It’s kind of funny, when we talk about retro games, it’s usually from a frame of reference to when we were born. The closer the game is to when we started gaming, the more likely we are to consider it retro later on. And for better or worse, many of theJRPGsI grew up with are now considered retro.
On the plus side, there happened to be a lot of amazing retro JRPGs released back in the ’80s and ’90s. And though many of them might lack the polish of more contemporary adventures, or were incredibly challenging, they’re all well worth playing.
All the games included in this list represent a range of older systems, including GBA, SNES, PS1, and even GameCube. Furthermore, they were all very well-received and generally got quite good scores.
So get ready for some golden oldies in this list of retro JRPGs still worth playing to this very day.
10Riviera: The Promised Land
Department Heaven on GBA
PC, WonderSwan Color, GBA, PSP, Switch, iOS, Android
JRPG, tactics
Release Date
June 21, 2025
I’ll admit, I didn’t play many JRPGs on my Game Boy Advance. But there was one that I couldn’t put down calledRiviera: The Promised Land. It was one of the first games that showed me what a powerhouse publisher Atlus truly was.
It was also one of the fabled Department Heaven titles. If you’re not familiar, they’re all creative, featuring great storytelling, lush artwork and challenging tactical combat.Riviera: The Promised Landwas sort of like aFire Emblemside story, but in a more linear form.
The story revolves around Ragnarok and features plenty of angels and Norse myths. The game was also one of the first I encountered with dating mechanics, which soon became something I searched out in JRPGs.
Best of all,Rivierafeatures multiple endings and several chapters to play through. So even though it’s not the longest adventure, there are many reasons to return to it to find new twists and turns.
9Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
PS1 Prodigy
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
When I was a young lad, I didn’t actively search out JRPG adventures. Yet despite that, several amazing ones sort of fell into my lap, one of which wasLunar: Silver Star Story Complete.
I still remember when I got my copy. I was at some gigantic mega mall for the first and last time, and discovered a game store. And there, sitting on the shelf, was a game with incredible box art. I didn’t know the first thing about it, but I had enough money in my wallet, and so I addedLunar: Silver Star Story Completeto my collection.
Once I booted it up on my PS1, I was completely drawn into this adventure. Though it features tropes like wanting to be the very best and a seemingly simple quest becoming something much greater, when you add in the incredible artwork and music, it helps cement the game as a classic.
Throw in well-balanced and challenging turn-based combat, and the game goes up even higher in my estimation. There’s a reason many a fan still highly regard the Lunar games to this day.
8Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Lost But Not Forgotten
Golden Sun: The Lost Age
I’m just going to be honest - I was really upset when I beat thefirstGolden Sungame. The whole cliffhanger ending irked the hell out of me, since I go into any videogame expecting a complete experience.
Thankfully, that frustration diminished when I played the sequel,Golden Sun: The Lost Age. It provided the closure I needed from the first game, while offering a robust quest with many twists and turns.
Perhaps the best part of theGolden Sungames is using Djinn to boost character stats, though in a pinch, they can also be used as powerful summons in battle. The game also features some optional quests and many puzzles to solve.
7Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
More Plumbers, More Problems
Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time
I’m just going to admit it - I love all theMario & Luigigames. Though I didn’t play many JRPGs on the GBA, I was hooked on them in the DS era. And after playingSuperstar Saga, I knew I had to playMario & Luigi: Partners in Time.
While I enjoy all the games in this series,Partners in Timewas something special. The jump to the DS made the graphics even more complex and stunning. And then there was the added complexity of the combat.
See, the firstMario & Luigigame just had you pressing two buttons depending on which plumber was attacking or defending. But here, Mario and Luigi’s baby counterparts join the fun, which means you have to manage 4 different buttons. This is especially complex when using special attacks during battle.
While it’s true this particular JRPG adventure is very linear, it’s still a rousing and enjoyable quest to jump through time and defeat nasty alien scum. Well worth playing on DS to this day. Just expect to die many times, since this is not an easy adventure.
6Vagrant Story
Break the Rules
Vagrant Story
Before they were Square Enix, Square published a truly unique game calledVagrant Story. It’s still somewhat hard to describe to this day. It’s real-time, but you may pause the action and utilize weapons to target enemy body parts.
The game also features characters with old-timey names like Romeo Guildenstern and Callo Merlose. Then there is the captivating visual style of the game, which effectively makes 3D models appear like the manual artwork of many classicFinal Fantasytitles.
But perhaps the reasonVagrant Story is still rememberedto this day is because of the weapon crafting and magic systems. As Ashley Riot explores Leá Monde, you won’t find helpful shopkeepers. Instead, you’ll craft all your weapons, mixing and upgrading them into powerful new forms. And whenever you find Grimoires, you’ll gain the power to cast devastating spells.
Risk is a key aspect of the game as well, and since Ashley is a Riskbreaker, risk and reward are huge. The longer a battle drags on, the more damage you’ll take, but you’ll be rewarded with more chances for critical hits and increased HP recovery. A truly unique and fascinating retro JRPG.
5Parasite Eve
Aya’s Living Nightmare
Parasite Eve
If this list were solely based on my tastes, there’s a very good chanceParasite Evewould sit near the top of that list. But still, it’s ranked pretty highly here, and for good reason.
Not only was the game a unique mixture of JRPG and horror, but it also featured a stellar and unexpected story about mutation and evolution. Aya Brea may start as a regular cop, but throughout the game, she becomes something much more.
Though I don’t usually enjoy real-time, it was utilized very well here, with pauses in the action to allow selection of gun attacks against mutated monstrosities. One of my favorite parts of the game is how you’re able to tweak her weapons with various parts, allowing you to customize them freely.
And while it’s true the PS1 graphics have aged, the game still features dynamic cutscenes and nightmare-inducing creatures. Honestly, I think thatParasite Eveis a game that deserves a modern remake. But in the meantime, this classic adventure is one of the few games I replay on a regular basis.
4EarthBound
Out of This World
Earthbound
I first discoveredEarthBoundcourtesy of my subscription to Nintendo Power, and was utterly captivated by the weird themes and quirky style of the game. When I first playedEarthbound, I was pretty horrible at it, but I enjoyed it after becoming more comfortable withchallenging JRPG adventures.
To this day, my weird obsession with the series has led to my maining Ness inSmash Bros. Because there’s nothing more enjoyable than a psychic schoolboy that wallops foes with a baseball bat (and occasionally with psychic powers).
While the classic SNES game is still a bit challenging and weird, it’s thankfully easy to play on Nintendo Switch (or the Wii U if you’re feeling more retro). In many ways, it holds up well and offers a memorable and utterly bizarre adventure about strange aliens and unlikely heroes.
Now here’s hoping we somehow get a localizedMother 3sometime soon. In the meantime, we have three final contenders on this JRPG list!
3Skies of Arcadia: Legends
Pirates in the Sky
Skies of Arcadia: Legends
You can count the number of JRPGs I’ve played on my GameCube with fewer than five fingers. But one remarkable example isSkies of Arcadia: Legends.
Even though I never played theDreamcast version of the game,Legendsoffered a really enjoyable remake. Freedom of exploration is key, as you wander around, fighting other airships and discovering treasure.
When you dock your ship, you’ll do traditional JRPG things like buying gear, exploring dungeons, and engaging in turn-based combat. While it’s true the GameCube version’s music design wasn’t the best, the gameplay holds up very well, and even adds some content not found in the original game.
Though I don’t usually love games that just let you explore, here it was a joy. Here’s hoping we get some modern JRPG that capitalizes on many of the themes present in this pirate-filled adventure.
2Final Fantasy VI
Espers and Moogles, Kupo!
Final Fantasy VI
I can entirely blame my cousin for getting me addicted to theFinal Fantasyseries. He did so by giving me his copy ofFinal Fantasy VI(then calledFinal Fantasy III) to play. I wasn’t sure how to play a JRPG, but I decided to give it a shot, and I’m so glad I did.
Honestly, if it wasn’t forFinal Fantasy VI, I probably wouldn’t have become a fan of the genre. I quickly fell in love with the memorable cast of characters, from Terra to Locke, Edgar, Shadow, and Gau. That’s only a smattering of the cast of playable characters, each with a distinct way to aid allies and battle foes.
Throw in a rousing quest against a diabolical clown, secret revelations, and many challenging side quests to complete, and you have a wonderful adventure. And that’s before you even factor in the incredible musical design of the game.
I truly don’t understand howFinal Fantasy VIIgot a complete remodel, but we’re still waiting for something similar toFinal Fantasy VI. I truly hope that’s something that eventually happens.
1Chrono Trigger
Time is a River
Chrono Trigger
There were a lot of amazing JRPGs on this list. But ultimately, the one that had to win wasChrono Trigger. Because it’s not just a wonderful example of the genre, and not even just a great game. It’s one of the best games I’ve ever played, and one which inspires developers to this very day.
It’s easy to drop the ball with time travel stories. Which is why it’s amazing thatChrono Triggerdoes it incredibly well. It’s a blast jumping through time, changing the story, then trying to fix your mistakes. All the while, Crono and company are beset by dangerous forces that could end life as we know it.
Even though the game came out in the mid-90s,the pixelated artwork is still gorgeous to this day. It also features a robust and iconic soundtrack, not to mention tight and enjoyable combat that will challenge even the most diehard JRPG fan.
Honestly, the only disappointing thing aboutChrono Triggeris that it didn’t spawn a series of similarly amazing games (sorry,Chrono Cross). But even so, we’re all truly lucky we got something so incredible back in the SNES era.
