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Final Fantasy IX (ファイナルファンタジーIX, Fainaru Fantajī Nain) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the ninth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2000, and is the third and last numbered Final Fantasy game for Sony's PlayStation.

Set in a fantasy world of Gaia, Final Fantasy IX's plot centers on a war between several nations, sparked by an ambitious queen. Players follow a young thief named Zidane Tribal, who joins with several others to defeat the Queen. The plot shifts, however, when the characters realize that the Queen is a puppet for an arms dealer named Kuja.

Final Fantasy IX was developed alongside Final Fantasy VIII, but took a different path to return to the series' roots with a more traditional fantasy setting. Consequently, Final Fantasy IX was influenced heavily by the original Final Fantasy, and features allusions to other Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy IX introduced new features to the series, such as the Active Time Event, Mognet, and a revamped equipment and skill system. The game has been subject to generally positive reviews and some consider it the best game in the series. (more...)