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[Kev Kev]

I miss the days of old school, top-down RPG's. Discovering Breath of Fire 1 and 2, Super Mario RPG, FF6, Chrono Trigger, etc, was so much fun as a kid. I remember watching my friend's older brother play BoF on SNES and just being "Omg, what is this!?". Loved RPG's ever since.

 

[Kev Kev]

Chained Echoes.

No, wait ...

Dude, real talk, if you love these old RPG's, Chained Echoes is everything and more of that era. It's hard to say this, but I legit feel like it beats all of the old school RPG's on the SNES, including FF6 and Chrono Trigger. And I'm a HUGE fan of those games and have tons of nostalgia for them. Chained Echoes is a 10/10 GOAT for me. Loved it.

 

[Duchess]

Chained Echoes is a 10/10 GOAT for me. Loved it.

I've actually not played it yet, but it's up next on my list. I've only heard good things about it, so looking forward to playing

 

[EruditeHobo]

FF6 is so much more epic than Chrono Trigger. I get why CT gets so much love, it's essentially a pretty perfect game, but the nod has to go to the much vaster experience when it comes to "best JRPG", the genre that is the most about creating epic, operatic stories.

 

[Metnut]

Whenever I think about this, I tend to settle on the same 5 games.

FF4
FF6
Dragon Quest 5
Chrono Trigger
Lufia 2

Lot of other good JRPGs on the SNES but I do strongly feel these 5 are in a separate tier above the rest.

Edit: I’m about halfway through Chained Echoes and it’s phenomenal too. Would fit up there with these games.

 

[Ogbert]

Link the the Past for me.

Just adore the game. I think the moment you leave house and it’s raining is my favourite moment in all video games.

 

[xpresstuning]

Good thread, i planned to compile a definitive list of SNES titles to check out. Haven't played its library in more than a decade, where as i have gone back and extensively refreshed my memory on the Mega Drive.

 

[WoJ]

Man the SNES had some real JRPG gems.

My favorites are some combination of FF4, Secret of Mana, and Lufia 2.

FFIV was a "holy shit" moment for me in gaming as a kid because it was such a jump narratively and gameplay wise from FFI in the states. Secret of Mana was so much fun from a couch co-op perspective and Lufia 2 floored me with the Ancient Dungeon which I never actually finished.

I love FFVI and Chrono Trigger like everyone else but the three above definitely influenced me more.

 

[6502]

 

[6502]

Hopefully this has had an EU release by now. Day night transition, awesome music, good story... everything great about Secret of Mana refined.

 

[cash_longfellow]

Now that I actually played Live A Live, it's probably 3rd place honestly. Playing that at the time would have been nuts I'm sure.

It’s that good? I am patiently awaiting this months release on PlayStation.

 

[Punished Miku]

It’s that good? I am patiently awaiting this months release on PlayStation.

Its okay. But back then some of the subject matter would have been extremely cool. Before anime was widely available. Its a nostalgia trip. But I liked it. Dont over hype yourself.

 

[cash_longfellow]

Its okay. But back then some of the subject matter would have been extremely cool. Before anime was widely available. Its a nostalgia trip. But I liked it. Dont over hype yourself.

I’m just excited to try a JRPG that I never got to experience back then!

 

[bluecowboys]

Can't we all just agree that the SNES had the best JRPGs?

 

[cireza]

Can't we all just agree that the SNES had the best JRPGs?

There were fantastic RPGs on many different consoles, so I guess not.

 

[SpiceRacz]

Of the ones I've played, Chrono Trigger, pretty easily. I replayed it last year and it solidified that for me. I think most of the other JRPGs on SNES are harder to go back to. CT's pacing really sets it apart. It never feels like a slog to get through.

Haven't played:
Live A Live
Star Ocean
Seiken Densetsu 3
Breath of Fire 2

 

[bluecowboys]

There were fantastic RPGs on many different consoles, so I guess not.

So you agree SNES was the best, right?

 

[cash_longfellow]

Can't we all just agree that the SNES had the best JRPGs?

Yes…but I just fired up Lagoon, and good lord it’s the worst rpg I think I’ve ever played

 

[cireza]

So you agree SNES was the best, right?

As stated in my previous post, no, I disagree. The console tends to be overrated and people forget that the majority of its RPGs never made it to the West to begin with.

Not saying it was bad, but definitely not the best as far as I am concerned.

 

[cartman414]

As stated in my previous post, no, I disagree. The console tends to be overrated and people forget that the majority of its RPGs never made it to the West to begin with.

Not saying it was bad, but definitely not the best as far as I am concerned.

Super Famicom, then.

Definitely speaks to the lack of FF5 in here.

 

[DGrayson]

Yes…but I just fired up Lagoon, and good lord it’s the worst rpg I think I’ve ever played

Thats funny. Thats one of those "white whale" RPGs we used to talk about way back in the day, along with Final Fantasy V before that got an English tranlsation.

I never did play B.Lagoon, so its terrible? lol


EDIT - Oh I thought you were talking about Bahmut Lagoon. I didnt know there was a game called Lagoon.

 

[pramod]

FF 4 for me.

 

[HercRaato]

I have to go with Ogre Battle. I simply love this game and it's presentation was ahead of it's time.

 

[bluecowboys]

As stated in my previous post, no, I disagree. The console tends to be overrated and people forget that the majority of its RPGs never made it to the West to begin with.

Not saying it was bad, but definitely not the best as far as I am concerned.

I’m going to take it as a yes then

 

[StereoVsn]

Illusion of Time (Gaia) and Terranigma are my favourites by far.
Being in the UK, we were starved for JRPGs and the like, so those two kind of blew my mind in terms of their scope.

They were magical, and why SNES-era is my favourite.

These two are indeed great, especially Terranigma. Really underrated RPGs with Terranigma unfortunately not releasing in North America at all.

That said, FFVI takes it for me with Chrono Trigger right on it's heels. Hell, I may change my opinion in a week .

Both are just such a great games. Chrono is very streamlined with a great cast and a more modern feeling so to speak. FFVI though was epic at the time and still to this day is one of my favorite JRPGs of the era as well.

Both are amazing but FFVI "scale" take it for me so to speak.

 

[German Hops]

No poll?

For my tastes, Live a Live for sure, followed by Tactics Ogre.

Chrono Trigger and FF6 are terribly overrated, imo.

 

[cash_longfellow]

Thats funny. Thats one of those "white whale" RPGs we used to talk about way back in the day, along with Final Fantasy V before that got an English tranlsation.

I never did play B.Lagoon, so its terrible? lol


EDIT - Oh I thought you were talking about Bahmut Lagoon. I didnt know there was a game called Lagoon.

Yea Lagoon. I actually enjoyed Bahamut Lagoon.
Lagoon was made by Kemco ironically lol

 

[Shifty1897]

I’m going to throw in a lesser known, Japan exclusive SNES title that was published by Squaresoft.

Rudra no Hihou(Treasure of the Rudra)

I played this super late, after I modded my SNES classic. I was really impressed by it but I understand why it didn't come out in the US, due to being late in the console lifecycle and translating the word system into something useable by Western audiences.

 

[kubricks]

A tie between Chrono Trigger and Seiken Densetsu 3.

While CT offers the perfect pacing which is still unmatched to this date, SD3's party system is way, way ahead of its time. There are just so many interesting party combinations.

 

[bluecowboys]

Personally, I think i prefer secret of mana over Chrono trigger but I know I am in the minority.

 

[Jack Package]

These two are indeed great, especially Terranigma. Really underrated RPGs with Terranigma unfortunately not releasing in North America at all.

That said, FFVI takes it for me with Chrono Trigger right on it's heels. Hell, I may change my opinion in a week .

Both are just such a great games. Chrono is very streamlined with a great cast and a more modern feeling so to speak. FFVI though was epic at the time and still to this day is one of my favorite JRPGs of the era as well.

Both are amazing but FFVI "scale" take it for me so to speak.

I'm sure I'd be inclined to agree, but those games never released here until the FF VI stand alone port on PSX.
Chrono Trigger's first official EU release was the DS version!

I was lucky in my mid-teens. I learned about how to make my PSX play any region's games, and my folks kept going to the US and bringing back things like the FF Anthology and FF Chronicles packs.
Of course years later I discover those ports are all pretty bad technically speaking, but I was blissfully unaware!

 

[LordNerevar76]

Chrono Trigger for sure, though to be fair I haven't played all of ff6 yet. Amazing console for jrpgs.

 

[DetectiveBananas]

I wish I could’ve ended my childhood SNES experience with Chrono Trigger. Would’ve been the cherry on top of my 6 years with that system.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

S-Tier:
- FF6
- FF5
- Chrono Trigger

A-Tier:
- Seiken Densetsu 3
- Star Ocean
- Live a Live
- Super Mario RPG

B-Tier:
- Secret of Mana
- Breath of Fire 1&2
- Romancing Saga series
- Bahamut Lagoon

Games that were probably good for their time, but I missed the boat and don’t feel like I can fairly evaluate them today:
- Lufia 1&2
- FF4
- Dragon Quest 5&6
- Tales of Phantasia

Special award for a broken and not-very-good game but has a killer soundtrack and graphics/animations:
- Secret of Mana

 

[StereoVsn]

I'm sure I'd be inclined to agree, but those games never released here until the FF VI stand alone port on PSX.
Chrono Trigger's first official EU release was the DS version!

I was lucky in my mid-teens. I learned about how to make my PSX play any region's games, and my folks kept going to the US and bringing back things like the FF Anthology and FF Chronicles packs.
Of course years later I discover those ports are all pretty bad technically speaking, but I was blissfully unaware!

Square (and Enix) had such bizarre localization strategies in those days. Kind of ridiculous.

 

[Aesius]

Chrono Trigger.
It’s still one of the finest JRPGs ever made thanks to its almost perfect pacing. The fact that the game has virtually zero bloat can’t be applauded enough. There’s no extra boss that can only be beaten through extreme grinding, or accurately planning a strategy that will see you using the same exact moves again and again and again during the course of a 30+ minute battle.

The there’s the fantastic cast, the excellent storytelling (the SNES translation was very solid too), the art, the music… Chrono Trigger‘s quality and balance are still largely unmatched in the genre, 27 years later. FF6 doesn’t hold a candle to it.

The game feels incredibly huge and epic, and yet you can pretty much 100% it in less than 30 hours. Without feeling like it was rushed or incomplete. A masterpiece in pacing.

 

[Thaedolus]

FF6 is so much more epic than Chrono Trigger. I get why CT gets so much love, it's essentially a pretty perfect game, but the nod has to go to the much vaster experience when it comes to "best JRPG", the genre that is the most about creating epic, operatic stories.

I’d argue FF6 is almost *too* epic…Chrono feels like a tighter experience with consistent quality throughout while FF6 kinda overstays its welcome toward the end.

But if you asked me which my favorite is, flip a coin. Both are peak Square

 

[Raven117]

Its Chrono Trigger or FF6 depending on the day for me.

Best JRPGs ever created.

 

[EruditeHobo]

I’d argue FF6 is almost *too* epic…Chrono feels like a tighter experience with consistent quality throughout while FF6 kinda overstays its welcome toward the end.

But if you asked me which my favorite is, flip a coin. Both are peak Square

Totally agree Chrono is tighter, and I think better for it; like others here have suggested, this is the kind of thing that's going to come down to what you mean/value most when you talk about "best" JRPG. For me I really value that epic massive story... because frankly my understanding of the term itself -- JRPG -- was forged by the Final Fantasy series. So I suppose that's a bit of circular reasoning, from me.

But are both peak Square? Absolutely, no doubt about that. From FF4 through FF9, transition from SNES to PSX/disc games, that long plateau started with the titles in contention in this thread. The good ole days.

 

[Paperclip Killa]

Link the the Past for me.

What?

Can't we all just agree that the SNES had the best JRPGs?

NEC.

 

[Pallas]

Ooops, forgot to quote the post.

 

[Pallas]

Can't we all just agree that the SNES had the best JRPGs?

While I agree the SNES has some phenomenal JRPGS, personally I think the PS1 has the best in quality and quantity. After all it houses arguably the greatest JRPG ever made, in Suikoden 2.

 

[IAmRei]

this, this would be hard, because if You count what is lost in translation as well ... there are lot of games that also good enough to be contenders. But FF6, Chrono, Shin megami Tensei 1+2, Star Ocean, secret of mana 3, are what comes into my mind

 

[Pejo]

Turn Based:
Chrono Trigger > FFIV > FFVI > Breath of Fire 2 > Lufia 2 Rise of the Sinistrals > Super Mario RPG

Action RPG:
ALttP > Soul Blazer > Secret of Mana > Wanderers from Ys

These are just my favorites mind you, not the best. Though I would say that Chrono Trigger is the best overall. Absolute master class in JRPGs. The fact that so few games tried to copy its formula is really puzzling, even its own sequel.

 

[Rykan]

Can't we all just agree that the SNES had the best JRPGs?

No, because it would be wrong.

Snes had some pretty good RPGs, but it doesn't even begin to approach the original Playstation , which was the golden era. So many excellent JRPG franchises either started on the PS1 or hit their stride during this era.

 

[Beechos]

All mentioned great picks I personally think mario rpg is overrated still a really really good game and lufia underrated.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Gotta be Lufia II, right? I feel like that's one of the better-made ones from that era. Even though it doesn't carry that household name status nowadays. Chrono Trigger of course deserves a lot of love, too. But yeah I'd say Lufia II.

Super Mario RPG would be refined and perfected later on by the Paper Marios on N64 and GameCube. The SNES one co-developed by Square was great, but not timeless.

 

[Variahunter]

Seiken Densetsu 3 (or recently released as Trials of Mana) is the best.
Best graphics, gameplay and build with great replayability.

 

[joseph7jk]

1.- FF6
2.- Chrono Trigger
3.- Super Mario RPG
4.- Dragon Quest 5
5.- Tales of Phantasia