Final Fantasy X|X-2 Remaster | $20 | Amazon
While Final Fantasy X and its divisive sequel aren’t quite the most fondly remembered in the longstanding JRPG series, it does hold up better than most of the games which preceded it, even without the full-on makeover treatment that graced Final Fantasy VII earlier this year. Yes, it’s true, Final Fantasy X and X-2 for Nintendo Switch is merely a remaster of the original games, their assets upscaled for a more recent console than their native PS2. Still, with 60 rearranged music tracks, it sounds better than ever. Plus you get to experience the infamous Tidus laugh all over again—in breathtaking high definition.
No matter how you feel about the Sphere Grid upgrade system or blitzball mini game (my wife loves it, I’m inclined to disagree), much of the series’ charm is still intact. The move to a “conditional turn-based” (CTB) combat system, as opposed to its former active time-based, remains controversial to this day. However, compared to modern-day entries like Final Fantasy XV, it’s much more comparable to its predecessors. And for Kingdom Hearts players who never got around to it, you’ll finally get to know Wakka, Rikku, and Auron on a deeper level. For $20, maybe it’s time to finally give Final Fantasy X a shot, or revisit it for the first time in over a decade and indulge in some nostalgia.
This story was originally published by Gabe Carey on 10/12/2020 and updated by Joe Tilleli with new information on 07/14/2021.