Fans of the Final Fantasy franchise are about to have a new way to team up and try to save the world with the launch of a brand-new game that sees players climbing a swaying Shinra Building to face the crisis threatening the planet.
Square Enix Reveals Final Fantasy VII: Ascend the Shinra Tower
Square Enix has teamed up with board game publisher Arclight Games to take the formula of Cat and the Tower and apply it to the world of Final Fantasy VII. The upcoming board game, Final Fantasy VII: Ascend the Shinra Tower, is aiming for an early November 2026 release in Japan.
Ascend the Shinra Tower is a cooperative board game, which means that players will work together and either win or lose as a team. The mechanics of the game include a mixture of dexterity-based tile challenges, cooperation, and strategy. Cat and the Tower, which Shinra Tower will likely share a very similar ruleset to, is a pretty lightweight game and currently sits at a pretty impressive 7.4 average rating on Board Game Geek.
“In this board game, players construct the Shinra Building by combining walls and floors according to the instructions on the cards. The game progresses by placing pieces. Maintaining a balance through discussion among everyone is the key to success. Because floors are piled on top of walls of varying heights, the building gradually tilts and becomes unstable…”
The game will also put a twist on the Cat and the Tower format by having enemies appear in the Shinra Building to block the party’s path. Players can claim victory if the team successfully gets Cloud to the 8th floor without destroying the Shinra Tower.
The game includes some pretty adorable figures, which will likely be a hit with fans of the Final Fantasy VII party and their biggest enemies.
Key features:
- Average play time: 15-30 minutes
- Number of players: 1-5
- Flooring: 20 pieces • Walls: 54 pieces • Action cards: 24 cards • Wooden game pieces: 24 pieces
- Rulebook (Japanese, English, French, German): 1 sheet each *[Card size: 63 x 88 mm]
- Suggested retail price: 4,400 yen (tax included)
- Size: Approximately 230 x 110 x 48 mm
Final Fantasy fans will likely have to wait a while longer before we learn more details about the release of the last chapter of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy or what the next mainline installment might be now that Final Fantasy XVI has come and gone. For now, perhaps this FF7 inspired board game can help fill the void.
Be sure to check back in the near future for more Final Fantasy news and updates.
Final Fantasy VII: Ascend the Shinra Tower releases on November 6, 2026. Board game fans can find The Cat and the Tower available now.
The post Square Enix Announces New Final Fantasy Game Coming This Year appeared first on VICE.
