Since the airship was introduced as the ultimate means of travel in the original Final Fantasy, it's been a staple of the JRPG genre. Once the party can zip across the globe to revisit old haunts or reach previously-inaccessible places, piloting an airship means the heroes are cruising toward their destiny.
While the old galleon-with-propellers design is certainly iconic, there have been some seriously cool airships over the years. Entire games have been built around this fantasy technology, and artists pull out all the stops to make these wondrous vehicles a central feature. Here are our favorites.Minor Spoilers Ahead
6 Van Eltia (Tales Of Eternia)
Originally localized in the West as Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Eternia follows the conflict between the twin worlds of Celestia and Inferia. Since traveling between the two worlds is of critical importance to the protagonists' quest, the game's airship is a central focus of the story. Originally owned by the dread pirate Aifread, the Van Eltia languishes in the care of his great-granddaughter Chat until the party convinces her to let them use the vessel by signing onto her crew as "deck hands."
Players can upgrade and customize the Van Eltia as the story progresses, giving them access to facilities like item shops on the go. Although the two games aren't technically related, there is a pirate named Aifread in Tales of Berseria who commands a ship called the Van Eltia - one of the series' many cameos and throwbacks.
5 Courageous (Trails Of Cold Steel)
The Legend of Heroes series has among the most airships of any JRPG series. These "orbalships," powered by the setting's magical orbal energy, are everywhere. In a franchise known for long, deep, detailed storylines, you can bet that the most important vessels have plenty of character and history of their own. The Courageous, which features prominently in the Trails of Cold Steel sub-series, is based on the design of the Arseilles from the first game, Trails In The Sky. While slower than its predecessor, the Courageous is more heavily armored.
When the students of Class VII gain command of the Courageous, it becomes the player's base of operations. With every possible facility the party could need onboard, the Courageous starts to feel like home shortly thereafter.
4 Yggdrasil (Xenogears)
Xenogears is a fan-favorite dating back to the PS1 era, and in another universe might have been more closely related to another entry on this list. There are actually several ships in the game to bear the name Yggdrasil. Originally designed for navigating desert sands and ocean waves, the second Yggdrasil had an optional extension allowing it to fly. Turning the Yggdrasil into a true airship gives the player unrestricted movement across the game's world, but the ship isn't done improving yet.
After docking with the remnants of a powerful battleship, the Yggdrasil interfaces with the ancient weapon and becomes Super Dimension Gear Yggdrasil IV. The combination of the two ships leads to one of the most over-the-top battles of all time as the Yggdrasil faces off against the Excalibur. Eventually the battleship is destroyed, forcing the Yggdrasil to undock, but for a brief moment it's one of the most powerful pieces of tech in a video game.
3 Delphinus (Skies Of Arcadia)
A game all about air pirates had better have some cool airships, and Skies Of Arcadia didn't become one of the most beloved games of all time by skimping on design. In a game full of amazing ships, the player's flagship the Delphinus rightly stands out. After stealing the Valuan Empire's prized warship out from under their noses, Vyse and crew rename the vessel Delphinus at Fina's suggestion.
In addition to traditional JRPG battles, Skies Of Arcadia features epic ship-to-ship engagements. These fights are part combat and part puzzle, and the Delphinus gives players more than enough firepower to get the job done in any situation. Firing the Moon Stone Cannon is always a joy - few foes can stand up to this high-powered laser. Sadly, Skies of Arcadia looks to be one of many Dreamcast classics that won't be making a return.
2 Epoch (Chrono Trigger)
For most of Chrono Trigger's story, the party is reliant on stationary Time Gates to jump between eras on their quest to prevent the Day of Lavos. Each Gate has only one destination, often necessitating a stopover at the End of Time to speed things up. Eventually though, the team receives the Epoch, a bona-fide time machine designed by the sage Balthazar. While the Epoch is a stationary device, it can take the party anywhen (get it?) they'd like to go instantly.
When things in the Zeal Kingdom go from bad to worse, the Epoch falls into the hands of the villainous Dalton. By the time the party recovers the machine, Dalton has made some modifications - specifically, he's given the Epoch the ability to fly! With their new wings, there's nowhere in time or space that Crono and company can't reach.
1 Township (Breath Of Fire 2)
Many airships provide town-like amenities for players to use in the late game. It's a convenient way of keeping the party stocked up without having to fly to a store. The airship in Breath of Fire 2 takes that idea one step further as Ryu and his followers float around the globe in a flying town.
Starting as a small ruin discovered by Ryu, Township eventually grows into a thriving village as people travel there for safety. As more citizens join the town, more of its secrets are unlocked until finally Ryu discovers a mechanism allowing the whole thing to take off and fly! This is one of several jaw-dropping reveals that happen all at once, and one of the most memorable moments in the classic series.