Best Classic Jrpg Games

The final chapter of Shigesato Itoi's Mother trilogy is simultaneously one of the most emotionally powerful RPGs ever made and the most famous never-officially-localized game in Nintendo's catalog. Playing as Lucas in a world being corrupted by the Pigmask Army, Mother 3 builds to an ending that players remember for decades.

The Dragon Quest game that many fans consider the finest in the series. Dragon Warrior III introduced the flexible job class system that defined RPG party building for decades, a world map mirroring the real world, day/night cycles that changed NPC schedules, and a story that concludes with one of the most dramatic reveals in JRPG history. Still studied as one of the NES era's greatest achievements.

AlphaDream's 2003 GBA RPG where Mario and Luigi explore the Beanbean Kingdom to recover Princess Peach's stolen voice — featuring timed-action combat where button presses power up attacks and dodge incoming damage, and a co-op puzzle system where both brothers use their abilities simultaneously. Superstar Saga launched one of Nintendo's finest handheld RPG franchises.

One of the most beloved JRPGs ever made, Skies of Arcadia follows Vyse and Aika as Blue Rogue air pirates sailing a world suspended among clouds, discovering ancient continents, recruiting a crew, and battling an empire attempting to use ancient Gigas weapons to destroy the world. Pure adventure, exceptional characters, stunning ship battles.

Enix's 1992 NES RPG — Dragon Warrior IV (Dragon Quest IV in Japan) tells its epic JRPG story in five chapters, each following a different character — Ragnar the soldier, Alena the princess, Torneko the merchant, Mara and Nara the sisters, and finally the Hero. The chapter structure and AI-controlled party system were radical departures from NES RPG convention.

Game Arts' Lunar sequel set 1,000 years after The Silver Star — Hiro and Lucia travel across a changed world with a party facing darker stakes than the original. Lunar: Eternal Blue is considered by many fans the superior Lunar game, with a more complex romance, a longer journey, and Working Designs' most accomplished localization.

Sega's 1987 Master System RPG that launched one of gaming's most important franchises — Phantasy Star features a pioneering science-fantasy setting, a female protagonist (Alis), 3D dungeon crawling with first-person corridors, and a story of political rebellion that was remarkable for console RPG sophistication of its era.

Camelot's tactical RPG masterpiece for Sega Saturn — the only Shining Force III scenario released in the West. Three separate disc scenarios tell a single war story from different perspectives, with the complete narrative only visible across all three. Shining Force III represents the pinnacle of Camelot's Sega work before they departed for Nintendo.

Working Designs' Saturn exclusive strategy-RPG where eight rulers compete for control of a continent through diplomatic and military means — each playable in a complete separate campaign. Dragon Force's massive castle-versus-castle battles, 8 distinct story routes, and deep political maneuvering made it the Saturn's most ambitious strategy title.

tri-Ace's science fantasy action-RPG with dual protagonists, 87 possible endings, and real-time combo-based combat. Star Ocean: The Second Story on PS1 blends science fiction and fantasy across Expel and Energy Nede with a depth of optional content that rewards exploration far beyond the main story.

Square's 1999 tactical RPG set in a near-future world of giant mech combat (Wanzers) — Front Mission 3 features two complete 40+ hour storylines depending on an early choice, deep Wanzer customization, and a hacking minigame that provides narrative supplements. The most accessible and largest Front Mission game localized for the West.

Game Arts' most ambitious RPG, Grandia II improved on its predecessor's acclaimed battle system with deeper mechanics, a darker story about the remnants of a war between gods, and a cast led by cynical mercenary Ryudo. The Dreamcast's finest JRPG and one of the best Japanese RPGs of the early 2000s, with a battle system that remains among the genre's most dynamic.

Neverland's 1996 SNES prequel to Lufia & The Fortress of Doom — a JRPG where dungeon exploration features Zelda-style puzzle solving with an IP system that replaces random encounters with visible enemies and a remarkable Ancient Cave roguelite mode with 99 floors. Lufia II is the SNES JRPG that most rewards exploration and puzzle engagement.

Game Arts' original Lunar on Sega CD — the game that established the franchise's beloved characters, Working Designs' most celebrated localization, and the animated FMV sequences that CD-ROM made possible. Lunar: The Silver Star follows Alex's journey to become a Dragonmaster with a party of memorable companions and one of JRPGs' most celebrated female leads in Lucia.

Atlus's PS1 conclusion to the Innocent Sin/Eternal Punishment duology — Maya Amano and a group of adults investigate supernatural rumor-made-reality murders in Sumaru City. The darker, more mature counterpart to Innocent Sin with the same demon negotiation Persona system, set in the same city from different perspectives.

G-Craft's expanded sequel to Arc the Lad — Arc the Lad II follows Elc, a bounty hunter, in a world darkening toward apocalypse while Arc's quest continues in parallel. The longest and most ambitious Arc the Lad game, featuring 80+ hours of content, save data importing from the first game, and the franchise's most developed political narrative.

Working Designs' lavishly produced PS1 re-release of the Sega CD classic tells the story of Alex, a village boy who dreams of becoming a Dragonmaster, and his companions including the headstrong Lucia. With anime FMV sequences, a beloved localization, and one of the JRPG genre's most romantic storylines, Lunar SSSC is a treasured PS1 classic.

BlueSky Software's 1994 Genesis RPG-action game based on the Shadowrun tabletop RPG — completely different from the SNES Shadowrun, this version follows Joshua, a street samurai in a cyberpunk Seattle, through a third-person action-RPG perspective with a contract-based mission structure, hacking, magic, and a more open-ended approach than the SNES linear narrative.

Camelot's Sega CD compilation bringing together the two Game Gear Shining Force Gaiden titles with enhancements — Shining Force CD contains the complete Book 1 and Book 2 scenarios (originally Game Gear exclusives), a combined Book 3 scenario unlocked after completion, and CD audio quality for the series' orchestral soundtrack. The definitive version of often-overlooked chapters in the Shining Force saga.

Quest's GBA prequel to Tactics Ogre — Alfonso navigates a political rebellion on the island of Ovis through morality-affecting choices that determine which routes open and which endings result. Knight of Lodis brings the franchise's grid-based tactical depth to portable hardware with a focused story and the Emblem system that shapes character development.

Konami's 1997 PS1 tactical RPG — Vandal Hearts follows Ash Lambert leading a party of soldiers through isometric grid-based battles in a medieval fantasy world, with a political narrative about a kingdom's collapse and the Blood Tear that influenced the power struggle. Accessible tactical RPG design that introduced many Western players to the strategy genre.

Capcom's 1990 Game Boy RPG-platformer hybrid where Firebrand the gargoyle — villain of the Ghosts 'n Goblins series — becomes the hero of his own adventure. Gargoyle's Quest blends overhead RPG-world exploration with side-scrolling action stages and a progression system that grows Firebrand's wings, fire breath, and wall-clinging abilities.

Sega's Master System port of Falcom's classic action-RPG — Ys: The Vanished Omens brings the story of Adol Christin and the lost land of Ys to home console with the series' distinctive bump combat system, six Books of Ys to collect, and the iconic orchestral soundtrack. An excellent SMS version of one of Japan's most beloved RPG franchises.

Sting Entertainment's 2002 GBA RPG with a limited item use system, affection mechanics, and visual novel-style presentation — a fallen angel Ein navigates the land of Riviera with four female companions whose combat effectiveness improves as their relationship with Ein deepens. Riviera's limited resource management and character relationship system created a JRPG experience unlike anything else on GBA.