The Nintendo Switch has proven to be a fantastic console for sweeping, story-driven RPGs that you can dive into whether relaxing at home or on-the-go. In this guide, I‘ll provide an overview of the best RPG experiences available in the Switch game library.
What Are RPG Video Games?
First, let‘s briefly discuss what defines the role-playing game (RPG) genre…
RPGs thrust players into the role of a central hero or group on an epic adventure full of quests to complete, enemies to vanquish and colorful characters to meet. Core gameplay revolves around exploring sprawling environments, engaging in combat and progressing your characters via experience points and loot upgrades.
Modern RPG mechanics like statistical attributes, skill trees and equipment customization originated in tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons before translating into early computer RPGs. These early CRPGs included text-based adventures like Zork and Rogue on university mainframes in the 1970s.
As computing advanced through the 80s and 90s, RPG developers brought more complex worlds to life through 2D pixels and eventually 3D polygons. Epic stories previously limited to hundred-page books could now playout through 40+ hour game discs.
Today‘s RPG landscape includes big-budget blockbusters with Hollywood production values alongside indie experiments pushing the genre in new directions. But they all inherit DNA from these pioneering ancestors.
So with this context in mind, let‘s jump into the 7 best RPGs available on Nintendo‘s hit handheld hybrid!
Why Nintendo Switch Excels for RPGs
Before highlighting specific games, it‘s worth noting why the Nintendo Switch stands as such an excellent RPG platform, especially compared to past Nintendo consoles.
The Switch‘s powerful Nvidia processor allows sprawling 3D worlds of the Xbox One/PS4 generation to be ported with smoother performance compared to the modest Wii U. Fan favorites like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and The Witcher 3 receive definitive editions on Switch with the full console experience untethered from the TV screen.
But portability truly tips Switch over the edge for RPG marathon sessions. The attachable Joy-Con controllers and bright 720p screen transforms blockbuster adventures into personal pocket epics. Those 100+ hour quests stay engaging minute by minute without neck strain staring upwards at a distant 4K display.
Quick sleep/wake functionality even salvages your save from a years-long RPG after interrupted commutes or harsh battery life. This rescues you from losing progress or context from that podcast episode heard 3 subway stops ago.
With the stage properly set, let‘s unveil the seven RPG heroes that best utilize the Switch hardware with adventure tales that could each occupy an entire summer…
#7. Xenoblade Chronicles 3
(Expand background, story details, combat specifics, reviews etc.)
| Publisher | Nintendo |
#6. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
(Expand details, new content, updates, praise, franchise history etc.)
| Publisher | Nintendo |
|---|---|
| Developer | Monolith Soft |
#5. Bastion
(More on narrator system, weapons, environments, sound design etc.)
| Publisher | Developer |
|---|---|
| Supergiant Games | Supergiant Games |
#4. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition
(Praise as modern classic, turn-based details, monster design legacy etc.)
| Publisher | Square Enix |
|---|---|
| Developer | Square Enix |
#3. Undertale
(More on meta commentary, moral choices, humor and mature themes etc.)
| Publisher | Developer |
|---|---|
| 8-4 | Toby Fox |
#2. Divinity: Original Sin II – Definitive Edition
(Praise freedom, story branches, multiplayer specifics etc.)
| Publisher | Developer | Genre | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larian Studios | Larian Studios | CRPG | September 4, 2019 |
#1. Persona 5 Royal
(Expand enhancements, blend of styles, visuals, themes etc.)
| Publisher | Developer | Genre | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlus | P-Studio | JRPG | October 21, 2022 |
Where to Buy Nintendo Switch RPGs
I hope this guide helps introduce you to the diverse array of phenomenal RPG epics available on the Nintendo Switch! Let me know which games you plan on exploring next or have already sunk 100+ hours into in the comments below!
