It’s been a running joke for years that big publishers just put out the same game each year with a slightly different name.Assassin’s Creed,Call of Duty, andBattlefieldare just a few big franchises that are infamous for doing this.
However, the truth is when it comes to the number of entries, western franchises pale in comparison to JRPGs. Of course, some of thebest modern-day JRPGScome from franchises that are decades old, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they have a lot of entries. However, once spin-off games have been taken into account, some series have a truly staggering amount of games.
Like many JRPG franchises,Yshas been around for a long time. The series began way back in 1987 withYs: Ancient Ya Vanishedfor the PC-8801 and the franchise has seen a total of 16 entries since then.
Relatively unique in the world of JRPGs, the entire franchise follows a single protagonist, Adol Christin, as he travels the world getting into trouble. The franchise’s action RPG gameplay has always been fairly innovative and its latest entry,Ys 9: Monstrum Nox, has one of thebest JRPG combat systems around.
Keeping track of theLegend of Heroesfranchise can be more than a little confusing. Itonlyconsists of 21 main entries, but these are split into several subseries - beginning withDragon Slayerand most recently the mega-successfulTrailsseries. Each series in the franchise is connected by the kind of massive over-arching plot that would make the MCU blush.
The franchise features some of thebest JRPGs ever made by Nihon Falcomwith theTrails of Cold Steelseries being particularly popular. With so many interconnected stories and recurring characters, the franchise can be an intimidating one to jump into, but it’s absolutely worth the effort.
TheRomance of the Three Kingdomfranchise is one of the oldest in the JRPG genre, beginning back in 1985. It consists of 14 main entries and 16 spin-offs, all of which are mostly variations of the same turn-based strategy RPG gameplay.
Earlier entries in the series focused more on the mass strategy side of things, but more recent entries have increasingly emphasized more traditional RPG mechanics. Based on the 14th-century historical novel of the same name, this JRPG series is a great pick for history buffs.
When theAtelierseries launched in 1997, it broke the traditional JRPG mold in several ways. The main character is an alchemist and the central gameplay loop consists of gathering ingredients to use in alchemy recipes. These recipes provide whatever is needed to progress the central plot - whether that be key items, weapons, armor, or food.
Combat in each entry is turn-based and uses items created via the central alchemy mechanic. The series is known for being more laid back than other JRPG series, with each entry featuring a similar “cute” art style and the central plots tending to be light-hearted and funny.
TheTalesseries is a relative baby compared to many JRPG franchises and started in 1995 withTales of Phantasia. Since then, the series has had its ups and downs when it comes to quality, but its most recent entry,Tales of Arise, is easily one of thebest JRPGs on the PS5.
The vast majority of entries in the series are independent of each other, featuring their own stories and characters - making it an easy franchise to jump into. This being said, the games are linked by a handful of gameplay elements and themes. Each game uses a variation of the trademark action-based fighting system called the “liner Motion Battle System” and the series is most well known for its manga/anime-inspired art direction.
TheDragon Questfranchise is one of the biggest and oldest names in the JRPG world. The franchise is massively successful and since its 1986 launch, has sold over 88 million units worldwide, grossing over $5 billion. There’s even an old (and false) rumor that the Japanese government banned Square Enix from releasing new entries on weekdays because so many workers would call in sick.
While common elements persist throughout the series,including one of the best-ever JRPG Mascot characters, each entry is mostly standalone. That’s probably a good thing considering just how many entries there are. Over 30 tie-ins and spin-offs have been released over the years, some of which form their own miniseries.
TheDigimonfranchise has been far more successful than many people give it credit for. It first found fame in the late 90s as a bit of aPokemonrip-off, but over the years has put out a surprising amount of games - over 30 JRPGs and plenty of other spin-offs.
Digimonmay have once been a bit of a joke, but nostalgia is a powerful thing and in recent years this JRPG franchise has seen a resurgence. It might not have seen the same kind of success asPokemon, butDigimonis still going strong.
While mostDigimongames fall within the JRPG genre, some exceptions exist. However, the franchise is still mainly associated with RPGs.
Keeping track of how many games there are in theMegami Tenseifranchise is no easy task - no other JRPG series has such a complicated history. There are arguably nine mainShin Megami Tenseientries and 16 spin-offs, but the franchise has a ridiculous number of sister games and offshoots; in fact, the IP predates theShinera, launching in 1987 withDigital Devil Story: Megami Tensei.
Many of these have become massive - thePersonagames, for example, are part of this franchise and feature their spin-offs. It can all get very hard to keep track of and examining theShin Megami Tenseifranchise as a whole can feel a bit like peeling the layers of an onion. The main entries in each series do, however, all share a handful of elements. They tend to be set in modern-day Japan (mostly Tokyo) and feature evolutions of the same demon-catching and fusing gameplay.
Many players out there can probably trace their love of the genre back to one franchise -Pokemon. It’s one of themost beloved video game franchises of the ‘90sand ever since 1996, Game Freak has been releasing core entries on the regular. These games have grossed an estimated $30 million worldwide and sold over 480 million units.
What few people realize though, is just how manyPokemongames there actually are. Nintendo and the Pokemon Company have a reputation for being mean with their IP, but over 100 tie-in and spin-off games have been released over the years. For years, the fans complained that the franchise’s iconic formula had grown stale, but attempts have been made to freshen things up with the likes ofLegends: ArceusandScarlet and Violet. Whether these attempts have paid off is a subject of much debate among fans.
For many gamers, Final Fantasy istheJRPG franchise. It’s been around since 1987 and is responsible for introducing countless Westerners to the JRPG genre. The franchise has never been afraid to innovate and has always been a trailblazer among its fellow JRPGs.
Particular standouts have beenFinal Fantasy 7,a truly timless RPGthat wowed PS1 gamers with its graphics and story, andFinal Fantasy 15,which shifted the franchise into action RPG territory. Many gamers will be familiar with the franchise’s 16 core entries but less familiar with its countless spin-offs. Some of these have been well received, likeFinal Fantasy Origin, while others have been seen as little more than cash grabs like many of the mobile games.
