The JRPG is a time-tested genre that spans back to the early days of gaming consoles. Some of the oldest franchises that are still popular today are JRPGs, like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and Megami Tensei. These are games with large parties of characters, incredible stories, and finely tuned (typically turn-based) gameplay. It can be incredible to just sink your teeth into a long JRPG for dozens of hours.
RELATED: 10 JRPGs That Define The Genre (& Aren't Final Fantasy Games)
However, with how busy people are these days, it's hard to find time to sit down and play a JRPG on the big screen. Fortunately, the Nintendo Switch just so happens to be home to the best in JRPGs. It has both the classics and a fair number of modern JRPGs as well. If you're looking for a good JRPG and don't trust the opinions of randoms, Metacritic can help to make that next game purchase.
Updated April 20th, 2021 by Tanner Kinney: Fans of JRPGs are far from starved for options. As the year 2021 rolls onward, fans can expect both remakes of classics and a few new titles. This year has seen titles like Bravely Default II, SaGa Frontier Remastered, Monster Hunter Rise, and will see future titles roll in as well. There's a lot to get excited about, especially in a year without too many major titles set to release. What better time is there to dust off the Switch and get engrossed in modern or classic RPG goodness?
15 Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA - 82
Aside from a nonsense title, the eighth entry into the Ys series has released to relative critical acclaim. The title was a port of a PS4 release, and the developers did a solid job at keeping the game running smoothly, although it sacrificed graphical fidelity to do so. This action-RPG follows much of what the series had established in past entries, but with new locales and characters.
The combat is important to the Ys series, and Ys VIII provides a fluid and fun experience. The player can swap between characters freely during combat, rather than being stuck with one for the duration of combat. Its soundtrack is also incredible, adding gravity to scenarios and giving the story weight. For those in need of a modern classic, this is a good option.
14 Ys Origin - 82
By coincidence, this title also managed to be one of the top JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch. Originally released on PC, this game is a prequel to the rest of the series. For fans looking to see where it all started, this game provides everything they want. New players can also benefit from starting here, although they'll need to remember that this game has aged over the past decade.
Ys Origin is regarded by fans to be another great addition to the series, maintaining what keeps the series successful. Falcom as a developer tends to stick to their roots, and in this case they've created a series that feels like a natural progression as time passed.
13 Sega Ages: Phantasy Star - 82
Back during the height of the console wars, Sega needed a franchise to compete with Enix's Dragon Quest or SquareSoft's Final Fantasy. While they took inspiration from the setting and gameplay of both, the end result was Phantasy Star. This series saw great success in Japan, and remains a part of gaming culture with Phantasy Star Online II.
For those who want to revisit the original, starting with the Sega Ages re-release is a great option. It contains a few quality-of-life changes to make the experience feel more modern, but retains that old-school charm visually and in its soundtrack. This unique mixture of sci-fi and medieval fantasy holds up considerably well, especially compared to other classic JRPGs from the same time.
12 Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition - 83
Another Nintendo Switch remaster, Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition brings the beloved JRPG to a new audience. Yuri and Estelle's story is one that fans consider to be the peak of the Tales series, and that is absolutely reflected in the game. While it has some jank to it, the combat is wildly fun and each character feels unique to play in battle.
RELATED: 10 Nintendo Switch JRPGs With The Best Combat System, Ranked
This release also features the exclusive content to the PS3 release that never made it to the West. This includes new quests, dungeons, and a new playable character. While it is jarring to jump between different voice actors for the various characters (particularly Yuri), it's worth buying to check it out even for those who own the original.
11 Octopath Traveler - 83
Octopath Traveler, from the development studio behind Bravely Default, takes inspiration from Square's classic titles. This time, Octopath takes inspiration from the SaGa series of games. These titles feature a number of playable protagonists in an interconnected world that isn't entirely linear, and Octopath is similar in that regard.
The visuals are stylish and impressive, the music is incredible across the board, and the story is even somewhat coherent! However, the make-or-break point will be the gameplay. While the turn-based, strategic gameplay based around exploiting weaknesses is incredibly solid, battles can take an eternity to complete. Try out the demo at least, because it's absolutely a great game.
10 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - 83
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a massive, self-indulgent game. Like the previous Xenoblade titles, XC2 is loaded with sidequests and monsters to hunt. The various continents have tons of places to explore and secrets to uncover, both for quest completion and for fun. The gameplay is fairly different from the other two titles, but fun in its own way.
The thing that sets XC2 apart from previous titles is the sheer amount of characters in the game. Aside from the main cast, all of the Rare Blades have their own personalities and quests to complete. The character design isn't for everyone (a problem with the genre in general), and even people used to gacha-style games will be floored by some of the designs. Despite that, the game is a blast to play and is just pure fun.
9 Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - 84
Ni No Kuni is absolutely divisive for JRPG fans. The Ghibli-inspired world, story, and style are all wonderful and evocative. It's a game that feels adventurous and huge, even though the world isn't actually that large. The story is somewhat simple, but still very heartwarming and worth seeing through to the end. There's a lot to love with the game.
RELATED: 5 JRPGs With The Shortest Playthrough Time (& 5 With The Longest)
However, the actual gameplay is a sticking point. The game feels like a watered-down version of Final Fantasy XII with a creature-collection aspect slapped on top haphazardly. The AI for party members is terrible, and combat itself can be a slog. Despite that, when it comes together, it's actually fairly satisfying to play. This isn't for everyone, but on a sale it's worth picking up.
8 The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III - 84
In terms of long-running RPG franchises, the Legend of Heroes series from Falcom stands as one of the oldest. Despite its relatively niche following in the West, the series has persisted and large improves with each new entry. This stays true with Trials of Cold Steel III, which isn't even the second most unwieldy name on this list.
The game is the third in the current saga, and it delivers everything fans wanted. Critics say that the sidequests are engaging, the combat is fine-tuned through years of iteration, and the story is a love-letter to everything the genre has to offer. While the port of the game has its issues, being able to play portable is worth the performance hit. This game looks to be exactly what fans would want.
7 Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout - 84
The Atelier series is another long-running franchise that has only recently gained notoriety in the West. The games typically follow not a world-saving protagonist, but an Alchemist who braves the toughest dungeons to craft and sell the highest quality potions and equipment. It's a fun change of pace, and each title has its strength and weaknesses.
Atelier Ryza is likely the first title for many people getting into the series. Although it's held back by fanservice-y character design and a lackluster overarching story, the gameplay is wildly addictive. The gameplay loop of exploring dungeons to craft items to explore more dungeons is just perfect. It isn't too grindy, and the music is nice as well. It's another game that's just fun to play.
6 Dragon Quest Builders 2 - 85
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is quite a leap away from the traditional Dragon Quest games. It takes more queues from Minecraft than it does Dragon Quest, which is certainly a choice. The player must rebuild a world on the brink of destruction and defeat a god through the power of friendship, as is tradition.
For fans of the first Builders game, the sequel is everything from the first and more added on top. It has more things to build, more quests to complete, more characters to talk to, and a bigger world overall. There's a ton of game to play; at times, there's a bit too much game to play. However, in dollar-per-hour value, this game is hard to beat.
5 Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling - 85
Nintendo fans who also love JRPGs are probably still pining for Paper Mario to come home. While Paper Mario: The Origami King is a wonderful little game, an RPG it is not. Fortunately, fans do what Nintendon't and brought the classic Paper Mario experience back in a fresh coat of paint with Bug Fables.
RELATED: 5 SNES JRPG Characters Fans Loved (& 5 They Hated)
Bug Fables looks, sounds, and plays exactly like you'd expect a spiritual successor to Paper Mario 64 to play. There are some changes, largely in how the player's party is composed, but everything else is fairly on-point. However, in terms of building a unique and interesting world, Bug Fables has the classic games beat by a long-shot. It has great character moments, fantastic boss battles, and is just adorable on all levels.
4 Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age - 85
Final Fantasy XII needs no introduction. The story of the Sky Pirate Balthier and the Princess Ashe is one that many fans aren't likely to forget. It has its problems, mostly all loaded into the oatmeal-like main character of Vaan, but aside from that it's a classic.
The Zodiac Age alters the game significantly. While the License Board in the original is far from perfect, the new job system added in the rerelease fixes any of those problems and adds plenty of variety for building characters. It's still somewhat of a grind and definitely a tad slow, but the world of Ivalice is just so wonderful to explore.
3 Monster Hunter Rise - 88
The question: Is Monster Hunter Rise actually a JRPG? The answer: Who cares? Monster Hunter Rise is the latest entry in the series, returning to a portable console after its brief stint on traditional consoles with Monster Hunter World. This entry contains a vibrant new setting and a collection of new and old monsters to hunt, capture, and turn into a hat for the many animal companions.
This series may be one of the most refined in terms of trimming excess mechanics. There's almost nothing that gets in the way of the gameplay loop of hunting monsters. Additionally, despite using Nintendo's online service, the online is surprisingly stable. It's great for both extended gameplay sessions and pick-up-and-play hunts. It's a fantastic game, and one that can be recommended to those who aren't familiar with the series.
2 Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - 89
Xenoblade Chronicles is the best JRPG of the seventh generation of consoles, and it's not even close. The world is beautiful and open, the music is gorgeous and powerful, and the story is classic in all the right ways. The cast of characters is diverse and loaded with fun personalities that have a lot of depth. Even the side quests are often meaningful to complete, which is a rarity.
The Definitive Edition rerelease is just the best version of the game. The world of Bionis has never looked as vibrant as it does now. The re-orchestrated music is a bit inconsistent in comparison with the original, but on its own is still incredible. There's no reason for a JRPG fan to not play Xenoblade Chronicles.
1 Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of An Elusive Age - Definitive Edition - 91
Dragon Quest, or the artist formerly known in the West as "Dragon Warrior," needs no introduction. As the original JRPG franchise, there's a lot that gaming as a whole owes to the Dragon Quest series. And on top of its historical importance, DQ11 is also just outright one of the greatest RPG's of the past decade.
Everything that's good about JRPGs is found in DQ11. It has a vibrant cast of characters, each with their own struggles. The story takes unexpected twists and turns that subvert player expectations. The music isn't even MIDIs this time (mostly), which is a godsend. On top of all that, the gameplay is as perfect as turn-based RPGs can get. With such a generous demo available on Switch, it's worth sampling for any fan of RPGs or games in general.