Between 2017 and 2025, the Switch had many of the best JRPGs on the console. Some of them were special, viz Xenoblade Chronicles 2And some of those were ports that worked surprisingly well, e.g Tokyo Mirage Session #FE. For every type of JRPG fan, from turn-based action to strategy, there was something for everyone.
8 Forgotten JRPGs That Are Worth Rediscovering
These more obscure JRPGs are in dire need of gamers rediscovering their charm.
So far, there aren't many new JRPGs on the Switch 2, but it's great that players can enjoy any Switch game on the new hardware. Maybe that's not enough for some players, though. Maybe these JRPGs deserve more attention on the Switch 2, which didn't get the love they originally deserved. For a variety of reasons, 2025 is a good time to revisit players or companies.
Dragon Quest Builders
A spinoff based on a bad ending
Switch and Switch got 2 players Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D remakeA collection of the first two Dragon Quest Games in series. The plot of Dragon Quest features a nameless protagonist battling an entity known as the Dragon Lord, and without spoiling the details, the game has two endings, which was also true of the original NES version. If fans want to play a game with a bad ending then they should Dragon Quest BuildersBecause it's based around that idea, but a feature as an action RPG Minecraft– Like the world with crafts.
Super Mario RPG
Mario's first RPG
2025 marks the 40th anniversary Super Mario Bros Hitting the NES, Nintendo recognized it as Mario's big debut. They announced new titles and tie-ins to celebrate Mario in 2026, and some in 2025 as well. Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2Combining two of Mario's best 3D platformers. As a way for players to continue their Mario celebration on Switch 2 in 2025, they should check out Mario's first RPG, Super Mario RPG: The Story of the Seven StarsIt was remade just for the Switch in 2023 Super Mario RPGwhich featured a new active turn-based battle system unlike anything else on the SNES.
Fate/Samurai Remnant
A fictional history lesson
Ghost of Yotei One of the biggest games of 2025, featuring open world and samurai action exclusively for PS5. If Switch 2 fans want a good samurai game to play on their console as an alternative, they should check it out. Fate/Samurai Remnant. It's not a huge world, but the great action is strong, with an interactive world map, connecting the regions of Japan together. Plus, there's some real-world Japanese history to learn, albeit through an anime lens.
Strategy Monsters: Reborn
Before Final Fantasy there was…
final fantasy Fans finally got what they wanted: a remaster Final Fantasy Tactics through Final Fantasy Tactics – History of Ivalicewhich was released on Switch and Switch 2. It's a long campaign that should keep players running for over 60 hours, easily.
6 of the best JRPGs available for free on Steam
Find these free-to-play RPGs on Steam, some of which work with Steam Decks.
If fans have finished it and are looking for a more obscure tactical RPG to check out next, this should be it. Strategy Monsters: RebornIt was released for the Switch in June 2022. original version, Strategy Ogre: Let's stick togetherprevious Final Fantasy Tactics For many years, serving as its foundation, as the game featured similar gameplay mechanics as grid-based battles. Also, with branching options, players can keep players for weeks.
Personality 5 strikers
A direct sequel to a fantastic JRPG
RAIDOU Remastered: Secrets of the Soulless Army This year the Switch and Switch 2 were released, as one of the more obscure entries in the Shin Megami Tensei series. It featured action-based combat, which is not common in the series, so if fans want a little extra, they should check it out. Personality 5 strikers another one. It's a complete sequel Personality 5Just as the Phantom Thieves head off on summer vacation, they embark on yet another dungeon-crawling adventure, but this time with clever action combat.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Destruction
Preparing for three
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Coming out in 2026 for the Switch 2, so if monster hunter Fans want to be prepared, then they should check it out Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Destruction. The games aren't connected, but it might be a good idea for fans to immerse themselves in this different style of gameplay from the main action-based entries. Players will build a party of human and monster characters, performing in turn-based battles and exploring a semi-open world similar to 90s JRPGs.
Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl – Gold
Level-5 Other Work Fiction
Level-5 was a big hit on their hands this year Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time switch and on switch 2. Anyone looking for another action-based dungeon-crawler from Level-5 should check it out. Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl – Gold. Snack World, as a franchise, was a bit bigger in Japan than in North America, with this game serving as the flagship. It has fewer customization options and is smaller than the world Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals TimeBut that's not a bad thing as it's still a serviceable action JRPG.
Brave default 2
From remasters to sequels
Started with Switch 2 Bravery Default: Flying Fairy HD RemasterA remaster of the 3DS game, which was like an old-school love letter final fantasy Games. There was a 3DS sequel, then the third big entry on the Switch only to be called Brave default 2.
The 7 hardest open-world RPGs by Japanese developers
While not impossible to beat, these RPGs are some of the hardest games in their genre. The fact that they are open-world only adds to the difficulty
like final fantasy In the games, every entry is unconnected except that crystals play a large role in it, with turn-based combat. With four playable heroes, players can swap between jobs and build their strategies in battle, and overall, it's considered by some fans to be the best entry in the series.
Yo-Kai Watch 4
Ghost fans await
Yo-Kai Watch 4 It was released in Japan on the Switch in 2019, and in the same year, it got North America Yo-Kai Watch 3 On the 3DS, that seems a bit confusing. It's the last main entry to be released in North America, which sadly only has a handful of exclusive titles with Japan. However things are wrapping up in 2025, it's not too late for Level-5 to drop an amazing digital release. Yo-Kai Watch 4 in the eShop. This would be a good option Pokemon Legends: ZAwhich is characterized by Pokemon– Similar to fighting and collecting, but with ghosts instead.
Mother 3
Is it still time?
North American fans are waiting patiently Mother 3 Since it was released in 2006 in Game Boy Advance. Japan got the game digitally on the Nintendo Online service last year in 2024, while Japanese Wii U players got it in 2015. Nintendo usually drops new retro games with little or no fanfare before they're released, so Mother 3 Officially in 2025, it may still be possible to see it in English for the first time, so turn-based JRPG fans can finally get a taste.
Celebrating gaming history with the 10 oldest official Nintendo games
After decades of dominating the video game scene, Nintendo has become a legacy brand name, and their story began with these old-school games.
