This was definitely an improvement from the battle theme of the original Final Fantasy, having more variety in the tune before repeating itself in 43 seconds. However, it was still a very annoying piece to hear when battling, particularly during the segment from 0:18 to 0:40. I don’t know what you would call the instrument during that segment, but to me, it sounds like a telephone at my grandmother's home.

9. Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

Now don’t get me wrong. This is my favorite Final Fantasy title. However, while the song isn’t necessarily terrible, it definitely isn’t on par with the other songs, such as the overworld theme, which would often be playing before a battle would trigger. This battle theme is fast-paced, which is good, but it’s very repetitive, repeating the same segment after 29 seconds. Because of that, I really wanted to avoid battles when playing. If I wanted to level grind, I would play with the sound off. 

8. Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

While it may be the most popular Final Fantasy of all time, this game had quite an annoying battle theme. Every time I entered a battle, I would roll my eyes as the trumpets would enter at 0:06. That entrance almost foreshadows the blandness to come for the next 49 seconds. The only thing that I really like in this song is the piccolo segment from 0:55 from 1:14, which is pretty neat to hear during a battle. If anything, this song really nudged me and encouraged me to wrap up the battle and get it over with. 

7. Final Fantasy VIII (PS1)

This was a major improvement from its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII. What I like about it is that I can never get tired of hearing it when battling, which is a very good thing in Final Fantasy games. A thing that makes this song very unique is the use of percussion. No other Final Fantasy has ever made such an emphasis to percussion use, and it’s always nice to hear something different. Unfortunately, this emphasis on percussion has made the performance of the other instruments a bit bland, although not terrible.

6. Final Fantasy III (NES)

This song really raised tension during battles, which fitted well, considering the difficulty for this particular Final Fantasy title. The only reason I would rank Final Fantasy V above this one is because of the fact that this theme is 8-bit. Although nostalgic, I believe the limitation in sound quality really deteriorates the original intentions of the composer.

5. Final Fantasy V (SNES)

This song feels dramatic every time I hear it, almost giving a mysterious vibe when the strings play. Like Final Fantasy VIII, I could never get tired of this song, which was a good thing. However, the only thing I don’t like about it is that it is incredibly short and repeats after 35 seconds. Otherwise, I would have put this piece much higher on my list.

4. Final Fantasy IV (SNES)

Now I might be biased to this one since it is my first Final Fantasy, but it has a pretty sweet battle theme. Thanks to this song, every battle sounded unique and just as important as the other.  It had a very majestic feel to it, making you feel like you had control during each random encounter. This was important, considering the tension already being made by the Active Time Battle system. 

3. Final Fantasy X (PS2)

This theme was great, for it retained a classic feel to the music while modernizing it. In fact, it sounds like classic Final Fantasy music until 0:44 when the electronic instruments enter, which makes the song feel faster-paced and much more exciting, especially when applying it to the random battle taking place. Also, I don’t know if anyone else has taken the time to do this, but listen closely to the bass guitar in the background, particularly during the electronic part. Doesn’t it sound GREAT?

2. Final Fantasy IX (PS1)

This song is simply magnificent, for it really gives you the tension that you’re looking for in Final Fantasy battles. The bell-like piano somewhat reminds me of crystals, which is a great thing since the crystal is a reoccurring theme in Final Fantasy, particularly in this game. From 0:58 to 1:14, I always got chills, for that segment always played when my characters summoned an Eidolon, which was PERFECT.

1. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3/360)

Although it most certainly isn’t the best Final Fantasy, it most certainly had the best battle theme to date. Even after playing 55 hours of the game, I still never got tired of listening to this tune. The song starts off soft, and then the electric bass raises the tension by jumping in at 0:36. And then at all of a sudden, violins dramatically burst in at 1:00. At 1:17, the violins give their last cry, and the song begins again at its gentle pace. I know this isn’t Nobuo Uematsu’s work, and I know hardcore Final Fantasy fans will cast Lv. 5 Doom on me for saying this, but this piece of music tops any other battle theme he’s made so far.