So you haven't said if you've played other rpgs or not which would change my answer, so here is four suggestions based on whether you like older games and if you have any rpg experience.

If you liked pixel art and have experience with rpgs go for FF6, it has a greats storyline with a huge cast and no one main character. It also has a bit if customisation using espers (but you only get them about ten hours in)

if you like pixel art but haven't played many rpgs go with FF4. It's fairly straight forward in terms of mechanics so you can just concentrate on the battles and not character builds. It has an awesome story with a few twists and turns that are now common in rpgs. There is also a 3D remake of this one which adds a bit more complexity with augments.

If you don't like pixel art and want something 3D and have experience with rpgs I'd suggest FFX which may be my favourite of the series. The sphere grid allows for some interesting builds of characters and you can even customize your summons by the end of the game. The storyline is tear-jerking at times, heart warming at others and has some amazing action set pieces.

If you want 3D but aren't familiar with Rpgs then I'd suggest FF9. It's a bit older but the remakes have a speed up option to help it not feel as slow. Each character has some customisation but are pretty much built for dedicated roles. The tory starts slow but builds up pretty quickly and the cast a re charming. Apart from Quina, s/he is still just odd.

Oh, and if you want a game that has surprisingly well thought out time travel, is a sequel better than the original, monster hunting and a great musical selection for for FF13-2. In my opinion it fixed nearly every element that I disliked about FF13 while keeping a lot of the fun stuff. I forget if it summarizes the events of FF13 or not but a ten minute wikidive is enough to let you know who is who.

And since I'm bored waiting a quick summary.

FF1 is the grandaddy of the genre and might be worth it for historical value. FF2 is the weirdest part of the series with an odd leveling structure and very open world. FF3 is the birthplace of the jobs system. FF4 discussed above FF 5 has the evolution Of the job system and is surpsiingly fun FF6 discussed above. Ff7 is a great game, I just don't reccoemend it as a first. It has customisation through materia, a twisting turning storyline that even if you have the most common spoiler in the world might still surprise you. FF8 has triple triad, the best mini game in the series. The battle system is odd and if you know what you are doing you can break the difficulty 5 hours in. FF9 discussed above FF10 discussed abovr Ffx-2 is just pure fun and whimsy that gets really dark the longer you play. It also drop turn based back to active time battles. Ff11 is an mmorpg that I believe isn't in service anymore and I never played. FF12 plays like a single player mmorpg with AI programmable for each character and (in the current version) deep customisation for each character. It's a very hit and miss game. FF13 is a base breaker. It's very pretty but doesn't open up for like 30 hours and while it appears to offer customisation is really just a more of when you unlock things than what you unlock. Ff13-2 discussed above Ff13-3 I'll be honest, I haven't played it enough to judge it. It's an odd game with a time element like majors mask so you can rewind everything. Ff14 is the award winning mmorpg that all my friends love and (like all mmorpg) I just can't get into. Ff15 is very pretty but also kind of unfinished and suffers from the first half of the game and the second half being very different (first Half is wide open exploration, second half is literally on rails) Ff16 is not an rpg but an action brawler with sever pacing issues but also amazing set peice battles and a very complex world, though I personally found the character a bit flat (I also am only like 15 hours in, apparently the last 2 hours are worth getti g through it)

Bonus: Final Fantasy Tactics. I haven't actually played it but it apparently has one of the best story lines, a huge amount of depth with the jobs system and is a strategy rpg with tactical moving on a map. Well worth looking into, but rumors are there is a remake on the way.

FF tactics advacance and advance 2 From what I understand each one adds to the job system from tactics in different ways but the story lines aren't as complex or deep. Both are your persona from the real world whisked away to a fantasy world ideas. I loved the frost one but the second one broke my emulator and I kinda dropped it.

I'd say just load up FF1 pixel remaster. Game is short, enjoyable and can be decently challenging. It has a lot of the design decisions that the series will ultimately hold to for the first 12 games at least.

FFX is one of my favorite games ever.

Very classic battle system and a beautiful story. It was my entry point.

Final Fantasy VI

FF7 OG or FFX

I know many people weren't big fans, but I loved final fantasy 15. It also states "A Final Fantasy for Fans and First-Timers" when you start the game.

VII or X both good starting points with balanced difficulty levels

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The Original Final Fantasy 7

FFIX is fairly straightfoward, despite having a lot of deeper, dang-near hidden mechanics you can get into. Plus it's kind of a celebration game, so it draws a lot from past FFs that can be interesting to see their origins if/when you get to them.

FFX has a pretty simple gameplay, freely swapping the party around, equipment isn't really complicated, and the upgrade system is straightforward.

FFXV is billed particularly as "A Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers." Its action-based gameplay is divisive, but has a low floor and a broad, if not high, ceiling. FFXV has a demo on Steam/PC.

FFXVI is more intense in its action combat, but it has difficulty modes to accommodate, and some extra features to help you get through if you still want to enjoy things. FFXVI has a demo on PS5 and PC.

IV

1. It's short. Like 25 hours for a first timer.
2. It's got all the required info. Classes. Spell names. Chocobo. People named Cid. It's the purest distillation of Final Fantasy. Almost any other FF game makes sense if you go to basic training in IV.
3. It's awesome.
4. Get it in the Pixel Remasters. You can get it by itself or in the bundle with 1-6.

IX was my first Final Fantasy and is still my favorite game, but you will miss a lot of references playing it first.

The different numbered games aren't connected. They're all set in their own unique worlds and frequently switch up the formula. Because of this, you can start wherever you'd like, however, I'd recommend starting with either:

Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster - If you want a classic pixel FF.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster - If you want oldschool turnbased.
Final Fantasy XIV Online - MMO with thousands of hours worth of content and a very generous free trial.
Final Fantasy XVI - Modern with realtime action combat and a darker, more mature story/tone.
Final Fantasy VII Remake - Modern with hybrid combat (mix of realtime and menus). Play FFVII Rebirth after.

Final Fantasy 9 was my introduction to the whole FF series. I just love the music, characters and the whole steampunk setting. I used to watch my cousin play this game when they visited for Christmas. He's French so I didn't understand what was going on in the game unless he explained. Bought FF9 on steam put a fair amount of hours but haven't had the time to finish it.

Another vote for 9. I've played all of them (including XI and XIV) in the past 5 years and 9 is by far the most special FF simply for the amazing story and character progression. FFIX may be my favorite game of all time.  

Also I’m throwing in XII if you like a more political story that’s less character driven with a ton of exploration and endgame content. It almost plays like a single player MMO and you’re able to program your characters AI with gambits. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but people who love it LOVE IT. Myself included.

If somebody doesn't specifically want modernized action combat or old school pixel art, this is 100% the answer.

And to narrow it down further, they can choose 9 for a generally more high fantasy setting/story (that only gets weird and sci-fi towards the end) or 10 for a setting that blends sci Fi with fantasy beautifully the whole time.

Garnet and Yuna are both really amazing female leads to fight with and for.

Male lead MC in 10 has a bit more personality than the MC in 9 iirc, tho both have some depth and a wild backstory. 9 has a truly special side character in the party's black mage, Vivi.

Combat in these games has more depth and interesting stuff going on than old school 7, the stories are better paced and easier to follow than 8, and 12 and 13 start to get a bit too complicated mechanically for a first time FF.

9 and 10 are both in the sweet spot in every regard imo.

7,9,10 are all great first JRPG's.

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X.

Turn based. Simple. Great story. Characters have defined classes. Great story. Great soundtrack.

Story is Great too.

7 (original), 9, or 10.

I think the two best entry points right now are FFX or FFVII: Remake.

FFX is considered one of the best in the series story wise. It has turn based based style combat that the series was known for at the time but also the first with full 3D graphics and voice acting. Making it kind of a cusp entry of in the series. Unlike many of the other turn based entries, there is no real time element so you can take your time on your turn to decide what to do.

FFVII: Remake is much newer and modern with more action focused combat but you can kinda slow down time a bit to assess what is going on but some people still find it pretty hectic until they really start to groove with the combat. Story wise, it's a bit divisive over the deviations from the original release of VII but overall still strong.

The characters in both games are strong, diverse, and form solid parties with good dynamics, both in story and gameplay.

2D turn based: FF6 Pixel Remaster

3D turn based: FF10 Remaster

Current gen strategy/action: FF7 Remake Intergrade into FF7 Rebirth into Part 3 in ~2027

Current gen action: FF16

Pure Strategy: FF Tactics Remaster (Sept 30th release date)

Imho it's either 4 or 9. Both have rather simple mechanics, you can't screw up too much by "miss-building" a character since you just level up and there you go. If you go with 9, check out the Moguri Mod, helps a lot😅these two also take place in a more or less medieval setting which, for me, is part of the core essence of Final Fantasy. Of course I also like and enjoy the "modern world" approaches from 8, 10 or 13 but 4 and 9 catch it the best I'd say

My "problem" with 10 is that you have to dive in deep in the sphere grid and all, can be overwhelming for starters, but thats just me

9 or 10, depending on what you're looking for. 9 is the last game that really lets you wander freely. It's very classic high fantasy. Great cast, fun story. Probably my favorite 3D game. 10 it's the first game that's really on rails. It's hard to get lost because you're basically in a long corridor the whole game. But the story was fun, and blitzball is addictive.

FFX is what I started with and I definitely don’t regret it!

My personal choices are 6 and 9, base 7 can be okay, 1 2 and 3 are a bit rough, 4 and 5 are not that bad, 8 is a bit odd, 10 and 12 play differently and from 12 to now most new games are far more action based, the Pixel Remaster games are good versions of 1 to 6, 7, 8 and 9 have the modern steam versions, if we are going older stick in the 1 to about 10 range, but for what I see as the best of the OG 6 or 9 are my choices, with the non remake 7 being okay, but I feel 6 and 9 get the point across, good ATB games that have good stories and really do shine.

It’s my favorite, without a doubt. If you like turn based games, definitely go with X.

No. It's the first game that's basically a corridor simulator. It's not as linear as 13, but no over world wandering or anything.

Final Fantasy X is always a great start since the graphics of the remaster still really hold up and the turn based combat is really intuitive and accessible (not ATB so you can take your time). It’s a lot more linear than the others, so you can just focus on the exceptional story and world-building. The music absolutely rips in all of the games. Also Blitzball.

For me it’s between FFVII, FFIX and FFX as far as strong starting points go.

Final fantasy x is my favorite but its turn based with random battles. The ones you played dont have that. If thats ok to you that would be my choice. Otherwise 7R

Play IX

Go for X

X

FF VII, VIII, IX and X. If you prefere, i reccomend you FF XIII Trilogy too

You can’t go wrong with any of FF6, FF7, FF9, or FFX as your first entry. All are available on switch!

FF1 is where a lot of the skeleton of JRPGs was built and still used today. You make a part from 6 classes I believe, the story is straight forward and you really won't be surprised by anything, but sometimes it's nice to just play a generic, well made game.

FF2 has much more of a story, but it's leveling system is the seed for the Romacing series. Instead of levels your character's stats increase by doing different things in combat. Despite stupid people saying you have to stand there and hit yourself a hundred times to increase your health, you can just play at a normal pace. With the intent of more realism, there are frequently places on the map you can't go because the enemies are deadlier and you'll need to be stronger. Not for everyone but still fine.

FF3 is all about the job system. There is more of a story here, but the focus is on building a party and picking from dozens of job classes to play your own style. I remember this one being quite difficult towards the end.

FF4 is all about the story. This is the first one to have really fleshed out characters and makes really interesting design choices. The earlier games can really feel like you're just playing a game, but this one definitely brings a sense of adventure to the mix.

FF5 is more like FF3 bringing the job system back. Probably not the best place to start but is by no means a bad game. It is less popular because it took forever to get to the states.

FF6 everyone gushes about. There is quite a fantasy epic here with several playable characters, party building, and one of the first times a JRPG felt truly grand. By no means a masterpiece, and maybe even archaic by today's standards, but when this game came out the sense of living and participating in a fantasy world was unrivaled. Very memorable characters and villains.

FF7 was the first 3D game and harnesses CGI cutscenes to give it a grand cinematic feel. Arguably quite ugly by today's standards, this game was a crowning achievement the year it came out and a big reason Sony absolutely smashed Nintendo in the fifth generation of consoles. These are beloved characters who have stood the test of time and it is best to go into the story blind as the twists and revelations will make your jaw drop.

FF8 is the black sheep of final fantasy games. The graphics at the time were cutting edge and many people thought the cutscenes were photorealistic. The story is epic spanning 40+ hours but will confuse you without a wiki. The characters are less bombastic than in 7 but are deep and have their own motivations. Watch a youtube about the junction system, don't overlevel, and use draw on the boss at the satellite tower. If you love romance stories, you must play this game. Best card game of any final fantasy.

FF9 aims for a more high fantasy and less fantasy cyberpunk setting. The characters are quite loveable, and the story is just as epic. If you don't think you'll enjoy the 2D games, this is a fine place to start as none of the mainline games are interconnected.

FF10 was considered the definitive final fantasy at the time because of its massive scale and PS2 graphics. Now that the wave has receded, it is still a beloved game. My only reserve is I find Tidus to be unbearably obnoxious, and the voice acting isn't great. But if you want a fantasy epic that can span 100 hours, this is a good choice.

FF11 is an mmo.

FF12 and 16 are the only ones I haven't played. You still have a level quality that used to be a given with square enix games. I believe the combat is similar to mmo cooldown based combat. The viera character is very beautiful.

World of Final Fantasy would be a big mistake. This is definitely more for long time fans of the series as you encounter your favorite characters from the first 13 games and build parties with them not completely unlike a monster catching game.

Theatrythm Final Bar Line is a wonderful rhythm game containing almost every song from every final fantasy game as well as popular songs from other square enix titles. I effing love this game and you don't have to be a lifetime final fantasy fan to appreciate how good the music is and how fun leveling your characters is.

I personally recommend FF8 (since I'm the only one recommending it lol).

I would recommend FF7 personally or FF9

FF VII or FF X

Every time I see this question, in my opinion, the only real answer is "which ever one looks most interesting to you"

Final Fantasy is an incredibly varied series with every game being different from one another. For each game that someone loves, someone else might hate. For each game someone hates, others have as their favorite. There is no "Best" starting point, there is only the best starting point for You. Everyone's different and has different interests so certain Final Fantasy games might resonate more with you than with others, or less with you than others

My Advice: look up the games online and just see which one looks interesting to you. Whether it be the art style, the setting, or the gameplay, just pick whichever one you're most interested in and give it a go

Now all that aside, some general fan favorites are: FFIX, FFVII, FFX, FFVI and sometimes FFIV gets mentioned too

If you want a more modern game theres: FFVII Remake/Rebirth (part 1 and 2 of the remake series, with part 3 speculated to be released in 2027), FFXV and FFXVI

If you like MMOS: FFXI and FFXIV

It's huge amazing series with tons of different games. Good luck!

All of those are good. My first FF was XII and my favorites overall are XII, IX and VI; I love IV, VII, VIII and X, too.

Gonna copy and paste a comment I made on another post asking the same question:

Square Enix themselves have actually made an article answering this exact question!

https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_GB/news/final-fantasy-game-should-play-first

I would personally say that if you're okay with 2D pixel graphics, go with Final Fantasy 6. I played it for the first time last year and it holds up as not just one of the best in the series, but also one of the best JRPGs of all time! Definitely go for the "pixel remaster" which adds some modern quality of life! It won't feel too old-school!

You could also go with Final Fantasy 7 which is the most iconic game in the series and several of the remakes have already come out! I would say play the original first, then Remake, and then Rebirth for the best experience! However, if the original ends up feeling like a slog, it's okay to skip it and just start with the Remake. You may be confused with the ending, but it's nothing that good story recap can't fix!

If neither of any those, then check out Final Fantasy 9 or 10. FF9 has a lot of charm to it and keeps the "fantasy" in Final Fantasy, which is something that we see less and less of, while FF10 (which is extremely popular, just like FF7) has an excellent story with a ton of iconic characters and is the last FF game that is truly turn-based!

Lastly, the most recent games, Final Fantasy 15 and 16, are ones that I don't recommend for first-timers! IMO FF15 had a troubled development with an "okay" final product, leaving it disjointed, while FF16 is much more polished game, but lacks many qualities that people love about FF.

TLDR: If you're willing to go old-school choose FF6. If not, choose FF7 so you can play through the Remake trilogy!

they all play different and are not related in any way

it doesnt matter where you start

X is my all time favorite, but I really like VII and XII as well. Solid titles

I am a big classic Final Fantasy guy. Final Fantasy IX is my favorite by a mile, but I'd strongly recommend FFIV, FFVI, and FFVII of course too.

Of the first ten, all of them have great story beats, pretty good character development like FFIV and onward, and absolutely killer soundtracks. Nobou has been in my top artists on last fm and the like for most of my life.

Can't really go wrong up until about FFXII or FFXIII imo

Final Fantasy IV hasn't aged as well as VI, but I think it makes VI better if you play IV first. IV is a little simpler and more linear, but it sets up the tropes that VI subverts.

So almost everyone is going to say 7, because it's iconic. It's undeniable, and it's the most popular.

That being said and out of the way, I think those people are wrong. FF7 is good, but it's also one of the least Final Fantasy games of that era. When they switched to 3D, they decided to switch up the tone, introduce more modern elements and spice things up for the modern era. And they succeeded - FF7 and 8 are both iconic, good games. But they're strong in their own right, but it's not so much because they're Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy 9 is my pick, because it's the most classic Final Fantasy style. 6 is similar in that it's both iconic and great, while still being heavily fantasy-themed along the lines of the games that came before it. 9 has the best of both worlds - the strong story, worldbuilding, characters and soundtrack of 7 and 8 as applied to the classic Final Fantasy formula (a party runs around trying to catch up with a villainous plot that they can't seem to escape).

If you're prepared for the long-haul, 6-9 (and sometimes 10, but that's more debatable) are seen as the golden era of Final Fantasy, and you can't really go wrong with any of them.

Depends on how you feel about turn-based battle systems. If you're fine with them, FF6 and FF10 are my favorites. 6 for the story and 10 for the battle system

If you would prefer an ARPG then give FF7 Remake and FF7 Rebirth a look. Rebirth comes out on pc in 2 days and both games are on sale to promote it

I would recommend starting with either Final Fantasy 10 (3d), 6 (2d), or 14 (if you like mmos) or Final Fantasy Tactics if you like strategy games such as fire emblem or X-Com

Every main line game is very unique compared to each other though so as always, your mileage may vary.