Every Xenoblade Chronicles Game, Ranked

Considering it took a petition called “Operation Rainfall” to get the original Xenoblade Chronicles for the Wii translated and released in the West, it’s impressive that the series has become one of Nintendo’s top-selling and critically acclaimed RPGs. The games are from the same team that created Xenogears and the Xenosaga trilogy and carry similar science fiction themes.

Thanks to the rising popularity of the Xenoblade series, JRPG fans who love character development and large, fleshed-out worlds will want to play the games and experience them for themselves. This list ranks the games in order, but thanks to the quality of the trilogy and its spin-off, all of the games offer something fun for sci-fi and RPG fans.

Updated May 16, 2024 by Michael Llewellyn: The Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy, along with its DLC expansions, has established itself as among the best of Nintendo’s exclusives and some of the most highly rated and beloved JRPGs in a generation.

The Xenoblade games appear to be typical science fiction fantasy JRPGs with anime-style characters, but they feature excellent stories and depth that surpass expectations. This list has been updated to include more information and specifications regarding each title.

6 Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country

Metascore: 80

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country is a standalone prequel story that was substantial enough for a physical launch. The Golden Country features a new cast of characters, mature storytelling, and a streamlined combat system with quality-of-life features that allow players to review tutorials – a vital feature for fans who take long breaks between gameplay sessions. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna: Golden Country introduces a Community mechanic, where the player must speak to NPCs and raise the Community’s level by completing quests. In turn, some of the game’s story quests are unlocked after increasing the number of supporters in the Community.

The story takes place 494 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and has arguably better characters and a more focused 20-30-hour narrative than the base game. More importantly, the random nature of the second game’s mechanics has been replaced with a much-improved system. Torn: Golden Country is a fantastic prequel, providing more context for the lore, events, and places that fans will be familiar with after playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

5 Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Metascore: 83

Featuring a lighter atmosphere than its predecessor, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 focuses on the plucky young main protagonist, Rex. Rex is a salvager who obtains an artificial lifeform known as a Blade. Pyra is the Blade and after saving his life she requests Rex take her back to a legendary land known as Elysium. The Titans exist in Xenoblade Chronicles 2‘s timeline, and they interact with the cast and are woven into the story. It’s an interesting setup that develops into something more as the narrative progresses.

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However, one of the main complaints from fans is that the combat can take some time to click with players. Complexities aren’t always explained well, but it will click with those familiar with the previous two Xenoblade Chronicles games. As before, players program their characters to perform on the battlefield. The biggest drawback of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the character recruitment mechanic, which utilizes a frustrating gacha-style gimmick where characters are randomly unlocked. Those willing to look past this will still find a fantastic JRPG with a massive world and lots to do with an excellent supporting cast. The story takes some time to pick up the pace, but there’s much to love about Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

4 Xenoblade Chronicles X

Metascore: 84

Xenoblade Chronicles X is an enjoyable spin-off title for the Nintendo Wii U. It is separate from the trilogy and its DLC but features excellent gameplay and a stunning world that holds up on the Wii U. It’s a beautifully created world and one of the most impressive and explorable in a generation. The combat is challenging and there is very little handholding. There’s a steep learning curve, but its systems are rewarding when focused on exploring and battles. Its combat is similar to Final Fantasy 12, where players can program their teammates to carry out actions on the battlefield.

Unfortunately, the story and the cookie-cutter character development aren’t as good as the mainline titles. Xenoblade Chronicles X has 12 story missions, but missions require several time-consuming conditions to move through the game and complete the story. Thankfully, there’s a lot of content to keep players busy as they can take on jobs ranging from working for the military to becoming a diplomat. The lengthy and challenging MMO-style nature of its systems may turn off some players, but there is a vast world to take in.

3 Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Metascore: 89

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a culmination of its predecessor’s best mechanics while showcasing Monolith Soft’s penchant for incredible storytelling and character development. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 gets off to a cinematically fast start. It drives the story forward without rushing and keeps players intrigued and guessing from start to finish. The cast is among the best in the trilogy and takes the players on an emotional rollercoaster as they fight to escape an endless war. Each character has a compelling story arc that provides insight into what drives their motivations.

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The visuals are stunning, and next to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the epic JRPG is one of the most technically impressive games on the Nintendo Switch. Monolith has mastered creating compelling open-worlds and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is no different. The world is a joy to explore with lots of sights and sounds and it never feels laborious. The score complements Xenoblade Chronicles 3‘s intense and emotional moments. It’s a darker story than its predecessor and the dramatic moments that reflect on war, loss, and the inevitability of death are where Xenoblade Chronicles 3 shines the most.

2 Xenoblade Chronicles – The Definitive Edition

Metascore: 89

Xenoblade Chronicles – The Definitive Edition is both a remaster and an expansion of the Wii version launched in PAL and North American territories in 2011 and 2012, respectively. It features the original game with visuals on par with Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It also includes the story expansion Future Connected, an epilogue that sets the stage for the Xenoblade saga as a trilogy.

While JRPG fans may have heard about the series after the critical and commercial success of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, they should always start at the beginning with what is an incredible JRPG that improves on the standard version in every way. Moreover, the storytelling and character development make it one of the best titles on the Nintendo Switch. The story follows the protagonist Shulk and his companions on their journey across landscapes that developed on the back of two battling Titans. There are blonde-haired chosen ones and powerful magic swords and on the surface, Xenoblade Chronicles has familiar clichés, but the narrative goes in surprisingly unpredictable directions.

1 Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed

Metascore: 92

Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is the final story expansion that ties story elements and characters from all three games into one package for an emotional finale that longtime fans will love. Fans are encouraged to play the first two games, Xenoblade Chronicles – The Definitive Edition, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and the expansion Torna – The Golden Country to appreciate Future Redeemed, as all these stories come together for an epic conclusion.

Future Redeemed follows the new protagonist Matthew and his traveling companion A. Both are excellent characters who have great interactions with the new cast characters and some returning ones from the first two Xenoblade games. It’s a more condensed experience than the main game, but Future Redeemed is a big expansion with a large map to explore and several side quests to keep fans occupied.

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