JRPGshave been a big part of video game history since the 80s, and due to that, they have appeared on a variety of platforms and consoles. Whether it be Nintendo, Sega, or Sony, JRPGs have appeared on a variety of consoles, including a variety of handhelds like the Nintendo Game Boy and the Sony Playstation Portable.
Fans of handheld consoles have never been starving for JRPGs, as plenty of popular franchises have not only ported many popular entries to various handheld systems but have also created games specifically for them. Here are some of the best JRPGs that have been designed specifically for handheld systems, ranked by their general reception in the JRPG community.
TheEtrian Odysseygames are great at utilizing the featuresof the Nintendo DS and 3DS. A dungeon-crawlerevoking classic role-playing gameslikeUltimaandWizardry,Etrian Odyssey’s most unique feature is its map-making mechanic, giving players the ability to draw maps of the areas they explore using the touchscreen and stylus.
Of the variousEtrian Odysseygames that have been released over the years,Etrian Odyssey 5is considered one of the best in the series by many fans. The first to have voice acting of any kind,Etrian Odyssey 5expands on the innovations of its predecessors, making it an essential JRPG for the 3DS.
Dragon Quest 9puts players in the shoes of a Celestrian who has fallen from heaven and must find his way back. Unlike previous entries, the hero and his party members are all customizable, with all kinds of vocations and equipment at the player’s disposal.
Dragon Quest 9is the only mainline title in theDragon Questseriesto be exclusively on a handheld console, having been releasedon the Nintendo DS. However, the game is by no means small and is possibly one of the largest JRPGs on the system. With plenty of optional content for fans to explore, it is a worthy entry in the long-running JRPG franchise.
Golden Sunis one of the most popular JRPGs published directly by Nintendo and is considered one of the best titles on its native system,the Game Boy Advance. Following the adventures of Isaac and his friends, he attempts to stop the power of Alchemy from being released.
Golden Sunalone wasunable to finish the grand story it started, so it was followed byGolden Sun: The Lost Age, a direct sequel that followed different characters while also continuing the story of the first game. Both games were stuck on the Game Boy Advance for a very long time, to the chagrin of its fans.
A Fantastic Remake Of An All-Time Classic
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Prepare for an exhilarating adventure with Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version for the Nintendo DS! Play as a boy or a girl trainer and battle your way through the Johto region with your Pokémon to become the Champion! Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver Versions are fully-enhanced versions of the original Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version games from 2001. Start your quest in New Bark Town and answer the call of the local Pokémon professor. He’ll set you on an epic journey where you’ll learn about the sinister Team Rocket, who cause all sorts of trouble for the Pokémon. Team Rocket was defeated in Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon GreenLeaf Version, but has now reassembled once more in the Johto region. What are they really up to? There’s more to this shady crew than meets the eye…
Pokemonis a JRPG franchise that lives on handheld systems, with the entirety of its mainline series released exclusively on Nintendo’s handheld consoles until the Nintendo Switch (which could be considered both a handheld and a home console). As one of the most popular video game franchises,Pokemonhas been a pillar of handheld JRPGs.
While there are many iconicPokemongames, theGold and Silvergames have always been popular due to giving the player the option to explore the Kanto region along with the Johto region.HeartGoldandSoulSilver, the DS remakes, are just as beloved thanks to the various quality-of-life changes and new mechanics that were added to these iconic games.
Initially developed as a sequel to aFinal Fantasyspin-off,Bravely Defaultsoon sprang off into its own franchise, detaching itself from the landmark JRPG series. Featuring exhilarating music, unique quality-of-life options, and gameplay evoking classic JRPG turn-based gameplay,Bravely Defaultquickly became incredibly popular in the JRPG community.
The game was released on the 3DS and was an incredibly popular JRPG entry for the system. It made special use of the 3DS’s Streetpass function, which affected certain mechanics in the game. It soon received several sequels and became a JRPG franchise in its own right.
Though Nihon Falcom was traditionally known for publishing its games strictly on PC platforms, in the 2000s, they began dipping their toes into putting their games on consoles. Eventually, they began prioritizing releasing games on consoles over PCs, withTrails from Zeroin particular being the firstTrailsgame to be released on PSP first and foremost.
Trails from Zeroand its sequelTrails to Azurefeature the best gameplay theTrailsseries has to offer, with a compelling storyline full of intricate worldbuilding and political intrigue.The games were initially Japan-onlyfor more than a decade, but their recent localization also brought them to modern console platforms, a pleasant surprise forTrailsfans everywhere.
The much-anticipated follow-up to the incredibly influentialEarthbound,Mother 3released on the Game Boy Advance in 2006. Featuring theMotherseries' trademark sense of off-kilter humor and a unique rhythm-based battle system,Mother 3is a JRPG masterpiece.
Mother 3, despite its cult popularity, has yet to make it over to the west. Fans of the game and the series as a wholehave been asking Nintendo to localize the game, but for the time being, it doesn’t seem like any plans for that are in the works.
