Summary
Relationships can be hard, especially for video game characters who are at the mercy of players controlling them. Over the years, games such asMass Effect,Dragon Age, and more have allowed players to build in-game bonds through cool romance gameplay mechanics. However, not every game has to have such options to tell a good relationship story.
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One such series isFinal Fantasy, which first started in 1987 and has evolved into fifteen more games, withFinal Fantasy 16in 2023. Since the beginning of its inception, theFinal Fantasyseries has featured over a dozen differentcouples who’ve stood the test of time through thick or thin. Some of them are good, others not so much. However, almost each one of them is quite iconic.
Updated June 05, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Final Fantasy is a series full of awe-inspiring magic, huge weapons, memorable characters, epic stories, and beautiful relationships that stand the test of time to become something amazing.
There are many instances in the games where two people become enamored with each other and form a lasting relationship. Sometimes, these unions have happy endings… and other times, not so much.
13Vincent Valentine & Lucrecia Crescent
Vincent has one of the most tragic stories inFinal Fantasy. After being a member of the Turks and falling for Lucrecia, he’s incensed to find out that Hojo used her scientific curiosity to make her the target of a vile experiment that would eventually lead to her demise. However, before he could get vengeance,Hojo incapacitates himand uses his body for some truly wicked experiments.
While Lucrecia does manage to help him control his beast-like state, theFinal Fantasycouplenever really gets a chance to profess their unrequited love for each other before her death. When Vincent is revived by Cloud and his friends, he finally gets a chance to interact with Lucrecia one last time when he receives his ultimate weapon, the Death Penalty.
12Locke Cole & Celes Chere
Locke Cole’s relationship with Celes Cheredoes not pick up until later inFinal Fantasy 6. However, when it does, most players realize that they’re mutually romantic toward each other. At the beginning of the game, Locke seems to be a better match for half-Esper Terra Branford.
But after rescuing her, Locke’s story goes in a completely new direction when he meets ex-Imperial soldier Celes.With a similar history of past tragedies and common goals, Locke and Celes show that an emotional romance is all one needs through tough times.
11Squall Leonhart & Rinoa Heartilly
Squall & Rinoa may be one ofFinal Fantasy’s strongest couples, especially regarding their emotional bond. Fromthe beginning ofFinal Fantasy 8, the two had a clear relationship as partof the main story’s subplot. Squall Leonhart is the game’s main protagonist, a SeeD mercenary with a cold and observant attitude.
At the same time, Rinoa Heartilly is a defiant young adult and part of the resistance faction called the Forest Owls. In the game, the couple fights various villains, such as the evil sorceress Ultimecia, and eventually ends up together.
10Tidus & Yuna
Tidus & Yuna fromFinal Fantasy 10are probably one of the nicestcouples ever, and one must play the game to experience it. However, for those who can’t, Yuna is a seventeen-year-old summoner from Spira and the daughter of the late High Summoner Braska.
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At the same time, Tidus is a star athlete of “blitzball” who is in Spira as his home city of Zanarkand isn’t there anymore. The two meet and get together due to their common goal of beating Sin. However, throughout their journey, they slowly fall in love.
9Zack Fair & Aerith Gainsborough
Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Corefeatures one of the saddest stories in the entire series. The SOLDIER Zack Fair decides to make a name for himself in the group while honing his swordsmanship skills. After forming a great bond with Angeal, he inherits the Buster Sword from his friend and swears to do justice to his friend.
During his time in Midgar, Zack forms a bond with Aerith that turns into something truly special. However, before things could become more concrete, Zack gets drawn into a series of events that leads to the man losing his life while trying to protect the life of his friend, Cloud. It’s a bittersweet end to a love story that could’ve been the happiest thing in both their lives.
8Vaan & Penelo
Penelo fromFinal Fantasy 12is a seventeen-year-old Hume orphan who wants to be a dancerand is skilled at martial arts, thanks to her brothers. On the other hand, Vaan is the game’s main protagonist and childhood friend of Penelo. The two have known each other for the longest time.
Hence, they share a bond that has strengthened over the years, unlike many otherFinal Fantasycoupleson this list. Vaan & Penelo have a cute relationship with relatable emotions such as jealousy, personal differences, and an everlasting passion.
7Ashelia B’nargin Dalmasca & Rasler Heios Nabradia
Rasler Heios is a non-playablecharacter fromFinal Fantasy 12who is the princeof Nabradia. At the same time, Ashelia B’nargin Dalmasca is a playable character and one of the game’s main protagonists. Ashe & Rasler’s story is one for the books as they started in an arranged marriage and fought through various personal problems.
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However, they made it work in the end by finding true love. Unfortunately, the couple’s love life was short-lived as Rasler died in battle. Still,the two remain iconic as Ashe would always keepa thought of her husband with herself.
6Zidane Tribal & Garnet Til Alexandros XVII
Garnet Til Alexandros the 17th and Zidane Tribal had one of the best romances inFinal Fantasy’shistory. The two appeared inFinal Fantasy 9, where Zidane is the game’s main protagonist, while Garnet (Sarah) is the deuteragonist. The two have an uncanny romance that started due to their common goals.
At first, Garnet hid her identity from Zidane, a thief for Tantalus Theater Troupe. However, things get cozy during their journey together. In the end, Zidane expresses his love after almost dying and claims, “I had to live. I wanted to come home to you.”
5Cloud Strife & Tifa Lockhart
The dynamic between Cloud and Tifa is legendary, with the spikey blond-haired protagonist making a promise to his childhood friend that he would join SOLDIER and do justice to his hometown of Nibelheim. However, after failing to make it to the big leagues and being affected by Mako poisoning, Cloud’s delusions cause Tifa to worry about him… even though she doesn’t question him until much later in the series.
Eventually, Cloud’s memories come back to him, and he shares an intimate moment with Tifa under the Highwind before they decide to face off against Sephiroth once and for all. It’s a powerful scene that cements their romance… even if things aren’t stated explicitly.
4Snow Villiers & Serah Farron
Final Fantasy 13is a weird game that somehow fits into the series' extremely long-running story. It features iconic characters such as Oerba Dia Vanille, Lightning, Sazh Katzroy, Hope Estheim, and more, who all have separate journeys. However, one pair stood out in the game due to their friendship and love.
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Snow Villiers is one of the game’s playable characters whose entire mission is to save his fiancée, Serah Farron. Even though Serah’s sister Lightning disapproves of their relationship, theFinal Fantasycoupleproves they always belonged together.
