2021 has been another good year for gaming overall, but plenty of players are eagerly awaiting the big titles of 2022 across all platforms. Nintendo’s hybrid console has amassed a large library of great games to play, and though this year was somewhat quieter for the Switch, there are plenty of great RPGs for the medium.
The Nintendo Switch is an ideal platform for this genre, with the handheld format being a solid way for players to split their time in these massive games. Some of the console’s best games of 2021 were RPGs, and they add to the genre’s overall representation since the Switch’s launch.
Shin Megami Tensei V
Of the new releases, Shin Megami Tensei V is undoubtedly one of the best RPGs of 2021, regardless of the platform. The main parent series to Persona, fans have been desperately waiting for the fifth mainline entry in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise since it was announced back in 2017.
While it doesn’t focus on Persona‘s life-sim elements, it does well in expanding the scope of its stories to wider, darker concepts. Its different open worlds reward exploration and its engaging JRPG mechanics are suitably deep. SMTV also balances streamlining its features for the modern age while simultaneously sticking true to the franchise’s challenging spirit.
Final Fantasy X|X-2 Remaster
Square Enix’s Final Fantasy franchise is a sweeping series of JRPGs that can understandably intimidate the uninitiated. However, the anthology-style approach to each mainline entry makes several games good jumping-on points. Final Fantasy X is one of the best for beginners, namely for its balance of engaging gameplay, storytelling, and straightforward progression structure.
In terms of gameplay, X‘s class system is as simple or complex as the player wants to make it. Narratively, the game’s progression is structured linearly to help guide the player, but still rewards exploration and avoids staleness like XIII.
Monster Hunter Rise
Veering away from turn-based JRPGs, Monster Hunter Rise is another exceptional entry in the action-RPG series. Thanks to World breaking the franchise out onto a global scale, it’s finally receiving the recognition it deserves. Rise takes the quality-of-life enhancements that World introduced and makes them even more streamlined on the Switch.
The game can be fully engaging in single or multiplayer formats, with the high-rank questline now scaling to how many players are in a quest. There’s plenty of content and thrilling monsters as is, but there will soon be more with next summer’s Sunbreak DLC expansion. Rise also arrives next month on PC.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Longtime fans have been eagerly awaiting the inevitable Sinnoh remakes, and though they stick to a smaller scale, they’re solid nostalgic entries. The mainline series has admittedly suffered from a lack of ambition since its transition to 3D.
However, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remain good games thanks to the foundation set by some of the mainline Pokémon series’ best games. While it can be faithful to a fault, the games are saved by its expanded Grand Underground with more wild species to capture and the refreshingly challenging post-game content.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin
Though Capcom’s smash-hit franchise is known for its action-RPG mainline games, 2021 also saw a sequel to its newer JRPG spinoff. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin was released to a great reception, with critics and general audiences alike praising its welcome improvements to the 3DS predecessor’s foundation.
This spin-off series scales things down to a charming degree by turning the Monster Hunter world into a monster-collecting JRPG akin to Pokémon. Critics and fans have also shown praise to Wings of Ruin for providing what Pokémon has greatly lacked in recent years.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition
Players on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC will likely want to wait for 2022’s remaster, but those on Switch will still have plenty to enjoy on the Switch version. CD Projekt Red’s sprawling dark-fantasy RPG epic has been acclaimed for its engrossing world, story, and gameplay.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition is an impressive endeavor from Saber Interactive to compact the original version onto the Switch, making the handheld format an exciting new way to play the game. Having the equally-praised Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine DLC on one package is another enticing feature.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
After the series was saved by Awakening on the Nintendo 3DS, the series has had a healthy amount of exposure to the mainstream limelight. The franchise was a beloved cult-hit since its beginning, with the games known for their grand fantasy stories, compelling strategic gameplay, and grueling difficulty.
Fire Emblem has since streamlined and introduced new features to make the games more accessible, but Three Houses proves that it didn’t sacrifice quality in the process. The franchise’s Switch debut was well-received for broadening its scope to bigger environments and incorporating social, life-sim elements with the characters and storytelling. Likewise, the game’s immense replay value was lauded.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Unsurprisingly, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is another endlessly-replayable RPG that makes good use of the Switch’s handheld capabilities. It was one of the last decade’s best RPGs, and while those on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC are better off playing the current remastered version, the Switch version also has plenty of merits from what it offers in one package.
It’s essentially the Game of the Year edition of the PS3/XB360 versions, as it comes with all the DLC on the cartridge. Players will also have to sacrifice the modding capabilities for this iteration, but playing it in a new form factor is entertaining as is.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age – Definitive Edition
Like other JRPGs that made their way to the Switch, Dragon Quest is another series that’s enjoyed some more deserved praise. While it wasn’t to the scale of Persona 5‘s impact globally, DQXI made a great splash to put the franchise on the international map. Dragon Quest XI was eventually ported to the Switch and proved to be a natural fit.
It’s an expansive game with plenty to draw from, whether it’s the main questline or the sidequests. The game’s well-written plot, engaging turn-based combat, and colorful world makes XI a great starting point for new fans.
Octopath Traveler
Square Enix brought Octopath Traveler as a beautifully nostalgic throwback to the golden age of 16-bit JRPGs. The game received an overall strong critical reception, with its focus on overworld exploration, compelling turn-based combat, a wide variety of character classes, and the visual show-stopper that is the “HD-2D” art style being game highlights.
With the team delivering the tactical-RPG Triangle Strategy in March and Square also releasing a Dragon Quest III remake in this style, it’s clear Octopath opened up an exciting new avenue for JRPGs going forward.
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