20 Classic RPGs That Are Still Great Today

One of the most highly regarded RPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger was created by Square Enix's "dream team": the creator of the Final Fantasy series, the creator of the Dragon Quest series, and a manga artist known for his work on Dragon Quest and Dragon Ball.

Chrono Trigger pioneers elements that are widespread in so many games today — multiple endings and character-focused side quests. The game's legacy is undeniable, as it has continued to influence games that are being released more than 25 years later.

Super Mario RPG is not the most remembered adventure of the overall-clad plumber, but it surely was an exciting experiment for the franchise. A departure from the platformers that Mario has come to be so well-known for, Super Mario RPG focuses on the characters of the Mushroom Kingdom, and their quest to defeat the evil Smithy, who stole the seven pieces that make up Star Road.

he game was universally praised for its humor and graphics, and it went on to inspire more RPG-esque entries to the Mario franchise, like Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi.

There are tons of classic Final Fantasy games, but while VI, VII, and IX are arguably the most popular, Tactics is the quiet knockout that boldly took the series where it's never gone before. Sort of the black sheep in the Final Fantasy family, Tactics utilizes a unique battle system that takes place on a rotatable 3D field. Combat and strategy take precedence over the main story, as players are able to recruit soldiers, upgrade their classes, and basically control the battlefield much in the way a medieval general would.

Most gamers tend to either love it or hate it, but regardless of how much of a departure it was at the time, the gameplay, style, and even tiny pixilated battlefields still look great today.

After releasing to critical and commercial reception that was lukewarm to say the least, it took Suikoden II some time to gain and audience that appreciated it fully. However, after a few years, the game gained traction and is now regarded as one of the best RPGs of the 32-bit era.

While many of its peers were sporting flashy 3D graphics, Suikoden II had a stylized, pixel-art style. To top it all, the gameplay focused on strategic encounters between two large armies, taking the player on an epic adventure that challenged their wits and resolve.

Capcom may be known for a lot of things, but back in the '90s, making great RPGs wasn't one of them. The Breath of Fire series is one of the most beloved role-playing franchises of all time, and people often forget that it got its unlikely start on the SNES. That said, Breath of Fire III is arguably one of the most polished and nuanced of the bunch, giving gamers a classic RGP in the early PS1 days.

Breath of Fire III was the first BoF game to live voice acting and again let players take control of Ryu, a refreshingly powerful protagonist who has the power to transform into various dragons. Subsequent releases have become more JRPG and less traditional, but they each hold their own pros and cons. The original, however, is still a classic and definitely one of the most unique RPGs — especially for the time.

As mecha animes like Neon Genesis Evangelion dominated the late 90s, it was only a matter of time before the trend trickled into video games as well.  In Xenogears, the gameplay revolves around exploration and combat, both on foot and using mechas known as Gears.

The game was originally pitched as an idea for Final Fantasy VII, and its story incorporates themes of Jungian and Freudian psychology and religious symbolism. You can really see the inspiration from the anime, considering the latter was prominently featured in Evangelion.