The Hardest JRPGs On The Nintendo Switch

JRPGs are incredibly deep games, combining long stories with in-depth combat and difficult boss fights. This genre has made itself known to players across the world as one of the best narrative and mechanical experiences a game can provide, with players often becoming engaged beyond the main story by the central characters that make up the party and world.

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Yet even among JRPGs with incredibly deep lore, what keeps players coming back will be the gameplay time and time again. If a game has frustrating combat or bland enemy design, then even the best story in the world can't save them. These games in particular swing the other way, offering incredibly challenging but equally satisfying gameplay that defines the title as much as its story and world does.

7 Alliance Alive

A Novel Leveling System Meets Difficult Combat

Alliance Alive is an incredibly solid staple of the 3DS, Nintendo Switch, and PC games library. Going into this game, players can reliably expect a good time with a cast of vibrant, unique, and compelling characters alongside a very interesting world with unique lore. The Daemons in this game and their unique designs, along with the interesting rules that divide them, beastfolk, and humans, all make for some highly engaging world-building that pushes the story along.

However, while the early game is mostly standard in terms of difficulty, around the middle of the game there is a tremendous difficulty spike. A boss here is so powerful it can essentially soft-lock players out of the game, forcing them to go back, grind for gear (and very importantly: guild members!), and then try again when they're better equipped.

6 Fire Emblem: Three Houses

On Higher Difficulties, This Game Is A True Tactical Challenge

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a title that will draw players in with some fantastic character work and an addictive, modular set of gameplay mechanics that has players shape their units into a myriad of powerful warriors and casters.

On higher difficulties, every unit will need to be intricately tweaked to make sure they are optimized for battle. Taking a risk with an unfavorable match-up against an enemy unit is a sure way to have a dear student die on the battlefield.

5 Romancing SaGa 3

A JRPG Masterwork Known For Its Difficulty

The SaGa series is known in general for its incredible difficulty, enticing players not only with its challenge but with the vibrant settings and unique spin on JRPG gameplay that people will find in few other games. SaGa titles often take a place among the hardest titles on any generation of console, and Romancing SaGa 3 is renowned as being one of the hardest retro JRPGs available on the Switch today.

This game has not just one, but several difficulty curves, beginning with the early game and the lack of resources and skills players will have, then increasing dramatically again once players have gotten their footing with the game's many mechanics.

4 Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection

A Series With A Legacy Of Difficult Dungeon Crawling

Etrian Odyssey has never been regarded as a series with easy games, but the Origins Collection combines the first three titles as HD remastered experiences. These games pull no punches, and efficient party composition is essential for getting through some of the harder dungeons towards the late game of every entry. Working in this title's favor is that the party composition system is still incredibly versatile and engaging.

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With such a focused scope, it's hardly a surprise that the Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection is one of the hardest titles available on the Switch. The entire crux of the game is the series of steadily more challenging labyrinths to explore, map out, and survive.

3 Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance

A Huge And Difficult Title

The most recent SMT released, Shin Megami Tensei 5 proves to be difficult from the first boss fight, especially for players who have not paid attention to the way combat and other mechanics work. Elemental affinities, utilizing extra turns and items, and paying attention to overall demon level are all things to keep track of from the first fight onwards.

Even for those who have gotten a hold of the mechanics, this game holds some of the most challenging battles of the entire series in its repertoire. Towards the late game, players can expect to do a lot of grinding (or farming) to ensure they can take on a gauntlet of colossal deities.

2 Tactics Ogre Reborn

A Fantastic Strategy JRPG With High Difficulty

Before players have even cast their first spell in this game, Tactics Ogre Reborn's first challenge is keeping track of the story. There's a lot of political intrigue and lore to unpack.

For those who can manage the story, this may well be Square Enix's opus in the strategy JRPG genre, with a fantastic branching narrative and incredible unit diversity. However, between the effects of elements in the game, the way combat just works, the beefy HP of almost every enemy, and a steep learning curve, this is one of the most difficult JRPGs on the Switch, bar none.

1 Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne

A Remaster Of A Classic JRPG

Among the hardest Shin Megami Tensei games in the whole series, Nocturne does not spare players from a ceaseless and difficult journey as they continue to forge their demi fiend and his party of demons. In a game series that is already known for its difficulty, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne stands out as the most expansive and hardest of the lot.

Players can expect to grind and optimize their way through the entire game, especially to clear some of the harder optional battles or get into New Game+ content, which will be virtually impossible without a well-designed party and build.

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