Summary
Japanese roleplaying games, or JRPGs for short, are experiencing a second golden age. It’s the perfect time to give this storied genre a try, especially if you haven’t dipped your toes in before. If you don’t know which quest to take on first, I have you covered with this nifty guide.
Start WithChrono Trigger
While it feels counter-intuitive to recommend starting out with a 30-year-old game, there’s simply no better entry point to JRPGs thanChrono Trigger.
It’s a game that has everything: an easily digestible and emotionally riveting story, an unbeatable cast, awe-inspiring locales, and a soundtrack that’s nothing short of perfect. It’s also the best depiction of the late Akira Toriyama’s art style in the 2D era, soDragon Ballfans are in for a real treat.
Chrono Triggeris also breezy and beginner-friendly. Its breakneck pacing means you’re never left lingering or grinding, and the run time comes in at an approachable 25 hours. It helps that battles play out seamlessly on the map rather than through random encounters, and many can be skipped altogether. Also, the largely linear character and equipment progression helps teach first-timers JRPG basics before letting them express themselves in the end game.
The catch is that Square Enixhasn’t ported the game to any current or last-gen consolesdespite constant fan demand. The best option at present is the great PC port featuring the updated script from the 2008 Nintendo DS re-release. You can also play it on your phone or through emulation, if you’re inclined towards either.
But if you’re only willing or able to play on modern consoles,Chrono Triggerisn’t on the menu, to the great shame of its publisher. Maybe this beingthe game’s 30th anniversarywill change things. (Side note: avoid the PlayStation 1 port as it’s laden with long load times.)
Chrono Triggerwas the game that hooked me on the genre over two decades ago when all I knew wasPokémon, and I’m shocked at how fresh it feels every time I bi-annually replay it. I feel confident in saying it’ll be a similar eye-opener for others, and even if you don’t play it first, it should be on your must-play list.
Consider Trying These Mega Franchises First
Despite my top recommendation hailing from 1995, most players will probably feel more comfortable starting with modern games before digging into older titles that tend to be more obtuse and abstract.
JRPG franchises areoften anthologies, meaning each entry is a self-contained story that shares motifs and iconography rather than continuity and universes. You can therefore jump in wherever you please, which is part of what makesFinal Fantasy,Dragon Quest, andPersonaperfect starting points.
If you’re looking for a classic turn-based RPG,Dragon Quest XIis the most authentic contemporary take on the formula. Your party members (one of the best squads sinceChrono Trigger) have huge move lists to build strategies from, there’s an expansive world map to traverse, and towns are littered with flavorful NPCs to speak to. It does all this with extreme attention to detail and storytelling that revels in the fun of its crude whimsy before it rips out your heart multiple times over. It’s the game that madeDragon Questa hit in the West for a reason.
Persona 5 RoyalandPersona 3 Reloadare both excellent entry points if you’re looking for an anime social simulator alongside bouts of snappy turn-based combat. These games see you living out roughly a year of a transfer student’s life day-by-day, balancing their school life and demon-thrashing duties. The art direction and music is so stylish that it puts the likes of Paris Fashion Week to shame. If this all sounds good, but you don’t know where to start, here’s a cheat sheet: go forPersona 5 Royalif you love city living andPersona 3 Reloadif you want darker overtones or a shorter playtime.
Alternatively,Metaphor: ReFantazio—thePersonateam’s most recent game—is a political thriller built upon a streamlined version of thePersonacalendar formula. It was a big winner at game award shows last year for its narrative chops and deep combat systems, though by that very same mark I feel it’s better experienced once you’ve come to grips with the ins and outs of JRPG strategies like buffing, debuffing, status effects, and character building. The game is pretty tough to overcome without utilizing all its systems.
Persona 5 Royal
WHERE TO PLAY
A JRPG where high schoolers change people’s hearts by entering distortion worlds they create.
Final Fantasyis a tougher franchise to tackle in a guide like this, given just how many directions it’s taken in the past few years alone. On the one hand, thePixel Remasterseries features excellent remasters of the first six games, though despite many quality-of-life options they still show their age. They’re individually cheap though, so if you want to try your hand atFinal Fantasy IVorVI, that’s the best way to do so.
I absolutely adoreFinal Fantasy VII RemakeandRebirth, and their hybrid of action and menu-based combat is perhaps the greatest innovation in modern JRPGs. At the same time, their approach to narrative is greatly enhanced by an understanding of the original game. The final part of the trilogy is a few years off, so you have plenty of time to circle back to these alongside a playthrough ofFinal Fantasy VII.
Another avenue to join theFinal Fantasyfandom is throughFinal Fantasy XIV, a massively popularMMOnow five expansions deep. Committing to an MMOtakes a lot of timeand requires a monthly subscription, though you can play the base game for free to see if you like it. It’s not the best gateway to the genre of JRPGs, but if you get invested, it may be the only one you need.
Also, consider that you may wanta special mouseif you’re going to playFinal Fantasy XIVon PC (trust me, it’s a true game-changer).
Other Great Starting Points
There are countless other modern starting points as well, offering different flavors of gameplay. Here’s a smattering of those options.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, theXenoblade Chroniclesseries is available in its entirety on the platform. TheirMMO-styled combatis generally easy to pick up yet has an endlessly high skill ceiling. I’d say the originalXenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Editionis the most approachable of these, though you can also start withXenoblade Chronicles 2and circle back to the first entry after, if you prefer (just be ready for quickly overwhelming mechanics).
If you want the best characters,Xenoblade Chronicles 3has you covered, though that game relies heavily on an understanding of both previous games. Alternatively, the recently releasedXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editionstands entirely on its own and gives you mechs to pilot around its open world.
Another Nintendo staple worth investing in isFire Emblem, a turn-based strategy franchise worthy of the number of roster slots it’s earned inSuper Smash Bros. You may be typing an angry retort already, but I think you’ll agree once you experience the social simulation and class customization ofFire Emblem: Three Houses, or the expansive gameplay mechanics that makeFire Emblem: Engageso, well, engaging. It’s also been long enough since that entry that another is likely on the near horizon, perhaps alongside the Switch 2.
If action and anime are your cup of tea,NieR: Automatais for you. It’s a great middle ground between skill-based execution and stat modification. The flashy combos and iconic character designs are all wallpaper for creator Yoko Taro’s bonkers mind-trickery, though. There’s no other story in gaming told quite like this, save for its predecessors. If you end up lovingAutomata, try out its remastered prequelNieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…(yes, that’s really the title), which swaps out a post-apocalyptic science fiction setting for something a little more fantasy… kind of.
Indie developers—usually based outside Japan—have picked up a lot of the slack in pushing the genre forward as well.Undertaleis the best known of these, with creator Toby Fox masterfully deconstructing JRPGs to ask questions about the player’s morality. There’s alsoOmori, a gut-wrenching tale that dives deep into themes of mental health, includinghow it frames traditional turn-based combat mechanics.
If you want a JRPG that plays things straighter and without the emotional baggage,Sea of StarsandChained Echoesare worth a look, though I would recommendChrono Triggeras a better starting point (both take heavy inspiration from it).
Alternatively, Start With the Remastered Classics
I’ve largely kept this list to newer games, but there’s also merit in dipping your toes right into the classics. There’s a seemingly endless stream of remasters and remakes of 1990s golden era JRPGs. These could be obscure games that never made it to the West likeLIVE A LIVE, revivals of long-dead franchises likeSuikoden, or meticulous recreations of stone-cold classics likeDragon Quest III HD-2D Remake.
Part of why there’s never been a better time to get into JRPGs is because modern hardware—especially the Nintendo Switch—has accrued a vast library of re-releases. Strong sales mean this trend shows no signs of stopping, as evidenced byevery Nintendo Direct being filled to the brim with returning heroes.
Re-releases tend to come packed with quality-of-life improvements, orchestrated soundtracks, and visual changes (though these can sometimes miss the mark). This helps make them more palatable to today’s gamers. Many come in franchise bundles, too, sweetening the deal. Alternatively, you can always emulate games to play them in their original form without shelling out for pricey physical copies.
If there was one specific ‘90s classic I’d recommend to newcomers outside ofChrono Trigger, it’sSuper Mario RPG. It’s specifically built to simplify JRPG mechanics down to a level that anyone can play, yet it’s not so easy as to be patronizing. The recent one-for-one remake for the Switch is a beauty as well. Some would probably point you towardsPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorinstead, andI concur it’s a fantastic game, butSuper Mario RPGis more digestible and, if it matters, family-friendly.
There’s No “Wrong” Starting Place
There simply isn’t the space in this article to highlight every great JRPG series, and frankly, I’ve probably already overwhelmed you with options. The truth is that there’s no inherently wrong starting point. If there’s a JRPG that piques your interest, that’s the one to go with.
TheJRPG genrecasts a pretty wide net that ranges from strict turn-taking to hardcore action, and everything in-between. There’s something for everyone, and the real quest is finding which styles suit you.
