JRPGs That Need to Be on Switch ASAP
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
Ni No Kuni II is a gorgeous game, done in a cel-shaded style that evokes a Studio Ghibli movie, and it’s easily one of the best JRPG of the current generation.
It feels like a game that would be perfect on the Switch, with its base-building mechanics, fast-paced action combat, and gorgeous aesthetic.
The game follows King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, after he’s wrongfully ousted from his throne at Ding Dong Dell. Evan has to team up with a mysterious stranger from another world named Roland and a handful of allies to take his throne back.
Ni No Kuni II’s story and characters are whimsical and fun, something that’d make them feel right at home on a Nintendo console.
The combat system is heavily reminiscent of something like a Tales game, and it could even benefit from some added Joy-Con rumble features to make everything more immersive.
Even more reason to bring the game to Switch is that it’s developed by Level-5, the company that has a long-running history with Nintendo on games like Professor Layton and Yo-Kai Watch. In fact, why isn’t Ni No Kuni II already there?
JRPGs That Need to Be on Switch ASAP
Tales of Berseria
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition marked the first time the franchise has been on Nintendo Switch, and honestly the game feels so at home on the system that Bandai Namco might as well port more Tales games over.
Having a console-quality Tales game on the go is a great experience, especially being able to stop and start as you’re playing through dungeons or grinding.
Tales of Berseria would be the perfect next title to come to Switch, and it’s one of the very best Tales games we’ve gotten in years.
Berseria has a surprisingly dark and violent story that ends up being a refreshing change from the usual “friendship beats all” stories in Tales games.
Add on a fantastic cast of characters and complex battle system and you have one of the most underappreciated JRPGs of the last few years. While Berseria would be our first choice, honestly, any Tales game coming to Switch is a welcome addition.
JRPGs That Need to Be on Switch ASAP
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel I & II
Trails of Cold Steel I & II are finally making their way to PS4 with new remastered versions that add on a ton more English voiceover, and also provide Japanese and English language options.
While it’s great we’re getting these two fantastic JRPGs on PS4, it’s unfortunate that we can’t also get them on the Nintendo Switch as well.
Trails of Cold Steel takes place within the Legend of Heroes universe, specifically the same world featured in the Trails in the Sky subseries.
You play as Rean Schwarzer, a new student at the Thors Military Academy who ends up joining the elite Class VII, a sociopolitical experiment that places commoners and royalty in the same class.
Trails of Cold Steel uses many of the same elements as Trails in the Sky, but also loops in some new mechanics inspired by games like Persona.
While playing through the main story you’ll get to explore Thors and interact with your classmates, choosing who you want to spend time with and building bonds that can benefit you in battle.
Both games are fantastic JRPGs that deserve to be played by as many people as possible, and hopefully, a Switch port is in the cards someday.
JRPGs That Need to Be on Switch ASAP
Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Another JRPG from Falcom, the makers of Ys and Trails of Cold Steel, Tokyo Xanadu is an action-RPG set in modern day Tokyo. The game heavily draws inspiration from the likes of Persona, casting you as a high schooler named Kou Tokisaka.
Kou’s life is forever changed when he tries to save a classmate named Asuka one night and ends up finding out about a horrific alternate reality called the Eclipse.
Tokyo Xanadu’s action-focused combat has you traveling through different Eclipse dungeons, swapping between multiple characters on the fly.
It may seem simple at first, but the game’s combat actually proves to be incredibly fun with a huge emphasis on dodging and timing your attacks.
The main story may not do anything incredibly surprising, but the heart of Tokyo Xanadu lies in its cast of characters, who each undergo interesting growth and development.
The main cast truly ends up feeling like a group of friends, and despite the dire world-ending straights of the story, there manages to be a ton of fun interactions.
Just like other Falcom games, Tokyo Xanadu is an underappreciated gem, and the fact that the game originally released on a handheld, PS Vita, makes it perfect for the Switch.
The eX+ version adds on a ton of new story content and features, making it a huge, robust JRPG that Switch owners could sink their teeth into for hours on end.
JRPGs That Need to Be on Switch ASAP
God Eater Series
Monster Hunter World has helped popularize the hunting genre like never before, but the series has always enjoyed enduring popularity on Nintendo systems.
This means that God Eater would likely be an instant hit on Nintendo, as it’s probably the biggest non-Monster Hunter hunting game.
God Eater is certainly more inspired than the latter, taking place in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by deadly creatures known as Aragami. God Eaters are the only thing that can fight back against Aragami, and they have access to a range of deadly weapons in order to do so.
The recently released God Eater 3 is a great hunting experience mixed with some fast-paced action, and it’d be the perfect place for the series to start on Switch, considering you don’t need to play the rest of the series to jump in.
The misson-based structure of God Eater makes it perfect for the Switch’s pick-up-and-play handheld mode, and it’d be an easy game to play on train rides or out and about.
JRPGs That Need to Be on Switch ASAP
Bravely Default & Bravely Second
Nintendo has a wealth of their own exclusive JRPGs, and the Nintendo 3DS, in particular, was a fantastic system for the genre. While there are plenty of titles that could make the jump to Switch, none are more deserving than Bravely Default and Bravely Second.
These two JRPGs are essentially spiritual successors to classic Final Fantasy, sporting a phenomenal job system that has you building each of your party members with a mish-mash of skills and attacks from different jobs.
A system known as “Brave” and “Default” makes turn-based combat even more interesting, letting you stack up moves to use during a turn.
The story also revolves around awakening four elemental crystals that keep the world safe, but there are some great twists that keep things interesting.
Bravely Default and Second were developed by the same team behind Octopath Traveler, and there are some obvious similarities between the two.
Considering Octopath’s success it seems like a Bravely Default remaster would be a no brainer. It’s one of the very best Nintendo-exclusive JRPGs around, and deserves a spot on the Switch.
JRPGs That Need to Be on Switch ASAP
Persona 4 Golden
Yes yes, we’ve all heard the rumors about Persona 5 coming to Switch, and with Joker in Smash Bros. it seems like a given at some point. There are other Persona games out there though that would be perfect on Switch, namely Persona 4 Golden.
Persona 4 is easily one of the best JRPGs ever made, and sadly its best version is exclusively available on PS Vita, a system that quickly died out with little fanfare in the west.
It’s practically a crime that there’s no other way to play Golden, which adds on new social links, story content, music, and much more.
Considering the game is on Vita it pretty much goes without saying that the Switch’s handheld features would be perfect for the game, but it’d be equally fantastic to see Persona 4 get a visual upgrade and be able to play it in full HD on your TV.
Persona has become one of the most beloved JRPG franchises of all time, and putting Persona 4 Golden on Switch would be a sure golden ticket for Sega & Atlus.
