10 Influential JRPGs Worth Playing Just For Their Importance To The Genre

Key Takeaways

• Tactics Ogre influenced tactical RPGs like Fire Emblem, designed by the same creator as Final Fantasy Tactics.
• Xenoblade Chronicles stands out with real-time action battles set on unmoving titans at war.
• Chrono Trigger, an iconic JRPG, features immersive time-traveling adventures with detailed pixel art.

The JRPG genre has a rich history, evolving alongside the rest of the industry since the very early days of gaming. Many of the most iconic and beloved titles in video game history are JRPGs, and as graphics and gameplay mechanics have improved, this iconic genre has benefited.

In many ways, a look at the history of JRPGs is an exploration of video game history as a whole. RPG fans who are interested in tracing the history of this venerable genre have no shortage of important and significant games to choose from.

10 Tactics Ogre

A History Of Strategy

1995’s Tactics Ogre wasn’t the first tactical JRPG in the world, but it was one of the best of its time. The game will feel familiar to many modern fans of games like Fire Emblem, as it features the traditional grid-based map system and dedicated character classes with unique abilities and strengths in combat.

The lead designer of Tactics Ogre, Yasumi Matsuno, went on later to create Final Fantasy Tactics, continuing to leave a major mark on the tactical RPG landscape. Modern fans of the genre can explore this landmark title through a recent remake, Tactics Ogre Reborn, which modernizes a lot of the game’s innovative features.

9 Xenoblade Chronicles

Modernizing The Genre

Xenoblade Chronicles, originally released in 2010, is a relatively recent JRPG, but it’s no less significant for that. This Wii game stood out for its strange and unique setting: a world built on the top of two unmoving titans locked in a moment of eternal warfare. In addition to its striking aesthetic, the game also introduced a remarkable real-time action-based battle system, utilizing the protagonist’s ability to see the future in order to keep battles tense and strategic.

This game has been remembered as a classic for its storyline, voice acting, and immersive tactical gameplay. Even as sequels have been released expanding on its distinctive sci-fantasy lore, the original game stands strong. A rerelease on Nintendo Switch allows fans who missed the 2010 release to experience this masterclass in modern JRPG design.

8 Final Fantasy

Where It All Began

The name Final Fantasy is almost synonymous with the JRPG genre. This venerable, long-running series has been a major part of the genre since the beginning, and it has several memorable titles to its name. The original game, which launched all the way back in 1987, established this franchise as one of the biggest names in the JRPG space.

This classic adventure stars the four Warriors of Light on a now-iconic quest to purify the four elemental crystals and save their world from destruction. In addition to major gameplay standards, this story setup would also lead to tried-and-true character and world design tropes that still surface in RPGs to this day.

7 EarthBound

A Weird Way To Play

It’s well established that EarthBound is a truly strange game. The title is set in a parody of America, which is being menaced by an eldritch alien force named Gygas. A child named Ness must travel the world with his friends in order to save the world from ultimate destruction.

The game combines traditional RPG tropes with outlandish enemy design and a deeply surreal setting. This has made it a memorable game for fans the world over, and it was also instrumental in helping the JRPG genre break away from its traditional fantasy trappings.

6 Final Fantasy 4

An Elevated Story

The Final Fantasy series has had many important entries over the years, but Final Fantasy 4 is one of the most significant. This game enhanced the story content, a major focus of JRPGs, especially in modern years. Final Fantasy 4 pioneered dramatic, character-driven storylines. Even today, the game’s story draws comparisons to major fantasy novels.

Luckily for fans who want to experience the game’s revolutionary story, pixel remasters of the early Final Fantasy games are available on modern devices. The modern JRPG landscape, with its memorable characters and emotional twists, would look a lot different if not for Final Fantasy 4.

5 Dragon Quest

The Start Of An Epic Tale

The venerable Dragon Quest franchise is one of the few names that can rival Final Fantasy for dominance in the JRPG space. Decades after it debuted, tropes and designs from the franchise endure, especially thanks to the artwork of the legendary Akira Toriyama. The original game was designed to introduce RPG trends to a wider audience, using a simpler interface than many contemporaries and an approachable art style and story.

The results speak for themselves. Dragon Quest is a colossal media franchise today, with numerous spinoffs and side games under its belt, even as the main series continues to evolve and prosper. Millions of fans got their start in the JRPG genre through this legendary game, and it well deserves its spot in the history books.

4 Persona 3

More Than Just Combat

The Persona series is one of the most notable modern JRPG franchises. While Persona 5 and its enhanced Royal version were certainly major successes, the franchise owes a lot of its success to Persona 3. This game brought the Persona series into the limelight and established a unique blend of RPG combat and social sim elements that helped it stand out from the crowd.

The game’s plot involves a group of high school students investigating a strange and dangerous supernatural phenomenon known as the Dark Hour. It has resounded with a lot of JRPG fans, and led to the title seeing numerous spinoffs, both in and out of the medium of video games. Persona 4 and Persona 5 are excellent games in their own right, but they owe it all to the trail that Persona 3 blazed.

3 Final Fantasy 7

The Pinnacle Of Final Fantasy

There will never be a true consensus on which entry in the Final Fantasy series is best, but if asked, a lot of fans would likely say Final Fantasy 7. This legendary title was the first to introduce 3D graphics to the franchise, with explosive results. The game’s advanced visuals mixed with its emotional and thrilling story made it an instant hit among RPG fans.

Final Fantasy 7‘s legacy persists even beyond that of the rest of the series. The game launched a whole franchise of spinoffs and sequels, including the ongoing Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, which alters key events in the game to create a new narrative out of the events of the iconic original.

2 Pokemon Red & Blue

A Trainer’s Journey Begins

There aren’t a lot of media franchises that can truly be called inescapable, but Pokemon fits the bill. This iconic series of video games, trading cards, and anime shaped the childhood of millions of people around the world. Its library of distinct and lovable pocket monsters is constantly growing even now. The original 1996 games set the stage for a video game series like no other, and it’s remarkable to go back and play the humble beginnings of this wildly successful series.

The core gameplay loop of catching, training, and battling with mystical creatures, watching them evolve into stronger forms, and going in search of truly legendary beasts in the eternal quest to catch them all, has resonated with countless fans across the world. The same is true for the multiplayer component, allowing fans with a Game Link Cable to trade Pokemon and even battle each other. While the franchise’s core systems and trends have evolved throughout the years, Red & Blue remain iconic entries in the JRPG genre.

1 Chrono Trigger

Best Of All Time

Even though it’s almost thirty years old, Chrono Trigger remains a true icon of the JRPG genre. Its development is the stuff of legend. Designed by the creators of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy along with the legendary Akira Toriyama, the game represents the absolute pinnacle of JRPG design at the time it was released. Its detailed pixel art and immersive soundtrack help the game stand out even today.

This game’s epic storyline follows a group of adventurers traveling through time to stop an apocalyptic menace, introducing countless exotic and memorable locales from the past and the present. Party members like Robo and Frog the Knight, each fully realized with their own storylines and motivations, enrich the tale. Chrono Trigger is an unforgettable ride from start to finish, and an absolute paragon of the JRPG franchise that no fan should skip.