Final Fantasy VI has everything: A colorful cast of characters that all share the spotlight; the convincingly maniacal villain with a fondness for poison and fire and a dislike for sand that succeeds in destroying the world; and one of Nobuo Uematsu's most memorable soundtracks that set the perfect tone for those touching scenes. The game's final battle and Celes Chere's opera performance also stand out as some of the most memorable scenes in the history of RPGs.

But what Final Fantasy VI pulls off especially well is its side-quests. Instead of menial tasks and fetch quests, the character-driven quests made you actually want to jump on the airship and search for your friends (which are all scattered across the World of Ruin). With both moments and characters ranging from the light-hearted to the more serious, FFVI has a charm not often seen in the 16-bit era, let alone in the more recent generations of JRPGs.