You love Japanese role-playing games. We love Japanese role-playing games. Ergo, it’s about time we put together a list of the best retro Japanese role-playing games.
Inspired by the likes of Ultima and Wizardry from the early 1980s, the JRPG genre flourished in the late 80s and early 90s before becoming one of the most renowned genres in gaming history. Names like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Pokémon remain as prominent today as they were two decades ago; this list takes into account these JRPGs and more from the 8-bit era up to more ‘recent’ consoles like the PlayStation 2 and GameCube.
Curating this list down to just 20 games without drawing from a single series too often (looking at you, Final Fantasy) was like murdering childhood memories. We hope you’re not too angry if your favourite JRPG didn’t make the cut. Note – this list isn't presented in any particular order or ranking; these are merely 20 JRPGs you should experience at least once in your lifetime.
Final Fantasy (NES)
While some may argue that earlier titles were the genesis of JRPGs, we’d argue the genre didn’t truly come into its own until Square Enix made its own version of Ultima – Final Fantasy – in 1987, which would go on to become the golden child of the genre the world over. Choosing your party from a handful of classes at the beginning of the game felt like a revelation. Even today, those classes remain iconic, especially White and Black Mages, along with the narrative starring Heroes of Light and elemental crystals. Many still consider the original Final Fantasy to be one of the best games on the NES, and we wouldn’t disagree. It certainly is one of the most influential.
Phantasy Star (SMS)
With Nintendo hosting Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games, Sega had to come up with an answer – and boy, did it ever. The original Phantasy Star, released literally two days after Final Fantasy in late 1987, had some of the best visuals and grandest sense of adventure; certainly, its unique science-fantasy setting spanning three planets made it the most ambitious. Three dimensional dungeons that you needed to map by hand and a female heroine further set Phantasy Star apart. It’s a shame it hasn’t become a juggernaut like its counterparts. We’d love to see a triumphant return of this interplanetary series.
Dragon Warrior III (NES)
Just about every Dragon Quest (aka Dragon Warrior outside of Japan) deserves a spot on the list, but as far as retro titles go, none stand out more than Dragon Warrior III. First released in 1988, exploring an overworld resembled real-world Earth made for an engrossing and difficult adventure; we have fond memories of unlocking the Sage class, building “Immigrant Town” in North America, and the reveal of the true Big Bad and subsequent endgame in Alefgard – the setting of the first Dragon Quest.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light (Switch eShop)
Outside of the Nintendo DS remake, Western audiences wouldn’t receive a version of the first Fire Emblem game until late 2020, but that doesn’t mean Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light doesn’t deserve a spot on this list. Despite receiving mixed reviews when it first released, Marth’s first adventure became somewhat of a cult classic with JRPG enthusiasts after its release in 1990. It went on to spawn numerous sequels that still receive great reviews in 2023 and gave us some of the most iconic Super Smash Bros. characters. Intelligent Systems dared to be different way back then, and we’re glad they did.
Secret of Mana (SNES)
It ain’t no secret that the action JRPG Secret of Mana impressed when it came out in 1993. Graphically, it holds up a lot better than many of its contemporaries with its clear, vivid pixel art. Furthermore, it allowed you to play cooperatively with one or (if you had a Super Multitap) two friends, making it the only multiplayer retro JRPG. Without friends, you could swap between the three playable characters for some frantic hacking and slashing, the game taking control of the other two party members with some impressive (for the time) AI. The three heroes’ quest to defeat Thanatos might not have had the best plot, but it sure was a memorable adventure in every other regard.
Final Fantasy III (SNES)
Final Fantasy’s sixth iteration (released as Final Fantasy III in North America) shed the high fantasy aesthetic for a darker tone with steampunk vibes that would influence later entries in the series. It didn’t overtly change the formula from previous iterations, but it was one of the first in the series to truly tell an evocative story with complicated characters that have remained memorable for decades. In particular, the insane Kekfa challenges Sephiroth for the title of most diabolical villain in the series. The final battle with him in his god-like form is one of the most awesome in JRPG history – a fitting end to the era of 2D Final Fantasy games.
Breath of Fire II (SNES)
Much like Phantasy Star, we want to see a return of this iconic series. The blue-haired protagonist Ryu and the winged princess Nina deserve another iteration on a modern console. Released originally in 1994 on the SNES, Breath of Fire II received praise for the incredibly lengthy adventure and colourful cast; it had a twisting narrative that – while some critics bemoaned for being aimless – we’d argue was ahead of its time. Indeed, successive JRPGs on the SNES loved to have long, convoluted plots. The second Breath of Fire simply did it first with some stellar music and audio design to go along with it.
EarthBound (SNES)
Many people learned of EarthBound because they had a friend that always picked Ness in Super Smash Bros. and spammed PK Fire, and that’s a damn shame. One of the most unique JRPGs to grace any console – and not just the SNES in 1994 – EarthBound followed Ness as he and his neighbours investigated a meteorite that crash landed near their town that, of course, housed an evil alien presence. Full of wit and a pastel aesthetic wholly unique to the series, EarthBound is a game every JRPG fan should experience at least once, but ideally, more than that – it’s just that unique.
Chrono Trigger (SNES)
Chrono Trigger is the greatest JRPG ever made and will never be dethroned. There, we said it. With an insane development team that included the creators of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, along with Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball fame, it’s no wonder. Crono’s time-hopping quest to save the future from the parasitic alien Lavos spanned several memorable locales and was filled with even more memorable characters; for a 16-bit game, it told a story equally thrilling and mysterious. Enemies lurked on maps to trigger battles without the screen changing, and the Active Time Battle system added a sense of urgency to even the most simple fights. Twelve unique, and often humorous, endings awaited the devoted, and Yasunori Mitsuda also composed an unparalleled and evocative soundtrack. We could go on but, well, you get it – we love Chrono Trigger.
Pokémon Red and Blue (GB)
We don’t really think the original Pokémon games need much of an explanation as to why they’re among the greatest JRPGs. They were by far the most influential titles on the GameBoy, popularising an entire genre of monster collecting fun. Sure, there were creature collectors released prior to 1996, but none had the pure whimsy and sense of adventure that Pokémon Red & Blue (or Green & Blue in Japan) had; outside of something like Harry Potter, we struggle to think of a more universal cultural phenomenon. It’s quite telling that, despite how the Pokémon formula hasn’t changed much in nearly three decades, it remains one of the best selling games of any genre year after year.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)
Prior to 1996, if you told us Mario would star in one of the greatest JRPGs ever made, we wouldn’t have believed you. Mario, after all, was supposed to stomp Goombas and leap gaps, not whack enemies in turn-based battles with a hammer. Turns out Nintendo’s poster boy could do both and with colourful style. Super Mario RPG introduced us to Geno, one of our favourite additions to the series we’d love to see again, and, in a welcome twist, Bowser joined his party. A surprising amount of humour and memorable music – reminiscent of standard Mario fare but still unique – enshrined this adventure as one of the most distinctive games of the genre.
Final Fantasy VII (PS1)
If you disagreed with us that Chrono Trigger is the best JRPG ever made, chances are you think Final Fantasy VII holds that illustrious title. The seventh Final Fantasy stunned critics the world over; graphically and narratively, it was an unparalleled masterpiece in 1997. It received universal praise from just about everyone at that time. Cloud’s mind-bending quest first saw him trying to stop Shinra before pursuing the enigmatic Sephiroth – perhaps the greatest JRPG villain – across continents. Massive swords, arm-guns, an even more enigmatic alien lifeform, and a murdered party member later, and you’ve got one of the most iconic games of any genre.
Suikoden II (PS1)
Suikoden II failed to capture audiences in the late '90s as the genre had moved onto polygonal graphics, but that didn’t mean it was a bad game. On the contrary, the second Suikoden gathered a cult following due to its gripping story, over 100 characters to recruit, and three different battle systems. Today, many hail it as one of the most unique and must-play JRPGs. Indeed, none other have done what Suikoden II did since, mixing genres with one-on-one duels, typical JRPG fights, and massive tactical battles reminiscent of Fire Emblem. We’re quite happy that Konami is giving the first two Suikoden games the HD remaster treatment to release sometime in 2023.
Skies Of Arcadia (Dreamcast)
Both the best JRPG and one of the best games on the Dreamcast, Skies Of Arcadia gained somewhat of a cult-like status even after its re-release on the GameCube in 2002. People were used to playing JRPGs on their PlayStations by that point and many missed out on this sky pirate-themed gem that saw Vyse and friends hopping between floating continents to stop the wrong people from awakening living weapons called Gigas. It had everything you wanted in a JRPG – a great cast, stellar music, lots to explore, and some solid combat. Though unlikely, we’d love to see Skies of Arcadia get the remake treatment.
Golden Sun (GBA)
Developed by Camelot Co., Ltd., the studio responsible for both Shining Force and Mario Golf, 2001’s Golden Sun stands out as their best game – and it’s an absolute shame we haven’t seen more of the series. Golden Sun was half JRPG and half puzzle game; the overworld featured many puzzles to solve using Psynergy spells that could also be used to defeat enemies in turn-based battles. We have fond memories of seeking out and using powerful little creatures called Djinn to summon impressive magical attacks throughout protagonist Isaac’s lengthy, plot-driven adventure. We hope Camelot gives the series another go someday.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (PS2)
By far the most brutal JRPG to make this list, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, in true Shin Megami Tensei fashion, didn’t pull its punches. Hundreds of challenging enemies. Engaging turn-based combat. Winding, labyrinthine dungeons. A dark, apocalyptic Tokyo to explore. Dynamic demon negotiation and fusion. Mara, the penis-like abomination that makes an appearance in most SMT games. And so on. The Demi-Fiend’s adventure was as strange as it was unique, making Nocturne one of the best games of 2003 that we were glad to see get a remaster in 2020.
Tales of Symphonia (GCN)
Say what you will about the Tales series, it deserves recognition for being way ahead of its time. When JRPGs were still largely turn-based, Tales games mixed action-based combat with AI-controlled companions. The best among these, Tales Of Symphonia, saw you take control of Lloyd Irving as he helped his friend achieve her destiny as the chosen hero, hopping between two parallel worlds in a grand plot of depleting magic and Fascist half-elves (they had literal human ranches – it wasn’t subtle). Symphonia was a very different game in 2003, praised as a fresh take on the genre.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GCN)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is so damn good. Of all the games on this list, it requires a remaster most; later Paper Mario games, while good, never lived up to The Thousand-Year Door’s sheer amount of creativity and charm – a stark contrast to the more dramatic alternatives the JRPG genre had on offer at the time. Twitch-based attacks in battle, seven whimsical party members – including the slightly disconcerting Madame Flurrie – and a lengthy adventure filled to the brim with great music and colourful locales more than earns it a spot as one of the best JRPGs.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)
As the first Dragon Quest game to fully utilise 3D environments, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King was a cultural phenomenon when it released in Japan in 2004 and a well-received addition to the PlayStation 2’s massive library elsewhere. Seeing the series’ massive array of iconic monsters – Slimes, Bodkins, Funghouls, and the like – rendered with gorgeous cel-shaded graphics that hold up to this day was a treat for any fan. Your party of four, including Jessica the Mage and Yangus the Bandit, had a hefty amount of personality and customisation available to them, making the hundreds of battles you fought as you chased down the evil Dhoulmagus an adventure for the JRPG history books.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 (PS2)
The most stylish retro JRPG award goes to Persona 4 – or Persona 3, if you prefer its predecessor. We wouldn’t blame you if you did, as both are stellar. The Persona series’ unique social sim by day and dungeon crawler by night system will never grow stale, nor will the monster negotiation and fusion borrowed from the Shin Megami Tensei series. We give an edge to Persona 4 because of its cast and the setup of high school students being murdered. Jumping into TVs to investigate the cultrips made for a unique hook that had us invested in this lengthy, epic anime-inspired adventure back in 2008.
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PS1)
Originally released on the Sega CD in 1992, Lunar was popular with hardcore Sega fans but perhaps didn't get its chance to truly shine. Thankfully, it was enough of a cult classic to be given this remaster on Saturn and PlayStation, with the latter version getting a North American localisation in 1999 thanks to Working Designs. With its attractive hand-drawn visuals, epic cutscenes and wonderful soundtrack, it should come as no great shock to learn that this is widely regarded as one of the finest JRPGs ever made. It was even remade two more times in the shape of Lunar Legend and Lunar: Silver Star Harmony.
Comments 40
Still furious that I forgot to pick up Shadow Dragon And The Blade Of Light on the switch eshop a few years back. It was a limited run, three months I think? This is a really good list, and I should probably finish the games on here that I do own at some point, like Earthbound.
I need to get round to playing a lot of these, but I've already played some, at least. I'll be honest, though, I prefer Digital Devil Saga to Nocturne. Might get Chrono Trigger on PS3 via PSN Classics or whatever sometime.
Great list. Definitely classics but I don't think I could play an 8 bit RPG like FFI or Phantasy Star these days.
Would love to see a similar list just for SRPGs.
I'm glad Wild Arms is avaliable on PS5 now. One of the best.
Great list! Personally I’d put FF8 over 7, and DQ11 over 8…though I understand I may be in the minority here. Also I get the cultural impact of FF7.
small error under secret of mana, final fantasy iv, v & vi can all be played in mulitplayer
I think it's tough putting games like FF and PS on a list like this. These games are hugely influential and deserve their place on a most important JRPGs or something, but I wouldn't recommend playing them today. In PS' case, I don't think you'd find anyone who thought the original is better than either 2 or 4 - I'm a 4 guy all the way.
As for the rest, obviously lots of good/great games. I think these lists are often largely dictated by personal experience and I had Sega systems, so any greatest JRPGs of all time list for me would have to include Grandia or Lunar, Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shining Force III.
I'd also be hard pressed to not throw a bone or two to modern JRPGs. I think Cosmic Star Heroine is an absolute classic and represents the genre at its best.
Xenogears?
Originally pitched as the plot for FF7 but rejected for being "too adult".
What about Grandia?
2D sprites on a 3D background beats 3D models on a static background any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I have to learn how to sort out my priorities in life. Out everything on this list, I’ve only fully played one or two of ‘em. I’ve got an insurmountable backlog of games, that I’ve only recently been putting a concentrated effort into rectifying. Having not played Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI, I feel exceptionally ashamed.
@Scooby-Doo I would not advise you to play the PlayStation version of Chrono Trigger (or Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI). Unless you enjoy waiting 10 seconds to load into every new screen, or - even worse - waiting for 2 seconds every time you open or close the menu screen.
Those loads are baked into the game’s code, so even unofficial emulation and the version on
PSN Classics have these constant loads. I’ve tried both. It makes the games nearly unplayable, given that half your playtime will be spent looking at a black screen.
It’s one of the excuses I give to myself for not having played those games. A very bad excuse, because I’ve had access to many different ways to play them for many years now. 😊
@Impossibilium I know, I heard about that, but I have enough patience that most load times don't bother me, it would have to be something like a minute for me to actually care. Thank you for the warning anyway. I'm not sure if I actually have any way to play it otherwise.
I've never been a huge RPG guy. A lot of things genre fans like don't really work for me. For example, I recall finding Golden Sun too stretched out, and Final Fantasy 6 always lost steam for me when I've played it. I did like FF4 and 5 on GBA, even if I recall so little of their stories. But the RPG that really stood out for me was Phantasy Star 4. For me, it had everything, and I especially love its pacing as it's a fast-moving RPG, both in terms of gameplay and story. The overall presentation was great as well.
Some excellent games on this list, though I'd have the original Paper Mario here, and theres plenty of newer games that could definitely make this list.
Well, you know, as a big rpg fan I could go on and on about the many great games that aren't on this list. But on the other hand, if you're going to limit yourself to 20 games, this is a really good list. There are no games on this list that I feel positively don't deserve to be here. Sure Lunar and Grandia are missing... as are many others. But its a very good list. Also glad to see FFVII on this list. I do not apologize at all for my unabashed love of that game. Lately there has been a FFVII hate movement claiming the game is not really that good, but those folks are dead wrong! FFVII is a total classic and it had to be here!
That’s a great list. FFVII, Paper Mario TTYD, Grandia II and Panzer Dragoon Saga are my favourites (in no particular order).
I really need to try Skies of Arcadia, I’d heard it has a lot of random encounters, which I tend to not like when I’m trying to explore an area, so I’ve always avoided giving it a chance.
Personally I'd take out
OG Final Fantasy
Breath of Fire 2
Tales of Symphonia
Secret of Mana
Golden Sun
Swap them for
Grandia
Breath of Fire IV
Trials of Mana
Ys VIII
Lost Odyssey
I've played most of these, many of them several times over.
A good list, a great sampling of the genre. But... it could be improved upon:
Final Fantasy IV instead of Final Fantasy; a better representation of "classic" FF, and easier to play today compared to the original, regardless of the version.
Take out Secret of Mana completely; the game is not good, and exists on the list thanks to rose-tinted glasses. Same goes for Skies of Arcadia; another poor example that is propped up by being one of the few RPGs on the Dreamcast. It being the best of a bunch of mediocre games does not make it a great.
Replace Gen1 Pokemon with Gen2. Better overall experience, longer, and closer to Pokemon today than the silly mess that was the original generation.
Golden Sun The Lost Age for the original Golden Sun. Again, overall improvement to the original, better in every way, and even has a nice recap of the first game to open the adventure.
cool list. 👍 your use of scare quotes around the word "recent" gave me a chuckle. ouch.
These lists will always be subjective so my personal list would've been different in places. I'd also acknowledge how Final Fantasy was directly inspired by Dragon Quest and not just "Ultima".
It's a bit unclear what classifies as a JRPG in this list. There are mostly turn-based RPGs here, though also a couple of action RPGs (Secret of Mana and Tales of Symphonia).
Since the opening statement says that it allows games from the 8-bit to the PS2/GC generation, I'm curious about what makes a game like Secret of Mana different from Kingdom Hearts? I would argue Kingdom Hearts was a great change for the whole action JRPG genre - A lot more than e.g. Tales of Symphonia. As argued by someone else ToS is also propped up by arriving on a console with almost no Square Enix support.
@SpeedRunRocks
"2D sprites on a 3D background beats 3D models on a static background any day of the week and twice on Sunday."
get em!
our beloved xenogears, overlooked again. I'm fine with it. it's just for us. I think I'll start it up again. 😎🧉
@Herna I don't think you have to worry about Phantasy Star 4. It's very different from the first game, without many of the archaic elements of that initial entry. PS4 is my favorite RPG and I go back to it. Even many who enjoy RPGs more than I do often hold PS4 in high regard. I've always appreciated it for having a brisk pace in addition to having a great presentation.
If I ever get the itch to play the first one again, I'll need to boost the experience points. I've heard good things about some of the quality-of-life improvements made with the modern re-release of it. It certainly wouldn't fix everything, but it would help for me.
I'd add Treasure of the Rudras. Tough to do so because it's only had an English version through fan translation, but its story is excellent, with an interesting gimmick of being in three separate yet overlapping strands that you can switch between when you like and a really innovative magic system built around words/syllables.
Considering I didn't play my first RPG until the release of Symphonia on the GameCube, I've done pretty well, having played and completed everything on this list!
If I had to pick one as a favourite, it would have to be Chrono Trigger.
@mattesdude and @wargoose, the name of the article is a bit misleading but the intro states that this is a list of 'retro' jrpgs, by which they mean 8-bit to PS2/GC. This is why YSVIII and DQ11 wouldn't fit in.
@BulkSlash
The GameCube version of Skies of Arcadia has less random encounters and more content.
Final Fantasy XII, Shadow Hearts, Phantasy Star Online: Episode 1 & 2, and the Level 5 PS2 RPGs would have been on my list.
@Herna yeah, Phantasy Star is "not an easy task" today. I love it. I first heard of it in the early 90s, so I'm sure nostalgia helps a lot. As for games like PS, the first Final Fantasy, the 2nd Castlevania, I can only play them today with a guide, and I can tell you I enjoy it. Otherwise, playing will probably become a chore at some point
Love art direction and music in Persona 4 but Persona 5 is an evolution of the formula in almost every way
@Wargoose Golden sun 1+2 are a really great RPG.
I agree with BoF IV though that is an amazing game.
Where is Terranigma in this list!?
@Damo The villain is Kefka in Final Fantasy 3 not Kekfa.
My only complaint, like many others is that at least one of these games isn’t an actual JRPG. Secret of Mana is one of my favorite games of all time. With that being said a JRPG is generally understood as having at the bare minimum a turn-based combat system. Secret of Mana doesn’t have this at all. Please remove it and put something way more deserving up in its place. Thanks 😁
@Smokeys36shop
But then the Ys series and Tales series don't count as jrpgs either. There's no hard and fast definition of what constitutes a JRPG.
There's also not really a particular good way of defining an RPG in general, some say it's where stats determine victory rather than player skill. But that leads to weird scenarios like Fallout 3 being classed as an RPG and New Vegas being classed as a action game. When you break it down should a genre be defined by how good the dodge button is.
I personally don't think so. If someone asks me to recommend a good jrpg on the DS. The first game that pops in my head is The World Ends With You. It's not turn based, but does it matter, it ticks every other jrpg box.
Xenoblade 3 should be there. It's on par if not better than the best jrpgs of the past. Instead they have stuff like OG Final Fantasy that's frankly incredibly boring and dated game today, and Secret of Mana :S Also is that the first Fire Emblem game on the list? I doubt no new player would have the patience to go through it... they should've put Path of Radiance instead. Final Fantasy VII and Chrono Trigger are only games deserving their place on this list.
@Bomberman64 Oh, duh. Yes I forgot that apparently Thanks.
Secret of Mana is actually a stealth turn-based title where you have full control whilst you wait for the ATB gauge to refill. You can mash attacks but they do very little damage whilst you wait for the 100% to rack back up.
This was incredibly ahead of its time even in the face of Chrono Trigger. Its ‘cool-down’ between attacks is a direct influence on the system used in Final Fantasy XIV.
@Smokeys36shop Between attacks in Secret of Mana you have to wait for your 3-second timer to count back up before you can attack at full power.
You have full manoeuvrability control during this time but the gauge is in effect the ATB bar or the GCD from FFXIV.
Secret of Mana is in fact turn based but lacks the menu battle system found in other games and is closer to XIV or Xenoblade.
Can say that I've played 85% of these.
And tomorrow afternoon it will be my first playthrough of the great PSX game "Vagrant Story".( It just arrived this morning 😁)
@UK_Kev True Gamecube Skies has less random encounters and more side quests but the audio is horribly compressed to the point that it is noticeable immediately and always . Seeing as i.m.o it has one of the best soundtracks of all time it stops the Gamecubecube version from being a game worth buying.
I would rather put up with the excessive random encounters at times on the DC version than that atrocious audio on the Gamecube and thats saying something.
as for the list, its good but i would swap Breath Of Fire 4 for 3 and put Megadrive Shining Force 2 on there aswel
What a list! These are superb games, even if I’m not sure Breath of Fire II deserves a place above Phantasy Star IV or Dragon Quests IV or V. Hard to leave out FF Tactics (if Fire Emblem is there, FF Tactics deserves a place) too.
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