It’s well worth celebrating the best JRPGs of all time to help new players get into the genre. Why not start with the best JRPGs out there, like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 7, Persona 5, and more? For every well-known JRPG, there is, of course, one that doesn’t get a ton of praise, which is wild because the following definitely rank up there as masterpieces.
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From the SNES to the 3DS, these JRPGs remain timeless in quality and have earned their spot as genre classics.
They may have had a smaller audience because of the console of choice, or maybe they released next to a big game and were forgotten in the process. Either way, these JRPGs deserve a second chance, which may take a bit of work as they aren’t all readily available.
Eternal Sonata
Final Chopin Fantasy
Eternal Sonata
- Released
- September 17, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
Eternal Sonata was released for the Xbox 360 in 2007 and a year later for the PS3. Despite it being an Xbox 360 game, it is not backwards compatible, which is a real shame and why it often gets forgotten. The game follows real-world composer Frederic Chopin in his final days, wherein he dreams of inhabiting a fantasy world that is all based on music. In battle, players can move around freely and attack enemies until a meter depletes, which was an easy enough battle system to understand.
Front Mission 4
The Mechs Of War
Front Mission 4
- Released
- June 15, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
Front Mission 4 was released in 2004 in North America on the PS2, a year after Japan, and this is where it has effectively stayed for over two decades. Like every mainline Front Mission game, players will go through a linear series of tactical battles wherein they can move on a grid and attack mechs called Wanzers. In-between missions, players can customize their Wanzers with new parts and weapons, making the series one of the most customizable tactical RPGs of all time, with Front Mission 4 being a standout.
Infinite Undiscovery
Flute On My Wayward Son
Infinite Undiscovery
- Released
- September 2, 2008
- Platform(s)
- Xbox 360
Infinite Undiscovery is an exclusive Xbox 360 action JRPG that was released in 2008, and thankfully, this one is backwards compatible on current Xbox systems. The structure is similar to other 3D JRPGs at the time, featuring open areas to explore, but the campaign is mostly a linear affair. Players can use a flute to open up secret paths in dungeons, and in combat, everything plays out in real time. With AI-based party members, the combat system is not the most original, but it is satisfying.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
A Ninjavania
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
- Released
- April 9, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Vanillaware
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Fighting, Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PS Vita, Wii, Nintendo Wii U
Muramasa: The Demon Blade was originally released for the Wii in 2009 before getting the superior HD upgrade on the PS Vita in 2013, retitled as Muramasa Rebirth. Both versions remain lost to time, which is a shame, as this is one of Vanillaware’s best games, thanks to the visuals and action combat.
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As either Kisuke or Momohime, players will go through a lengthy campaign across feudal Japan, and dungeons almost have a Metroidvania-like layout. Each sword players carry into combat will be gifted with special abilities that players can activate by switching between them, and they can also follow a skill tree to make new ones.
Rogue Galaxy
Sail The Stars
Rogue Galaxy
- Released
- January 30, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
Rogue Galaxy is the last game Level-5 released in the PS2 in North America in 2007, which was two years after Japan got it. The game has since made it onto the PS4 via an emulated port in 2015, making it one of the few games that can be played today via backwards compatibility. The game is an action RPG following the exploits of space pirates. Players will go between desert planets, planets with dense forests, and more in pursuit of loot, like weapons that can evolve with a skill tree-like system.
Vandal Hearts
A Bloodier Tactics
Vandal Hearts
- Released
- March 27, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, JRPG
Vandal Hearts was released on the PS1 in 1996 in Japan, a year later in North America, and later on the Sega Saturn and PC. There’s no good way to play the game officially now, which is a shame because it is one of the better tactical JRPGs on the PS1. Like the king, Final Fantasy Tactics players moved on a grid-based system, and characters could attack adjacent enemies. What set it apart was the mature story and the amount of blood, granted it was all pixelated, but it was still rare for a game of this magnitude to have.
Grand Kingdom
Mercenary Wars
Grand Kingdom
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
- Released
- November 19, 2015
- Platform(s)
- PS Vita, PlayStation 4
Grand Kingdom was released for the PS4 and PS Vita in 2016 in North America, a year after Japan, making it mostly a playable game today. Unfortunately, the multiplayer aspect was shut down in 2019. The game is about players creating a mercenary group and going on missions to further their military exploits. There’s not much of a story, as creating characters and maximizing classes is the most important aspect. On missions, players can freely move around a chessboard-like dungeon, making small decisions along the way. In combat, characters will move on a 2D plane, and it is essentially a tactical JRPG.
Radiant Historia
Changing History
Radiant Historia
- Released
- November 3, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS
Radiant Historia was released in 2010 on the DS in Japan, a year later in North America, Japan again on the 3DS in 2017, and then one final time in North America. 2018 was a very late time to release a 3DS game, as the Switch was released in 2017. If only it were re-released on the Switch instead, then maybe it could be better remembered.
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Radiant Historia itself stands toe to toe with other JRPGs that feature time travel, as players can affect different timelines to solve puzzles and move forward. Combat is turn-based, and moves have area of effects that players can manipulate to push enemies around on a grid to group them together and break their line of defense.
Half-Minute Hero
Nothing Else Like It
Half-Minute Hero
- Released
- May 28, 2009
- ESRB
- everyone e10+
- Developer(s)
- Marvelous Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy, Shoot 'em Up
Half-Minute Hero was released on the PSP in 2009, 2011 on the Xbox 360 as Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax, and then a year after that on PC. So, it is readily available on most of the initial platforms, and it’s a must-play for JRPG fans who love interesting gimmicks and battle systems. Essentially, due to a curse, players only have thirty seconds to save the world, but thanks to a glitch, they can also reset time via a goddess statue. Players will go out into the world, level up, go back to the statue, and then repeat this process until they feel they are strong enough to fight the boss, and then move on to the next chapter.
Bahamut Lagoon
Dragon Tactics
Bahamut Lagoon
- Released
- February 9, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- nr
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Tactical
Bahamut Lagoon is definitely one of the most forgotten JRPGs of all time because it was only released on the SNES in 1996 in Japan, or to be more accurate, the Super Famicom. As part of Squaresoft’s early catalogue, players will go through tactical battles on grid-based maps. Instead of challenging enemy units one-on-one, activating combat will switch the perspective to a more traditional turn-based JRPG interface. It’s an interesting blend of the two systems, and those curious can find an English patch for Bahamut Lagoon online.
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