If you want to play the best JRPGs on Nintendo Switch, you’re spoiled for choice. A haven for ports, remasters, and ambitious titles that wouldn’t work anywhere else, the Nintendo Switch has amassed an impressive library of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) over the past few years. What’s more, since you can take the Switch anywhere, you can tackle some of the genre’s signature annoying level-grinding while traveling.
In all fairness, many of these titles started out on older platforms, from the PS1 to the Nintendo DS. But even the most discerning JRPG fan probably hasn’t played every game on this list. If you find you’ve already played most of these titles, check out the RPG section on Nintendo eShop, where Nintendo lists over 1,000 titles. We can’t promise they’re all good, but you’ll almost certainly find something that piques your interest.
.hack//GU Recode Latest
The .hack series was a cult classic on PS2, and .hack//GU Last Recode is an even better way to experience this creative series. This remastered collection includes .hack//GU Vol.1//Rebirth, Vol.2//Reminisce and Vol.3//Redemption. It also adds a short new episode: Vol.4//Reconnection, which wraps up some of the trilogy’s riveting storylines. In this sci-fi series, you take on the role of Haseo: a player in a futuristic online game called The World.
When fraudulent data in the system threatens the real world, it’s up to Haseo and a group of other players – both friendly and hostile – to make things right. .hack//GU Last Recode feels quite different from a typical high-fantasy JRPG, and that alone makes it worth checking out.
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition
For some unfathomable reason, Chrono Trigger never made it to the Nintendo Switch. However, the game’s equally fascinating sequel, Chrono Cross, got an excellent Switch remaster in Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition. You play as Serge: an ordinary teenager who discovers the ability to traverse parallel dimensions. Chrono Cross gets just about everything right, from the compelling story to the beautiful environments to the genre-defining soundtrack. Not only is it a satisfying adventure, but it’s well worth replaying, thanks to a large cast of recruitable party members, each of whom has a unique role to play in the game’s challenging combat system.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Era
The Switch got Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age a little later than the PS4 and Xbox One. The delay was worth it, though, as the game includes a substantial new feature: an optional mode that lets you play the entire game in 2D, just like the classic Dragon Quest titles. Whether playing in 2D or 3D, you’ll still build a customizable hero, recruit a group of lovable misfits, and work your way through an imaginative story with many twists and turns. It doesn’t exactly break new ground in the JRPG genre, but it’s one of the most polished renditions of the concept you’ll find.
Final Fantasy VII
You can get a ton of classic Final Fantasy games on the Switch, and it was hard to pick just one. However, with Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade available on PS5 and PC, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on the way, now is the perfect time to replay Final Fantasy VII – or play it for the first time. For newcomers, FF7 tells the story of mercenary Cloud Strife, who joins a band of eco-terrorists against an evil energy company called Shinra. As Cloud travels from the cyberpunk city of Midgar to the wide world, an old nemesis named Sephiroth opposes him at every turn. Come for the interesting turn-based battle system; stay for the memorable characters.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
While Fire Emblem: Three Houses is arguably more of a strategy/RPG, it still has everything JRPG fans love about the genre. Do you want attractive anime heroes in a melodramatic fantasy story? Want a deep, technical combat system with a diverse cast of party members? Want a romantic husband/waifu with a tragic backstory to work through? Fire Emblem: Three Houses has all that and more. The game casts you as Byleth Eisner: a tactician who swears his or her allegiance to one of (you guessed it) three great houses in the midst of a major war. Keep in mind that if a party member dies in battle, they are gone for good.
Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler is a beautiful combination of modern and old-school JRPG design. Aside from some nice background effects, the game looks like something out of the SNES era, with 16-bit character sprites and beautiful pixel art enemies. Structurally, however, the game embraces a non-linear, player-driven design, which prioritizes character development over intricate plot. As the title suggests, you take on the role of eight different characters, each pursuing their own story in four increasingly complex chapters. From the brave warrior Olberic, to the merry merchant Tressa, to the shrewd scholar Cyrus, each character has something unique to offer, especially in the highly technical turn-based combat.
Shin Megami Tensei V
If you like the Persona series, it’s worth checking out Shin Megami Tensei: the long-running JRPG series of which Persona is a spin-off. Like Persona, most SMT games target ordinary high school students in Japan and take on an army of mythological demons. Unlike Persona, however, the main SMT games are more about intoxicating plots and demanding combat than about social interaction and character arcs. Shin Megami Tensei V is exclusive to Nintendo Switch and features a deep story, robust combat system and plenty of interesting environments to explore. While Shin Megami Tensei V is a dark and difficult game, it’s also hard to put down once you get the hang of it.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
I once claimed that the Switch was made for games like Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition, and I stand by that. The Switch is more than powerful enough to run the game, which is an enhanced port of an Xbox 360 title. The ability to bring Tales of Vesperia with you means you can make for some annoying level grind if you don’t have anything better to do. You play as Yuri: a former knight in a fantasy kingdom, who is unconsciously drawn to a quest to save the world from a charismatic, misguided villain. The fast-paced real-time combat sets Tales of Vesperia apart from many other JRPGs.
Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles is not a pure JRPG and takes inspiration from both turn-based strategy games and strategy/RPGs. However, the story, characters, and general aesthetic are about as familiar as they come. The game is essentially a retelling of World War II, but with a fantasy veneer. The young soldier Welkin Gunther and his team of freedom fighters fight against the despotic Maximilian and his invading Imperial army. The mix of real-time action and turn-based tactics will test your reflexes as well as your strategic skills, while the heartfelt story will leave you wondering what World War II would have been like with a little more mystique and magic. You can also play Valkyria Chronicles 4 on the Switch, but not the intermediate two games.
The world ends with you: final remix
I debated long and hard about whether to include The World Ends with You: Final Remix or its sequel, Neo: The World Ends with You. However, The World Ends with You was a bit of a niche game when it came out, so it’s very possible you haven’t played the first one yet. This stylish, offbeat RPG stars Neku Sakuraba, a sociopathic high school student who discovers he has died under mysterious circumstances. By participating in the sadistic Reaper Games, he was able to come back to life, but at a terrible cost. The World Ends with You features a smart, customizable real-time battle system, as well as a recognizable cast of characters and a great soundtrack.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 shows that developer Monolith Soft has not lost its touch. Like the first two Xenoblade Chronicles games, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 offers a huge world to explore, populated with lovable party members, dangerous monsters, and interesting side missions. Unlike most JRPGs, which give you a party of three or four people, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 lets you fight with six, or sometimes seven, party members at a time. Because each group member can mix and match skills from different classes, you have a lot of leeway to develop your own strategies. You don’t have to play the first two Xenoblade games to dive into the third, but if you want, they’re both available on the Switch too.
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