The Best JRPGs On The Nintendo Switch, Ranked

The JRPG is a time-tested genre that spans back to the early days of gaming consoles. Some of the oldest franchises that are still popular today are JRPGs, like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Megami Tensei. These are games with large parties of characters, incredible stories, and finely tuned (typically turn-based) gameplay.

However, with how busy people are these days, it’s hard to find time to sit down and play a JRPG on the big screen. Fortunately, the Switch just so happens to be home to some of the greatest Japanese role-playing games of all time. If someone is looking for the best JRPGs on Nintendo Switch, they have a lot of games to pick from.

Only one entry per franchise, with the only exception being games that belong to different subseries. Also, tactics and strategy games like Fire Emblem will be excluded since those could be seen as separate genres; that said, both Fire Emblem Switch games are great albeit very different experiences.

24 Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster

Metascore: 79

Monolith Software’s resume extends beyond Xenoblade Chronicles, and two of the developer’s minor classics have been remastered for the Switch in a neat compilation package. Baten Kaitos debuted and ended its original run during the GameCube era, producing two titles with lengthy campaigns and an engaging combat system built upon a card-building mechanic. While the games can be played in any order and enjoyed, Origins is the best place to start, even though it is the second entry in the series.

Although far from perfect, both Baten Kaitos projects are polished and entertaining JRPGs that have aged reasonably well, as long as someone doesn’t mind somewhat dated visuals. The card system is the franchise’s crowning achievement, and it influences more aspects of the adventures than just the battles. While not reaching the heights of Xenoblade Chronicles, these games tell pretty good narratives that build momentum nicely, even if they drag in places.

While it might be difficult to justify dropping almost full price on a compilation consisting of two games that are nearly 20 years old, Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster has way more than enough content to justify an investment.

23 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin

Metascore: 81

After missing out on Monster Hunter: World, Nintendo Switch owners got treated to a double dose of Capcom goodness with Monster Hunter Rise and a sequel to the Stories spin-off series. A monster collection game, Wings of Ruin features a turn-based combat system that shakes things up by including the possibility to target specific areas of a Monstie.

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While the gameplay is enjoyable, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin‘s main appeal is the ability to hatch new Monsties. Although light on story compared to other JRPGs, Wings of Ruin is far more plot-driven than typical Monster Hunter games.

22 Rune Factory 4 Special

Metascore: 75

Typically, when people consider JRPGs, they imagine turn-based gameplay and an epic world-saving plot. While those types of games make up large chunks of the subgenre, JRPGs still come in many shapes and sizes. Rune Factory 4 Special is a farming simulator with a side helping of dungeon crawling, love and romance, and a plot that is there but tries to not distract players.

On the surface, this might seem like a messy hodgepodge of genres and ideas, but Rune Factory has a history of balancing out its concepts to create a satisfying overall package. Rune Factory 4 Special is a relaxing delight, a JRPG that frees players to become a part of a charming kingdom while occasionally swatting monsters on the head with a sword.

21 Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore

Metascore: 81

This bizarre Wii U mash-up of Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem was ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2020, and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore is still a difficult game to pin down. While Fire Emblem fans will get a kick out of seeing familiar faces from the franchise, this crossover is more likely to hit home with those looking for a lighthearted Shin Megami Tensei experience.

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The turn-based combat isn’t far removed from the Persona games, although the Fire Emblem influence does add a few twists to the formula. Once the console’s time comes to an end, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore will probably not be Atlus’ best JRPG on the Switch, but it is worth picking up for fans of the developer’s work.

20 Fuga: Melodies Of Steel 1 & 2

Metascore: 84

CyberConnect2’s resume includes a lot more than just anime arena brawlers. The developer’s first project was 1998’s Tail Concerto, a steampunk action-adventure game set within a world of anthropomorphic dogs and cats. This PS1 title launched a franchise CyberConnect2 would intermittently revisit, and all the Little Tail Bronx projects are drastically different in terms of gameplay and tone. The Fuga: Melodies of Steel games represent the series at its darkest as they are disarmingly grounded war epics that revolve around orphans turned soldiers.

Telling a complex narrative that does not shy away from consequences or heavy themes, these titles are powerful in their own right. In terms of gameplay, Fuga: Melodies of Steel uses a tactical turn-based system that sees characters take charge of specific areas in a tank. While quite combat-heavy, both games are also full of dialogue and quiet character-driven moments.

19 Labyrinth Of Galleria: The Moon Society

Metascore: 83

Labyrinth of Galleria: Th Moon Society is very different from most other Nintendo Switch JRPGs since it is a throwback to classic first-person dungeon crawlers rather than the genre’s more traditional entries. Following a brief set-up that gets the job done, players are prompted to explore a massive labyrinth while taking control of a fairly wide assortment of playable fighters, which are puppets rather than conventional characters.

The campaign revolves solely around exploration, loot, and combat, with the story taking a backseat for lengthy stretches. That said, the main characters are likable enough in their own right. Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society is not for everyone, but it is a worthy addition to the console’s library.

18 NEO: The World Ends With You

Metascore: 82

After a long wait, Square Enix finally published the sequel to 2007’s The World Ends With You. NEO returns people to Shibuya to take part in the Reapers’ Game, a cutthroat contest to see who will be revived after a week of activities.

NEO‘s gameplay and aesthetic are departures from the first game, as the sequel is fully 3D and utilizes a more traditional action-oriented combat system. Battles are fun, while the story and music hit the mark.

17 Ys 8: Lacrimosa Of DANA

Metascore: 82

Aside from a nonsense title, the eighth entry into the Ys series has been released to relative critical acclaim. The title was a port of a PS4 release, and the developers did a solid job at keeping the game running smoothly, although it sacrificed graphical fidelity to do so. This action RPG follows much of what the series had established in past entries, albeit with a new island-based setting and secondary playable characters.

The combat is important to this series, and Ys 8 provides a fluid and fun experience. The player can swap between characters freely during combat, rather than being stuck with one for the duration of combat. Its soundtrack is also incredible, adding gravity to scenarios and giving the story weight. For those in need of a modern classic, this is a good option. Few action JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch are better than Y8.

16 Tales Of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

Metascore: 83

Another Nintendo Switch remaster, Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition brings the beloved JRPG to a new audience. Yuri and Estelle’s story is one that fans consider to be the peak of the Tales series, and that is absolutely reflected in the game. The combat is wildly fun and each character feels unique to play in battle.

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This release also features the exclusive content to the PS3 release that never made it to the West. This includes new quests, dungeons, and a new playable character. While it is jarring to jump between different voice actors for the various characters (particularly Yuri), it’s worth buying to check it out even for those who own the original.

15 Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Metascore: 83

Game Freak’s Pokemon is a license to print money, but the mainline entries on the Switch garnered a more polarizing response than usual for the franchise. Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes the core appeal of the series and gives it a refreshing makeover, dropping players in a large open-world set a long time before the main games.

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Tasked with completing the first-ever Pokedex, trainers are left to their own accord as to how they approach this quest; some might opt to engage in turn-based battles, while others may prefer to stealth their way behind a Pokemon to catch them off guard with a Poke Ball. Although not the prettiest Nintendo Switch RPG, Pokemon Legends: Arceus marks a massive step in the right direction following the divisive Sword & Shield entries, hopefully representing the beginning of a new era for the series.

14 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch

Metascore: 84

Ni No Kuni is divisive for JRPG fans. The Ghibli-inspired world, story, and style are all wonderful and evocative. It’s a game that feels adventurous and huge, even though the world isn’t actually that large. The story is somewhat simple, but still very heartwarming and worth seeing through to the end. There’s a lot to love about the game.

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However, the actual gameplay is a sticking point. The game feels like a watered-down version of Final Fantasy 12 with a creature-collection aspect slapped on top haphazardly. The AI for party members is terrible, and combat itself can be a slog. Despite that, when it comes together, it’s fairly satisfying to play.

13 Undernauts: Labyrinth Of Yomi

Metascore: 85

With games like Stranger of Sword City and Demon Gaze under their belts, Experience Inc. has low-key established itself as one of the finest developers of dungeon-crawling RPGs. Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi is a contender for the studio’s best game to date, delivering a thoroughly addictive gameplay experience packed with great art, challenging puzzles, and memorable encounters.

Diving into dungeons in search of treasures, players put together a group of adventurers, all of which can be customized to suit the party’s needs. The dungeons are expansive and expertly designed mazes that will test even veteran dungeon crawler fans. For anyone looking for a different style of JRPG, Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi is worth a look.

12 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel 3

Metascore: 84

Despite its niche following in the West, the Legend of Heroes series has persisted and largely improved with each new entry. This remained true with Trails of Cold Steel 3, which isn’t even the second most unwieldy name on this list.

The game is the third in the current saga, and it delivers everything fans wanted. The sidequests are engaging, the combat is fine-tuned through years of iteration, and the story is a love letter to everything the genre has to offer. While the port of the game has its issues, being able to play portable is worth the performance hit. This game looks to be exactly what fans would want.

11 Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist Of The End & The Secret Key

Metascore: 82

Gust has maintained Atelier‘s momentum with its third entry in the Ryza subseries, which looks set to be the character’s final chapter. The franchise has been on a good roll over the last couple of years, with each fresh entry arguably establishing a new Atelier peak. Ryza 3 is no exception, as the game improves upon its predecessor’s combat, visuals, and crafting mechanics.

This time, Ryza and her companions visit a few islands, with each one acting as a mini open-area. While featuring probably the best turn-based combat in the franchise so far, Atelier Ryza 3 is still mainly about resource gathering and alchemy.

10 Super Mario RPG

Metascore: 83

A remake of 1996’s Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, this 2023 exclusive retains the original game’s charm while giving it a fresh coat of paint. While that might not sound too exciting for this type of release, the SNES version of Super Mario RPG has aged gracefully, and its combat system inspired many of Mario’s other role-playing escapades along with titles like Bug Fables​​​​​​. As Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario have received a plethora of entries, they tend to overshadow their ancestor, which is a shame since Legend of the Seven Stars compares favorably to most entries in those series. The SNES project was also developed by Square, and the developer’s genre expertise shines through.

The Switch remake is very faithful to its predecessor. In fact, if someone did not enjoy the original or has no desire to revisit it, they might want to skip the new iteration. However, in isolation, Super Mario RPG is a confident, witty, and pretty game built upon an accessible and fun time-based combat system. While the latter is turn-based, players can press buttons to increase an attack’s performance or reduce the impact of a hit. This concept has been explored and expanded in subsequent releases, but Super Mario RPG‘s version works well. The remake also fine-tunes the combat ever so slightly to smooth out a few rough edges, and it even adds a new, flashy combo option.

9 Shin Megami Tensei 5

Metascore: 84

It took roughly five years, but Shin Megami Tensei 5 finally came out in 2021, and Atlus’ JRPG was more than worth the wait. As is usually the case in these games, players find themselves traversing Tokyo and the Netherworld as they fight all sorts of demons and occasionally try to negotiate with them.

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Also as tends to be the case for the franchise, Shin Megami Tensei 5 is far from an easy game, although it is slightly more welcoming to genre newcomers than some previous entries in the series. Visually, SMT 5 is one of the better-looking JRPGs on the Switch, especially when it comes to the designs of the characters and demons. It is also fantastic in nearly every other area.

8 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails From Zero

Metascore: 85

The Switch has grown into a great device for Nihon Falcom JRPGs, and Trails from Zero compares well to any other project released by the developer. Originally a 2010 PSP Japanese exclusive, this game took more than a decade to make it to the West; thankfully, age has done little to dilute this title’s brilliance.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero serves as an ideal entry point into this universe since it tells a fairly self-contained storyline. Set in Crossbell, a city-state caught between the Calvard Republic and Erebonian Empire, Trails from Zero follows a detective as he investigates this world’s criminal underbelly. Using a fun grid-based combat system and set within a fully realized world, this remaster should be able to keep someone engaged for a good 50 hours.

7 Octopath Traveler 2

Metascore: 84

Square Enix and Acquire’s Octopath Traveler 2 does not significantly revamp its predecessor’s strong foundations, opting to offer primarily the same experience but with a few tweaks to address some of the original title’s criticism. Once again, the campaign features eight protagonists who go on stand-alone storylines, essentially presenting players with eight mini-arcs rather than one long adventure.

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Unlike the 2018 project, Octopath Traveler 2 has the characters interact with each other; while they do not contribute much to each other’s stories, they do come across like a traditional party rather than just strangers who happen to fight alongside each other.

6 Star Ocean: The Second Story R

Metascore: 87

Star Ocean has led an inconsistent life, especially over the last two decades or so. The series seems incapable of producing a new mainline entry that is universally loved, although The Divine Force was a step in the right direction. The IP’s best recent release is a remake, which might sound like a damning statement; however, The Second Story R is just an all-around great action JRPG. The 1998 original is rightfully regarded as a PS1 classic, and it deserves to be accessible on modern platforms. Thankfully, Square Enix opted to go down the full remake route rather than just delivering a spruced-up remaster.

Utilizing Octopath Traveler‘s 2D-HD art style, The Second Story R is plainly beautiful at times, and it looks great on the Nintendo Switch OLED. Combat-wise, the game is fast-paced and skill-based, and the action is elevated by fluid animations. There are also plenty of customization and progression options so that players can tweak the party to suit their needs.

5 Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age

Metascore: 85

Final Fantasy 12 needs no introduction. The story of the Sky Pirate Balthier and Princess Ashe is one that many fans aren’t likely to forget. It has its problems, mostly all loaded into the oatmeal-like main character of Vaan, but aside from that, it’s a classic.

The Zodiac Age alters the game significantly. While the License Board in the original is far from perfect, the new job system added in the rerelease fixes any of those problems and adds plenty of variety for building characters. It’s still somewhat of a grind and definitely a tad slow, but the world of Ivalice is just so wonderful to explore.