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, Metacritic can help to make that next game purchase.

To keep things simple, any game created by a Japanese developer that is classified as an "RPG" by Metacritic will be included. Consequently, Fire Emblem and Disgaea will not be included.

Updated August 6, 2023 by Mark Sammut: As the console begins to wind down the best Switch JRPGs are most likely set in stone. That said, players have plenty of great games at their disposal.

47 World Of Final Fantasy Maxima – 79

The Nintendo Switch has quite a few Final Fantasy games, although the majority are ports or remasters of older titles. Unfortunately, modern entries in the franchise are slightly harder to come by, and fans will largely have to make do with spin-offs. In recent years, Square Enix has steadily pushed Final Fantasy's mainline entries toward real-time combat, and there is nothing to suggest this will change in the near future. Originally debuting in 2016, World of Final Fantasy serves as a throwback to the license's classic turn-based days, and the game is stuffed to the brim with Easter eggs and fanservice.

The Switch's Maxima version adds new content to the base game, and it is the best way to experience this title. World of Final Fantasy has been somewhat forgotten over the last few years, and while certainly not among the franchise's masterpieces, it is a good option for anyone who wants a monster-collecting turn-based JRPG with a Final Fantasy coat of paint.

46 SaGa: Scarlet Grace - Ambitions – 79

Originally a PS Vita exclusive released solely in Japan, SaGa: Scarlet Grace eventually made its way to Western countries and a plethora of other platforms. For the uninitiated, Square Enix's SaGa has been around since the late 1980s, and the franchise has a reputation for taking risks by constantly shaking up its gameplay. Despite producing a few very good titles, the series never really come close to replicating the success of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest; nevertheless, Scarlet Grace is a worthy addition to any Switch JRPG library.

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Narratively, the game has an interesting backstory and follows a nonlinear structure designed around branching paths. As such, Scarlet Grace is replayable, although that would not mean much if its combat was not also great. The turn-based system emphasizes strategic planning since the player's party members share a finite pool of action points, a mechanic that rewards forward-thinking plays rather than just spamming each character's strongest attacks.

45 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie

It is a testament to Nihon Falcom's consistency that a game as polished and enjoyable as The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie could be regarded as one of the weaker entries in an almost 20-year-old franchise. Combining three different arcs that can be switched on the fly and bringing together dozens of returning and new playable characters, Trails into Reverie feels like an epilogue to Trails of Cold Steel and Trails from Zero/Trails to Azure, and fans of those subseries will likely enjoy revisiting Rean and Lloyd's stories. While not really shining a new light on either of those timelines, the campaign does allow a few fan-favorite characters to interact together for the first time, all the while telling a satisfying narrative that adds to the franchise's overall world-building.

Trails into Reverie also features a new protagonist, C, who leads an eclectic cast of characters. Even if not bolstered by recognizable and beloved names, this arc arguably represents Trails into Reverie at its best. The turn-based combat system is largely similar to the franchise's other 3D entries, which means it is awesome.

44 Final Fantasy 8 Remastered – 80

When picking the best Final Fantasy of all time, convincing arguments can be presented for any mainline entry released between 1994 and 2006. However, Final Fantasy 8 tends to be overshadowed by its two immediate predecessors and successors. Even though its reputation has improved over the years, the game is still polarizing, mainly due to the way it handles progression.

Outside of maybe Final Fantasy 13, FF8 has probably the most divisive mechanics in the franchise, and most people seem to either love or hate the Junction system. The game's implementation of Magic can also be frustrating. Even if these elements do not hit home with a player, they can still look forward to a great and ambitious story featuring a fairly complex protagonist.

43 Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate – 80

Monster Hunter Rise's existence might put off people from trying Generations Ultimate, a rerelease of a game that originally debuted in 2015. Why bother with the old version when a newer model not only exists but is generally regarded as fantastic? The thing is, despite belonging to the same franchise and hitting many of the same ideas, Rise and Generations Ultimate are fairly different experiences.

The former follows in Monster Hunter World's footsteps by prioritizing accessibility, to the point that it is overall the easiest entry in the series. Conversely, Generations Ultimate drops players into the deep end with very little guidance, and that is not a criticism. The game is also absolutely packed with content since it contains nearly 100 monsters.

42 Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee! – 80

Pokemon has had a rough time adapting to full 3D, although that has not discouraged Game Freak from producing a lot of titles for the Nintendo Switch. Fans are spoiled for choice, and Let's Go, Eevee! and Pikachu! tend to be overlooked since they were the franchise's earliest projects to debut on the console. Remakes of the Kanto era releases, these games reduce the focus on random battles with wild Pokemon, opting to incorporate a catching system similar to Pokemon Go!

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Let's Go, Eevee! is by no means a masterpiece, but it takes players on a fun nostalgic trip through memory lane. Visually, these titles are arguably the best-looking Pokemon games on the Nintendo Switch, even if they are not particularly ambitious.

Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! has a 79 on Metacritic.

41 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.

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.

40 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.

39 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.

38 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.

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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.

37 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.

36 Persona 3 Portable – 81

In January 2023, Atlus ported Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden onto numerous consoles, including the Nintendo Switch. While its score is relatively low compared to its sequels, P3P is still highly-regarded in the turn-based JRPG sphere, and the game is considered to be among the genre's greatest releases of the PS2 and PSP eras.

That said, P3P very much looks like a mid-2000s title, which includes dungeon-crawling segments that are grind-heavy and repetitive. However, in relation to its narrative and social sim element, Atlus's project is just as captivating as ever.

35 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.

34 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.

33 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.

32 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.

31 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.

30 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.

29 Fuga: Melodies Of Steel 1 & 2 – 82 & 81

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.

28 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.