Best Square Enix Mascot Characters, Ranked

Every video game developer needs to have their own mascot character. Whether it’s Mario with Nintendo, Sonic with Sega, or the Vault Boy with Bethesda, these quirky characters are made to represent the company they are tied to. In the case of Square Enix though, there isn’t exactly one definitive mascot who represents them, but instead, there have been a few quirky creatures that have become synonymous with the developer and their games over the many years that they’ve been in the industry.

Because most of Square Enix’s games are set in the fantasy genre, it means that their mascots are able to have incredibly striking and otherworldy designs that help make them very unique, and although they often play a minimal role in their respective games, they will still always make an appearance in some form or another. With that in mind, it’s time to rank each of the Square Enix mascots based on their designs, likability, and just how utterly recognizable they are to both gamers and non-gamers alike.

7 Rabite

The Small And Lovable Rabites Have Appeared In Every Single Mana Game Since The Series First Began In 1991

• First Appearance: Final Fantasy Adventure (1991)

Rabites are small and furry rabbit-like monsters that have appeared as fairly weak monsters in every single game in the Mana series since its inception. Throughout that time, their bright yellow and pink appearance has remained untouched, and considering that the first Mana game was released back in 1991, it means that these little guys have popped up more than a few times over the years, eventually becoming the official mascots of the overall series.

Rabites have actually become so popular that they’re almost always seen making an appearance on any kind of Mana merchandise, but considering how sweet and harmless they look, it’s not hard to see why so many people adore them so much. After realizing how beloved the Rabites would eventually become, Square Enix even decided to beef them up in some of the games, such as with Trials of Mana where a giant Rabite superboss acts as one of the toughest enemies for players to take down if they’re brave enough.

6 Black Mage

The Black Mage Was A Huge Final Fantasy Mascot During The Early Years Of The Series

• First Appearance: Final Fantasy (1987)

Although the very first Final Fantasy game featured six different jobs that players could assign each of their party members to, they all looked quite similar in their designs, with an exception to this being the Black Mage. With his brown slanted top hat, blue trench coat and glowing yellow eyes, the Black Mage’s design felt directly inspired by old fantasy stories while also having an aura of mystery to him that immediately turned him into a fan-favorite.

As a result, back in the early years when the series was still firmly rooted in the fantasy genre, the Black Mage was used in a lot of advertisements and in gaming magazines to appeal to anyone who may have an interest in this setting, but who hadn’t yet check out Final Fantasy for themselves. Even when the series started steering towards more of a modern aesthetic, the Black Mage still managed to make a return in Final Fantasy 9 through the character of Vivi, whose design is more or less identical to the classic mascot.

5 Cactuar

It’s Hard Not To Love A Giant Green Cactus Who Loves Nothing More Than Running On The Spot

• First Appearance: Final Fantasy 6 (1994)

Cactuar might not be quite as popular as some of the other Final Fantasy mascots, but it’s hard to deny that it’s absurd design and quirky antics still make it a pretty fascinating monster to look at. The Cactuar can always be seen standing still while in a running position, which references how the enemy is known for being ridiculously agile in the games, and actually pretty dangerous if it manages to land its signature 1000 Needle Attack on a party member.

It’s fair to say that putting a shocked face on a cactus and giving it a spiky tuft of hair is one of Square Enix’s most out-there monster designs to date, but it’s also captivated people for just how weird it is, resulting in Cactuar being on of the series’ primary mascots. It’s unclear whether Square Enix ever predicted that this bizarre monster would actually reach this level of popularity, but as a result, they’ve embraced it with open arms, featuring it in plenty of merchandise and in all the mainline games.

4 Shadow

Shadows Manage To Somehow Look Both Creepy And Cute At The Same Time

• First Appearance: Kingdom Hearts (2002)

Although there are a few classic pieces of iconography that have come out of the Kingdom Hearts series, with the Keyblade being a prime example, one specific type of monster who almost always shows up in marketing material and merchandise is the Shadow. Considering that Sora and the gang are often tasked with taking on large hordes of Shadows in each world they visit, it didn’t take long before they started becoming synonymous with the series itself.

This was also in large part due to the incredibly creative and striking design of the Shadows, with their beady yellow eyes and long scraggly antennas managing to make them look both terrifying and cute at the same time. Because of how recognizable the Shadows have become over the years, Square Enix have also ensured not to mess around with their appearance too much, with them looking virtually identical in each and every game, including the spin-offs.

3 Chocobo

Chocobos Not Only Have A Very Distinctive Look, But They Also Play An Important Role In The Games Too

• First Appearance: Final Fantasy 2 (1988)

The large fluffy golden birds known as Chocobos have become so immensely popular as a mascot character that Square Enix have even made a few spin-off games completely centered around these lovable creatures, including racing games, and even board games too. What makes the Chocobos such popular animals isn’t just their adorable design, but also just how big of a part they play in many of the games, often being used as the main form of transport for regular humans.

Even in Final Fantasy 15 where the party has access to a car, Chocobos still make an appearance and are actually much faster than the Regalia itself, showing just how determined Square Enix are about including them whenever they can. Admittedly, this does make a lot of sense considering just how many people are in love with these creatures, with most fans jumping for joy whenever they make even a brief appearance in a new trailer.

2 Slime

The Minimalistic Design Of The Slime Has Made Them Easy To Use In Marketing Material For The Dragon Quest Series

• First Appearance: Dragon Quest (1986)

It cannot be understated just how massive Slime is as a mascot, especially in Japan, where Slime plushies and toys can be found in nearly every video game store across the country. Considering just how small and cuddly the Slime’s design is though, it means that it’s easy to market these miniature monsters in the form of merchandise, especially since their jovial facial expressions also make them very eye-catching for kids.

The Slime has made an appearance in every single Dragon Quest game to date, and aside from a color change here and there, they’ve almost never changed in regard to their appearance, making them very easy to point out and undoubtedly one of Square Enix’s biggest ever mascots. Similar to the Chocobo, Slime has grown to such a staggering level of popularity that it has made numerous appearances in other games too, even being a playable contestant in Mario Sports Mix, which just goes to show how well-known these small blue blobs really are.

1 Moogle

Moogles Have Remained Synonymous With The Final Fantasy Franchise Ever Since They First Appeared In The Third Game

• First Appearance: Final Fantasy 3 (1990)

First appearing as magical bodyguards in Final Fantasy 3, the Moogle immediately stood out from every other creature and monster that had been seen in the series not only because of how friendly and intelligent they were, but also because of their incredibly strange design. The Moogle’s design feels incredibly original and unique, with the small pink nose, tiny red wings, and signature “pom pom” all coming together to create a creature that looks very distinct and otherworldy in its appearance.

When Square gradually started localizing the earlier Final Fantasy titles to the western world, Moogles played a very big part in the marketing, with future games, such as Final Fantasy 13-2, even dedicating entire trailers around this single creature. As a result, even people who weren’t that interested in gaming became fully aware of the Moogles and the series they were related to, and their quirky design also helped skyrocket their popularity as toys and merchandise too. Although Square Enix does have a fair number of mascots tied to their games, the Moogles are without a doubt the most recognizable of the bunch who are still just as beloved today as they were when they first appeared all those years ago.