Role-playing games are among the most prominent genres in video games, dating back to the medium’s earliest days. They arose from developers who wanted to find ways to play Dungeons & Dragons in other formats, and through their tireless efforts, the world saw the development of countless franchises and sub-genres. There are tons of RPGs out there, going back through nearly every console generation. We took a look through the archives and identified the best RPGs from each console generation. This was no easy task, as everyone has their favorites, so the winners were chosen based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, their overall influence on the genre, and their popularity among gamers.
1st) Akalabeth: World of Doom
1st Gen: Atari Pong | Coleco Telstar | Magnavox Odyssey
The first generation of home video game consoles didn’t feature a single game that could be classified as an RPG. As a result, we’ve looked at home computers in the 1970s and early ‘80s, and the choice was fairly easy, though there’s plenty of competition. While it wasn’t the first RPG, Akalabeth: World of Doom, released in 1980 for the Apple II and MS-DOS, was the first commercially successful RPG and went on to give rise to the Ultima franchise. While rudimentary by today’s standards, Akalabeth: World of Doom offered significant advancements in graphical RPGs at a time when they were challenging to produce.
2nd) Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain
2nd Gen: Atari 2600 | Channel F | ColecoVision | Intellivision | Magnavox Odyssey 2
By the second console generation, technology had advanced to the point of making RPGs playable on several systems. There were quite a few to consider, but the one that took the lead is Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain, released in 1982 on the Intellivision. It was originally titled Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and later earned a subtitle to distinguish it from its sequel. It was also the first Intellivision game to use over 4 KB of ROM. The game features numerous RPG elements common to the genre, though it was limited by the technology of the period. A remake was in development for several years, but it’s yet to come out.
3rd) Phantasy Star
3rd Gen: Atari 7800 | Nintendo Entertainment System | Sega Master System
In the third generation, RPGs really stepped up in quality, with new franchises emerging across several consoles. These include Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy, Mother, Legend of Zelda, and so many more, but after digging through them all, Phantasy Star, released in 1987 on the Sega Master System, took the top spot. Phantasy Star is one of the first Japanese RPGs released on the system. It’s also one of the largest games released on the Master System, requiring every bit of the cartridge’s capacity. The game was costly, so it didn’t sell as well as Final Fantasy and some other JRPGs released around the same time, but it’s nonetheless a master class in early RPG development, and remains one of the best examples of the genre.
4th) Chrono Trigger
4th Gen: TurboGrafx-16 | Genesis | Neo Geo | Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The math placed Phantasy Star III at the top spot for the 4th generation, but that didn’t sit right with me. In the end, I had to go with Chrono Trigger for the Super Nintendo, as it’s one of the best RPGs of the 1990s, and arguably, of the 20th century. The game focuses on a group of heroes who travel through time to prevent a catastrophe, and the story is immersive and amazing. Everything about Chrono Trigger elevated the game above the contemporary competition, and it remains a classic to this day that’s been re-released on multiple systems over the years.
5th) The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
5th Gen: 3DO | Jaguar | PlayStation | Nintendo 64
As console generations offered greater graphics, sound, and memory capabilities, RPGs became increasingly robust, often requiring dozens of hours to complete. There were tons of excellent RPGs on the PlayStation and Nintendo 64, and while Final Fantasy VII is a classic masterpiece, the generation’s top RPG has to be The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. There’s no denying the staying power of this game, which is often cited among the greatest video games of all time. It just edged out The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (not by a lot), and Ocarina of Time remains one of the best Legend of Zelda games ever made — certainly from the 20th century.
6th) Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic
6th Gen: GameCube | Dreamcast | PlayStation 2 | Xbox
Just like the 5th generation, there’s no dearth of great RPGs in the 6th, so the competition was fierce. That said, a game that is often called the greatest Star Wars game ever made is just sitting there waiting to be named, and I can’t resist — Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the easy winner for the best RPG of the 6th generation. The game reshaped the franchise, redefining what a Star Wars game could be, and it did so using extensive RPG mechanics, throwing players into the deep end of a galaxy far, far away in a manner unlike any game that came before. It’s no wonder that KOTOR is at the top of the list of games fans want remade.
7th) Mass Effect 2
7th Gen: PlayStation 3 | Wii | Xbox 360
As we get into the 7th generation and beyond, console exclusivity becomes a bit more tenuous. The RPG that took the top spot is Mass Effect 2, which came out on the Xbox 360 and PCs a year before finding its way onto the PlayStation 3. Regardless of which system you enjoyed the game on, you no doubt loved it, as Mass Effect 2 kept the story going with exceptional cinematics, better combat mechanics than its predecessor, and brilliant characters. Not only did Mass Effect 2 win a ton of accolades, but it’s widely considered to be among the greatest video games ever made.
8th) Elden Ring
8th Gen: Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 4 | Wii U | Xbox One
Going into the 8th generation and beyond, there’s some back-and-forth regarding release dates, seeing as games like Elden Ring have been released on every platform from the 8th generation onward (save for the Wii U). Regardless, the 2022 open-world action RPG is an amazing achievement in storytelling and grand scale, thanks in large part to the talent behind the scenes who brought it to life. The game sold more than 30 million copies across platforms and has since seen DLC and a spinoff. Unsurprisingly, Elden Ring won tons of awards and is often called one of the greatest games of all time.
9th) Baldur’s Gate 3
9th Gen: Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X|S
There are tons of games based on Dungeons & Dragons, many of which are amazing, but then there’s Baldur’s Gate 3, which is easily one of the best made. The game was developed independently by Larian Studios, which is impressive given its massive scope. Regardless, it’s a fantastic RPG that aligns with the 5th Edition ruleset and is set within the Forgotten Realms setting. Baldur’s Gate 3 was a record-breaking success of epic proportions, winning Game of the Year and many other accolades, and is easily one of the best D&D video game RPGs ever made.
10th) Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
10th Gen: Nintendo Switch 2 | PlayStation 6 | Xbox Project Helix
As of writing, there’s no real consensus as to when the 10th generation began, though many have pointed to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 as its jumping-off point. Using that system as a guide, the best RPG isn’t a new one; rather, it’s a beautifully made remake that plays exceptionally well on the Switch 2: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. The FFVII Remake didn’t initially come out for the Switch or Switch 2, but the port on the purported 10th-generation system is amazing, and the enhanced remake is absolutely outstanding. I couldn’t give FFVII the love it deserved on the PlayStation, so it’s getting it here on the Switch 2.
What’s your all-time favorite RPG? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
