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, Metacritic can help to make that next game purchase.
Updated December 10, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Over the last five and a half years, the Nintendo Switch has steadily amassed a library of greatness. The hybrid console covers every genre under the sun, and JRPGs are no exception. In fact, considering the platform’s portability and the genre not being particularly known for overly demanding projects, an argument could be made that the Switch is the ideal system for Japanese role-playing games. This article has been expanded to include a few more of the best Switch JRPGs; unfortunately, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet failed to qualify.
34 Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin – 80
Edelweiss’ Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a strange beast. The action RPG mixes farming elements with dungeon crawling, with the former focusing exclusively on rice. These two components of the package have wildly different gameplay styles and rhythms, but they are both polished and entertaining.
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In the 2.5D dungeons, players engage monsters in flashy and fast-paced combat while also collecting resources. Even though these missions can get repetitive after a while, the core systems are solid. Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin’s farming mechanics are also surprisingly deep and fun, as they essentially boil down to minigames.
33 Paper Mario: The Origami King – 80
Despite its classification as an RPG on Metacritic, Paper Mario: The Origami King should be approached as an adventure rather than a role-playing game. Nintendo’s franchise has largely left behind its RPG roots, and while The Origami King does have a battle system, the game treats combat as a minor part of the package.
Depending on somebody’s expectations, this 2020 Switch exclusive can be disappointing. Still, The Origami King has plenty of positives in its favor. Visually, the game is gorgeous and whimsical. Although the plot is nothing to write home about, the story’s writing is generally great and frequently hilarious.
32 Pokemon Sword & Shield – 80
Pokemon Sword & Shield saw Game Freak’s hugely successful franchise migrate to a home console for a proper mainline entry, something that has been a long time coming. The Generation 8 games are full 3D adventures that incorporate a couple of fresh ideas, particularly the addition of Wild Areas that can be used to catch roaming Pokemon. Otherwise, the campaign is not significantly different from the handheld RPGs, although it is a bit more streamlined.
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Sword & Shield are not generally regarded as the best entries in the series, but they represented the start of a new era for Pokemon. Some concepts present in these games were expanded upon in Arceus, and that is likely to be also the case in the upcoming Scarlet & Violet.
31 Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom - Prince’s Edition – 80
Ni no Kuni 2 is quite a departure from its predecessor, offering a different battle system and a plot with a slightly more mature tone. After finding himself in a magical world, Roland winds up helping a young king, Evan, escape following a successful coup. Left with nowhere to go, the two form a partnership as they travel across the land in search of allies who can help Evan regain his throne.
Ni no Kuni 2 is one of the most beautiful JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch, boasting stunning environments and well-crafted character designs. Although a bit too easy, the hack and slash combat is snappy and enjoyable, while the storytelling is pretty good for the most part.
30 Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist Of The Mysterious Dream – 80
The latest entry in Gust’s alchemy-driven series is arguably the most accessible for people who are familiar with traditional JRPGs. Atelier Sophie 2 retains the franchise’s focus on gathering materials to create items through alchemy, a system that is still as fun and deep as in previous entries.
Narratively, this sequel picks up the pace a bit quicker than most of the other releases in the franchise, and the writing is generally strong throughout. Even the turn-based combat system has been improved upon, both in terms of presentation and mechanics.
29 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel 4 – 81
Nihon Falcom’s Trails franchise has been a reliable source for turn-based JRPG goodness for nearly two decades. While some might argue the series peaked with the Trains in the Sky trilogy, the Trails of Cold Steel subseries is still consistently great, producing four long chapters in an epic war saga.
Trails of Cold Steel 4should only be purchased if someone has experienced the previous games or, at least, knows their stories. A direct continuation of its predecessor, the 2021 entry builds upon the relationships and political intrigue that had been developed over the course of the three 50+ hour campaigns that came before it.
28 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin – 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.
27 Final Fantasy 7 – 81
An all-time classic JRPG, Final Fantasy 7 needs no introduction beyond the fact that it is available on the Nintendo Switch in all of its glory. As a PS1 game that debuted in 1997, FF7 naturally shows its age in many ways, especially in its turn-based combat. Just to be clear, the battle system is still enjoyable and works well, but it might come across as overly simplistic for people primarily familiar with modern JRPGs.
Nevertheless, FF7 is still a must-play game with a fantastic story, unforgettable characters, and a splendid setting that Square Enix loves to revisit.
26 Rune Factory 4 Special – 81
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.
25 Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore – 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.
24 Persona 5 Strikers – 81
Sticking with Atlus franchises, Persona 5 Strikers is Omega Force and P-Studio’s spin-off/sequel to the PS4’s fantastic Persona 5. Despite the original game’s absence from the Nintendo Switch’s library, Persona 5 Strikers still made its way to the hybrid console, and it is a vastly different experience from its predecessor.
Taking elements from Dynasty Warriors, Persona 5 Strikers is an action JRPG that reunites the Phantom Thieves of Hearts so they can go on a cross-country adventure to take down Monarchs while defeating hundreds of enemies at a time. Turn-based actions are still possible in the middle of battle, so Strikers isn’t a full departure from Persona 5.
23 NEO: The World Ends With You – 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.
22 Ys 8: Lacrimosa Of DANA – 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, but with new locales and characters.
The combat is important to this series, and Ys 8provides 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.
21 Ys Origin – 82
By coincidence, this title also managed to be one of the top JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch. Originally released on PC, this game is a prequel to the rest of the series. For fans looking to see where it all started, this game provides everything they want. New players can also benefit from starting here, although they’ll need to remember that this game has aged over the past decade.
Ys Origin is regarded by fans to be another great addition to the series, maintaining what keeps the series successful. Falcom as a developer tends to stick to its roots, and in this case, the company created a series that feels like a natural progression as time passed.
20 Sega Ages: Phantasy Star – 82
Back during the height of the console wars, Sega needed a franchise to compete with Enix’s Dragon Quest or SquareSoft’s Final Fantasy. While they took inspiration from the setting and gameplay of both, the end result was Phantasy Star. This series saw great success in Japan and remains a part of gaming culture with Phantasy Star Online 2.
For those who want to revisit the original, starting with the Sega Ages re-release is a great option. It contains a few quality-of-life changes to make the experience feel more modern, but retains that old-school charm visually and in its soundtrack. This unique mixture of sci-fi and medieval fantasy holds up considerably well, especially compared to other classic JRPGs from the same time.
19 Tales Of Vesperia: Definitive Edition – 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. While it has some jank to it, 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.
18 Octopath Traveler – 83
Octopath Traveler, from the development studio behind Bravely Default, takes inspiration from Square’s classic titles. This time, Octopath Traveler takes inspiration from the SaGa series of games. These titles feature a number of playable protagonists in an interconnected world that isn’t entirely linear, and Octopath Traveler is similar in that regard.
The visuals are stylish and impressive, the music is incredible across the board, and the story is even somewhat coherent! However, the make-or-break point will be the gameplay. While the turn-based, strategic gameplay based around exploiting weaknesses is incredibly solid, battles can take an eternity to complete. Try out the demo at least, because it’s absolutely a great game.
17 Dark Souls Remastered – 83
Through the release of Demon’s Souls, FromSoftware created a new RPG subgenre called Souls-likes. 2011’s Dark Souls put this concept on the map by dropping players in a dark, labyrinthian world filled with epic boss fights and avoidable but expertly written lore. Compared to its sequels, Dark Souls’ gameplay does feel restrictive; however, the game has otherwise aged beautifully.
While the Switch might not have Elden Ring or Bloodborne, Dark Souls Remasteredis a great option for anyone yearning for a Souls-like. Although the game qualifies as a JRPG by the criteria set for this article, this title is very different from the genre’s typical output in terms of presentation, art style, world-building, and combat.
16 Pokemon Legends: Arceus – 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 prior to the main games.
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.
15 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – 83
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a massive, self-indulgent game. Like the previous Xenoblade titles, XC2 is loaded with sidequests and monsters to hunt. The various continents have tons of places to explore and secrets to uncover, both for quest completion and for fun. The gameplay is fairly different from the other two titles, but fun in its own way.
The thing that sets XC2 apart from previous titles is the sheer amount of characters in the game. Aside from the main cast, all the Rare Blades have their own personalities and quests to complete. The character design isn’t for everyone (a problem with the genre in general), and even people used to gacha-style games will be floored by some of the designs. Despite that, the game is a blast to play and is just pure fun.
