For seven generations, countless RPGs have been released on Nintendo consoles. Nintendo's first console, the NES, was the forebear of many JRPGs, while the SNES is considered a golden age for the genre. Since the 2D era, Nintendo's home consoles have strayed from focusing on RPGs on the N64, GameCube, and Wii, shifting towards more action-oriented games.

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Despite this, there has almost always been a sizable niche for RPGs on Nintendo consoles, with the Nintendo Switch back to fully embracing RPGs as a core part of its library. Series ranging from Final Fantasy to isometric Western RPGs have all shined on the Nintendo platform.

7 Final Fantasy – NES

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Final Fantasy (1987)

JRPG Adventure 8.5/10 Released December 18, 1987 Developer(s) Square How Long To Beat 18 hours Powered by Expand Collapse

The amount of replayability in Final Fantasy is surprising given its age. This is due to how you're able to combine six different classes to form four-person parties.

Approaching Final Fantasy from the perspective of a survival game makes it easier to appreciate its strengths. You need to map out dungeons so you can clear them before running out of healing supplies. Final Fantasy doesn’t hold your hand the way modern games do, but if you engage with it as intended, it’s a high-quality RPG.

6 Chrono Trigger – SNES

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Chrono Trigger

RPG 10.0/10 Released March 11, 1995 Developer(s) Square Enix How Long To Beat 23 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

While Chrono Trigger’s gameplay isn’t particularly innovative, it may be the best RPG that doesn’t rely on any serious gimmicks. Chrono Trigger presents a time-traveling plot without confusing you with overly elaborate paradoxes or other convolutions. The multiple endings give your choices meaning.

Chrono Trigger is easy on the eyes and might be the best-looking RPG on the SNES. This isn’t just due to its good graphics, but also its art design by Akira Toriyama, which gives your characters a resemblance to Dragon Ball.

5 Ogre Battle 64 - N64

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The N64 is notorious for having almost no RPGs, especially when its competitor, the PlayStation, had some of the best RPGs of all time. However, Ogre Battle 64 is still a credible title, with its combination of real-time strategy and role-playing elements giving it a unique, high-paced tactical twist to the genre.

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Characters also have alignments that allow them to access different classes. They can move from Chaotic to Lawful, with a good number of classes available for semi-neutral statuses. Ogre Battle 64 does the best job in its series at making you feel like a general, as you also have to organize and command huge battalions.

4 X-Men Legends II: Rise Of Apocalypse - Gamecube

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X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse

Action RPG Released September 20, 2005 Developer(s) Raven Software, Vicarious Visions, Beenox, Barking Lizards Technologies How Long To Beat 22 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

One of the better X-Men games, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, takes RPG elements from Gauntlet Legends, making the movement more agile and combo-oriented.

X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse features an incredible roster of characters, including Magneto, Professor X, Juggernaut, and Iron Man. Learning how to synergize attacks in co-op mode elevates the game’s quality, and the situations where only one party member is left can make X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse tense and memorable.

3 Super Paper Mario – Wii

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Super Paper Mario

RPG Adventure Platformer Released April 9, 2007 Developer(s) Intelligent Systems How Long To Beat 20 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

The previous Paper Mario games were safer entries regarding static turn-based gameplay. Super Paper Mario combines the RPG elements of the Paper series with the platforming elements that made Mario famous in the first place.

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Super Paper Mario is played in real-time, testing players' dexterity and reaction time. You can make platforming easier with Mario by defeating enemies and gaining experience, and you have party members like Bowser and Luigi who provide different platforming abilities. This makes Super Paper Mario one of the more unique action RPGs.

2 Xenoblade Chronicles X – Wii-U

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Xenoblade Chronicles X

Action RPG Open-World Released December 4, 2015 Developer(s) Monolith Soft, Nintendo SPD How Long To Beat 68 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

The Wii U was light on RPGs, but it tried to push Xenoblade Chronicles X as its major RPG title. Xenoblade Chronicles X is much larger and less linear than the other Xenoblade games. You're equipped with a large and powerful flying mech, allowing you to traverse large amounts of land and rewarding you for exploration.

The action in Xenoblade Chronicles X is fast-paced. Even though there are party members present, they are A.I. controlled, giving it the feel of a hack-and-slash game, except you also have access to a giant, dazzling robot. Xenoblade Chronicles X not only leans into a more mechanized art style than other Xeno games but also has some of the strongest graphics on the Wii U.

1 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Nintendo Switch

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Divinity: Original Sin 2

RPG 9.5/10 Released September 14, 2017 Developer(s) Larian Studios How Long To Beat 60 Hours Powered by Expand Collapse

The Switch is one of the stronger Nintendo consoles for RPGs despite its lack of a flagship exclusive title. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the most expansive isometric RPG on the Nintendo Switch. While not featuring the deepest plot, Divinity: Original Sin 2 has punchy dialogue and witty writing, like crafting a hammer with potatoes to create mashed potatoes.

The battle system in Divinity: Original Sin 2 is all about manipulating your surroundings. You use spells and attacks to do things like trap your opponents in mud, freeze the pond they’re standing in, or make boulders crash on them.

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