Tier ListsJRPG

Best JRPG Games of All Time Tier List

Chrono Trigger and Persona 5 lead the best JRPG games of all time from two decades apart: a 1995 Super Nintendo time-travel story and a 2016 Tokyo heist drama. The newest challenger is Metaphor: ReFantazio, the 2024 game from Persona director Katsura Hashino, already in A and ahead of Final Fantasy VI and Persona 4. Open any card to plan your next long journey.

25gradedOct 31, 2026updated
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STop2 gamesThe JRPGs every other one gets measured againstClick any game for its gradeTap a card for its grade
Chrono TriggerChrono Trigger1995
Persona 5Persona 52016
Click any game for its gradeTap a card for its grade
AStrong7 gamesGenre landmarks worth the full playthrough
Final Fantasy VII RemakeFinal Fantasy VII Remake2020
NieR: AutomataNieR: Automata2017
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive AgeDragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age2017
Final Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy VII1997
Metaphor: ReFantazioMetaphor: ReFantazio2024
Xenoblade ChroniclesXenoblade Chronicles2010
Xenoblade Chronicles 3Xenoblade Chronicles 32022
BSolid6 gamesClassics that still hold up and keep coming back
Pokemon Gold and SilverPokemon Gold and Silver1999
Suikoden IISuikoden II1998
EarthBoundEarthBound1994
Persona 3Persona 32006
Persona 4Persona 42008
Final Fantasy VIFinal Fantasy VI1994
CSituational7 gamesBrilliant picks with a narrower audience or a slower start
XenogearsXenogears1998
Final Fantasy XFinal Fantasy X2001
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly BrideDragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride1992
Grandia IIGrandia II2000
Final Fantasy IXFinal Fantasy IX2000
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the SkyThe Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky2004
Skies of ArcadiaSkies of Arcadia2000
DBottom3 gamesLoved by their fans, but easier to bounce off today
Tales of VesperiaTales of Vesperia2008
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year DoorPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door2004
Shin Megami Tensei III: NocturneShin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne2003

What each tier means

  • STop The JRPGs every other one gets measured against
  • AStrong Genre landmarks worth the full playthrough
  • BSolid Classics that still hold up and keep coming back
  • CSituational Brilliant picks with a narrower audience or a slower start
  • DBottom Loved by their fans, but easier to bounce off today
2 reads blended into one listreblend in Showing25/ 25

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Board breakdown

What is the best JRPG ever made?

Chrono Trigger is the best JRPG ever made, and a compact classic to start with: a first run takes about 20 to 30 hours. Persona 5, the other top pick, asks for far more, since its Royal edition runs about 100 hours. Start with Chrono Trigger if you want a complete adventure fast, and save Persona 5 Royal for a stretch when you can play most evenings.

#1 on our boardSChrono Trigger1995 · PlayStation, Nintendo, PC

Sakaguchi, Horii and Toriyama made this JRPG together, and its time-travel story branches into more than ten endings.

  1. School life in Tokyo pays for the heist dungeons, and Royal tacks on a third semester with a new Palace.

Which JRPG series shows up most on this list?

Final Fantasy shows up most, with five games, but Persona has the steadier record: all three of its games sit in B or higher, led by Persona 5 in S. Persona 3, 4 and 5 tell separate stories with new casts, so you can start with whichever one appeals. Newcomers to Persona 3 can play Persona 3 Reload, the full remake Atlus released in 2024.

  1. Final Fantasy5 gamesAABCC
  2. Persona3 gamesSBB
  3. Dragon Quest2 gamesAC
  4. Xenoblade2 gamesAA
Every Final Fantasy game ranked

Which is the best turn-based JRPG, and which is the best action one?

Chrono Trigger and Persona 5 are the best turn-based JRPGs, and Final Fantasy VII Remake is the best action entry point for players used to choosing commands. Its Classic mode attacks and defends for you while you choose commands, so turn-based fans can ease in. Both Xenoblade games also differ from a pure action game: your character attacks on its own in real time, and you time skills that recharge between uses.

  • Turn-based20 gamesS2A3B6C7D2
  • Action5 gamesA4D1
Show the 20 turn-based JRPGsShow the 5 action JRPGs

Which of the top JRPGs can I play on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo or PC?

PC plays every top JRPG except the two Xenoblade games, which stay on Nintendo hardware, so a gaming PC plus a Switch 2 covers the full set. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series also lack Chrono Trigger, whose modern versions are on PC and phones only. Final Fantasy VII Remake has been on PC since December 2021 and reached Xbox Series and Switch 2 in January 2026.

Which of the 9 JRPGs graded S or A play on each platform
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