimes even join the game's hero on his quest.

In Mario Hoops (as well as Sports Mix), Moogle is classified as a tricky player and is nicknamed Game & Watch Me. His special shot is the Moogle Dance, based on a Limit Break from Final Fantasy VII.

Ninja

First Appearance: Final Fantasy (1987)

Ninjas have been around since the first Final Fantasy. They prefer lightweight armor and make sure to cover all parts of their body, including their face. Ninja swords, daggers, and boomerangs are the ninja's weapons of choice. They also have the ability to throw shuriken and scrolls for damage.

In Mario Hoops, Ninja is an all-around player and is nicknamed Mr. Invincible. His special shot is Leaf Veil. He has the same classification in Sports Mix, where his ability is to make copies of himself.

White Mage

First Appearance: Final Fantasy (1987)

White Mages were one of the first classes in the Final Fantasy series. Rather than damage opponents, white mages heal and protect their allies. They are normally dressed in white robes with red trim in a triangle pattern.

In Mario Hoops (as well as Sports Mix), White Mage is classified as a technical player and is nicknamed The Light. Her special shot, Holy Shot, is based on the spell Holy.

Non-Playable

Behemoth

First Appearance: Final Fantasy II (1988)

The Behemoth is a ferocious beast that has appeared as a recurring enemy throughout the Final Fantasy series. It appears as the final boss of Mario Sports Mix's normal mode, where the team must use their skills from the sports games to fight off the Behemoth. It can attack with its claws and tails, by charging forward, performing a body slam, and by firing fireballs, lightning and meteors. Defeating it unlocks the Sports Mix Mode, where the more powerful Behemoth King is the final boss.

Behemoth King

First Appearances: Final Fantasy (1987)

The Behemoth King is a stronger version of the Behemoth from the Final Fantasy series that is red instead of blue. In Mario Sports Mix, it is featured as the final boss of Sports Mix Mode. It is more resilient and more powerful than the normal Behemoth but is otherwise similar.

Super Smash Bros.

The Super Smash Bros. series primarily features characters from Final Fantasy VII, which was originally released for the Playstation in 1997 and was not available for a Nintendo system until it was released for download on the Nintendo Switch in 2019.

Cloud Strife

Cloud Strife is the protagonist of Final Fantasy VII. He is an amnesiac hero who had been experimented on and works with others to fight against the corrupt organization Shinra and Sephiroth.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, Cloud can be purchased for download as a playable character. His presence in the game comes with two trophies and a trophy for his Final Smash. He returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as part of the base game, where he can be unlocked through the game's variable-based unlocking system or by recruiting him in Adventure Mode. He has two sets of alternate costumes, using his original appearance and from his appearance from Advent Children. He has a number of attacks with his sword, as well as special attacks based on his moves from canon, with his Final Smash being the Omnislash. He also has a Limit Gauge that can be charged to enhance the power of his special attacks.

Within the Adventure Mode of Ultimate, "World of Light", Cloud was found in the Sacred Land and guarded the pedestal of the Master Sword. He had to be defeated there in order to to awaken him and unlock him for that mode. His Classic Mode route in the game was called "A Ride? Not Interested." Based on the character's motion sickness, all of the route's battles are set on moving stages. Within the game, two Fighter Spirits could be unlocked for Cloud, one for his default appearance and the other for his Advent Children costume. Uniquely, he is the only Final Fantasy representation within Ultimate, aside from the monsters appearing in the Midgar stage.

Sephiroth

Sephiroth is the main antagonist of Final Fantasy VII. He was a powerful soldier who learned that he was the result of a biological experiment involving cells from an extraterrestrial lifeform known as Jenova. Sephiroth chooses to carry out Jenova's will, and so he embarks on a quest to seek out godhood and conquer the world. He is opposed in this by Cloud Strife and his allies.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Sephiroth was added as a DLC character in December 2020. He was the third fighter to be made available through the second Fighters Pass and the ninth DLC fighter overall. His release as handled in a unique manner: for the five days leading up to the character's December 22th release, a special event was available in the game which could allow the player to unlock Sephiroth early. Known as the Sephiroth Challenge, it was an event where the player had to defeat Sephiroth in a stamina battle to unlock him early. The challenge contained three difficulty settings, which were selected on a Final Fantasy VII-styled screen. Sephiroth battles with his sword and magical attacks, and his One Winged Angel form also activates when he receives enough damage. He also has a unique Challenge Mode route, called The Chosen Ones, in which Sephiroth battles all of the game's boss characters, instead of battling any of the other playable fighters.

Like all playable fighters, his appearance is accompanied by a Fighter Spirit that can be unlocked by completing Classic Mode once with the character.

Other

Until Sephiroth's addition in December 2020, the Final Fantasy VII representation in Super Smash Bros. games had been kept to a minimum, as no other trophies or Spirits were present aside from those of Cloud himself. The only other characters to appear were powerful summons that could appear to disrupt the Midgar stage: Bahamut ZERO, Ifrit, Leviathan, Odin and Ramuh, and there was also a Chocobo Hat available as a Mii Fighter accessory through a paid download.

With the release of Sephiroth, other Spirits from Final Fantasy VII were added through the DLC Board. These included Spirits of two of the summons from the Midgard stage: Bahamut ZERO and Ifrit. The other Spirits consisted of the following characters:

• Aerith
• Barret
• Cait Sith
• Chocobo & Moogle
• Cid
• Red XIII
• Shiva
• Tifa
• The Turks & Rufus Shinra
• Vincent
• Yuffie

Additionally, Mii Fighter outfits of Aerith, Barret and Tifa were available as separate paid DLC, along with the return of the Chocobo Hat from the previous game.

See Also

• Third Party Characters in Nintendo Games