Looking to build up a JRPG collection.

Post Reply New Topic

I recently started scouring the used game shops, and I found many good deals on PS & PS2 JRPG games, in decent condition no less.

Being my favorite gaming genre of all time, I decided to start working on collecting these games almost exclusively.

I plan on getting a 3DS and a PS3 eventually. Or maybe I'll wait for the next generation PlayStation whenever that comes out - if it can play PS3 games, that is (which nobody is entirely sure it will).

But essentially, I am looking for other resources to build up my collection of older JRPGs. I do plan on playing through all of them, eventually.

So, this is my gaming passion, right here.

That is pretty cool. The j is for japanese right?

DS was the king of JRPG systems last gen. So many underrated gems. Definitely get one of those. And a GBA (even if it was mostly SNES ports).

Try any games in the "Tales" series and Ni No Kuni.

The huge amount of jrpgs for ps/ps2 are why those are my favorite consoles. If you don't mind older graphics, pick up an emulator for SNES. SNES had a lot of classics, like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana and the early Final Fantasy games.

And Earthbound. Earthbound is essential.

Game Boy Color has a lot of hidden gems as well. The GBC version of Dragon Warrior 3 is the definitive version, and is probably one of the greatest RPGs ever.

Well, I'd say it depends on whether you're looking to build up a collection in the true sense of the word(physical copies only), or just want to be able to play as many jrpgs as possible.

I respectfully disagree. I think both handhelds were great for jrpgs, but for me, jrpgs on the psp really benefitted from the system's graphical and sound capabilities. Granted, I think the ds is unrivalled when it comes to first person dungeon crawlers. Class of Heroes for the psp is the closest thing the system has to the Etrian series and Strange Journey, but I just didn't get into it in the same way. Personally, I'd recommend getting both systems, or maybe getting a 3ds instead of a ds, since it's completely b/c with ds games, and a vita instead of a psp. The 3ds is region locked for 3ds games(which is total bs), but it is region free for ds games(which I can vouch for), just like the ds, and will of course play 3ds games, and E-Shop games, so I wouldn't bother with a ds at this point, unless you want b/c with gba games. There are a few decent jrpgs on the wii too, so that system isn't a total paperweight. The wii u plays wii games(supposedly), but I'm not sure if a wii u is worth getting yet. The wii's virtual console is great for downloads of 8 and 16 bit games, including jrpgs though.

With the psp, you don't have to track down physical copies of most games, because most of them are available as digital downloads, which makes the system great for those who are late to the party. The vita won't play physical copies of psp games, but it is b/c with digital copies, and you'd have a system. The ps3, psp and vita can all play psn downloads of ps1 classics, but not all of them are compatible with the vita at this point, which may be a downside to the system(though that problem will hopefully be fixed before too long). Downloads of ps2 classics only work on the ps3 at this point, but I'm hoping they'll also be compatible with the vita eventually. It has been confirmed that the ps4 will not be b/c with physical copies of ps3 games, so that might be something to take into consideration.

I'm not sure about the vita(since I have yet to acquire one), but the ps3 and psp are both region free, though the vita should be too. It's easy to sign up for accounts from various regions, and access their ps store, aside from the language barrier with the Japanese psn, if you don't have sufficient background with the language.

With the psp, you can only have one account activated at a time, and all content from other accounts will be locked out, but there's a way around that, if you have a ps3. All you need to do is copy over a game, or other file type from a particular account over to your psp to change the account activation. Copying stuff over takes time, so I'd recommend going with minis, or other small games. Designate a game or file from each of your accounts to be the one to switch your psp over to that account. Have it saved as an icon on your ps3, but not installed, so you can copy it over to your psp. Delete that file from your psp before copying it over again(duh), but you can keep all other content from any region you want saved on your pro-duos(you will just be able to access only certain content at a time). I'm not sure how the vita works in that regard, but I'm assuming it's similar.

The advantage of a psp, is that it plays psp games from other regions, and if you live in an NTSC region, PAL ps1 classics won't work on the ps3, but they will work on the psp. It's not a system thing, but ps1 classics from the UK don't recognize the output of my tv. I've had no such problem with modern psn games though. That may be something to keep in mind with NTSC games if you live in a PAL region too, but I can't verify that. It stands to reason that you should though. Since NA and Japan are both NTSC regions though, Japanese ps1 classics work just fine on a NA ps3 and tv, along with all other psn downloads. I haven't tried PAL ps2 games, but since there's no handheld safety net with those games(yet), I don't want to take that gamble.

Wow, I went on for quite a bit, but the region free thing on Sony's system is really cool, and I had to explain the loopholes for certain things, though they tend to require both a ps3 and psp(or maybe a vita). I love Ninty's systems too though, and recommend checking then out. I hope this helps if you're looking for a legal way to acquire jrpgs. I'd also recommend checking out Sonic's Ultimate Genesis/Megadrive Collection(depending on which region you are in), which is a fantastic collection of Genesis games, including jrpgs like the Phantasy Stars(to my understanding, you have a 360, and there is a 360 version of the collection).

PS4 got announced Wednesday, no PS3 games playable D:

For snes emulator I recommand bsnes/higan, zsnes is way too buggy. http://byuu.org/bsnes/accuracy

You should also check out Xenoblade. It's for Wii, but it's definitely worth checking out. I think they are working on a new game in the series for Wii U, so you can get that and still be able to play the old Xenoblade ( I think )

I hate to break it to you, but Xenoblade is crazy expensive now. I would love to play it myself, but I had to pass, because $90 is out of my price range for a used copy. Actually, that's good news for you if you have a copy. You have something valuable in your collection. Don't let it go, unless you want to make a quick buck.

There is no way PS4 will be able to natively play PS3 games owing to the change to standard x86 architecture, so I wouldn't hold your breath on that.

Valkyria Chronicles was exceptionally good, though it was more of a tactical RPG. I loved Demon's Souls and Dark Souls, though again, they're more third person action adventure games with RPG elements rather than proper RPGs. Final Fantasy XIII was terrible. I never played the sequel because nothing could persuade me to go back into that particular setting of bland characters and barren world. The Tales series I've never been much of a fan of. Too adolescent for my liking. I found Ni No Kuni to be dull and fiddly; very similar in many regards to the developer's previous Dragon Quest games but inferior in every way, particularly with its combat system which makes the bulk of the game.

If you plan on getting a 3DS, I would recommend the most recent Fire Emblem game. I do not have any experience with the title but have enjoyed every game in the series before it and apparently this one is the best yet. Though again, not a real JRPG; more of a tactical RPG. I would not recommend getting a PS3 purely for JRPGs unless you can get one cheap or have other types of games you'd like to play. There really hasn't been many JRPGs released this generation compared to ones past, let alone quality ones.

If you're still acquiring JRPGs for the PS2 though, I could recommend plenty. Final Fantasy X, X-2 & XII, Dragon Quest VIII, SMT: Nocturne, Persona 3 & 4, Star Ocean 3, Dark Chronicle, Disgaea are good to start with.

With all due respect, while you're entitled to your opinion, you're definitely in the minority in that one. Granted, I don't always side with the majority either, so there's nothing wrong with that either.

With that said, KagamineLen, I highly recommend checking out Ni no Kuni. I never did get into the Tales games, but they do have a cult following, and there is more than one to choose from on the ps3. I'm quite fond of the Atelier games, but they're not recommended for anyone who isn't into girly jrpgs, and they're more centred around saving a business, as opposed to an epic quest. I personally found that particular aspect of the premise to be engaging, along with the time management system(you kind of have to like that sort of thing too). The Hyperdimension Neptunia games are definitely not for everyone, but they're great for anyone interested in a parody of not only the jrpg genre, but also console wars from various points in time, starting with the 7th gen. I never did play the Record of Agarest War games, but the sequel is a ps3 exclusive, though I heard it isn't particularly amazing. Personally, I'd assess whether the ps3's jrpgs are worth picking up the system for, based on your preferences.

I know I'm in the minority on Ni No Kuni. The game's saving grace for me is Ghibli's involvement. If you enjoy Ghibli films there is a lot of fan service in this game, with references to various films. The story is enjoyable too, coming off as a charming fairytale. The art style is fantastic and screenshots don't do the game justice; the animation is superb.

I just didn't like the combat, which plays like a real time version of Shin Megami Tensei but sticks with an unwieldy menu based control system ala Kingdom Hearts; yet unlike Kingdom Hearts you do have to go into those menus frequently and there are no assignable quick slots. So during battle you'll often find yourself trying to run away whilst simultaneously trying to root through menus so you can perform some magic or to defend from some briefly telegraphed massive attack. Plus you have to rely on your AI partners far more, which is too bad because the AI is terrible.

Assuming you have a PC, there's also a growing number of JRPGs available on Steam. Most of these require only modest hardware and should run on integrated graphics. I only have Recettear, which is a really fun action RPG where you run a shop and sell items and hire adventurers to go out with you into dungeons to stock your shop with. You have to divide your time between adventuring and stocking your store, selling stock so that you can afford to pay off the massive debts you owe.

Eternal Sonata. I tend to go for the more obscure ones for some reason. they seem to hold more appeal to me as they tend to generally be more interesting than more mainstream stuff. Best you get it for PS3

I played "suikoden" on PS one about a month ago. It's pretty good, though a bit short. Embarrassingly defeated on one of the final battles, I haven't picked it up since.