Kupo! The cry of the Moogle is well-known amongst Final Fantasy fans far and wide. These iconic little furballs have been around since Final Fantasy 3 and are one of the recurring features that make a Final Fantasy game a Final Fantasy game.
Along with Chocobos, engineers named Cid, and elemental crystals, Moogles have become as recognizable as they are cute. Despite this, they are often quite different from game to game, in both their involvement, function, and even existence as anything more than an arcade game or range of magical dolls.
10 Final Fantasy 5
In many ways, Final Fantasy 5 made many references to Final Fantasy 3. The job system, the elemental crystals, and the Moogles are all returning features from the NES game, and it’s here that the latter acquire their signature “Kupo!”
After rescuing a Moogle from the terrifyingly named Moogle Eater, Bartz and co. are led to a forest of the creatures. They are given gifts by the fluffy things and thanks to their ability to communicate telepathically over long distances, the party is rescued by Krile and her dragon. They aren’t that important here, but they make an impression.
9 Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia
In this spinoff gacha game for mobile devices, Mog (note: not the Mog from Final Fantasy 6) is one of the few original characters to have any involvement in the story. He is the servant of the goddess Materia and guides the heroes (and villains) through the convoluted world of Opera Omnia.
As a mysterious entity with no relation to any of the previously known cast members, Mog is an interesting character here. It’s brought up that he might even be evil, and the story alludes to there being perhaps something dark about the Moogle. Depending on how the narrative unfolds, Mog could be one of the most interesting Moogles in Final Fantasy history.
8 Final Fantasy 12
The Moogles of Ivalice make a strong appearance in Final Fantasy 12. Taking inspiration from their general role in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, they often appear as mechanics and builders, known for their dexterity.
Montblanc, a recurring Moogle in Ivalice, even makes an appearance as the head of Clan Centurio. He and his brothers are the most important Moogles in the game with Nono being Balthier’s chief mechanic at that! In Final Fantasy 12, they are adorable, and while their roles are small, they are surely unforgettable.
7 Final Fantasy: Unlimited
Proving that it’s not Final Fantasy without one of these furry beasts, Moogle Kupo is a character who turns up towards the end of Final Fantasy: Unlimited. He is an old friend of Kaze, the resident summoner, and shared a homeworld with him.
Moogle Kupo knows a lot about summoning and helps Kaze power up his summoned entities (which are fired out of his magical gun, no less). In the final episode (spoilers!) Moogle Kupo sacrifices himself, turning into summoning soil that helps Kaze deal the final blow to the big baddie, Chaos.
6 Final Fantasy 13-2
Mog is a surprisingly important character in Final Fantasy 13-2. He is tasked by Lightning with aiding Serah on her adventure and even becomes her weapons during battle. He is an optimistic member of the group and can even be used to find items and monsters if you know exactly where to look (and throw him).
This Moogle is an uplifting part of a story that can get quite dark at times. This is no doubt thanks to his voice actor Ariel Winter (known for playing the role of Alex Dunphy in Modern Family) who gives Mog the most enthusiastic voice possible.
5 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
The Crystal Chronicles franchise has a great depiction of Moogles. Here they are very short and very round, adorably helping out adventurers in dungeons and as part of the important caravans that travel the world looking for Myrrh. Two recurring Moogles from Final Fantasy 9, Artemecion and Stiltzkin make appearances too.
These Moogles persist throughout the Crystal Chronicles games with Artemecion getting to run a shop in Ring of Fates and a bunch of Moogles helping out King Leo during the events of My Life as a King. In a game with many different races to meet, Moogles certainly stand out.
4 Final Fantasy 14
While initially a small part of the world at the beginning of this game’s narrative, Moogles go on to play a bigger and bigger part as time goes on. Even veterans of the series were surprised when a certain story quest took the Warrior of Light into a boss battle against Good King Moggle Mog XII, and his theme music will remain in their heads to this day.
And that’s not to mention the village of Moogles encountered during the events of Heavensward. They are mischievous yet loveable in this incarnation and players can enjoy dressing up in various Moogle-themed accessories and outfits. It’s definitely a good showing for the critters.
3 Final Fantasy 9
Acting as both Save Points, healing areas, and a postal system, Final Fantasy 9 really relies heavily on Moogles. They are a central part of the rich worldbuilding that this game enjoys and a very memorable incarnation. Players get tutorials from them, receive a Chocobo from one of them, and can buy rare items from the traveling Stiltzkin.
With named Moogles popping up all over the place to expand on the game’s lore and comment on current events via their letters, Final Fantasy 9 uses Moogles to their advantage extremely well. And anyway, who wouldn’t want a flute that summons a Moogle to their side? Just don’t overuse it as it will annoy Moguo, the world map Moogle.
2 Final Fantasy 6
One of the most memorable moments by far in the entire Final Fantasy franchise is the opening of Final Fantasy 6 with Locke protecting Terra alongside a flock of friendly Moogles. The sequence is beloved and introduces Mog, a loudmouthed Moogle with a sarcastic wit about him. While technically an optional character who can be recruited later in the game, the chances of anyone abandoning the adorable Moogle are surely slim.
Taking Mog along for the ride feels great as he really stands out in a large cast of mostly humans. He is both a dancer and a powerful dragoon with the right equipment loadout, making him a flexible and handy party member to keep around. He’s one of the franchise’s most iconic characters and it’s impossible not to love him.
1 Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
As one of the five playable races of Tactics Advance and its sequel, Moogles deservedly get quite a spotlight in the land of Ivalice. Most notably is the game’s deuteragonist Montblanc, a generous and fun Moogle who guides Marche through the tough world of leading a Clan. His little brother, Nono, also makes an appearance as the resident airship expert.
This game established Moogles as handy in a fight for more than being a summoned creature, and made them dextrous fighters who could wield a gun as well as they could wield time magic. Adding Moogles to your party was always a good idea, and the game makes them interesting and enjoyable characters.
NEXT: Which Final Fantasy Has The Biggest World Map?
