Opening our list of Top 15 3DS JRPG’s is Fantasy Life
How would it feel to experience life outside your own?
Indulge your greatest fantasies, one you badly wanted, and achieve them inside a video game!
Fantasy Life not only offers the fun of simulating your perfect existential goals but also encourages
the players to pick between a wide range of Classes in its “Life Class” system.
In this Role-Playing system, be the best that you can be.
Do you want to be the best Chef in the world?
Cook the most tasty meals.
Want to be the best Paladin?
Then swing your swords to protect the innocents.
With 12 classes to choose from, surely one would suit you.
When things get boring, grab your friends and enjoy trading, working together and yes,
saving the world.
It has a PlayScore of 8.55
14th place is Stella Glow
The fight between good and evil is blurred in this game filled with Witches.
Stella Glow introduces a unique gameplay element not commonly found in the JRPG scene: building
relationships with your party members.
As far as the story is concerned -- an Evil witch cursing your entire village -- the most
important is how you engage your friends.
Your relationships with them will decide how the game progresses and how it ends.
Its the final game to come from the creators of Luminous Arc and it’s a worthy send off
as the company files for bankruptcy.
It has a PlayScore of 8.62
13th is Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
Aptly named 3D due to its platform and tagline.
Follow Sora and his group of lovable Disney and Squeenix friends in this sequel to Kingdom
Hearts 2.
Embrace the importance of human connection once more as distant memories continue to
haunt Sora.
Similar to Chain of Memories, players control two characters: Sora and Riku.
Challenges await the two to determine the Keyblade Master.
Travel to distant worlds and meet iconic characters from Disney and Square including Tron, Quasimodo
and Neku from The World Ends With You.
Revelations after revelations are what awaits the player and the introduction of the Drop
System adds a sense of fluid combat to the already brilliant gameplay design.
It’s putting the 3DS’ capabilities to its full potential.
It has a PlayScore of 8.66
Ranked 12th Yo-Kai Watch
Unfortunately, the newly released Yo-Kai Watch 2 didn’t make the cut due to low PlayScores.
This 2015 hit, however, still packs a charm.
It’s a mixed-media game similar to Pokemon and Digimon in terms of collectin’ them
all.
In Yo-Kai Watch, the main character is given the ability to see Yo-Kai’s or Monsters
that live around us.
It utilizes the 3DS’ touch features very well.
Players get to choose between a boy and girl and get on an adventure to befriend these
lovable monsters with the use of your Yo-Kai Watch.
Same as these types of games, evolution and customization is very in depth to provide
the most powerful collection of species possible.
Even the rare ones!
It has a PlayScore of 8.66
11th place is Dragon Quest VII: Fragments Of The Forgotten Past
Dragon Quest has existed in a long, long time.
This 2001 Remake of the popular franchise hits the 3DS with grace and nostalgia.
Estard is threatened by an unspeakable threat.
Mysterious islands have surrounded their peaceful home and darkness awaits.
Join a group of likeable heroes in their quest to conquer evil.
In this seventh installment, the world is larger than ever.
It is said that the game can clock in to almost 100 hours even without completing the side-quests.
For Combat, the turn-based elements remain the same but the addition of Class Systems
can transform your character into various specializations for added pleasure.
It has a PlayScore of 8.68
10th is Rune Factory 4
Embrace the gift of responsibility in this game that takes crafting, farming, and basically
everything like Harvest Moon to the 3DS.
But with magic.
Choose from 2 genders, and enjoy the beauty of its world.
Players can go dungeon crawling and feel the excitement of its exploration mechanics.
Anything is possible…
making it feel like you’re really living inside an adorable simulation.
Perhaps the most brilliant aspect this game offers is the ‘Romance Options’.
With its 6 bachelors and bachelorettes, players can have the time of their life picking who
Mr. or Ms. Right is.
Isn’t that fun?
It has a PlayScore of 8.73
Ranked 9th is Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth
Moments like these never go unattended.
Atlus made the most crazy decision merging together two of their beloved games into one
fun-sized spin-off.
Everyone from Persona 3 and 4 comes together in a spectacular entry to the Persona series.
Shadow Of The Labyrinth pits characters from both series, with a few additional characters
to the main story.
Picking between Minato or Yu is a difficult choice for someone who admires both games.
Players are challenged in a dungeon-crawling mayhem filled with mysteries at the end of
the road.
Personas are as important as ever and with the addition of equipping multiple personas,
you’re stronger than ever.
It has a PlayScore of 8.75
8th place is Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends Of The Titan
Not to be mistaken with that terrible Overwatch rip-off.
Legend of the Titan is the first Etrian game to be released on the 3DS.
It is the sequel to Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City.
Yggdrasil breathes with life in this 3DS entry.
For the first time in the series, enemies don’t appear 2D anymore.
The 3D elements of the platform bring a vivid flare to the screen.
Gameplay remains the same.
With few additions like flying above its world in an airship.
It’s a sight to behold.
It has a PlayScore of 8.77
7th place is Shin Megami Tensei IV
3 Atlus games in a row?!
The Shin Megami Tensei series is never missed when one talks about JRPG’s.
In this ‘fifth’ entry to series, the world is still grim.
This game is not directly related to any of the Shin Megami titles.
However, the combat system from the previous games is intact and still is a curious thing
to explore.
Its 3D perspective with a 2D overhead makes dystopian Japan grittier than ever.
Imagine how Undertale interacts with the monsters?
The Shin Megami series was its backbone.
It introduced a unique twist to turn-based battle by making the player do various interactions
to the monsters.
Each has its different outcome and boy, they are fun.
It has a PlayScore of 8.88
6th is Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
These remakes ignite the nostalgic Pokemon players to immerse in its fully realized 3D
world.
In Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby, players are given the freedom to be the very best.
You start up with three Pokemons (as usual.
Travel around the Hoenn region, defeat other aspiring Pokemon Masters.
And oh, make sure you catch them all and get the legendary pokemons Rayquaza and Groudon
or Kyogre.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have Playscores 8.92 and 8.91, respectively.
Ranked 5th is Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
English localization took waaayy too loooong for this game.
CAPCOM’s entry to the Monster Hunting genre is a paramount of style, substance and swag;
and it’s on the 3DS.
In this game, you only have one job: Kill Monsters.
If not, then where’s the fun in that?
Ultimate brings the best in you.
Craft the most amazing stuff in your arsenal, gather the coolest of friends for co-op or
Ad-Hoc play, slay that nasty beast that killed you 5 times or just simply enjoy the thrill
of adventure with your greatsword or bow.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is surprisingly beautiful even on such a small handheld device.
Monsters are detailed, the world is vibrant with life, and danger lurks everywhere.
Watch out for that Tigrex!
It has a PlayScore of 9.05
4th is Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
From its creation during 1998, people knew that the Xeno metaseries will go big.
They were right.
Chronicles 3D is a direct port from the stellar Wii game that wow’ed the hearts of most
Xeno fans.
Can you imagine a game of such vast scale transferred to a portable device?
Monolith Soft did it just right.
The world is still brimming with the chaotic remnants of man and machine, the characters
are memorable and it’s combat system is fast and deep.
Though not directly related to most of the Xeno games, Chronicles 3D still stands out
due to its expansive world and the tons of quests to do.
It has a PlayScore of 9.06
3rd is Bravely Default: Flying Fairy
Square Enix loves Crystals.
If there’s any game with an excuse to be similar to the Final Fantasy genre, it’s
Bravely Default.
It’s a Square product after all.
Anywaaaaaaaay, Flying Fairy dazzles in remarkable splendor with its well-written story.
It’s filled with twists and turns that players wouldn’t normally expect.
It’s one of the game’s best features.
Aside from the story, the gameplay is as JRPG as it gets.
The usual dungeon-crawling mechanic and turn-based aspects but that’s not a big deal for the
fans; it’s Job System also made the game more rewarding.
It has a PlayScore of 9.12
2nd place is Pokemon X and Y
The Pokemon Creators must be having the time of their lives naming these games.
Pokemon Y comes along with Pokemon X.
They’re simultaneously released but Y garnered a higher PlayScore compared to the latter.
These games have become one of Nintendo’s best-selling games to date.
You ask?
Well, it’s smooth transition to the 3D brings a fresh sight for the fans in a long, long
time.
Also, the addition of new start Pokemons and new Pokemons sparks an aspiring Pokemon Master
in the making.
Aside from its deviation from the 2D scene, the game introduces Mega Evolution.
This helps players evolve their Pokemon to a higher and higher degree.
It’s online-play features are also highly praised due to its trading and battles.
Pokemon X and Y have PlayScores 9.11 and 9.14, respectively.
HERE ARE THE RUNNERS UP BEFORE WE REVEAL THE
NUMBER ONE:
And the best 3DS JRPG is Fire Emblem: Awakening
There’s no denying that Awakening is the best JRPG to ever come out on the 3DS.
It’s been widely praised for its traditional RPG mechanics while adapting to the 3D element.
It’s a game specifically designed for both new and old players.
The solid tactical combat, impressive visual, compelling narrative and a musical score that
takes you into their world are but a few of its highlights.
Fire Emblem: Awakening has won awards and holds a special place to those who have experienced
its brilliance.
It has a PlayScore of 9.28