Dungeon

A Dungeon is a game element in the Final Fantasy series, in which the player is meant to explore and obtain treasure, while defeating enemies along the way. The end of dungeons usually contain a goal: an artifact to be obtained, a boss to be defeated, or even a cutscene to be seen. Sometimes the story can only progress by completing these dungeons, and sometimes they are optional. Dungeons are usually accessed via the World Map, but in some cases, they are accessed via other, smaller dungeons, either by passageways or warp devices, or in some rarer cases, the player is instantly taken to a dungeon due to a plot event.

A Final Dungeon exists in each game, which consists of the area where the final boss resides, waiting to be defeated. Most games also feature secret, optional dungeons, that usually either hold precious treasure inside, or incredibly strong superbosses.

Final Fantasy
In Final Fantasy, each dungeon contains an important artifact and a boss to be defeated, with exception of the first dungeon, the Chaos Shrine, and the Mirage Tower, which is merely a path to the Flying Fortress.

List of Dungeons:
 * Chaos Shrine
 * Marsh Cave
 * Western Keep
 * Cavern of Earth
 * Mount Gulg
 * Ice Cave
 * Citadel of Trials
 * Sunken Shrine
 * Waterfall Cavern
 * Mirage Tower
 * Flying Fortress
 * Earthgift Shrine, an earth-elemental theme optional dungeon ridden with Final Fantasy III bosses, featured in the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary remakes.
 * Hellfire Chasm, a fire-elemental theme optional dungeon ridden with Final Fantasy IV bosses, featured in the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary remakes.
 * Lifespring Grotto, a water-elemental theme optional dungeon ridden with Final Fantasy V bosses, featured in the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary remakes.
 * Whisperwind Cove, a wind-elemental theme optional dungeon ridden with Final Fantasy VI bosses, featured in the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary remakes.
 * Labyrinth of Time, an optional dungeon featured in the 20th Anniversary remake.

Final Fantasy II
Like the previous game, almost every dungeon has a boss to defeat, a key item to be obtained, or a cutscene to be seen. This game was the first to feature points of no return in dungeons. Due to Final Fantasy II 's story-driven gameplay, many events take place in dungeons.

List of Dungeons:
 * Fynn
 * Semitt Falls
 * Bafsk Sewers
 * Snow Cave
 * Kashuan
 * Dreadnought
 * Deist Cavern
 * Coliseum
 * Tropical Island
 * Cave of Mysidia
 * Leviathan
 * Mysidian Tower
 * Cyclone
 * Palamecia
 * Jade Passage
 * Unknown Cave, a post-game optional dungeon featured in the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary remakes.
 * Unknown Palace, a post-game optional dungeon featured in the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary remakes.
 * Arcane Labyrinth, an optional dungeon featured in the 20th Anniversary remake.
 * Arcane Sanctuary, an optional dungeon featured in the 20th Anniversary remake.

Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy III follows the series' consistency, having one boss per dungeon. This game, at the time of its release, was the first to feature optional dungeon, and also cutscenes in each of them. In some dungeons, the party is forced to induce a status ailment in order to transfigure the party so they can enter the dungeon, such as the Subterranean Lake or the Tower of Owen.

List of Dungeons:
 * Altar Cave
 * Sealed Cave
 * Dragon's Peak
 * Nepto Temple
 * Tower of Owen
 * Subterranean Lake
 * Molten Cave
 * Hein's Castle
 * Cave of Tides
 * Amur Sewers
 * Goldor Manor
 * Cave of the Circle
 * Temple of Time
 * Ancient Ruins
 * Cave of Shadows
 * Doga's Grotto
 * Ancients' Maze
 * Crystal Tower
 * Dragon Spire, an optional dungeon that holds treasured equipment for Dragoons
 * Sunken Cave, an optional dungeon that holds many treasure
 * Saronia Catacombs, an optional dungeon that consists of Odin's residence
 * Lake Dohr, an optional dungeon that consists of Leviathan's residence
 * Bahamut's Lair, an optional dungeon that consists of Bahamut's true lair
 * Forbidden Land Eureka, an optional dungeon that holds sealed powerful equipment
 * ???, an optional dungeon featured in the Nintendo DS version

Final Fantasy IV
Party members often leave and join the party inside dungeons in Final Fantasy IV.

List of Dungeons:
 * Mist Cave
 * Underground Waterway
 * Antlion's Den
 * Mt. Hobs
 * Mount Ordeals
 * Ancient Waterway
 * Lodestone Cavern
 * Tower of Zot
 * Eblan Cave
 * Tower of Babil
 * Sealed Cave
 * Giant of Babil
 * Sylph Cave, an optional dungeon located in the Earth
 * Feymarch, an optional dungeon that leads to the home of the Eidolons
 * Lair of the Father, an optional dungeon that consists of Bahamut's lair
 * Cave of Trials, an optional dungeon located in Mount Ordeals that features new equipment in the Advance remake
 * Lunar Ruins, a long and difficult optional dungeon located in the Red Moon that houses new puzzles, equipment and enemies, available only in the Advance remake

Final Fantasy V
By the time of Final Fantasy V, plot events were more common at the end of dungeons than the acquisition of key items.

List of Dungeons:
 * Pirates' Hideout
 * Wind Shrine
 * Ship Graveyard
 * North Mountain
 * Walse Tower
 * Fire-Powered Ship
 * Library of the Ancients
 * Ronka Ruins
 * Castle Exdeath
 * Underground Waterway
 * Drakenvale
 * Barrier Tower
 * Pyramid of Moore
 * Island Shrine
 * Great Sea Trench
 * Istory Falls
 * Gil Cave, an optional dungeon from the second world
 * Castle of Bal, an optional dungeon from the third world, where Odin lies
 * Fork Tower, an optional dungeon from the third world that houses the spells of Holy and Flare
 * Phoenix Tower, an optional dungeon from the third world where Phoenix can be obtained
 * Sealed Temple, an optional dungeon available only in the Advance version, composed by several smaller dungeons

Final Fantasy VI
In Final Fantasy VI, the use of dungeons as pathways is very common in the World of Balance, while the World of Ruin is filled with optional dungeons which reward the player with a playable character, and in rare cases, Magicite.

List of Dungeons:
 * Narshe Mines.
 * South Figaro Cave
 * Mt. Kolts
 * Lethe River
 * Phantom Forest
 * Phantom Train
 * Baren Falls
 * Crescent Mountain Cave
 * Serpent Trench
 * Zozo
 * Magitek Research Facility
 * Cave to the Sealed Gate
 * Espers' Gathering Place
 * Floating Continent
 * Figaro Castle
 * Darill's Tomb
 * Mt. Zozo is an optional dungeon in the World of Ruin
 * Owzer's Mansion is an optional dungeon in the World of Ruin where Relm Arrowny can be found.
 * Cave in the Veldt is an optional dungeon in the World of Ruin where Gau can be found.
 * Cultists' Tower is an optional dungeon where Strago Magus can be found, rewards the player with a Soul of Thamasa.
 * The Phoenix Cave is an optional dungeon where Locke Cole and the Phoenix Magicite can be found.
 * Cyan's Soul is an optional dungeon which rewards the player with Alexander.
 * Ebot's Rock is an optional dungeon where Strago can learn Grand Train.
 * Zone Eater's Belly is an optional dungeon where Gogo can be found.
 * Narshe becomes a dungeon in the World of Ruin where Mog can be found
 * Yeti's Cave is a continuation of the Narshe Caves accessible in the World of Ruin where Midgardsormr and Umaro can be found.
 * Dragons' Den, an optional dungeon featured in the Advance remake
 * Soul Shrine, an optional dungeon featured in the Advance remake

Final Fantasy VII
In Final Fantasy VII, many dungeons appear as either a passage or an optional dungeon. Items are found more rarely than in previous games.

List of Dungeons:
 * Sector 1 Reactor
 * Sector 5 Reactor
 * Train Graveyard
 * Shinra Headquarters
 * Mythril Mines
 * Mt. Corel
 * Cave of the Gi
 * Mt. Nibel
 * Temple of the Ancients
 * Great Glacier
 * Gaea's Cliff
 * Junon Underwater Reactor
 * Midgar, the second visit is one extended dungeon from which the player cannot escape
 * Ancient Forest, an optional dungeon with several treasures
 * Sunken Gelnika, an optional dungeon underwater with precious equipment

Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII has a small amount of locations in comparison to earlier installments, so dungeons either end in plot events or are entirely optional. Many of the dungeons later in the game are points of no return as well.

List of Dungeons:
 * Fire Cavern
 * Tomb of the Unknown King
 * Deling City Sewers
 * D-District Prison
 * Missile Base
 * Balamb Garden
 * Galbadia Garden
 * Great Salt Lake
 * Lunatic Pandora
 * Centra Ruins, an optional dungeon on the Centra continent
 * Deep Sea Research Center, an optional dungeon in the edge of the world

Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX has many dungeons when compared to its predecessor, possessing a pattern similar to earlier games in the series.

List of Dungeons:
 * Evil Forest
 * Ice Cavern
 * Gizamaluke's Grotto
 * Burmecia
 * Cleyra's Trunk
 * Alexandria Castle
 * Pinnacle Rocks
 * Fossil Roo
 * Conde Petie Mountain Path
 * Iifa Tree
 * Oeilvert
 * Desert Palace
 * Mount Gulug
 * Ipsen's Castle
 * Earth Shrine
 * Pandemonium

Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X hasn't many dungeons due to the fact that the world map has been abolished. However, examples of dungeons are the Cave of the Stolen Fayth and the Omega Ruins, both optional.

Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI, though there's no traditional world map, has a large amount of dungeon areas. These areas are distinguished by the fact enemies re-spawn more slowly, players are able to use the spell Escape and chocobos will not enter them. Almost all of these are at one point used in a mission or quest:

Original dungeons

 * Inner Horutoto Ruins
 * Outer Horutoto Ruins
 * Toraimarai Canal
 * Giddeus
 * Maze of Shakhrami
 * Castle Oztroja
 * Garlaige Citadel
 * King Ranperre's Tomb
 * Ghelsba Outpost
 * Fort Ghelsba
 * Yughott Grotto
 * Ordelle's Caves
 * Davoi
 * Monastic Caverns
 * The Eldieme Necropolis
 * Zeruhn Mines
 * Dangruf Wadi
 * Palborough Mines
 * Gusgen Mines
 * Beadeaux
 * Crawlers' Nest
 * Lower Delkfutt's Tower
 * Middle Delkfutt's Tower
 * Upper Delkfutt's Tower
 * Ranguemont Pass
 * Fei'Yin
 * Castle Zvahl Baileys
 * Castle Zvahl Keep

Rise of the Zilart

 * Korroloka Tunnel
 * Quicksand Caves
 * Kuftal Tunnel
 * Gustav Tunnel
 * Labyrinth of Onzozo
 * Sea Serpent Grotto
 * Temple of Uggalipeh
 * Den of Rancor
 * Ifrit's Cauldron
 * The Boyahda Tree
 * Ve'Lugannon Palace
 * The Shrine of Ru'Avitau

Chains of Promathia

 * Promyvion - Dem
 * Promyvion - Holla
 * Promyvion - Mea
 * Promyvion - Vahzl
 * Phomiuna Aqueducts
 * Sacrarium
 * Riverne - Site A01
 * Riverne - Site B01
 * Pso'Xja
 * Oldton Movalpolos
 * Newton Movalpolos
 * Grand Palace of Hu'Xzoi
 * The Garden of Ru'Hmet

Treasures of Aht Urhgan

 * Aydeewa Subterrane
 * Mamook
 * Mamool Ja Training Grounds
 * Halvung
 * Lebros Caverns
 * Arrapago Reef
 * Ilrusi Atoll
 * Leujaoam Caverns
 * Periqia
 * The Ashu Talif
 * Alzadaal Undersea Ruins
 * Bhaflau Remnants
 * Zhayolm Remnants
 * Arrapago Remnants
 * Silver Sea Remnants
 * Nyzul Isle

Wings of the Goddess

 * Garlaige Citadel [S]
 * Crawlers' Nest [S]
 * The Eldieme Necropolis [S]
 * Castle Oztroja [S]
 * Beadeaux [S]
 * La Vaule [S]

Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XII has completely abolished the idea of a world map as well, but dungeons can be distinguished by areas that cannot be accessed via the Strahl.

List of dungeons:
 * Garamsythe Waterway
 * Nalbina Dungeons
 * Barheim Passage
 * Lhusu Mines
 * Dreadnought Leviathan
 * Tomb of Raithwall
 * Henne Mines
 * Stilshrine of Miriam
 * Sochen Cave Palace
 * Draklor Laboratory
 * Feywood
 * Ancient City of Giruvegan
 * Great Crystal
 * Pharos at Ridorana
 * Zertinan Caverns, an optional dungeon that links numerous locations in eastern Ivalice
 * Necrohol of Nabudis, an optional dungeon that was once a city of men, now it is filled with evil spirits
 * Subterra, an optional dungeon below the Pharos at Ridorana

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Revenant Wings is a strategy game, and cannot be considered to have many dungeons, since, like in the Tactics sub-series of the Ivalice Alliance, gameplay is restricted to battles. In the other hand, the Well of Whispered Oaths has several enemies, treasure and floors, and thus, can be considered a legitimate dungeon.

Final Fantasy XIII
The traditional concept of dungeons largely doesn't exist in Final Fantasy XIII, with the absence of world map. On Gran Pulse, however, there are a few optional areas the player can explore, the location of the Faultwarrens being closest to a traditional Final Fantasy dungeon.

Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics has no dungeons of the traditional sense, as gameplay is limited to battles and the World Map. However, one location, Midlight's Deep, is said to be a large dungeon. In order to reach all ten levels of this optional location, the player must find the exit on each level mid-battle. At the bottom level is the game's lone Superboss.

Theme
The "Dungeon" themes appear through various games in the series, but as the series evolved, each dungeon began to have its exclusive background theme.