The JRPG genre continues to provide the world with some of the very best games around. Granted, some of them can be incredibly long and others are not at all suitable for beginners. For those looking for a game with strong storytelling, excellent lore and a rewarding combat system, however, few genres are better equipped.
While there have been plenty of innovative JRPGs released over the past few years though, most modern examples are instead building upon the foundations laid by those which came before them. Throughout the eighties and nineties, in particular, developers like Square and Enix released some of the most influential JRPGs of all time; and they weren't the only ones either.
10 Lunar: Silver Star Story
Although not the first JRPG title to use full motion animated cut-scenes for storytelling purposes, Lunar: Silver Star Story arguably popularized their use. On top of that, it also cherry picked some of the best ideas and mechanics found in earlier JRPGs and put them together into a complete package of sorts. It has a high quality English localization too; something that wasn't always common for older JRPGs.
The original Sega Saturn version of the game never released outside of Japan, although a PS1 port did make its way west a few years later. Frustratingly, a subsequent windows port of the game was also confined to the Asian market, although the game did receive a solid IOS port worldwide in 2012.
9 Ogre Battle: The March Of The Black Queen
It could perhaps be argued that Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen is not actually a JRPG in the traditional sense; instead falling squarely into the tactical RPG genre. While this would certainly be a fair assessment, it's worth noting that when the game first released in 1993, tactical RPGs were not really a thing. As such, many consider it to be the pioneer of a new genre, despite it having originally fallen under the JRPG banner.
The SNES version of the game originally released exclusively in Japan, but came to North America a few years later. A PlayStation port soon followed, although there have been no further ports in the west since then. The game's sequel was remade for the PSP in 2011 though and arguably offers a far superior experience than the original game.
8 Persona 3
The Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series have each been around for quite some time now, although it's only in recent years that they've received any significant attention in the west. A big part of their appeal comes from their social mechanics, which were first established in Persona 3. Although not the first title to use these mechanics, Persona 3 both refined and popularized them; leading to them becoming staples not only of the SMT franchise, but also the very JRPG genre itself.
First released for the PS2 back in 2006, Persona 3 can also be played on the PSP or PS Vita in the form of Persona 3 Portable. Given the recent success of Persona games in the west and Persona 4 having made its way to PC last year though, it would not be at all surprising if the Persona series' third entry (well, technically, it's the fourth) soon follows suit.
7 Disgaea
The first Disgaea game didn't bring too many new ideas to the table, although it was able to expertly combine some of the ideas and mechanics from games that had proceeded it to great effect. As many other JRPG series have turned towards realistic graphics and real-time combat in the years that have followed, however, the Disgaea series has stuck stubbornly to its roots and built up a rather sizable fanbase as a result. As such, it demonstrates that there is still a clear and obvious demand for more traditional JRPG titles.
Unlike some other Japanese companies, Nippon Ichi Software is very good at preserving the playability of its past games. It regularly ports older titles to newer hardware, meaning that the first Disgaea game can now be played on numerous platforms. As well as several older consoles, it's also available on PS4, Windows, Switch and Mobile..
6 Pokemon Red, Blue & Green
The first Pokemon games had a huge impact on the JRPG genre in a number of different ways. First and foremost, they were some of the earliest to cater to a younger demographic and this helped them to find a huge audience in both the east and the west. They also inspired countless imitators, thus creating a subsection of creature collecting games in the process.
Originally released on the Game Boy, they have since been remade on numerous occasions; first as Fire Red & Leaf Green on the Game Boy Advance and then again as Let's Go Eeevee & Pikachu for the Switch. It's still possible to play the games in their original form as well, either on the 3DS via the Virtual Console or by using the original Game Boy cartridges.
5 Earthbound
Earthbound, or Mother 2, as it is known in Japan, is one of the strangest JRPGs to ever make its way west. For as unusual as it is though, it is also one of the most enjoyable. Its unique design choices showed other developers that it is okay to stray from the norms from time to time and also had a huge impact on the indie gaming scene in later years.
Sadly, there's still no word on if or when the game will be making its way to the Switch, meaning that there aren't too many viable ways to play it. Aside from owning the original SNES cartridge, the only other legal way to play the game is by downloading it through the Virtual Console on the 3DS. One suspects, however, that it is only a matter of time before it comes to the Switch as well.
4 Secret Of Mana
The Mana series is up there with the likes of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy when it comes to influential JRPGs, thanks in large to its innovative real-time battle system and cooperative multiplayer functionality. It does still share plenty of similarities with the aforementioned series though, which is perhaps unsurprising considering that it started life as a Final Fantasy spin-off game known as Final Fantasy Adventure.
While some may prefer the 2018 remake of Secret of Mana due to its improved visuals and the many quality of life updates it offer, traditionalists would perhaps be better served elsewhere. The Collection of Mana set that released the following year contains the original Mana trilogy in all of their 8 and 16-bit glory. Sadly, the latter can only be played on Switch though, meaning that PC and PlayStation players will have no choice but to settle for the remake.
3 Chrono Trigger
Many consider Chrono Trigger to be the best JRPG game ever made and there is strong evidence to support this opinion. The game looks and sounds great, has an excellent and innovative combat system and a wonderful branching story that's full of charming and well realized characters. What's more, the game popularized the inclusion of multiple endings in JRPGs as well as the inclusion of a New Game Plus mode.
The original game was released for the SNES and was later ported to the PS1. An enhanced port for the 3DS followed some 10 years later and the game was eventually brought to Steam and mobile devices the following decade. Whether or not it will ever come to the Switch remains to be seen, although the Steam release should be good enough for most players.
2 Dragon Quest
Much like Alone in the Dark did for the survival horror genre, the first three Dragon Quest games set a lot of the standards for future JRPG titles. Nameless protagonists, turn based combat and random encounters were just some of the innovative elements that punctuated the series' earlier entries and helped to make them some of the most popular and best selling Japanese games of the late eighties.
Most of the Dragon Quest games, including the original trilogy, can be played on the Switch via digital download. There are also several other ports and remakes available, although the most accessible of these are probably the ones for IOS and Android. A PS4 port was also released in 2017, although, sadly, it never left Japan.
1 Final Fantasy
If Dragon Quest is the Alone in the Dark of the JRPG genre, then Final Fantasy is perhaps its Resident Evil. It is by far the most recognizable JRPG series ever created and is responsible for some of the very best games of their kind. The first few Final Fantasy games haven't aged particularly well, but the series' sixth, seventh and tenth entries in particular are arguably just as enjoyable today as they were at the time of their releases.
The popularity of the series is such that pretty much all of the mainline Final Fantasy games and spin-offs are fairly easy to get hold of, either on their original consoles or on some of the more recent ones instead. The PS4 and PS5 have access to the majority of modern Final Fantasy games; many of which can also be played on Switch and PC. Those hoping to get their hands on some of the earlier games may be better served on mobile though, as the first nine games are now playable on both IOS and Android devices.