Top 25 best Nintendo Switch RPGs in 2024

One of the finest JRPGs - scratch that, one of the finest games - of the Wii generation finally gets the HD treatment it was always crying out for. Xenoblade Chronicles is the real deal, offering a vast adventure that will last you into the triple digits.

Monolith's Child offers one of the most imaginative and wonder-filled worlds in gaming, a whole civilisation built upon the carcasses of two hulking god-beasts. You'll, of course, try to fight off the invasion of Mechons with the team of four cliché characters. Story of good and evil never fails, huh? Another highlight is the snappy, MMORPG-influenced battle system.

If you've never heard of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim you've probably had your head in a hole for years (I'd get that checked out). Besides missing out on many 'arrows to the knee' memes, you've also got some catching up on one of the greatest role-playing games ever, and one of the most sold titles in the history of gaming. If that doesn't sell it, I don't know what will.

You'll be playing as Dovahkiin, Dragonborn. The one that can fight dragons and absorb their souls to make himself more powerful. But what will really captivate you is the vast open world that you can explore, and where some actions have dire consequences.

Though this role-playing game looks a little outdated on the Switch, you'll be far too busy getting your hands dirty, killing mythic beasts, taking on malevolent enemies, travelling across beautiful landscapes, and trying not to accidentally steal a wheel of cheese from an ally's house.

From light-hearted and adorable to disturbing and difficult, Darkest Dungeon isn't here to give you an easy ride. With a whole team of carefully-chosen explorers to keep an eye on, you need to be a good manager and send them off to heal up, gain skills, or complete missions.

That sounds pretty standard, but a huge element of Darkest Dungeon is your heroes' stress level. You can help them chill out, of course, but if left unchecked your hero might start behaving differently. Too much stress and they might just die of a heart attack, or disturb some of the other team members, so try NOT to get to that point.

While we haven't got a Switch review for it, we do have a Darkest Dungeon tier list right here. Before you ask, yes, it is as dark and bloody as you might expect!

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

Cult of the Lamb is an award winning RPG that has a lot of fun, cute-but-creepy aspects to the game. You get to lead your own cult of cute animals, having them sacrificed, sending them into the forest to gather materials, and otherwise managing them. Along with your cult, you will need to go into a forest full of enemies, making your way around, killing those who want to stop you. You can decide if you want to be an evil leader, or just someone trying to take care of your followers. Either way, there is a lot to do in Cult of the Lamb and it's got such a neat style too!

Though Diablo III belongs to a few categories, it absolutely has a place on the list of best Switch RPGs. Stay awhile and listen!

Choose between a number of different classes and stand strong in Sanctuary as angels and demons throw their hats in the ring for it. Better still, this collection comes with the Reaper of Souls and Rise of the Necromancer expansion, so there's even more to do.

If you don't fancy going at it alone, you can always call in a few pals to help out in the local co-op mode. There's never been a better time to crush demons in your slobs. If you don't care much about dialogues, and just want to crush some skulls, Diablo III will satisfy that lust.

In a world where you need to fight your opponents non-violently, Undertale offers up a unique and engaging story. With an emphasis on humour, dialogue, and player choice, your experience is affected by your actions alone. So, don't blame the mailman for delivering your parcel at the wrong time, okay?

Running about eight hours long, you're faced with a mixture of narrative and bullet hell combat systems in each enemy encounter. The key idea is to be nice to your foes to make them like you, but if you prefer to do things the hard way that's cool too.

Bravely Default II gives players, without a doubt, one of the most wholesome role-playing experiences. This ambitious title has everything that one might expect from the genre: a sprawling story, a vast open world, meaningful narrative choices, deeply tactical combat, and an involving character customisation system.

You can easily compare its artwork with older Final Fantasy titles, which some players (like myself) will love. It's colourful, but it isn't too flashy and distracting, so playing longer won't cause any eye strain. Combat is turn-based, and it revolves around using the right skills at the correct target, but it isn't complicated. Won't take long for a new player to master it.

Divinity: Original Sin II is one of the best cRPGs ever! We are ready to draw the swords if you think otherwise! All jokes aside, it was a real blessing to see it on Nintendo Switch as well, and although there was some fear about whether will the developers be able to make it work on the console or not, it turned out great!

For those unfamiliar with it, Divinity: Original Sin II is set in the fantasy world of fantasy - Rivellon. The player will be introduced into the world right after Lucius, chosen by the Seven Gods to keep the Void out of the world had died. Of course, Void started pouring into the world causing chaos, but that's just one bit of it. You'll be drawn into all kinds of intrigues and forced to make some unwilling choices while gathering the party of champions.

What we really love about it, is the option to play with others as each player can take the role of one party member. Astounding role-playing game for Nintendo Switch and other platforms, that real fans of the genre shouldn't miss.

An ambitious JRPG from the Square-Enix team behind Bravely Default, Octopath Traveler stands out for its phenomenal tilt-shift art style and wonderful turn-based combat. This Switch original really is something to behold.

We weren't entirely taken with its fragmented approach to storytelling - splitting things up into eight unconnected stories doesn't quite work - but it's heartwarming to see a major studio concocting something so fresh with such well-worn materials. Yeah, it's not a 10/10 RPG for Switch, but we would definitely give it a solid 8.5!

Not just one of the finest Switch RPGs, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is one of the finest RPGs of the past decade, with memorable writing and a rich dark fantasy world to explore. It's remarkable that this graphically rich open-world masterpiece has been made to work - and work well - on Nintendo's wonder hybrid.

The narrative provides that genuine Witcher experience we all know and love from the books and from the PC games, and the fact that it's on a handheld device doesn't change a thing. Those that haven't heard a story of a Witcher, brave and bold, paid in coin of gold, are looking at a well-written coherent and persuasive narrative. The charming main protagonist will make the immersion rather effortless and convincing, sucking you right in and preparing you for many sleepless nights that you'll spend on the Continent.

There are an awful lot of high-quality JRPGs available to Switch owners, to the point where some brilliant examples can fall through the cracks. Considering NS is a Japanese console, this is not a real surprise. Still, don't let The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III be such a game, that will just go right over your head.

This is a full-sized adventure with lavish 3D graphics, a vast cast of well-formed characters, and a compelling sci-fi world to dive into. The turn-based battle system isn't half bad either. All of that is wrapped up into a nice warm gem that will probably take a hundred or more hours of your life, but they are worth it.

I'll start this one with a question. How do you feel? Do you need more stress in your life, poisonous swamps, or ten-meter monstrosities trying to tear you to pieces? What if I say that you'd love to go against it? Every step of the way.

Dark Souls is one of those rare games where being beaten is enjoyable. Because that's just another challenge to overcome, and you'll get better with each one. No matter how hard the bosses are, or the obstacles you face, and no matter how many times you want to throw the joypad, you'll continue. And you'll wonder - why am I doing this to myself, and you'll continue again.

Graphics isn't something to write home about, sounds and music, are. But none of that will matter much. It's the combat and the challenge that will keep you up and running. There is no game on this list, or any other, that can go close to the smooth combat of Dark Souls, it's unprecedented. On the other hand, the narrative is quite inexisting, and you'll have to watch YouTube videos to get a grasp of what's going on most of the time.

Genre specialist Obsidian went back to the genre's '90s heyday with Pillars of Eternity, a classic isometric adventure from the Baldur's Gate mould. As the name suggests, this is a complete package, with all of the additional content that followed its initial 2015 PC release. While its heart is firmly in keyboard-and-mouse land, it works surprisingly well on a console.

Old-school isometric view and graphics will remind you of those thick-blood RPGs like Baldur's Gate. It was clearly inspired by it, as the characters are vivid and well written, very convincing. There are six races and eleven classes to choose from and the combat is challenging enough. The story is rich, and although you won't get to epic-level numbers, it still has a nice hero journey that will encaptivate you.

Of course, if such old-school titles haven't been your bag in the past, Pillars of Eternity will do nothing to change your mind. But for hardcore fans of the genre, this is a blast. It can stand shoulder to shoulder-with the best Switch RPGs out there.

Child of Light is an absolutely incredible RPG for Nintendo Switch. In this game, your character is Aurora, whose goal is to save her sick father and the kingdom. You can grab another pad and turn it into a co-op mode where the second player controls Igniculus.

You'll explore the world as if this is a platformer, but when you engage in combat for the first time, it gets a bit more complicated. You'll start as a child who will grow up to be a fully-fledged hero, while the whole story is turning into a fairy tale. The artwork of characters and the background is very well made as if it was a vivid painting. The soundtrack is masterfully done, it will remind you a bit of Ori and the Blind Forest. The whole RPG is child-friendly, and if you're looking to introduce your kid to the genre, it's safe to go with Child of Light.

Similar to Dark Souls we mentioned earlier, Dragon's Dogma is an action RPG, but instead of going alone against the world, as you do in the aforementioned title, you have a party. However, this is not a standard party, but pawns that you can employ. These pawns fight for themselves, while you're leading your own character. Of course, they all follow the main protagonist and fight for you, but you can't lead all of them at once.

The system of pawns is interesting, as sometimes you'll be able to hire other players' pawns that are stronger than yours, and other players can also hire your pawns. This will be rewarded, of course, you won't just hand them over for nothing.

Boss battles and combat in general are what make this title stand out. Playing as a mage has never looked better, and more powerful than it does in DD. Other classes are following the pattern, don't worry. Although it might look a bit outdated at times, but it's far from looking bad. It's an epic adventure that will take you around 50 hours to complete, and if you're a completionist, that number doubles, easily.

This stunner is an action RPG that will leave you breathless. It's beautiful in style and amazing in gameplay and narrative. What makes it even more of a winner though, is its flawlessly done Switch adaptation. Hades will keep you glued to your screen for hours, and you might even get a sore finger or two - but that will not matter if you just get to slay one more enemy.

Hades is one of those rare gems that appear and stay with you for the foreseeable future. It's not exactly your idle or classic role-playing game, but an action-packed one leaning towards roguelike, that wants nothing less than your undivided attention.

If you've exhausted Diablo III, or just don't find its brand of by-the-books fantasy particularly appealing, Torchlight III (or even the old Torchlight II) is a brilliant alternative. You're still wandering around bashing stuff but with a much brighter and more exciting steampunk setting. There are only four classes to choose from, but there are 5 sub-classes, which brings a lot of diversity to the builds you can create. You'll have you're own fort, which won't just look cool. Of course, pets will be an important part of your builds, which isn't a thing in a lot of similar titles. They are usually cosmetic in this type of game.

Torchlight III gives you a few skills to learn and upgrade, much like in many other titles belonging to the genre, and it feels incredibly smooth on the console.

You're probably not expecting to play anything like West of Loathing, but you really should give it a shot. This slapstick comedy role play is set in the Kingdom of Loathing universe where you've got to punch skeletons, deal with demon cows, and enjoy a wide variety of hats to don.

It's weird, wild, and western - all excellent qualities to find in an open-world RPG, wouldn't you say? We definitely believe so after getting our hands on the West of Loathing!

You might very well label Journey to the Savage Planet a first-person adventure, or a survival game. Given its focus on exploration and character progression, we're happy to call it a first-person role-player and move on.

Resisting categorisation is just one of the game's many charms. Exploring a strange, colourful planet, harvesting resources, scanning the local flora and fauna, and steadily accruing more abilities make for a unique experience. Be warned that its humour is somewhat unconventional and mature, which might not be suitable for kids, but grown-ups will crack up. You won't spend hundreds of hours on this one, but it will be fun for a while.

Oh, and we have to note that the colours are wonderful and vibrant, they will remind you of the Avatar movie a bit.

Final Fantasy XII is a standout game in the mammoth JRPG series. It dared to try something new, with a completely fresh combat system that nodded towards MMO rather than the rigid tit-for-tat system the series is known for. For some players, this is an embodiment of the FF experience, and they will swear it's the finest one in the series. Although it's a bit ungrateful to comment on personal experiences that everyone has, we have to agree that they could be right.

Its story, too, is less concerned with whiny teens than you might be accustomed to, which is refreshing. Add in a fresh lick of paint, and this is a brilliant RPG for Nintendo Switch presented at its absolute best.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

Fae Farm is a lovely, relaxing farming game that has a touch of magic to it! There are different characters to meet and learn about, various crops to take care of, and a lot of magic to discover. This cozy, farming simulator brings unique enemies to take on, spells and team battles to master, and a big world that just constantly draws in my curiosity!

If you want a new type of farming game that has a little something more than just looking after your boring farm, than Fae Farm is a great choice.

It's easy to forget that Pokemon Sword and Shield is an RPG. It's all cute and fluffy and super-popular with kids. But at its heart you've got wandering around an overworld map, chatting with NPCs and taking part in countless turn-based battles.

Pokémon Sword and Shield might not be the best entry to the series yet, but it's unquestionably the most lavish. This is also the first mainline Pokémon title you can play on your TV, which is something to be celebrated.

For any of you who haven't had the joy of playing Stardew Valley yet, it's another essential for the platform. As a farmer new to the small, community-driven Pelican Town, it's up to you to clean up your late grandpa's old farm. Sure, you'll start weeding and clearing out the debris, but soon you'll be ankle-deep in mud, fish, and friendship, and you'll love it.

Whatever your preferences are concerning this genre, Stardew Valley offers up a light-hearted experience perfect for all ages. You'll plant up your farms by season, chat up the villagers, maybe find true love, and uncover deeper stories as you go. Fair warning: you'll tell yourself 'just one more day', but it'll never be just one more. Never. Trust us, we've been there.

You can even begin a talk of the best Switch RPGs without mentioning this one! I think that every owner of the console is aware of this gem, but in case you aren't here is a short description.

Starting with incredible artwork that will captivate both younger audiences and veteran players. You'll be awestruck when you start Zelda for the first time. Although a bit pixelated, characters are perfectly distinguishable and easy to memorise. Its vast world will have you stop adventuring sometimes just to look at the wonderful landscape. Music is not falling behind by one bit behind the graphics and it will always complement the area or the action.

Breath of the Wild is an open-world adventure, and it's perfect for players who are fans of exploration. You'll be playing from the third perspective, as it's been proven and tested as the best camera angle for this type of game.

The story is a hero adventure, and without spoiling anything we can say that you can't expect too many major twists, but it's good enough to keep you interested.

Having started life on the Nintendo DS with Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn in 2008, Ni No Kuni finally came full circle with this beautiful Switch port of the greatly enhanced Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.

If ever there was a JRPG that belonged on a modern Nintendo platform it was this, with its lavish Studio Ghibli-co-created world and bright, bouncy tone.

Oh, and if you still want more, here's a bonus one. Deltarune, another Undertale-esque game from Toby Fox is also available on Nintendo Switch. We hope you liked our list of best Switch RPGs and that we helped you pick the proper one! Enjoy countless pleasant hours.