It’s almost impossible to discussJRPGs without mentioning Square Enix. The publisher lays claim to some of the best-loved JRPG series of all time and its status as a veritable goldmine of role-playing goodness was first developedin the ‘90sas Square. After the 2003 merger with Enix, it aquired Dragon Quest and its reputation was cemented.
But it isn’t a monopoly, and the genre of JRPGs is filled with wonderful series from other developers and publishers. They might not have the sales numbers that Final Fantasy does, but every series here is one JRPG fans should try out.
10Trails
Trails is a relatively young series, with its debut game, Trails in the Sky, coming out in 2004. But it’s got a lot of history behind it, being part of the largerLegend of Heroescanon, which dates back to 1989.
Developer Nihon Falcom may not have the biggest fanbase or the most lavish budgets, but the studio knows how to makea good JRPGthat’s massive in scope. The localization process of each Trails entry is a task of herculean proportions, due to the richness of the story within. In recent years, Trails has become a respected niche series. As long as it remains consistent, its star will continue to rise.
9Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles is a unique series. Instead of the medieval fantasy aesthetic or high school setting most JRPGs favor, it takes place in a fictionalized version of World War 2. The series may not be Sega’s highest-selling product, but it’s a respected member of the modern JRPG pantheon.
The series is known for its hybrid nature. It combines real-time combat with turn-based strategy, has a watercolour-themed anime aesthetic, and seamlessly integrates 2D effects into 3D environments. Playing Valkyria Chronicles feels like controlling a graphic novel.
8Mother
If you have even a passing interest in JRPGs, you’ve probably heard of Mother. The series hasn’t seen a new entry in over two decades, and probably never will, but it maintains a devoted fanbase. In the West, it’s seen as director Shigesato Itoi’smagnum opus.
What makes Mother so compelling? It’s a cross between the series’ zany humour, bizarre scenarios and underlying moments of warmth. Though Mother makes fun of a lot of things, including JRPGs themselves, it never stoops to the level of meanness. Rather, its tenderest moments focus on the little things in life: drinking coffee, being with friends, and getting a phone call from your parents.
7Ys
When we think of retro JRPGs, turn-based combat is what comes to mind. Even the most devout JRPG fan will admit to the genre’s generally slow pace, with long stories and richly detailed worlds being the payoff.
But even as far back as 1987, theYs seriesimplemented real-time combat. While the series started out rather simple, its combat continued to improve to the point that today it is one of the senior-most action RPGs. These aren’t the only things fans love Ys for: its rock-themed soundtracks are always a delight, and Adol Christin is one of the genre’s most versatile protagonists.
6Suikoden
Konami’s highest-profile JRPG series is Suikoden, one of the PS1’s early triumphs. Based on the Chinese novel Water Margin, Suikoden tells the story of an anti-imperialist rebellion, with each title placing a heavy emphasis on recruiting soldiers to your cause.
Debuting in 1995, Suikoden was surrounded by competition - this was one of the JRPG genre’s golden ages, with many series clawing for their place as future classics. Suikoden managed to carve out a respectable fanbase for itself by virtue of its complex stories, unique battle mechanics and satisfying progression.
5Shadow Hearts
Modern JRPGs have, for better or for worse, settled into a pattern. There are a few safe settings: high schools, medieval fantasy, and isekai worlds. If the genre is looking to shake things up, the first series it should seek inspiration from is Shadow Hearts.
These titles are dark and gothic, taking place in some of the gloomiest decades in the public imagination, ranging from the Victorian backdrop of Koudelka to the Great Depression-era New York City of Shadow Hearts: From The New World. The combat is a thing of beauty and its timing-dependent attacks net you bonus damage while keeping you on your toes throughout.
4Mario & Luigi
Nintendo’s mascot is seemingly able tosucceed in any genre: platforming, go-karting and JRPGs. The Mario series' JRPG origins trace back to Super Mario RPG on the SNES, which gave rise to two JRPG sub-series: Paper Mario, and Mario & Luigi.
Of the two, Mario & Luigi is the more straightforward role-playing game: though it incorporates some real-time elements, its strength lies in its turn-based combat and smart storytelling using the Mario IP. Regrettably, developer AlphaDream went bankrupt in 2019, but Acquire took up the mantle with Mario & Luigi: Brothership in 2024.
3Pokemon
Perhaps due to its taken-for-granted status, Pokemon often gets left out of JRPG discourse. After all, what game could be more popular than Pokemon? But while its stories and gameplay are serviceable, what makes Pokemon a standout JRPG series is its social component.
A Pokemon game doesn’t end with the story: it carries over into the post-game, into collecting all the Pokemon, and battling it out over multiplayer. What other JRPG series has a competitive scene? Pokemon is a monster-collecting behemoth for a reason: its value lies not just in beating the campaign, but in interacting with its community.
2Shin Megami Tensei
No JRPG series has deserved its breakthrough more thanShin Megami Tensei. This series, which started in the Famicom days and predates Pokemon in monster-collecting mechanics, only broke through in the West once its Persona sub-series started picking up steam.
Shin Megami Tensei is dark, shocking and rich in lore. Drawing from all sorts of mythology to create its unique brand of dark storytelling, the mainline series is renowned for its challenging difficulty. The Persona series is more accessible, and arguably popularized dating sim mechanics in JRPGs. If there’s any developer that threatens Square Enix’s JRPG crown, it’s Atlus, and Shin Megami Tensei is the series to do it.
1Tales
When it comes to popularity in the JRPG sphere, the Tales series bags a very comfortable third place behind Square Enix’s Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Its sales figures are no match for either, but Tales is as newbie-friendly as a long-running JRPG series can hope to be. Entries are mostly standalone, the gameplay is intuitive, and each title does enough experimentation to be fresh without alienating veteran fans completely.
If Final Fantasy’s strength lies in its epic plots, and Dragon Quest’s in its consistency, what makes Tales unique is its characters. Each game introduces a new and lovable cast, and the random interactions between them - called skits - are a core feature of the series. The combat, which draws influences from fighting games, never fails to draw you in either.
