Summary
Role-playing games have so many desirable elements to them, but they can be a little slow for some.Action RPGsfix this by making the combat elements much more engaging while maintaining all the other elements players would typically expect. Not all the best action RPGs are on mainline consoles, however, with some real gems being designed with handheld gaming in mind.
While there were some new IPs created solely for handheld gaming, a lot ofhandheld action RPGsare part of much bigger franchises, with their mainline games existing on flagship consoles. These franchises love to expand into other mediums, be it comics, films, or the handheld gaming market. Though the following games were created specifically for handheld gaming devices, many of them are available to play on more accessible platforms today.
Ys: Memories of Celcetais a part of the long-runningYsseries of games. The game has a fast-paced combat system, with plenty of depth and evolution as the story goes on. Interacting with NPCs never feels like the conversations overstay their welcome, aiding the pacing of the story’s development. The story features aprotagonist suffering from amnesiawho regains bits of his lost memories as the game progresses, eventually achieving more powerful abilities.
As the story progresses, new characters will become available, each offering their own benefits. The game originally released on the PlayStation Vita but has since also been released on the PC and PS4. This means that gamers who enjoy newer installments of the series can still pick up this classic on modern systems.
Kingdom Heartsis one of the most iconic and well known action RPG series around, with each entry providing a connecting piece toa very intricate story. It combines elements of belovedDisneycharacters with a heavy JRPG flair. This entry in the franchise allows players to play as three entirely new characters, each armed with a keyblade.
This does not feel like a watered down game made for a handheld device; it’s a full-fledged game worthy of standing alongside otherKingdom Heartstitles — along with an incredible story and voice cast to boot. Combat doesn’t just feel good inBirth by Sleep; it feels streamlined to make things go much faster — with some players preferring it to the PS2-era of games' control schemes. This is one of the many games featured intheFinal MixversionofKingdom Hearts.
This serves as the original title thatCrisis Core -Final Fantasy 7- Reunionis based on. While theFinal Fantasy 7on the first PlayStation used a turn-based system, this spin-off is an action RPG, and it is set prior to the events of the original. Its gameplay is very straightforward, featuring only a small learning curve. On top of that, it has an easy-to-understand user interface.
The game follows Zack Fair, a friend of Cloud Strife, who are both part of the SOLDIER program. It does a great job of expanding the lore of the universe it is set in while also having a decent story of its own to tell.Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7features manyimportant details that fans should be aware of.
Monster Hunter 4is one of severalMonster Huntergames on the 3DS. It would later receive an enhanced version titledMonster Hunter 4 Ultimate— released asMonster Hunter 4Gin Japan. One of the biggest appeals to theMonster Huntergames is the ability to have a group of friends tag along to form a hunting party and then set off together to bring down some of thelargest monsters in the entire franchise— which used to be accomplished through an online connection before the servers were shut down.
TheUltimatecounterpart has plenty more to offer than the original, including two new weapon classes to explore. There are also new locations and new monsters for those who have already accomplished everything there was to do in the original. There is no need for returning players to start over, as theUltimateversion is able to make use of save files from the original game.
The World Ends With Youmade its debut on the Nintendo DS rather than a mainline console, with itgetting a sequelon the PS4 and Nintendo Switch more than a decade later. The game makes good use of the unique features of the Nintendo DS, using a stylus on a touchscreen for its combat. Players will tap and swipe on the screen to dispatch enemies and move around, and they will also use this stylus to press buttons to use items and activate abilities.
The game received an enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch in the form ofThe World Ends with You: Final Remix, which allows one to enjoy the story while also offering a vastly different gameplay experience from the original — much likethe Switch port ofSkyward Sword.
