10 Classic Turn-based RPGs Everyone Should Know

The origins of RPGs naturally lie in the turn-based combat system. In the past decade, we've seen real-time action titles dominate the market and become the public's preference in the genre; however, the last few years have brought some of the best games based on a more deliberate system with less frantic action, rewarding prior planning and good decision-making.

In this article, we present titles that defined the genre in past generations building the foundations that would later be refined by modernized titles — from the timeless classic Chrono Trigger to Nintendo's cult title, Earthbound.

Chrono Trigger

Chrono Trigger, considered by many to be the best RPG of all time, was born from a convergence of talents known as the "dream team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yuji Horii, and Akira Toriyama joined forces to create one of the most memorable games in history.

The title follows a group of adventurers from different eras on a time-traveling journey as they try to find a way to save the world from the threat of Lavos, a creature that will destroy life on the planet in the future. Despite the semi-apocalyptic premise, Chrono Trigger carries notable elements from the works that the three names behind the project have already worked on — Toriyama's iconic character design blended perfectly with the heroic narrative typical of Yuji Horii and Hironobu Sakaguchi's works at the time, all wrapped up in a soundtrack composed by the legends Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda.

The combination also provides visual and systemic clarity: in a period when random battles were still the standard, this was one of the first titles to show enemies directly on the screen and leave the decision of whether to face them or not in the player's hands, making the grind less tiring than in other games. Combined with more intuitive combat and innovative mechanics—such as the famous Dual Techs and Triple Techs—Chrono Trigger's battles always feel rewarding rather than an obligation.

But perhaps Chrono Trigger's most important hallmark was its plot twists. Working with time travel offered the opportunity to create consequences for the player's decisions and world-building, as well as exploring themes and tropes that, at the time, were unexplored and even shocking in certain aspects.

The game relied on the player's curiosity and rewarded observation and daring with different plot outcomes or even the possibility of permanently changing the course of a family, entire regions, or even the fate of the silent protagonist.

Final Fantasy VI

Final Fantasy VI remains one of the most ambitious examples of the genre in terms of story, frequently cited as having the best plot in the franchise.

Its secret to narrative success lies in the paradigm shift from what the series proposed in previous games. With a diverse cast, where each character has their own arc, internal conflicts, and clear motivations, it provides a plot full of twists and turns and a maturation in the language of the then Squaresoft.

The game was more sober, mature, with characters on a journey to unite people for a common purpose and subsequently rebuild the world in a plot that mixed magic and technology in a way the franchise had never done before.

The changes were also reflected in combat and team building: FFVI was the first title in the franchise since Final Fantasy II to abandon the job system in favor of other leveling styles, this time using Espers to ensure greater flexibility in building characters as desired, but where each also possessed their own set of skills and advantages, which conferred creative freedom but also provided more personality to the heroes.

EarthBound

Set in an absurdly mundane world, Nintendo's RPG EarthBound, released in 1994, deconstructed virtually all the clichés of the genre that existed at the time.

Instead of an epic adventure, there was a plot about childhood insecurities. Dragons were replaced by traffic signs, strange cultists, and existential crises disguised as dark humor, crafting a subversion of the genre that shifted its codes and rules to a more mundane setting.

The turn-based combat remained traditional, but the true highlight of the title was its visual style, which stood out from everything that had been done at the time and remains an unusual trope, almost impossible to reproduce, in the industry.

These elements made it a timeless classic celebrated by future generations and inspired a dozen independent games to try, some successfully and others not so much, to use its style and formula to create their own original works.

The Legend of Dragoon

The search for an authorial identity, as seen in EarthBound, is also a striking trait of The Legend of Dragoon, a title from the end of the PlayStation One era, celebrated as one of the best RPGs of its time.

The game is often remembered for its combat system that introduced timed commands during turns, demanding active player attention and breaking the typical passivity of menus — the title set the precedent for what, more than twenty-five years later, would be celebrated as inspiration for the combat in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Although it followed a classic medieval fantasy core, the game is full of mythology with a plot about revenge in a world full of wars, dragons, and heroes capable of using their powers, with four discs for the console, which at the time was indicative of the graphic potential and the extent of its plot.

But not everything is perfect with Legend of Dragoon: at times, its camera can feel awkward for current generations, and its plot has some dated tropes of the time the game was released. However, even with its imperfections, the game represents a generation that sought to innovate within stricter technical limits than those we have today, which guarantees its place as one of the most important classic turn-based RPGs of the genre.

Suikoden II

Suikoden II takes on themes similar to those seen in other games on the list: a continent at war, the need to gather allies, and a plot about friendship with unexpected twists in one of the most mature RPG storylines of its time.

The game puts us in the role of a young hero at the center of a civil war, who must recruit allies to fight against the forces of an oppressive empire and the fearsome Luca Blight. The extensive cast is one of the title's biggest draws, with 108 recruitable characters, each with their own unique abilities and backstories, who help build your own military force.

Its large-scale battle system, involving the use of armies in strategic combat, is another major highlight, requiring players to think in terms of military tactics, positioning, and the proper use of their forces. The ability to customize armies and plan war strategies gives the gameplay a freshness not found in any other RPG of its era, making Suikoden II a timeless classic.

Xenogears

The Squaresoft (now Square Enix) game that was considered too dark and complex to be a Final Fantasy. Xenogears originated from a Final Fantasy VII script and eventually became its own production and a classic of its generation by blending philosophy, religion, psychology, and science fiction with explicit language in a fantasy world.

We follow the adventures of Fei Fong Wong, a young man from the peaceful village of Lahan who seeks answers about his past after his home is destroyed by him in an open confrontation between Gears, giant military robots that the protagonist somehow knows how to pilot.

Its turn-based combat alternates between on-foot battles, where combos are used by mixing buttons to unleash more powerful attacks, and confrontations with the Gears, which have their own fuel system and power level to balance the combat.

Considered by many RPG fans a must-play, Xenogears also had its share of controversy due to the second half of the title, which swaps free exploration and classic JRPG tropes for a more linear gameplay style, segmented into chapters, where the player follows dialogues and cutscenes while exploring dungeons and fighting monsters, without as much room for travels.

Breath of Fire III

The plot of Breath of Fire III, a classic Capcom RPG that, unfortunately, did not continue after the sixth game in the series, follows Ryu from childhood to adulthood on a journey to discover more about his past, origins, and connections to the dragon lineages, demonstrating his evolution throughout the story.

From a gameplay perspective, the game is best known for its unique dragon transformation mechanics in combat, where the protagonist can transform into different types of dragons throughout the journey as he learns about them.

Another major highlight is the color palette used in the game and the player's interactivity with the environment, where we can climb, reach other places, and even find items or secret rooms.

The secondary characters are also some of the most unique and diverse from the classic RPGs, including allies like Nina, Rei, and Garr, each with its own abilities and personalities, adding to the team interaction that makes them relevant to the plot, even when the central focus—as is usual for games from the PlayStation One era—was still mostly on the hero.

Final Fantasy VII

It's impossible to elaborate on classic turn-based RPGs without mentioning the one that popularized the genre in the West. Final Fantasy VII is one of the most influential RPGs in history, and most of the titles that came after it might not have existed if it weren't for its colossal success.

The game follows Cloud Strife, a former soldier who joins the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE to fight against Shinra, responsible for draining the planet's life energy. Throughout their journey, Cloud and his allies discover that the legendary villain and soldier Sephiroth is still alive, unfolding a plot full of twists and turns about the protagonist's origin and identity, grief, and environmental preservation.

Final Fantasy VII is the most historic RPG title ever, marked by iconic characters and a graphical leap compared to its predecessor, coupled with powerful marketing that transformed it into one of the greatest games of all time, to the point of remaining relevant even today with the release of the episodic retelling Final Fantasy VII Remake, which introduced its universe to a new generation of players with a visually and mechanically revamped work, more oriented towards the Action RPG style.

Persona 4

The Persona series already existed in the previous generation, but the Atlus series achieved its success with Persona 3 by combining school life simulation with dungeon exploration and doubled down with Persona 4, which offered major improvements over the previous title, with a more memorable cast of characters.

The player takes on the role of a student who divides their time between social activities, such as interactions with classmates and part-time jobs, and investigating the mysterious murders in the city of Inaba. During the day, the school routine shapes relationships, while at night, the player explores dungeons in a parallel reality called TV World, facing creatures and discovering clues to solve the mystery of who is throwing people into that world to be devoured by the Shadows.

Persona 4 stands out for its blend of investigation, thriller, and the personal dramas and dilemmas of each character, ensuring a deeper connection between the player and them through the Social Link. In this system, as the player strengthens bonds with other characters, the Personas used in combat become more powerful, serving as a parallel means of gaining levels.

The real challenge of Persona 4 lies in time management: as the game uses a system of calendars and deadlines to complete each objective, it's natural that players need to consider when to spend time with a friend, enter a dungeon to gain levels, or complete the next stage of the investigation, making everything more dynamic and, above all, guaranteeing greater replayability.

Final Fantasy X

There's no better way to end this journey than with a title that boasts one of the most acclaimed combat systems in RPGs.

Final Fantasy X allows players to plan actions based on a visible turn order, with the possibility of switching characters during combat—a tool the title uses masterfully to give relevance to each character on the team: Tidus deals with more agile monsters, Wakka has the reach to attack flying beasts, and Lulu deals with enemies with physical resistance; each character has a purpose on the team, and this gives them individual opportunities to shine during the journey.

The plot revolves around the battle against Sin, an entity that periodically resurfaces to destroy the civilization of Spira until it is destroyed again by a Summoner. Playing as Tidus, players follow the journey of Yuna and her guardians as they visit temples around the world and uncover the secrets behind Sin and challenge Spira's societal conventions and issues.

The Sphere Grid is a major highlight as well: a progression system that allows for the customization of skill development according to the player's preferences. Although initially restricting freedom, eventually the entire Grid can be opened to all characters, thus establishing a freedom of builds that few titles usually offer and a direct upgrade from the Materia system of Final Fantasy VII.

The game was also the first title in the series to include full voice acting, and Squaresoft's first release for the PlayStation 2, with a memorable graphical leap for the time, serving as a benchmark for other studios of its era.