To the casual gamer, Japanese RPGs are usually synonymous with Pokemon or Final Fantasy. But the genre offers up much more than ball-dwelling monsters, and blonde spiky-haired swordsmen. With Final Fantasy XV set to rejuvenate everyone's interest in JRPGs on September 30, gamers will have a few months to brush up on their JRPG chops before Noctis and his entourage take over.
That's where we come in. From the classic SNES era to the recent gaming generations, here are what we consider to be 10 of the greatest JRPG's ever created.
14 Pokemon Gold/Silver
There's a very simple reason why Pokemon games are the poster-child for JRPGs: they're really good.
But while Pokemon Red and Blue started the craze, we think Pokemon Gold and Silver are the standout games in the franchise. From day and night cycles, new Pokemon types, breeding options, and the ability to visit other Pokemon regions, Gold and Silver provided the formula that the newer Pokemon games still follow today.
With Pokemon Sun and Moon coming later this year for the 3DS, perhaps we might see another innovative leap in the franchise.
13 Kingdom Hearts
Combining characters from Disney and the Final Fantasy franchise into one game should have been a recipe for disaster, but Kingdom Hearts managed to make it work perfectly. In telling an idyllic coming-of-age story about Sora, Riku, and Kairi, Kingdom Hearts blends the boundless energy of an over-imaginative child, with some of gaming's most unique action-RPG gameplay.
We may be adults here, but we also would love nothing more than to indulge in some more shenanigans with Sora, Donald, and Goofy when Kingdom Hearts 3 finally comes out.
12 Xenoblade Chronicles
11
We absolutely loved Xenoblade Chronicles when it came out in 2012, and our opinion hasn't changed since. The game effortlessly blends an enormous open-world with one of the best RPG combat systems we've seen in a long time. The Nintendo Wii's lack of graphical grunt is a minor downside, but that is quickly overshadowed by some truly beautiful artwork.
Combined with a bunch of likable characters and a compelling storyline, it's no surprise why we - and many others - think Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the defining JRPGs of the last gaming generation.
10 Dragon Quest V
9
With two beloved remakes over the last two decades, there is no doubt that Dragon Quest V is a timeless classic. Featuring artwork from the creator of Dragon Ball, and a sprawling coming-of-age story told over different time periods, Dragon Quest V has resonated with players over the last three gaming generations.
But beyond the game's unmatched storytelling, Dragon Quest V was a big influence for some of its fellow JRPG peers. If it weren't for the original Dragon Quest V's monster-collecting concept, we probably wouldn't have Pokemon.
8 Secret of Mana
7
Secret of Mana started off as a Final Fantasy spin-off, but it quickly became one of the most unique JRPGs ever made at the time. This is quite a feat when you consider how many other RPG games also feature super-powered swords, giant chickens, and cute forest sprites.
Combining RPG combat elements with the real-time action of The Legend of Zelda, Secret of Mana eschewed the usual RPG level-grinding cliche in favor of actual skill and strategic thinking. But beyond the game's beautiful graphics and epic story, Secret of Mana had an innovative co-op multiplayer system, something that was unheard of back in the SNES days.
6 Persona 4
5
Part high-school simulator, and part supernatural murder mystery, Persona 4 is a creepy, yet brilliant game that really shouldn't have worked as well as it did. Not many games can combine an RPG with a weird story about television sets that lead people to their soulmates, but Persona 4 somehow managed to pull it off.
The game may be nearly a decade old and has been remade once already, but we're holding out hope that a PlayStation 4 re-release of Persona 4 is on the cards soon.