The 15 Best JRPGs Switch Gamers Must Try in 2026

Our Top Picks for JRPGs on Switch

While every game on this list is sure to satisfy players looking for either old or new JRPG experiences, some of them are especially notable:

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

JRPG

A delightful sci-fi JRPG whose characters take center stage.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

TACTICAL RPG

Combines the best of both JRPG tropes and tactical gameplay for a one-of-a-kind experience.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age JRPG Proves that the classics are still great, even today.

If these don’t tickle your fancy, that’s okay – there are a lot more great games on this list, so read on.

15 Best JRPGs on Switch You Will Love To Play

There are a ton of JRPGs on Switch, so it was hard to keep it to just 15.

This means that while there are a lot of great games on this list, some, like the Atelier games or Pokemon titles, had to make way. Don’t worry though – just because the games on this list are great doesn’t mean that other titles aren’t worth playing.

Now, let’s get right to it.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Best Sci-Fi JRPG

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• Nintendo Switch
• Creators
• Monolith Soft, Nintendo
• Average Playtime
• ~100 hours
• Metacritic Score
• JRPGs have always been about doing things in a grandiose manner, and when it comes to the best JRPGs
• Switch
• has, it’s hard to beat

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

• for just how dang big it is, making it one of the
• best
• Switch
• RPGs

you can get – especially if you’re new to the scene.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

is set in Aionios, a world engulfed in war. The belligerents are Keves, a massive industrial nation that focuses on technology, and Agnus, a country heavily reliant on ether technology.

As expected of a JRPG, the conflict isn’t black and white. A mysterious third party hovers in the shadows, and it’s up to our six elite heroes (three from either side) to put aside their differences and work together.

Naturally, this also means that a lot of effort went into character writing, and

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

shines in its deep character relationships – I’d venture so far as to say that the characters are the story of

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

. However, the main story is just as satisfying, and the wealth of side content in the form of DLC is also looked upon fondly.

Pro tip You don’t need to play the Xenoblade Chronicles in any particular order, but the QOL changes might make it difficult to backtrack if this is your first one.

No JRPG is complete without combat, and

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

doesn’t disappoint in that regard, either. With a refined action-oriented battle system highly reminiscent of the Tales series, as well as exploration that makes it a pretty neat open world RPG as well, this one is easy to pick up and play, but will still require time to master.

My Verdict:

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

comes with a nice, heaping serving of everything that makes JRPGs great, and it’s hard to go wrong with it.

What do players say?

☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ A pretty traditional JRPG all things considered, but it still managed to catch and hold my attention for over a hundred hours.

Octopath Traveler II

Amazing HD-2D JRPG

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• PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Creators
• Square Enix, Acquire
• Average Playtime
• ~80 hours
• Metacritic Score
• Just as
• Dragon Quest XI S
• was a great throwback to classic JRPGs, Square Enix’s

Octopath Traveler II

• is a fantastic example of how the series has moved forward, and it’s easily on my list of the
• best JRPGs

you can get, as well as one of the best games you should absolutely play.

Octopath Traveler II

is more of the same good stuff that the first title offered: a huge world to explore with eight playable characters, each of whom have their own unique stories and goals. Where II stands out is in its refinements from the previous title, as well as (in my opinion) having a better story overall.

While

Octopath Traveler II

has a great story, those looking for traditional JRPG combat won’t be disappointed. The break and boost systems reward smart gameplay, and the job system hasn’t just been reworked, but improved. Most importantly, multiple travelers can take on the same subjob.

Pro tip As with

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

, you don’t need to have played the first game in this series – but the QOL makes it hard to backtrack.

The cherry on top of an already great JRPG is the HD-2D artstyle, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Octopath Traveler II

’s style really evokes the feeling of “the same, but better” – pretty much exactly what I’d like a modern JRPG to feel like.

My Verdict:

Octopath Traveler II

is a more than worthy successor, with great improvements all around and a more fine-tuned gameplay experience.

What do players say?

CordedBraid ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Very easy to recommend. Looks good, plays well, and engaging all throughout.

Final Fantasy IX [Timeless Classic]

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• PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS
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• Square
• Average Playtime
• ~50 hours
• Metacritic Score
• You’re not seeing things –

Final Fantasy IX

• was released in
• . But despite its age, I won’t hesitate to call this one of the
• best
• Nintendo Switch
• games

.

Final Fantasy IX

is best described as a tribute to classic FF games. This means a return to medieval European fantasy settings, as well as a lot of throwbacks to previous titles. While it may not be as impactful today (especially for gamers who didn’t grow up with the SNES Final Fantasy games), it was seen as a celebration of the series during its time.

While

Final Fantasy IX

pays homage to its roots, it’s definitely strong enough to stand on its own merits. Despite the sunny setting, its gripping narrative is surprisingly mature – and even if you’ve spoiled yourself by accident (this is an old game, after all), it does nothing to detract from how powerful the game’s tale is.

Pro tip If you want to powergame through

Final Fantasy IX

, you can steal from bosses to get some equipment early.

No Final Fantasy game can be complete without a memorable cast of characters, and this game has them in spades. From the gallant, roguish Zidane to the shy but dangerous Vivi and even some friends turned foes, these characters will leave an indelible mark on you long after the credits have rolled.

My Verdict:

Final Fantasy IX

is a love letter to the rest of the Final Fantasy series, but even without its past references, it’s still a masterpiece.

What do players say?

sortakindablue ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Really glad this one worked out as it spawned a whole subgenre of games. Still holds up today.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 [High-Pressure Tactical JRPG]

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• CyberConnect2
• Average Playtime
• ~35 hours
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• “A bunch of children rolling around in a tank” sounds like the setup for a joke, but it’s not. It’s the core premise of
• Fuga: Melodies of Steel
• , a
• great tactical RPG

that’s a real treat for those looking for something darker.

In the Fuga series, you’ll command a group of children piloting the Taranis, a massive tank. And at the core of the Taranis is the Soul Cannon, an awesome superweapon that can level even the mightiest foes, giving the crew a fighting chance against even impossible odds. But as the name suggests, the Soul Cannon doesn’t use conventional ammo, but rather, souls.

Each time you fire the Soul Cannon, you’ll have to sacrifice a child – and in Fuga 3, you’ll also have the “option” to fire the Mega Soul Cannon, which sacrifices all children for a final, desperate attack.

Pro tip

You can use the Akasha Panel to redo fights where you fired the Soul Cannon, which will give you a chance to take back firing the Soul Cannon – if you can avoid firing it this time around.

This means that every battle in

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3

has incredibly high stakes, as naturally, you’ll need to forgo use of the Soul Cannon to achieve the best ending. But when survival is as difficult as it is, will you hesitate? Will you sacrifice a few to save the many, or will you allow everyone to die because you couldn’t make a hard choice?

My Verdict:

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3

manages to strike the perfect balance between absurdity and hard-hitting emotional impacts via its Soul Cannon system – and the tactical gameplay is quite good, too.

What do players say?

DawnOfTheDoh ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ They’re not kidding when they say this game has a lot of cutscenes. For what it’s worth, it is very fun when I actually get to play.

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition [Remastered Classic]

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• PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
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• QLOC, Namco Bandai Games
• Average Playtime
• ~80 hours
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• If there’s just one
• Tales
• game you have to play, I
• 100% recommend
• Tales of Vesperia

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This one isn’t widely held to be the best title for no reason.

Those familiar with the series or played the original back in 2008 will know what they’re in for. For newcomers though, expect a classic adventure – though “classic” shouldn’t be taken to mean “bland”, as Vesperia consistently wows with its mature story and character writing, with Yuri and Estelle specifically standing out.

The real star of the Tales series, at least for me, is the combat system. Compared to traditional turn-based battles, Tales was an early adopter of real-time combat via a linear (and later 3D) environment, making it more akin to a fighting game than a traditional RPG.

This alone gives the entire series a good case for the title of best action RPG, as it’s both innovative and fun, and since you’ll be mashing a lot of buttons, it’s also a good idea to grab a for this role-playing game.

Pro tip

Before selling any equipment, ensure that you’ve mastered the skill that comes with it.

Even if you’ve already played the original Tales of Vesperia, you’ll definitely want to check out this version. Not only does it come with the content that was locked away behind the Japan only re-release, but it also adds more content as well as all DLC.

My Verdict:

Tales of Vesperia can rightfully be called a timeless classic. If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out.

What do players say?

Natha_Daged_Aen ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Not perfect, especially considering the challenges regarding its production, but still a great SMT game.

Lunar Remastered Collection [Old But Gold]

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• PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• 2025; original games were released in 1996 and 1998
• Creators
• Ashibi Co., GungHo Online Entertainment
• Average Playtime
• ~50 hours
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• This anthology brings some older games back to the forefront, namely
• Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
• and
• Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete

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Let me be clear – unlike other games that have been remade from the ground up for modern times, these are not new games.

They’re more or less direct ports of the original Lunar games, and apart from some new features like better graphics, voice acting for both English and Japanese, and other QOL tweaks, they’re pretty much the same as they were back then.

And because this collection is pretty much a direct port of the’s titles, what you get is old-school, classic JRPGs with a focus on storytelling and beautiful anime cutscenes that accompany its narrative.

Pro tip

Silver Lights offer huge MP recovery, but are best conserved for important battles or the final boss.

Do note that new players may find that Lunar Remastered’s combat will feel quite dated. With a bevy of other RPGs incorporating action RPG mechanics in turn-based battles, a traditional combat system may feel old and clunky. Still, it’s a relic of ages past, and that’s how JRPGs got started.

My Verdict:

Lunar Remastered Collection

is a fantastic glimpse into the foundations that made the genre great.