Decades-old JRPGs have never been more popular. Not since the Nintendo DS era have we been awash in high-quality JRPG remasters (and remakes!). This year alone has seen classic 90s JRPGs Lunar, Suikoden, and SaGa Frontier 2 receive stellar remasters. Not to mention other excellent recent remasters from the last few years such as Live a Live, Star Ocean: The Second Story R, and Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers.
This era of JRPG remasters is an embarrassment of re-discovered riches, whether we’re exploring nostalgic memories, or fortifying gaps in an expansive genre.
But wait, there’s more! We’ve compiled a list of four classic JRPGs from the 90s that we’d love to see get the full modernized treatment. We’re not even begging for full remakes a la Dragon Quest III HD-2D or Super Mario RPG (or the reigning champ of high-powered JRPG remakes, Final Fantasy 7). Just give us modern resolutions and quality of life features, such as adjustable battle speed and the ability to save anywhere.
Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals
A Lufia remaster should easily include both games, but the original game, Fortress of Doom, is just aggressively okay. Lufia 2, however, vastly improved the gameplay with much better dungeon-crawling, interesting Zelda-like puzzles, and expanded character skills. It also featured a cool mega-dungeon, The Ancient Cave, with randomized floors and starting equipment, creating an intriguing roguelike experience.
Lufia 2 is actually a prequel, and tells a compelling, character-driven story of legendary heroes, and equally dramatic villains. Lufia 2 received a remake on the Nintendo DS in 2010, but changed into a more action-oriented RPG, with mixed results.
Original US release: 1996 (SNES)
Phantasy Star 4
JRPGs are often associated with fantasy, but plenty more have elements of sci-fi. Sega’s Phantasy Star series actually began in the 80s, and is entirely science fiction, taking place across multiple planets and generations.
Phantasy Star 4: The End of the Millennium is the clear highlight of the series. Set between Phantasy Star 2 and 3, the story begins with heroic hunters saving their planet from ecological disaster, and builds into a galaxy-wide threat. The final game in the original series introduces combination techniques between characters, and a greater focus on character interaction and storytelling.
The series later inspired the Phantasy Star Online spinoffs, with Phantasy Star Online 2 receiving a massive upgrade in 2021.
Original US release: 1995 (Sega Genesis)
Shining Force 2
One of my personal all-time favorite games on the Sega Genesis was Shining Force 2. The Shining series actually began as a first-person dungeon crawler in 1991 with Shining in the Darkness. The follow-up was completely different: a turn-based, tactical strategy RPG that combined classic overworld RPG exploration with Chess-like battlefield combat similar to Fire Emblem (which wouldn’t come to western audiences for another decade).
The first Shining Force is great, and the sequel is even better. Both games feature classic heroic RPG stories of gathering allies from across the world to fight armies of monsters and demons.
The tactical combat was the real highlight, replacing tedious random battles with miniature warfare. Plus, the huge cast allowed players to customize their army with a fun assortment of mages, archers, centaurs, bird-people, and even an ancient robot or dragon.
Original US release: 1993 (Sega Genesis)
Xenogears
Once upon a time, let’s say the late 90s, designer Tetsuya Takhashi worked for a little company called SquareSoft (now Square Enix), and created Xenogears. And there was much rejoicing.
Inspired by JRPGs that successfully blended fantasy and sci-fi elements such as Chrono Tigger and Final Fantasy 7, Xenogears features a heavy story of planetary warfare, giant robot mechs, militarization, AI, organized religion, and reincarnation. Plus, turn-based combat system with spiffy martial arts and spiffier pilotable mechs.
The early 3D visuals are rough and deserve a full-blown remake a la Final Fantasy 7. But Xenogears at least deserves a quality remaster. Takahashi would later form Monolith Soft, creating the multi-part spiritual successor Xenosaga series before landing on the popular Xenoblade Chronicles series.
Original US release: 1998 (PlayStation)
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