Early JRPGs

This is a list of the early JRPGs I have played. I do not intend to ever dedicate myself to playing all JRPGs in order, but I will add to this list now and then. My focus is also more on seeing the history of the JRPG development rather than playing each game to completion, so many of these games I only played for a couple of hours.

The list is a combination of lists of RPGs from two sites, https://retoro.g-player.com/ and http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/index.html. It includes some games that some (or many) people would not consider RPGs, but especially in the early days of consoles, the genre of RPG was not so clearly delineated as it later became, and it’s interesting to see the ways that games incorporated RPG features into action or top-down adventure-style games.

The abbreviations for the consoles are: FC (Famicom/NES), FCD (Famicom Disk System), SMS (Sega Mark III/Sega Master System)

1985

  • Tower of Druaga (FC) – This is not a true RPG but it had a lot of influence on early console RPGs.

1986

  • The Legend of Zelda (FCD 🇺🇸) – This is typically not considered an RPG, but at the time it came out it had affinity to other early console action-RPG blends.
  • Hydlide Special (FC 🇺🇸) – An early “open world” action RPG; influential in its original compute release but even Japanese players did not like the Famicom port.
  • Dragon Slayer (Epoch Cassette Vision) – This is another early, influential RPG; the link here is to CRPGAddict’s post on the game (which he played in one of the computer versions)
  • Dragon Quest (FC 🇺🇸) – The first top-down JRPG and the start of one of the most successful console RPG series.
  • Adventure of Valkyrie (FC) – A top-down action RPG with an open-world feel similar to Hydlide.
  • Magic Bells (FC 🇺🇸) – Localized as “Deadly Towers”; an action RPG that is not well liked.
  • Deep Dungeon (FCD) – The first Wizardry-style maze exploration game, although the player only controls one character.

1987

  • Zelda II (FCD 🇺🇸) – A mix of side-scrolling action and top-down exploration. Compared to the first Zelda this one is more solidly in the action RPG genre.
  • Dragon Quest II (FC 🇺🇸) – A followup to the first game that introduces player and enemy groups, and has a much larger world to explore.
  • Esper Dream (FCD) – An action RPG involving a boy with psychic powers; an impressively playable game for the period it was released.
  • Märchen Veil (FCD) – An adventure game that has storytelling “Visual Stages”, but the necessary sequel was never ported to consoles and the gameplay is not that good.
  • Seiken Psycho Calibur (FCD) – A Zelda-inspired game that is nowhere near as good as the original and isn’t really worth playing.
  • Deep Dungeon II (FCD) – Essentially the same game as the first one, with new maps.
  • Glory of Heracles (FC) – The first game in the Dragon Quest style, based on Greek mythology. There are a lot of weird elements in the system that represent the genre’s growing pains.
  • Mirai Shiwa Jarvas (FC) – The first RPG with a battery backup save. Unfortunately it’s a terrible game; the ideas have promise but the implementation is so bad it’s not worth playing at all.
  • Zombie Hunter (FC) – A side scrolling action game with “encounters”, equipment, and healing items. Interesting, but no save/password system.
  • Getsu Fuuma Den (FC) – More of an action game than an RPG, but has a large world with a bunch of different side scrolling stages and even some first-person mazes.
  • Cleopatra no Mahou (FC) – A clumsy mix of puzzle-solving adventure and RPG that doesn’t work as either.
  • Chester Field: Challenge to the God (FC) – Another early side-scrolling action/RPG hybrid that is too frustrating to be worth it.
  • Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu (FC) – A game based on a popular manga/anime, but with a cryptic system that is difficult to get a hang of.
  • Majou Densetsu II (FC) – A port of a very popular MSX (computer) game; it’s mostly an adventure side-scroller with only a few RPG elements.
  • Dracula II (Castlevania II) (FCD 🇺🇸) – A side-scrolling adventure game with slight RPG elements; well known in the US at least.
  • Arabian Dream Scherezade (FC 🇺🇸) – This game combines top-down, side-scrolling, and command-based battles. The Japanese version is very different from its English counterpart.
  • Zoids (FC) – A competently made action-RPG hybrid; the shooting action scenes are repetitive but the game is playable.
  • Megami Tensei (FC) – The first game in the long running MT franchise. Despite rough edges, it’s an impressive game for 1987.
  • Kalin no Tsurugi (FCD) – A top-down RPG with Ys-style battles on a separate screen. Quick saving and loading makes it playable, but the balance isn’t great.
  • Ultima Exodus (FC 🇺🇸) – The first Western RPG to be ported, but it really hasn’t aged well, as might be expected from a game that originally game out in 1983.
  • Haja no Fuuin (FC) and Haja no Fuuin (SMS 🇺🇸) – An interesting computer RPG that plays very differently from other RPGs…for both better and worse.
  • Light of Indra (FC) – An early DQ-style RPG that still has its own quirks. Not terrible but some issues with the system make it hard to play to conclusion.
  • Minelvaton Saga: Revival of Ragon (FC) – A combination of DQ-style exploration and action gameplay. Not really worth it.
  • Momotarou Densetsu (FC) – A DQ style game that has a lot of flavor and theme but is not very playable now.
  • The Ones Who View the Stars (Hoshi wo miru hito) (FC) – This is an infamous kusoge, one of the worst RPGs for the Famicom. It’s not worth playing even in a “so good it’s bad” way.
  • Romancia (FC) – This is basically an action game with only the barest hint of RPG elements. Third game in the Dragon Slayer series.
  • Artelius (FC) – Similar to Zoids, the battles are shooting action. The lack of substance makes it rather tedious to play.
  • Faxanadu (FC 🇺🇸) – A side-scrolling action game with minimal RPG elements. It was officially translated into English and is not that bad.
  • Jikuu Yuden Debias (FC) – Requires a scroll wheel that came with the game to play, but this is another side-scrolling action platformer with RPG elements.
  • Dragon Scroll (FC) – Top-down action RPG that is not bad for the time, but relies on obscure puzzles and hidden secrets.
  • Outlanders (FC) – A top down action RPG based on an anime; bad battle system and not worth playing.
  • Ginga no Sannin (FC) – This command-based game has some good features, nice graphics, and an OK story, but it’s plagued by some balance issues.
  • Final Fantasy (FC 🇺🇸) – This game probably doesn’t need introduction; it’s a huge advance on other RPGs and while it hasn’t aged particularly well, it’s great for its time.
  • Phantasy Star (SMS 🇺🇸) – Another quite strong game from this early period that combines first-person dungeon crawling and top-down RPG style.
  • Wizardry (FC 🇺🇸) – This is pretty much an exact port of the computer game; the game is 7 years old by this point and shows its age, but it’s a classic retro game.

1988

  • Jaseiken Necromancer (PCE) – The first game for the PCE has a lot of grinding and you can get screwed if you pick the wrong party at the beginning, but it’s not a terrible top-down RPG for its time.
  • Fire Bam (FCD) – A fast paced side-scrolling action RPG that is worth a try.
  • Kamen Rider Club (FC) – A combination side-scrolling and separate screen action game. Very bad.
  • Dragon Quest III (FC 🇺🇸) – One of the best RPGs of the era; other top-down RPG makers were playing catchup for a while.
  • The Fight of Olympus (FC 🇺🇸) – This is more of an action-adventure game than an RPG; it was too hard for me but it doesn’t seem terrible if you can handle the action.
  • Aspic (FCD) – Combines several genres (first-person maze, action, top-down) but I found it very slow and unrewarding.
  • Elysion (FC) – A top down action RPG that is entertaining and playable, and worth a try.
  • Deep Dungeon III (FC) – An improvement on the first two games, but still lagging behind other dungeon crawlers.
  • Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu Kanketsuhen (FC) – This is the followup to the 1987 first game, but the system still doesn’t work for me.
  • Ten Heroes of Sanada (FC) – More like a puzzle or adventure game than an RPG.
  • Super Black Onyx (FC) – A remake of an early computer first-person RPG, whose age and creakiness shows in the weird gameplay.
  • Sylviana (FCD) – A top-down game with Ys-style battles. Nothing mindblowing but it’s perfectly playable for this era.
  • Dragon Ball Daimaou Revival (FC) – A strange blend of adventure game, board game, and RPG battles. Innovative for the time but the adventure parts are slow.
  • Destruction of the Magic Tower (FCD)
  • Ys (SMS 🇺🇸 and FC)
  • Gempei Toumaden (FC)
  • Dandy: Zevuon’s Revival (FCD)
  • Ultraman Club: Taking Back the Earth (FCD)
  • Kaijuu Monogatari (FC)
  • Final Fantasy II (FC)