RPGsare an extremely popular category when it comes to video games. It doesn’t matter what platform you prefer to play on; you will always see a ton of RPGs that are ready to be played at a moment’s notice.
10 Best JRPGs On The Nintendo Switch
Looking to crack open a JRPG on your Nintendo Switch? We’ve got a full roster of winners for you to look over right here!
With so many of these games available, it can be difficult to decide which ones are the best to play. Here’s a list of the best ones for theNintendo Switch, curated by the expert team here atDualShockers. It takes into account not only which ones are the most fun to play, but also which games have had an enduring impact on the genre and platform.
10Octopath Traveler 2
A Love Letter To Classic JRPGs
Octopath Traveler 2is the sequel to 2018’s massively popularOctopath Traveler. With a game likethatas its predecessor, Octopath 2 had a lot to live up to, and Square Enix amazingly knocked it out of the park with this one. The game is a beautiful love letter to the classic JRPGs that made the genre so popular.
The game is a beautiful love letter to the classic JRPGs that made the genre so popular.
Players will experience the game through the eyes of eight distinct characters that they will need to control on an adventure all over the game’s world of Solistia. Each character has a “Path Action” that allows them to interact with the world around them, showing off the care and attention to detail the team paid to the game. If you love the classics, this is a must-try.
Octopath Traveler 2
9NEO: The World Ends With You
An Emotional Story That Sticks With You
NEO: The World Ends With You is another one ofSquare Enix’s sequels that outdoes itself on every front. The game is the second game in the series after 2007’s The World Ends With You. While fans were worried about waiting 14 years for the game, it was definitely worth it.
NEO’s is a story that you will never quite be able to forget or get over.
One of the biggest praises for the game comes from the storyline itself. While this is an obvious element of the best RPGs, NEO’s is a story that you will never quite be able to forget or get over. For anyone who finds escapism in video games, the game’s narrative will enthrall you to the very end — and you may even find a bit of yourself reflected in the characters.
Neo: The World Ends with You
8Pokemon Legends: Arceus
The Franchise’s Redefining Moment
Pokemonhas always been a massive franchise, and the games are of course RPGs, even though you canfind a lot of debateabout this online. However, whenPokemon Legends: Arceuswas released, fans began to see just how many RPG elements can be in a Pokemon game. The game has players going back to the beginning of the Sinnoh Region when it was known only as Hisui. You will learn about the beginning of the region and how those in this bygone era worked and lived alongside Pokemon.
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The primary focus shifts from battling Pokemon to catching and studying their behaviors, along with exploring a wide-open world without the constraints of the gym structure. The move from turn-based to active combat also was a breath of fresh air for the series, and though it doesn’t look like the series will take this approach for the mainline games moving forward, fans are eager to see Game Freak iterate on this fresh formula for the franchise.
Pokémon Legends Arceus
7Tales Of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
A Great Remake Of A Cult-Classic
Tales of Vesperiawas a massive success back during the times of the Xbox 360, receiving countless awards and accolades for the gameplay and story. It is one of those games that fans have recalled coming back to, time and time again. So it comes as no shock that Bandai Namco decided to remake it for the PlayStation 4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. This new edition also comes with additional characters, dialogue, dungeons, and so much more.
This new edition also comes with additional characters, dialogue, dungeons, and so much more.
The game follows Yuri Lowell, who is fighting to stop the misuse of an energy source known as aer. While traveling around the world, you will come across countless enemies who are trying to stop the group. The gameplay has been likened to that of fighting games, which makes this a standout title in the RPG category. The combat system, like a lot of RPGs, is a real-time system. This allows you to truly dive into the combat by using strategy, performing certain combos, or just using brute force to defeat your enemies.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition (2019)
6Bravely Default 2
Hauntingly Beautiful Visuals
Bravely Default 2is another one of those games that is a love letter to classic JRPGs. The game, while developed by Claytechworks, was published by Square Enix and Nintendo. It is often referred to as a callback to the earlyFinal Fantasygames — and with good reason. Many fans of the popular franchise have found another home in Bravely Default 2’s charming world. If you love the classic RPG formula with turn-based strategy and character development, then this game is for you.
The game features a beautiful art style that fans continue to celebrate to this day.
The game features a beautiful art style that fans continue to celebrate to this day. It also features a return to the series' traditional turn-based combat and class systems. However, the game takes a new approach to these mechanics, offering players a fresh experience. Bravely Default 2 ensures that you can develop your characters and customize them exactly how you want them, making it the perfect RPG for anyone who loves to tweak and customize your experience. Oh, and the music is just phenomenal.
Bravely Default 2
5Stardew Valley
An Incredible Farming Simulator In An RPG Style
Stardew Valleyhas been around for years now, and it is still one of the most talked about RPGs, which isn’t that surprising considering how amazing the game is. While it was originally released for the PC, the game garnered so much support that it has been re-released for almost every platform — Switch included. And it’s just so perfect in handheld. Whether layed out on your couch or on the go, Stardew Valley is fantastic on the Switch.
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The game follows the story of a character who inherits their grandfather’s run-down farm, which they must rebuild while also carving out a life for themselves in the valley. While Stardew Valley is a farming simulator in every sense of the genre, it also hosts tons of RPG elements. Between the character progression, multitude of quests and objectives, combat system, and relationship development, Stardew Valley might just be the perfect intro to RPGs.
Stardew Valley
4Monster Hunter Rise
One Of The Best-Selling In The Series
Monster Hunter Riseis the 6th main installment in theMonster Hunterfranchise. It is easily ranked as the best Monster Hunter game available on the Switch, and the second best (behindMonster Hunter World) on all other modern platforms.
If you’re someone who loves the classic character progression of Action RPGs, then this is a game you have to pick up.
This game follows many of the same conventions as its predecessors while also adding its own flavor to the mix. It follows a Hunter as they traverse through a seamless map (rather than zoned areas as in previous titles) with their Palamute mount, a dog-like companion. In addition to the classic flow players expect from a Monster Hunter game, Rise also offers a dynamic new mode where you must protect a village from deadly invading monsters. If you’re someone who loves the classic character progression of Action RPGs, then this is a game you have to pick up.
Monster Hunter Rise
3Fire Emblem: Three Houses
The Best Mixture Of Old & New Mechanics
TheFire Emblemseries is one of the most well-known JRPG franchises available on the Switch.Fire Emblem: Three Housesis the 16th main installment in the series and the highest-rated one available for the platform (it is thesecond highest rated overall in the series).
The game takes what makes the Fire Emblem series so great and makes every single aspect even better.
The game takes what makes the Fire Emblem series so great and makes every single aspect even better. It follows the story of Byleth, a school professor, as they help guide their students through different battles. Three Houses is praised for its RPG elements while also adding a hefty dose of social simulation. You will need to build up and customize your character while also creating the perfect team for turn-based encounters. The story takes a little while to get off the ground, but it’s more than worth the time investment as you grow to know and cherish (or loath) the vast cast involved in the major world-shaking events of the game.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
2Dragon Quest 11
Perfect For New & Returning Players
Dragon Quest XIis the 11th main installment of theDragon Questfranchise. It was originally released on the 3DS in July 2017. The game was so well-received on the platform that Nintendo and Square Enix decided to release the Definitive Edition for the Nintendo Switch in 2019.
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The game follows the story of a young protagonist who survives a monster attack as an infant. It is regarded as thebest in the seriesand has been complimented for its novel implementation of regular mode and classic mode — allowing players to play the game in classic pixelated fashion or with more modern 3D graphics. Overall, what makes this RPG stand out is that it has such rich character development and world-building to go along with the classic RPG elements that the genre is so well-known for, creating, for many, the definitive Dragon Quest experience.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
1Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade’s Best Entry
Xenoblade Chroniclesis one of the best franchises available on the Switch, full stop.Xenoblade Chronicles 2is the 3rd installment in theXenoblade Chroniclesseries and the 7th main installment in the Xeno franchise. It was the first in the series to be featured on the Switch, and while the other Xenoblade games are definitely worth playing, there is something uniquely wonderful about this particular entry in the series. The story follows Rex, a salvager who accidentally finds a legendary blade and must help the Aegis inside, Pyra.
…while the other Xenoblade games are definitely worth playing, there is something uniquely wonderful about this particular entry in the series.
While the game furthers a number of the mechanics from previous entries, it also adds a new system for selecting the player’s class. Depending on the Blade your characters (Drivers) have equipped, their attacks and even classes can change — to a degree. The game’s innovative class and combat systems earned the game a lot of praise, though it can also feel overwhelming for the first several hours of the game. Like many RPGs, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 takes a while to ‘get off the ground,’ but if you dedicate the time to learning the systems and engage with the narrative, you’ll be treated to one of the best RPGs out there.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
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