10 JRPGs Perfect for Players Who Love Final Fantasy

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The Final Fantasy series is known for creating many of the greatest video games ever made, and it covers a huge range of different types of gameplay. It began with traditional Japanese role-playing games featuring turn-based combat, but has since grown to include fast-paced action games, shooting games, strategy RPGs, fighting games, and even rhythm-based games.

While Final Fantasy is incredibly popular, it wasn’t the first Japanese role-playing game, and it’s not the only one. Many other Japanese RPGs exist, and some have actually been around for 40 years – with several celebrating that milestone in 2026.

Square Enix has done a great job bringing its older games, particularly the Final Fantasy series, to modern consoles and devices. While a few titles, like the excellent Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or the not-so-great Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, are exceptions, most of the best games are readily available to play.

Everyone eventually gets tired of playing games with the same kind of hero – you know, the one with spiky hair and a huge sword. While a game like Final Fantasy XIV can be fun for a long time, even that gets old after a while.

There are tons of amazing Japanese role-playing games available on many different consoles. If you usually play Final Fantasy, now’s a great time to try some new ones and broaden your gaming experience.

10. Persona

The Schedule Is Addictive To Anime Fans


Image Via Atlus

The Persona series began as spin-offs of the Shin Megami Tensei games, where players collected demons and the main characters were high school students. However, Persona 3 was a turning point, completely changing the gameplay by adding a focus on the daily life of attending high school.

Persona is unique because it blends dungeon crawling and combat with everyday life, including scheduling and social interactions. What players do outside of battles – in their daily routines – directly impacts their strength and abilities when facing supernatural challenges. Success in real life translates to power in the game’s fantasy world.

Persona games are incredibly addictive. The small, daily sense of accomplishment keeps players motivated to continue, which explains why so many people finish these long, 70+ hour games. The compelling stories and engaging gameplay create a loop that makes players eager to see the ending.

9. Dragon Quest

Final Fantasy’s Greatest Rival is Now Its Cousin


Image Via Square Enix

It’s interesting to remember that Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy used to be competing game series. That rivalry effectively ended in 2003 when Enix, the company behind Dragon Quest, bought Squaresoft, the creators of Final Fantasy, and they merged to become Square Enix.

Dragon Quest is a strong competitor to Final Fantasy, and for good reason – it’s created some of the greatest Japanese role-playing games ever made. While it might not always be the first to try new things, the series consistently delivers fantastic stories, memorable characters, beautiful art, incredible music, and engaging combat.

For a long time, Dragon Quest wasn’t well-known outside of Japan, but recent games and updated versions of older titles have made it popular around the world. Now, Square Enix should remake the Zenithia trilogy – Dragon Quest 4, 5, and 6 – because those are the best games in the series and deserve to be updated for modern players.

8. Pokemon

The Biggest JRPG Franchise of all Time

While Final Fantasy 7 introduced many people to Japanese role-playing games, it was Pokémon Red & Blue that truly popularized turn-based RPGs around the world. These original Pokémon games created a huge and lasting fanbase, and many of those players still enjoy the genre today.

The Pokémon games are unique in how they get players to care about creatures that don’t even speak. Players often feel a stronger connection to their Pokémon than to the human characters in other games, especially as they battle their way through challenges like Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion.

Honestly, one of the best feelings in gaming is traveling around a new region, discovering all the different Pokémon, and slowly building up to become the ultimate trainer. I totally get why Game Freak doesn’t want to change things too much. Thankfully, the core gameplay is just so addictive that I, and a lot of other players, keep coming back for every new release!

7. Disgaea

The Franchise That Goes Beyond Level 99


Image Via Nippon Ichi

People who enjoy role-playing games get a lot of satisfaction from watching their characters improve. This has been true for decades, whether playing video games today or tabletop games from the 1970s. Seeing those small, steady increases in a character’s abilities is just really rewarding.

If you’re the type of player who loves watching numbers go up and endlessly improving your characters, the Disgaea series is for you. It’s a JRPG known for its incredibly high levels and tons of content, offering a deep experience for those who enjoy optimizing characters and collecting loot in huge dungeons.

Disgaea games are known for being incredibly expansive, but they heavily feature anime tropes, so players should be prepared for that. The series really leans into anime clichés – you’ll find almost every one, presented without restraint. If you’re not a fan of that style, it might be overwhelming.

6. Ys

Adol Needs More Love


Image Via Nihon Falcom

The Ys games are famous for their fast-paced action and exploring dungeons, which makes them feel more like The Legend of Zelda than a typical role-playing game with turn-based battles. However, the Final Fantasy series has also moved towards this style in recent years, abandoning its traditional turn-based combat.

The Ys series is known for its great action RPGs, and Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana is a standout title. In it, you’re stranded on an island and have to collect resources and rescue survivors to find a way off. The combat in all Ys games is quick and requires good timing, which is especially important in the older games where you control a lone character who has to fend for themselves.

The Ys series, similar to Dragon Quest, wasn’t initially popular outside of Japan, but recent games have been translated and are excellent. Unlike Final Fantasy, Ys features a continuous story and a recurring main character who consistently finds himself in increasingly perilous adventures.

5. Digimon

Change Into Digital Champions

Pokémon has been the dominant force in monster-collecting games for years, but Digimon has recently released some excellent titles. Digimon Story: Time Stranger, in particular, shows a level of design and attention to detail that surpasses what we’ve seen in recent Pokémon games.

Recent Digimon games stand out with their mature characters and stories, creating a compelling contrast with the cute monster designs and surprisingly dark plot choices.

JRPG fans really should give the Digimon games a chance. The older ones are tough, but the newer titles are surprisingly good and don’t get enough attention. It’s time Agumon got as much recognition as Pikachu!

4. Xenoblade Chronicles

The Series is Really Feeling it!


Image Via Monolith Soft

For years, Nintendo didn’t have a hugely popular, original role-playing game series, partly because they don’t completely own the Pokémon franchise. However, with the Nintendo Wii, they created the Xenoblade Chronicles series. It started slowly, but has become one of Nintendo’s most successful action RPG franchises.

As a huge fan, I’ve always loved the Xenoblade Chronicles games made by Monolith Soft. They’re action RPGs that keep you on your toes, and the combat is really deep – it actually feels good when you get into it. What’s cool is how the characters team up and build off each other’s attacks with these awesome combos. It honestly reminds me a little of how well the party worked together in Chrono Trigger, which is a big compliment!

As a huge Xenoblade fan, what I love most is how the stories and worlds perfectly mix fantasy and sci-fi elements – it’s just epic! And the best part? You can play all the games on just one system! Whether you have a Nintendo Switch now, or are looking forward to the Switch 2, they’ll all be playable thanks to backward compatibility. It’s amazing!

3. Fire Emblem

The Series is More Than Just Smash Bros. Reps

For a long time, the Fire Emblem series wasn’t very well known outside of Japan. Many players first encountered its characters not in a Fire Emblem game itself, but as guests in the Super Smash Bros. fighting games.

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The release of Fire Emblem Awakening on the Nintendo 3DS revolutionized the series. It successfully combined challenging tactical battles with the engaging elements of visual novels and dating sims. Suddenly, building relationships with characters became just as important as winning fights, and later Fire Emblem games really emphasized the possibility of forming lasting connections with them.

Following the success of Fire Emblem Awakening, the series has delivered several critically acclaimed games. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a standout title, often considered one of the best RPGs available on the Nintendo Switch, largely due to its sprawling and dramatic story, which draws comparisons to Game of Thrones.

2. Yakuza/Like A Dragon

The Series That Makes Shockingly Great RPGs

Just to be clear, this recommendation applies only to the two newest main Yakuza/Like a Dragon games. These are the first in the series to play like traditional RPGs, as they switched from action-focused fighting to turn-based battles.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a truly exceptional RPG, often compared to the classic game EarthBound. It reimagines modern Japan as a turn-based RPG world, filled with quirky characters you encounter along the way. Beyond its engaging story, the game also boasts a wide variety of fun minigames that offer endless entertainment.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio hasn’t abandoned the classic beat-’em-up style of gameplay, but they’ve largely reserved it for the spin-off games. Fans are hoping the main Yakuza/Like a Dragon series continues to use the turn-based RPG system, which has led to some fantastic games and offers a lot of potential for future stories.

1. Shin Megami Tensei

The Devil is in the Details


Image Via Atlus

Calling the Shin Megami Tensei series strange would be a massive understatement. The games are set in a world constantly facing destruction, where a Japanese teenager has to team up with demons and mythological gods to rebuild reality. It’s definitely an unusual premise.

If you’re tired of typical fantasy role-playing games, the Shin Megami Tensei series is a great way to shake things up. These games are genuinely challenging and require you to really understand how they work, but they also stand out with their striking art style and memorable characters.

The Persona games are a great starting point for anyone interested in the Shin Megami Tensei series, as they’re generally more grounded in the real world. After experiencing life as a student in the game, you’ll venture into a strange and captivating underworld, showcasing what makes this RPG series so unique.

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2026-01-04 23:42