CHALLENGE: JRPG Master List

[Ryan Hughes]

I do not really agree with putting games like Secret of Mana or Soul Blazer on the list, as I do not consider them to be RPGs, if you do, you might as well add the Zelda games. In any event:

-Act Raiser (SNES) though not Act Raiser 2, as that was more an action game.
-Suikoden games should always be referred to by their Roman numerals, not their Arabic numerals.

 

[drisky]

All Game Cube additions
Bation Kaitos: Origins
Evolution Worlds
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Mega Man X: Command Mission
Lost Kingdoms 1 & 2 if they count

 

[Inconspicuous Trenchcoat]

Star Ocean 2 should be Star Ocean: The Second Story
Star Ocean 3 should be Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Star Ocean 4 should be Star Ocean: The Last Hope

Don't know if you mind not having the proper subtitles.

 

[Quaidis]

I can't think beyond what color the wall is right now, but:

Wildarms 3, 4, and 5 were released for the PS2. Yes, there was a fourth and fifth WA game.

Also, WildArms Alter Code F for PS2 (it's a remake of 1)

Breath of Fire 3 and 4 are PS1, BoF DragonQuarter on PS2

YS and Ys 2 should be on Sega Master System (may also be on nes). Ys2 was more of a side-scroller I believe...

Grandia 1 for PS1, 2 and 3 for PS2

Grandia XTreme for Ps2

Ys: Arc of Napishtim for PS2

Growlanser Generations. PS2


... My brain stopped working. Get back to you on more.

 

[Launcelot111]

At this point, most of my thoughts have been mentioned.

What's left:

Xenogears (PS1)
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (PS1)
Grandia 3 (PS2)
Baten Kaitos Origins (GC)

 

[Ryan Hughes]

Secret of Mana = RPG
Zelda = Action Adventure
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link = RPG

The difference is subtle - but it is in the way one grows more powerful (Zelda traditionally uses items, not XP). Zelda II, the series black sheep, is also the only RPG in the lot.

I dont' think there was levels in Actraiser. It was an action game with sim elements (city building = was that TBS or RTS, I don't recall). Either way, Actraiser is not an RPG.

Yes, there were levels in Actraiser -the first one. Also there were items to collect and trade between the different nations. Most people do not know, but Soul Blazer, Act Raiser, and Illusion of Gaia are actually a trilogy, the Soul Blazer Trilogy.

This does raise the deeper question though: what is a genre? At best, a genre is something like a summery of a game, but at worst it is deceiving. In fact, the existence of genre itself is something that is often questioned in literary circles. As the ideas of genre that we place onto artwork often inhibits creativity.

There is simply no way to objectively value how much anything conforms to an in tangible idea like genre, so, just let the poster decide, because there is no way we can decide for them.

 

[BathorysGraveland]

So, ah, are there actually any good JRPGs that are made for a PC at all?

 

[flying_whimsy]

Couple I didn't see on the list:

Wii:
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon

PC:
Fortune Summoners (not actually sure if this one counts as I don't actually know where it was developed, but it sure plays like a jrpg)

I'm glad to see some of my favorite obscure titles (like Steambot Chronicles, Rogue Galaxy, and Illusion of Gaia) already on the list; I was worried that I was the only one that ever played them.

 

[Aurora Firestorm]

I can't believe there isn't a Wikipedia page yet: List of Japanese RPGs in America or something.

So, ah, are there actually any good JRPGs that are made for a PC at all?

No; JRPGs have always been console-based, as far as I can tell. They first mostly went with Nintendo and then drifted to Sony's consoles later, and there they stay. You don't need the PC's capability to play JRPGs; Western RPGs have been more of a PC thing. Notice how the old Big Two are from Japan, also the third party folk who are now dead (i.e. Sega). PC games were an American thing; console games were a Japanese thing.

 

[Byere]

PS2:
Grandia 3
Shadow Hearts: From the New World
Unlimited SaGa

Xbox 360/PS3:
Enchanted Arms

The Harvest Moon games on Gamecube/Wii


I assume we are doing ports/cross-platform copies due to having Skies of Arcadia/SoA: Legends in the Dreamcast/Gamecube sections...

If that's the case, please add Eternal Sonata to Xbox 360

That's all I can think of thus far... I'll be back if I think of more.

 

[loc978]

I was not aware that there were that many Dragon Warrior/Final Fantasy games for the NES. Were they released in North America? If so, could you reply with any subtitles if there are any?

Dragon Warrior had four NES titles released in North America, Final Fantasy only had one... FFII and FFIII didn't get english translations until the fan translated ROMs of the late 90s, and no official english language releases until the PSP/DS versions.

Also, if you're counting action/adventure titles like Soul Blazer/Illusion of Gaia, there are quite a number of precursors to that style of gameplay on the NES (and arguably the entire Legend of Zelda series could be on the list). Hell, Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake are arguably in that genre. Also Star Tropics and Star Tropics 2, which are more RPGish than Zelda, less so than Crystalis.

...and since you listed Brandish on the SNES, I'd say include Brain Lord. Similar genre. Also, Lagoon.

so, if I may propose some additions (with wikipedia links for your approval):

NES:
Crystalis [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystalis]
Dragon Warrior II [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Warrior_II]
Dragon Warrior III [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Warrior_III]
Dragon Warrior IV [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Warrior_IV]
Star Tropics [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StarTropics]
Star Tropics 2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoda%27s_Revenge:_StarTropics_II]

SNES:
Brain Lord [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_Lord]
Lagoon [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagoon_(video_game)]

**edit** totally not done here. Will edit in more as I remember 'em
SNES:
Arcana [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcana_(video_game)]
Inindo: Way of the Ninja [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inindo]
Paladin's Quest [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paladin%27s_Quest]
Robotrek [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotrek]
Terranigma [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terranigma]

*edited out a section, apparently I can't read... or I just expected the list to be grouped by era before platform. Whatever*
also, some of my stuff would just be a vote for something already mentioned.

...it's really hard not to list WRPGs in here, lots of 'em came out in the 16-bit era and they weren't really a separate genre back then. Stuff like the Shadowrun games and D&D games (Pool of Radiance, Warriors of the Eternal Sun) didn't have a separate audience from Final Fantasy and Phantasy Star.

 

[Fappy]

I want to meet the person who beat all these games and buy them a pizza.

 

[Fappy]

I want to meet the person who beat all these games and buy them a pizza.

Not all, but many of them.

If you get 100% I will order a pizza to your house.

>

EDIT: Seeing as how you are in Canada that shouldn't be too tricky. I'm sure they'd except my card over the phone

 

[Kae]

not much to add, but

SNES:
Seiken Densetsu 3
EVO

I'm pretty sure Seiken Densetsu 3 wasn't released outside of Japan, otherwise it would be called Secret of Mana 2, but it's a damn good game.

EVO is pretty sweet too but I had forgotten it was an RPG, nice addition.

SNES: Tales of Phantasia

How is that missing from the list? It's part of the "7 Non-Nintendo JRPG's that are worth a damn"

Pretty sure that wasn't released outside of Japan until the GBA and he's not doing portables for some strange reason, and I think the GBA version is the only one that had an English release, which is odd because I think that game has been released around 5 times, still pretty awesome.
[sub]He didn't add Terranigma because it wasn't released in America even though it did have an European version that was on English and that game is also awesome, so I'm guessing he won't add Phantasia.[/sub]

 

[Lunar Templar]

not much to add, but

SNES:
Seiken Densetsu 3
EVO

I'm pretty sure Seiken Densetsu 3 wasn't released outside of Japan, otherwise it would be called Secret of Mana 2, but it's a damn good game.

EVO is pretty sweet too but I had forgotten it was an RPG, nice addition.

guess it depends on how they intend on filling out the collection, cause alot og the game on that list aren't cheap x.x

 

[Nekron_X]

Castlevania:SoTN.

all of the other ones i know have been mentioned so...i'm going with that.

 

[Kae]

not much to add, but

SNES:
Seiken Densetsu 3
EVO

I'm pretty sure Seiken Densetsu 3 wasn't released outside of Japan, otherwise it would be called Secret of Mana 2, but it's a damn good game.

EVO is pretty sweet too but I had forgotten it was an RPG, nice addition.

guess it depends on how they intend on filling out the collection, cause a lot of the games on that list aren't cheap x.x

I guess so, it must be a guide for collectors.

OT: Oh, for the Gamecube,
Pokémon Colosseum, I have only played this game once and I don't think I liked it very much, it is however a JRPG for the Gamecube, also I think there is another Pokémon RPG for the GC but I am unfamiliar with it's name.

Custom Robo, it's like Pokémon but with toy robots, there are no level ups but you do acquire stronger parts, I'm going to be honest here, I absolutely hate this game's story HATE IT, but I quite liked the active battle system which was more of a fighting game, anyway not sure if this counts, the RPG parts actually play exactly like Pokémon Colosseum, I think it's the same engine or something, anyway the fighting is good, but seriously I hate the story and Octopus [small](For some strange reason I called the main character that, he doesn't have a default name)[/small].
Anyway check this game out for the fighting and robot customization, as I think that was pretty good, sadly I have lost my copy of it.

[sub]Will you look at that, turns out I actually have played RPGs that aren't for SNES or GBA[/sub]

 

[Worgen]

You forgot Breath of Fire Dragon Quarter on the ps2.

 

[goldenblack]

SNES:
Tecmo Secret of the Stars
Uncharted Waters (debatable, sort of an rpg/simulation/strategy hybrid)
Uncharted Waters 2

Also, this was noted earlier in the thread, but Terranigma was never actually released in the US; an English adaptation was made and released in Europe/Australia, but Enix closed its US doors too soon to release it here.

N64:
Harvest Moon 64

Gamecube:
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
Harvest Moon: Magical Melody

Wii:
Harvest Moon: Animal Parade
Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility

PS1:
Azure Dreams
Beyond the Beyond
Chocobo's Dungeon 2
Kartia: The Word of Fate
Mega Man Legends
Mega Man Legends 2

PS2:
Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

You've included the original .hack games, but you've missed .hack//GU 1,2 and 3.

Also as other people have pointed out, SMT: Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2
And no love for handhelds?