JRPG series Final Fantasy is an amazing franchise. From the overcomplicated, deep stories to the super creative world, there is so much for players to get lost in, replay, and discuss. Even the Final Fantasy games that are over 20 years old are being played by new fans — and newcomers often bring fantastic new angles that we have missed back when we played first played them.

Final Fantasy VII is unquestionably one of the most famous Final Fantasy games out there, and also one of the most famous games out there in general. Unfortunately, its younger sibling, Final Fantasy VI, did not get all the love it deserved. Even though it does have a cult following, the popularity does not even compare. However, it heavily influenced the seventh game of the franchise, nonetheless.

6 Story Details And Plot Points That Were Copied

Terra is a half-Esper girl who loses her memory due to experiments done to her. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud Strife is a memoryless ex-SOLDIER who is fighting for a rebel cause, something that Terra ends up doing as well. Another thing that both characters share is how they both were, at some point, completely controlled by the bad guys.

By phrasing it in a specific way, it is possible to define both characters with a single sentence. After all, both Cloud and Terra are “memoryless former-soldiers who are helping out a rebel group in order to save the whole world.” However, even though some characters do have some similar plot points or tropes, they are so well-written that none of the characters from either game feel like just a copy of another character.

5 Magitek And Magic-Powered Technology

Final Fantasy VI has an evil empire that uses magic from Espers, sentient magical beings, to power their technological achievements. That technology is called Magitek, which is basically a short-form way of referring to magical technology. With this kind of technology, the Gestahlian Empire can power very destructive things like the Magitek armor.

When Espers die, they leave behind a rock with the essence of their soul and magic. This rock is called Magicite, which is what characters in Final Fantasy VI use to cast magic without torturing the Espers. Shinra also uses magic energy in a harmful way, and Materia from Final Fantasy VII also seems strongly inspired by Magicite.

4 Cait Sith

This is a very peculiar reference made by one game to the other. In Final Fantasy VI, Cait Sith was a summon. It was capable of causing debilitating effects on enemies, something that Cait Sith can also do in Final Fantasy VII.

It is important to note that when he becomes a member of Avalanche, Cait Sith is riding a huge, mechanized Moogle. He is not one of the most powerful members, though. Cait Sith also has a special dance move that might be a reference to Mog, who was a party member in Final Fantasy VI.

3 Wacky Characters Of All Kinds

Final Fantasy VII was not afraid of having weird, different characters. Unlike most of the ones before, it had a former soldier, a bio-terrorist, a cute martial artist girl, a little ninja girl, a vampire-like gunslinger, and others. The characters in Final Fantasy VII are all very fleshed out, amazingly designed, useful throughout the game, and loved by all fans.

That is very much the case with Final Fantasy VI. You have an ex-imperial soldier, a thief, a king, a martial artist, a cold-blooded ninja, and so many other interesting characters with vivid backstories.

2 A Different World

Final Fantasy was always a medieval fantasy story. All games followed a similar structure, with similar technological advancements, and magic included to make it more fun. Final Fantasy VI just decided not to go that route. It opens up with Terra and two soldiers riding enormous technological armors. It also shows a lot of technological advancements in the Gestahlian Empire and other cities.

Final Fantasy VII doubled down on that, going all the way into a modern era. Midgard is a Huge City that needs subways, cars, and extremely long highways. It is futuristic in many ways, even though it does have magic in it. It is possible that Final Fantasy VII would not have been so bold if Terra’s story didn’t happen in a different world than the ones in previous games of the franchise. And with the help of a mod, you can see the world in FFVII in HD.

1 The Villain Who Became A God

The most iconic villains in Final Fantasy History are Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy VII. There is no denying that. All fans know it and Square Enix knows it too. Sephiroth is one of the most iconic characters not only in Final Fantasy but in all the gaming community, especially now with his appearance in Smash Bros., a game that Cloud was already a part of. At the end of the game, Sephiroth becomes Safer∙Sephiroth, his final and most powerful form in which he has many wings and the appearance of a corrupted, heavenly creature. Combine that with his fleshed out psychopathy in the original and you have a scary enemy.

Sephiroth is not the only Final Fantasy villain with those traits, though. The Nihilist General Kefka is the other iconic Villain of this franchise. Final Fantasy VI was not as popular as its younger brother that came out on PlayStation, but Kefka is just as important to long-time Final Fantasy fans. A lot like Sephiroth, he essentially becomes a god at the end of the game. Besides, his final form is clearly what inspired Safer Sephiroth’s appearance.

NEXT: 5 Things We Know About Yuffie’s Upcoming Episode In Final Fantasy 7 Remake (And 5 Burning Questions We Still Have)