Slowly but surely, though, mobile gaming is shedding its bad image. Titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail prove thatmobile phones are a viable platform for high-end gaming. Companies like Square Enix and Capcom have ported their classics for the widest possible audience. If you’re a JRPG fan, it’s easier than ever to enjoy these classic games.
10Ys Chronicles 1 & 2
Nihon Falcom’s Ys is one of the longest-running JRPG series in history. The mainstream appeal has passed it by, but it maintains a strong niche following, with fans eagerly waiting to see where Adol’s next shipwreck will take him.
As an introduction to the series, you can’t go wrong with Ys Chronicles 1 & 2. The ports were developed by DotEmu and based on the PSP remasters. The combat is simple but engaging, making Ys Chronicles 1 & 2 prime candidates for mobile gaming.
9Disgaea 1 Complete
When Disgaea burst onto the RPG scene in 2003,it was a breath of fresh air, combining strategy with comedy. Its dark humor and underworld setting helped it stand out for RPG fans, who were exhausted from exploring samey worlds with prudish protagonists.
It also took the concept of grinding and turned it up to 11, allowing you to level your troops up to 9999. Disgaea 1 Complete for mobile hastens your progress towards this funny number with a cheat shop, speed-up, and auto-battles, optimizing your grind.
8Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
Fans remain divided on which is better: the original Valkyrie Profile on PS1 or the 2006 PSP version, subtitled Lenneth. Square Enix went with the latter and gave us a port of a port in Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth on mobile.
With updated visuals and quality-of-life features like auto-battle, this is the most convenient way to experience Valkyrie Profile. Having it on mobile will spare you from having to carry an extra device while out and about. We love the PSP, but we have only so many pockets.
7Lunar: Silver Star Story Touch
There was a time when people were selling their game collections and consoles to be able to afford a Sega CD, because it was the only system that had Lunar: The Silver Star. Thankfully, those days are behind us. You can have Lunar in your pocket now.
Lunar: Silver Star Story Touch has controller support, anime cutscenes, and full voice acting. It incorporates quality-of-life features to minimize grinding and let you enjoy a story that’s enraptured many over the years. It’s heartwarming to see a developer determined to preserve the game with regular updates and a promise of no microtransactions.
6The World Ends With You: Solo Remix
It’s a real shame that, in July 2023, the mobile versions of The World Ends With You were delisted. Support was also dropped for newer operating systems, rendering the game unplayable on most phones. With its touch-centric controls and checkpoint-heavy gameplay, TWEWY - originally a DS title - felt like it was made for mobile. The controls were seamless, the visuals were flashy, and you lost very little progress if you had to take a call while playing.
If you were lucky enough to experience TWEWY on mobile while it was available, you’re able to probably attest to it being one of the best mobile ports a classic JRPG has had. Now, however, it’s just a sobering reminder of how fickle digital media can be.
5Dragon Quest Series
Dragon Quest is to JRPGs what AC/DC is to rock’n’roll: consistent, reliable, and always shows up, even on your phone. The first six Dragon Quest games, as well as Dragon Quest 8, are available on both iOS and Android.
While pricier than most mobile titles, these ports are comprehensive. Dragon Quest 4, in particular, stands out as the definitive edition, adding the party chat that was removed from the Nintendo DS version. Dragon Quest 8 lacks voice acting but is fully playable otherwise. If you want to grind on the go, these ports are a convenient alternative to tracking down used cartridges.
4Final Fantasy Series
The only JRPG series to rival Dragon Quest in legacy and prestige, Final Fantasy is no slouch when it comes to mobile ports. Every mainline Final Fantasy title up till FF 9 is available on mobile, alongside the 3D remakes of FF 3 and 4, and the strategy spin-off War of the Lions.
When the original ports of the first six games were poorly received, Square Enix went back and fixed them with the Pixel Remasters, which incorporateda bunch of updatesto make them the best way to play. We definitely don’t lack Final Fantasy for our mobile phones.
3Monster Hunter Stories
Monster Hunter Stories is a cutesy, Pokemon-like spin-off of Monster Hunter. Instead of hunting down monsters, you can befriend them and ride them across a much less threatening world than in the mainline titles.
Originally a 3DS title, Monster Hunter Stories is well-suited to mobile phones with its turn-based battles and breezy navigation. The mobile version also fixes some performance issues of the original. While some Nintendo crossover items are excluded, all the DLC from the 3DS version is built into the game from the get-go.
2The Mana Series
The Mana series has seen a few titles developed exclusively for Android and iOS, but those are unlikely to sway old-school JRPG fans to mobile gaming. Whatislikely, however, is the availability of the classics: Secret of Mana, Legend of Mana, and Trials of Mana.
Out of these ports, Trials of Mana is the most impressive. We’re not talking about Trials of Mana for the SNES: we mean the remake, which was released in 2020. Everything included in the PS4, Switch, and PC versions of Trials of Mana is available in the mobile port.
1Chrono Trigger
Ask people to name the most iconic JRPG of all time, and a good chunk of your answers will be ‘Chrono Trigger.’ It would be easier for us to list the reasons this gameisn’tbeloved. From the soundtrack to the storyline, Chrono Trigger is a masterpiece.
The mobile version includes updated visuals, anime cutscenes, and the extra content of the Nintendo DS version. It also has controller support, if being unable to see through your thumbs dissuades you from mobile gaming. Whether it’s your first run or an umpteenth playthrough, the mobile port of Chrono Trigger is the definitive edition.
