When discussing the golden era of RPGs, many still swear by the 16-bit generation of consoles. The genre took massive strides in the late 80s and early 90s towards becoming the juggernaut storytelling gaming machine that we know today.
But more importantly, some of the genre’s greatest-ever titles came from this period. There’s a reason so many people have fond memories of the RPGs released on the Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and TurboGrafx-16. The RPG genre – and gaming in general – would be far poorer without these magnificent games.
10Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
The Red Plumber Levels Ups
In the history of laudable video game collaborations, Square developing a Super Nintendo RPG set in the Mushroom Kingdom has to rank as one of the best. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars isn’t one of thebest Mario role-playing gamessimply because it was the first, but because of how much it committed to doing justice to it concept.
Square crafted a more interactive turn-based battle system incorporating timed button inputs to ensure combat was more engaging for Mario’s run-and-jump-trained fanbase. That’s not even mentioning the incredible writing, which injected the game with a sense of humour and personality that still endears nearly thirty years later.
9Beyond Oasis
Sega’s Answer To A Link To The Past
While the Zelda influence is obvious just from looking at Beyond Oasis, this Sega Genesis action RPG does carve out its own identity. For one, there’s the setting: an Arabian-inspired island that absolutely pops on hardware thanks to large character sprites and detailed environments.
The swordplay of Beyond Oasis is also more varied than your typical 2D Zelda – utilising different height levels and a complex moveset to ensure that each encounter feels more strategic than a simple hack n’ slash. Even if it is on the shorter side, Beyond Oasis is an often overlooked 16-bit RPG that propped up Sega’s credibility within the genre.
8Secret Of Mana
Taking Your Friends On The Journey
Secret of Mana would already be one of the greatest 16-bit RPGs of all time thanks to its shimmering aesthetics, open-ended design, and ethereal soundtrack. The fact that it’s also an early example of a cooperative RPG is just the icing on the cake.
Playing through the game with a friend – or two if you owned the Super Multitap – was a special experience in 1993 and continues to bring retro RPG fans together decades later. If you are looking for an exceptional 16-bit RPG, look no further than Secret of Mana.
7Shining Force 2
An Excellent Strategy-RPG For The Genesis
Given the early Fire Emblem games never made their way outside of Japan, Shining Force was the introduction for many gamers to the strategy-RPG genre. And while the first game was solid enough, Shining Force 2 is operating on a whole different level.
With a memorable roster of playable characters – including wonderfully fantastical creatures such as centaurs and Pegasus knights – Shining Force 2’s battles are perfectly fine-tuned to be challenging but never overwhelming. Throw in an engaging story and catchy soundtrack, and Shining Force 2 is a shining example of an early strategy RPG.
6Final Fantasy 4
Heralding A New Era For Video Game Storytelling
Final Fantasy 4 offered something different to most of the RPGs that came before it: an emotional story. The tale of Cecil, Rosa, Kain, and friends made Super Nintendo players feel things on a deeper level than what they were used to from a video game thanks to a sweeping narrative and a typically emotive soundtrack from Nobuo Uematsu.
Outside of itsexcellent main protagonistand fantastic writing, Final Fantasy 4 also innovated the typical turn-based battle system by introducing the Active Time Battle system. This development added a layer of tension to each battle, ensuring you always felt switched on and focused throughout the entire adventure.
5Ys Book 1 & 2
A Technological Marvel For Its Time
Ys Book 1 & 2 had a major advantage by being released on the TurboGrafx-CD, allowing for visuals and sounds that blew RPG fans away back in the early 90s. The CD format opened the door to music and cinematics that made this already epic adventure feel so much more immense.
Of course, this compilation of the first two Ys games already had a lot going for it even without the added technological benefits. The Zelda-like gameplay and excellent storytelling would have been enough to cement Ys Book 1 & 2 as a classic of the 16-bit era, but anyone who played this game back in the day will tell you just how much of a leap forward it felt like.
4EarthBound
The Definition Of A Cult Classic
EarthBound’s legacy has only continued to grow over the years, which is good, as this idiosyncratic JRPG from Nintendo was at risk of fading into obscurity. A notoriously tone-deaf marketing campaign in America meant that EarthBound sold poorly at launch, but has now finally been accepted by the larger gaming community for the classic that it is.
EarthBound’s genius lies in its emotional storytelling. Setting an RPG in a contemporary setting was novel for its time and allowed Shigesato Itoi and his team to craft a more intimate adventure that captures the wonder, humour, heartbreak, magic, and adventure of childhood.
3Phantasy Star 4: The End Of The Millennium
Absolutely Phantastic
The Sega Genesis often gets slept on when it comes to RPGs, despite having some of thevery best of the 16-bit era. Case in point: Phantasy Star 4: The End of the Millennium, a thrilling conclusion to one of gaming’s greatest space operas.
Phantasy Star 4 acts as a terrific ending to the classic series while also telling an exhilarating story in its own right. Everything comes together for an excellent 16-bit RPG that has aged like fine wine.
2Final Fantasy 6
The Final Fantasy Fan Favourite
From the moment the camera pans down to a dark stormy sky filled with lightning as 16-bit organs play in the background, it’s clear that Final Fantasy 6 is operating on a different level than what came before. The mature storytelling and refined mechanics that Final Fantasy 6 introduced such as jump, and many gamers and developers still see it as a pinnacle of the series.
The tale of Final Fantasy 6 is filled with devious villains, dashing anti-heroes, and a mid-game plot twist that still shakes players to their core. It’s a game that refused to compromise on its grand vision and would be considered a classic regardless of what era it was released in.
1Chrono Trigger
The obvious choice perhaps, but the obvious choice for good reason. Chrono Trigger was developed by a dream team of RPG royalty all at the top of their game delivering pure gaming magic.
This time-traveling epic delivered on all fronts: excellent characters, an engaging battle system, and an ethereal soundtrack. 16-bit RPGs simply don’t get better than Chrono Trigger.
