Final Fantasy VI, originally released as Final Fantasy III in North America, is launched by Square Co. Ltd. for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It becomes one of the most critically acclaimed entries in the Final Fantasy series.
Square Enix releases Final Fantasy VI Advance for the Game Boy Advance in Japan, featuring updated graphics, new dungeons, and additional content compared to the original SNES release.
Final Fantasy VI Advance is released in North America for the Game Boy Advance, bringing the enhanced version of the classic RPG to the western handheld gaming audience.
Humans discover Magicite, remnants of the Espers, leading to the rise of magic use in human civilization.
The Gestahlian Empire begins its conquest to unify the world under its rule using Magitek technology derived from Espers.
Terra is enslaved by the Gestahlian Empire and used as a Magitek soldier due to her innate magic abilities.
Terra is rescued by Celes and other rebels; together, they defect from the Empire and join the Returners to fight against imperial oppression.
The Returners sabotage the Empire's Magitek production by destroying the reactor in their capital city, Vector.
The Returners execute multiple missions to weaken the Gestahlian Empire's control over the world and rescue enslaved Magitek soldiers.
The villain Kefka Palazzo absorbs immense magical power and overthrow Emperor Gestahl, declaring himself the God of Magic.
Kefka uses the Warring Triad statues to reshape the world into a barren wasteland ruled by chaos and despair.
The surviving heroes reunite and traverse the devastated world to unite and confront Kefka's tyranny.
The protagonists confront and defeat Kefka in his tower, restoring balance and hope to the world.
After Kefka's defeat, the world begins recovering from devastation as the surviving heroes help restore peace and civilization.
