The occult series Five Nights at Freddy’s was a happy accident that turned into a profitable success. Creator Scott Cawthorn’s previous game, Chipper & Sons Lumber Co., spooked the public with how the main character eerily resembles a creepy robotic beaver, which received criticism due to its appeal as a children’s game. Instead of obsessing over his failures, Cawthorn used the idea to create a new survival horror series themed around murderous animatronics. The first iteration of Five Night at Freddy’s (2014) saw tremendous success and spawned many sequels and spinoffs years later.
Being a newcomer to the series is no easy feat; there’s no way to navigate the in-depth lore without the help of previous knowledge. So we at Android Police have narrowed down a list and point you towards the best order (to get the most enjoyment) to play the Five Nights at Freddy’s series.
Chronological order versus release order
You’ll learn right away that the release order doesn’t necessarily match the chronological order for story-telling for the Five Nights at Freddy’s series. However, after carefully reviewing the available games, we recommend that newcomers prioritize the release order over the chronological (story) order. This way, you’ll have the time to adapt to the differing mechanics between each entry. After all, moving backward with game mechanics is never fun, and since each new game will evolve mechanically, the release order is the way to go when you’re looking to put your survival horror/puzzle-solving skills to the test.
1. Five Nights at Freddy’s
The first release easily tops the list of where to start. Developers are always finding ways to bait the hook to catch the fish. We, as the consumers, are the fish. The first game is the intended bait, and it has done well to keep reeling in more fish. Fortunately, the best version (remastered port of the PC version) is the available version on the Google Play Store. In contrast, the original mobile release of FNaF had such stilted animations that it ruined the horror atmosphere, especially in jump scare scenes — thankfully not the case anymore.
Homicidal animatronics prowl at night, making it challenging to perform your new night security guard job at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. You’re stuck in the camera system room, and the electricity has limited use each night. So your eyes, the camera footage, and the security doors are your only weapons against these animatronics. Your job is to always be on watch to track down each enemy’s location — if you lose sight of them, it’s the end of the line for you.
2. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
The second installment of the Five Nights at Freddy’s is very similar to the first game while existing as a remaster (same as the first game). The quality for animation improvements and gameplay is similar to the previous remastered title, ensuring a seamless transition from the first installment to the second with quality remastered graphics.
The gameplay resembles the first iteration, but you’ll have more tools at your disposal this time around. You’re still on camera duty, but if you mess up at your job, your last line of defense is to fool any infiltrating animatronics using your new Freddy Fazbear head disguise. How well you keep tabs on the game’s animatronics will ultimately decide your fate.
Note: The third and fourth installments of Five Nights at Freddy’s are next on our list. If you want the best transition and evolution for the gameplay, we recommend playing through Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 first. On the other hand, if you are looking for a challenge and a new frightful experience, jump to Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 instead.
3. Five Nights at Freddy’s 3
Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 is set thirty years later after Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza closed down. Now you work for a horror-themed attraction where the owners took great inspiration from the gruesome events in the first two games. Only one animatronic can kill you this time, and the others are phantoms that can cause gameplay interference. Depending on how many mini-games you’ve completed, you can reach a good or a bad ending.
4. Five Nights at Freddy’s 4
In Five Nights at Freddy’s 4, you play the role of a child trapped inside a bedroom as they try to defend themselves from what lurks in the shadows. This time you’re provided a flashlight to ward away the sinister animatronic ‘Nightmares’ who prey on your fears and life.
Unlike the previous games that relied mainly on camera footage to survive the night, sound and auditory cues have been added to the mix, which results in a slight difficulty spike.
5. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location (FnaF 5)
The fifth installment in the Five Nights at Freddy’s series, Sister Location, takes place at Fazbear Entertainment’s sister company that rents out animatronics for children’s parties. This entry shakes the formula up by doing away with the previous confined-to-a-room survival gameplay; instead, you’ll now move room-to-room to follow narrative objectives each night. Post-death mini-games make a return, where completion grants access to a secret Night 5 level that pays homage to the first two games.
6. Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator (FnaF 6)
Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator marks the end of the first arc. This entry combines familiar survival horror elements and new business simulation gameplay while you’re working as a Freddy Fazbear’s restaurant manager. Multiple endings are also featured, resulting in a good bit of replayability.
7. Ultimate Custom Night (optional)
Picking up this entry isn’t a priority since it’s not considered canon to the series. Originally it was planned as DLC (downloadable content) for Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator, but it was later decided it would launch as a standalone game.
In this title, you can choose up to 50 animatronics (59 in total), set a difficulty level, pick an office, and buy power-ups to help survive the night. The world is your super scary oyster in this particular release.
8. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted
Help Wanted is a mobile port of a virtual reality title by Steel Wool Studios; note that this version doesn’t include all mini-games since it’s a port without any VR components, so some mechanics were excluded since they won’t work without VR. However, this game still makes our list since it ties gameplay and story from the earlier installments and leads into a new arc with Fazbear Entertainment.
After the series of unfortunate events in the previous games, Fazbear Entertainment is back at it again to salvage its reputation. One final push to convince players of Fazbear’s newest virtual game that all the events leading up until now are a total lie.
9. Five Nights at Freddy’s AR: Special Delivery (optional)
Considered a canon spinoff and the tenth installment in the series Five Nights at Freddy’s AR is the first game to feature location-based augmented reality gameplay. Special Delivery continues where Help Wanted’s story left off. You received an ominous package with malfunctioning animatronics, which led to a series of unfortunate events. It’s up to you how you plan your survival, but if you’re feeling spiteful, you’ll have the opportunity to send your own custom special package back (to one of your friends). Will you choose to spook or be spooked?
A frightening collection to experience
Considered a canon spinoff and the tenth installment in the series, Five Nights at Freddy’s AR is the first game to feature location-based augmented reality gameplay. Special Delivery continues where Help Wanted’s story left off. You received an ominous package with malfunctioning animatronics, which led to a series of unfortunate events. It’s up to you how you plan your survival, but if you’re feeling spiteful, you’ll have the opportunity to send your own custom special package back (to one of your friends). Will you choose to spook or be spooked?
