Games which could have been/were supposed to be Final Fantasies?

[danzibr]

I read that Xenogears was originally to be a FF but that due to its themes got a name change.

Likewise, I read Chrono Trigger and... something else, I forget at the moment, were to be Final Fantasies.

My google-fu fails me. Out of curiosity, does anyone know of any other games which, early in their development, were to have the title Final Fantasy?

[Alent]

Rudra no Hihou has always struck me as a Final Fantasy game, but I've never seen anything to indicate it was going to be one. I think it should have been released under the FF brand, it had an amazing magic system and Better sprite graphics than FF6.

I haven't played it because I don't have a 3DS, but the Bravely Default games are a spinoff of a final fantasy spinoff, and are remarkably more loyal to classic Final Fantasy's story and voice than most of the mainline series.

Going the other way, the Seiken Densetsu games' started off as "Final Fantasy Gaiden: Seiken Densetsu", before they decided to omit the Final Fantasy Gaiden part in subsequent releases.

[danzibr]

Rudra no Hihou has always struck me as a Final Fantasy game, but I've never seen anything to indicate it was going to be one. I think it should have been released under the FF brand, it had an amazing magic system and Better sprite graphics than FF6.

I haven't played it because I don't have a 3DS, but the Bravely Default games are a spinoff of a final fantasy spinoff, and are remarkably more loyal to classic Final Fantasy's story and voice than most of the mainline series.

Going the other way, the Seiken Densetsu games' started off as "Final Fantasy Gaiden: Seiken Densetsu", before they decided to omit the Final Fantasy Gaiden part in subsequent releases.
I just looked up Rudra no Hihou. Looks amazing! I'll have to give it a to at some point.

And I considered mentioning Seiken Densetsu. Honorable mention.

[Zevox]

Not in the literal sense, but Lost Odyssey is basically a Final Fantasy game in all but name. Well, it does have actual turn-based combat, unlike most of the Final Fantasy series, but FF1-3 and 10 did have that, so it counts.