Roleplaying games found new life on consoles, opening the door for single players to explore the genre without tabletop games. But in the modern world of gaming, you might be surprised to know you’ll find some of the best RPGs on Nintendo Switch.
This hyper portable, yet still surprisingly powerful, system is a must-have for roleplaying fans. You might not have time to pour 100 hours into a game at home, but the Switch lets you game wherever you go. Whether you long to save a kingdom from unspeakable evil or just train adorable monsters, adventure awaits.
Must-play adventures: The Best RPGs on Nintendo Switch
1) Octopath Traveler
Price: $59.99
If you long for the days of SNES-style JRPG pixel art but wish those games had modern flair, Octopath Traveler is for you. Play as eight travelers, across eight separate adventures, as their paths entertain into one epic story. Travel the expansive world of Orsterra as you fight through dungeons, theaters, forests, and waves of unspeakable evil. Simultaneously vintage and modern, Octopath Traveler is an unforgettable treat.
2) Astria Ascending
Price: $29.99
Astria Ascending is a brilliantly replayable adventure that delivers a vast cast of customizable characters to fit your playstyle. Brought you by developers from Final Fantasy, Nier Automata, and Bravely Default, this is a love letter to turn-based RPGs. Carve and cast your way through 200 different creatures with a cast of eight playable characters. The story is at times tragic, but what would an RPG be without a little melodrama.
3) Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Price: $59.99
For decades Pokemon has brought people together in 2d through card games and top-down adventures. Now it enters the world of 3d gaming, bringing monster-hunting into a new dimension. Explore the Hisui region and build the area’s first Pokédex as you train, travel, and battle with your Pokemon. Perfect for longtime fans of the series and newcomers alike, this is an all-ages crowd-pleaser.
4) Shin Megami Tensei V
Price: $49.94
You don’t need to have played any of the previous Shin Megami Tensei games to jump into part V, you just need to love brutal RPG combat. This M-rated title is steeped in dark apocalyptic anime violence and storytelling but hides a deceptively deep combat system. Players are rewarded or penalized based on how they fight, giving players an incentive to stay engaged during its turn-based combat. The story is fine, but the combat is so much fun you’ll ignore its occasional cliches.
5) Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster
Price: $39.99
Just a few short years ago the idea of carrying around one fully 3d Final Fantasy game in your backpack would have felt insane. But being able to bring two of the series’ best entries with you is a gift from the Ethers. This incredible package brings the remastered versions of Final Fantasy X and X2 from the Playstation 2 to your Switch. Two epic stories, two fun complex combat systems, two classics. No other package gives you two of the best RPGs on Switch in one.
6) Monster Hunter Rise
Price: $37.99
Gamers cannot live on turn-based combat alone. Thankfully the Switch lets you take the epic Monster Hunter Rise on the go. This critically beloved series puts you in the shoes of a monster hunter, tracking down and vanquishing massive creatures. Customize your character and get lost in this incredibly addictive classic.
7) Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Price: $59.99
Without hyperbole, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the absolute best games on Switch. Regardless of genre, no other game showcases the power, possibility, and depth of this system. Best of all, it’s actually fun. Join Link on his biggest adventure yet as he seeks to undo hundreds of years of evil before the world is destroyed.
8) Ring Fit Adventure
Price: $69.88
Fitness, like any great journey, is an adventure. Now, thanks to Ring Fit Adventure, it can be a literal one with this exercise RPG. Players place their joycon controllers into the Ring Fit accessory to play, then jog, stretch, and pull to fight and travel. While the game mechanics are simple, this is a fun and effective way to add some movement to your day, which is why we consider it one of our best RPGs on Switch.
9) YS: Origin
Price: $29.99
Discover one of the most beloved RPGs to ever come out of Japan with YS: Origin. After the demonic invasion of Ys, the Twin Goddesses took the citizens into the sky for protection. Now, the demons are building a tower to humanity and the goddesses have disappeared. It’s up to you as either a mage or warrior to fight through the Devil’s Tower and save the day. Combining the combat of Legend of Zelda with the style of Secret of Mana Ys: Origin is a thrilling RPG adventure.
10) Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2: Enhanced Edition
Price: $26.38
Classic Dungeons and Dragons magic lives on the Nintendo Switch with the Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 Enhanced Edition. Possibly the biggest game on the Switch, these two titles feature hundreds of hours of gameplay and adventure. Don’t let the dated graphics fool you, RPGs don’t get more epic than this.
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