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The 16 Best JRPGs of the 1980s

by YPB Team

The decade that built the genre — genre-defining giants sit beside cult Famicom obscurities and pioneering computer adventures, all laying the foundation for everything that followed. Which one wins?

  1. Final Fantasy — ranked #11
    Final Fantasy
    Square's 1987 fantasy RPG that launched one of gaming's biggest franchises.
    1000pts
  2. Dragon Quest III — ranked #22
    Dragon Quest III
    The 1988 Famicom classic that perfected the series with classes and an open world.
    898pts
  3. The Legend of Heroes — ranked #33
    The Legend of Heroes
    Falcom's 1989 RPG that began the long-running Legend of Heroes series.
    835pts
  4. EarthBound Beginnings — ranked #44
    EarthBound Beginnings
    The quirky 1989 Mother game set in a modern-day America full of psychic kids.
    734pts
  5. Final Fantasy II — ranked #55
    Final Fantasy II
    Square's 1988 sequel that introduced a story-driven cast and a novel growth system.
    734pts
  6. Dragon Slayer — ranked #66
    Dragon Slayer
    Falcom's influential 1984 action RPG that helped pioneer the genre in Japan.
    571pts
  7. Phantasy Star II — ranked #77
    Phantasy Star II
    Sega's ambitious 1989 Genesis sequel with a sprawling sci-fi story.
    571pts
  8. Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished — ranked #88
    Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished
    Falcom's 1988 sequel that refined the action and added magic to the formula.
    571pts
  9. The Black Onyx — ranked #99
    The Black Onyx
    A pioneering 1984 dungeon-crawler credited with popularizing RPGs in Japan.
    467pts
  10. Phantasy Star — ranked #1010
    Phantasy Star
    Sega's 1987 sci-fi RPG renowned for its dungeons and trailblazing female hero.
    343pts
  11. Dragon Quest — ranked #1111
    Dragon Quest
    The genre-defining 1986 original that established the console JRPG template.
    343pts
  12. Dragon Quest II — ranked #1212
    Dragon Quest II
    The 1987 follow-up that expanded the world and added a full party of heroes.
    343pts
  13. Megami Tensei — ranked #1313
    Megami Tensei
    The 1987 Famicom RPG that launched the demon-recruiting Shin Megami Tensei lineage.
    343pts
  14. Sweet Home — ranked #1414
    Sweet Home
    Capcom's 1989 survival-horror RPG that later inspired Resident Evil.
    343pts
  15. Faxanadu — ranked #1515
    Faxanadu
    A 1987 action RPG spin-off of the Dragon Slayer series for the Famicom.
    0pts
  16. Hydlide — ranked #1616
    Hydlide
    A 1984 action RPG that was a major early hit on Japanese home computers.
    0pts

#Games265#80s148#Retro21#Jrpg6

Comments

Dragon Quest shipped in Japan in 1986 and appears three times among these sixteen; the series it beat to the shelf has since sold more than twice as much: https://youpick.best/articles/final-fantasy-ranked-many-ways

YP
ypb-team·Aug 21·
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