A Dungeon is a game element in the Final Fantasy series, where the player is meant to explore and obtain treasure, while defeating enemies along the way. In the end of it, lies a goal: an artifact to be obtained, a boss to be defeated, or even a cutscene to be seen. Only by accomplishing these objects, the story will progress and unfold. Dungeons are usually accessed via 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: it 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.
Appearances
Final Fantasy
The Chaos Shrine: the first dungeon of the series.
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
The Dreadnought
Like the previous game, almost every dungeon has a boss or/and a key item to be obtained, otherwise, a mere cutscene must be seen. This game was the first to feature points-of-no return. Due to a the existence of a solid storyline, some major plot events occur 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
- Pandaemonium
- 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
The Temple of Time
Final Fantasy III follows the series' consistency, having one boss per dungeon. This game featured optional dungeons for the first time, as well as cutscenes in each of them.
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
The Lunar Ruins
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
- 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
The Drakenvale
By the time of Final Fantasy V, plot events were more common at the end of dungeons than properly 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
The Cultists' Tower
In Final Fantasy VI many dungeons reward the player with a playable character, and in rare cases, Magicite. For this reason, most dungeons are actually optional. The use of dungeons for paths can also be seen in this installment.
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 Factory
- Cave to the Sealed Gate
- Espers' Gathering Place
- Floating Continent
- Figaro Castle
- Darill's Tomb
- Mt. Zozo
- Owzer's Mansion
- Cave in the Veldt
- Cultists' Tower
- Cyan's Soul
- Ebot's Rock
- Triangle Island
- Dragons' Den, an optional dungeon featured in the Advance remake
- Soul Shrine, an optional dungeon featured in the Advance remake
Final Fantasy VII
The depths of the Cave of the Gi
In Final Fantasy VII most dungeons appear as only a passage, and if otherwise, they're most probably optional. Items are rarely obtained in dungeons anymore.
List of Dungeons:
- Sector 1 Reactor
- Sector 5 Reactor
- 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 treasure
- Sunken Gelnika, an optional dungeon underwater with precious equipment
Final Fantasy VIII
The Tomb of the Unknown King
Final Fantasy VIII has a ridiculous small amount of locations in comparison to earlier installments, so dungeons either end in plot events or are entirely optional. A lot of these are points of no return as well.
List of Dungeons:
- Fire Cavern
- Tomb of the Unknown King
- D-District Prison
- Missile Base
- Balamb Garden
- Great Salt Lake
- Lunatic Pandora
- Deep Sea Research Center, an optional dungeon in the edge of the world
Final Fantasy IX
The Iifa Tree
Final Fantasy IX has many dungeons in comparison to its predecessor, and somewhat rewinds to a pattern similar to Final Fantasy V.
List of Dungeons:
- Evil Forest
- Ice Cavern
- Gizamaluke's Grotto
- Burmecia
- Path to Cleyra
- Alexandria Castle
- Pinnacle Rocks
- Fossil Roo
- Conde Petie Mountain Path
- Iifa Tree
- Oeilvert
- Desert Palace
- Mount Gulug
- Ipsen's Castle
- Earth Shrine
- Castle 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 respawn more slowly, 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 Subterranae
- 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
Final Fantasy XII
The Barheim Passage
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 subseries 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 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.