One staple of feature of JRPGs over the years are quality turn-based combat systems. While not the first role-playing games to feature this combat style, developers from across Japan have put their own special, unique touches on it to make their games stand out over any others.
It was a serious challenge to put this list together, because so many games could have made the cut. Several titles were shortlisted, such as Golden Sun 2, and Phantasy Star 4.
We wanted to include the ATB Final Fantasy games, but there’s so much discourse on whether that counts or doesn’t count as a turn-based JRPG.
Which JRPGs had the best turn-based combat systems?
1) Final Fantasy 10
Moving Final Fantasy 10 back to a traditional JRPG turn-based combat system was a bold change – and one that was appreciated by much of the fanbase. There were a few things that really made this system better than the ATB style that was dominating the series for years at that point. Each character had a Limit Break-style ability, and you could trigger them in such a wide assortment of ways.
Building the meter could be done by taking damage, characters dying, killing enemies, and more. But the real winner for this JRPG is how you could take multiple actions back-to-back, depending on your stats (agility, having Haste). You could set someone up to smash through an entire party alone, and it wasn’t hard to do, either.
2) Octopath Traveler
Saying Octopath Traveler is a gorgeous game isn’t a shock – that 2.5D pixel was next level when it came to aesthetic. From the way the stories are presented to the incredible challenge it offered, both Octopath games were masterpieces. It also presented something fun when it came to the turn-based combat system in this JRPG.
All enemies in Octopath had set weaknesses, and a shield you could break. You would see that number in a shield icon. Learning these weaknesses could make combat easy, since breaking the shield gives you a free turn’s worth of attacks (Breaking Point system). You also have Boosting, which was also in Bravely Default. You could boost a character repeatedly, giving them extra attacks/damage.
3) Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragon took a major chance going the turn-based JRPG route, and it turned out to be a magnificent success. While it doesn’t really break the mold in terms of adding new features, it’s how smooth the transition was. There are little touches that make this system incredible though.
Between Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth, players could attack an enemy, and knock them into another foe, or move them in such a way that your special skills could hit more enemies at once. The game also used a system similar to Super Mario RPG with its timed hits.
Finally, the summon system, Poundmates was a unique way to get and use summons. Instead of magnificent, magical beasts, you get people you’ve interacted with – and occasionally adorable animals. Instead of using MP, it costs money, and the system could really get you out of a tight spot, making it a solid JRPG turn-based combat mechanic.
4) Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age
How do you build upon perfection? Dragon Quest has always been one of the pinnacles of solid, turn-based combat. Dragon Quest 11 brought back a mechanic similar to DQ8, with its Limit Break system. You could enter a state of “Pep”, and the game didn’t really make it too clear how you could do it. In DQ8, you could boost until you “transformed”, similar to a Super Saiyan.
In Dragon Quest 11, you can use items to enter this state for one character, or the whole party. Doing this allows you access to some truly incredible team-based attacks – including one that turns your whole enemy party into Metal Slimes! You can also use the Skill Tree system to change what type of character everyone is – every party member has a few build options, giving you lots of variety in what the party can/cannot do.
5) Chrono Cross
While Chrono Trigger is one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, people are more divided on Chrono Cross. However, it did introduce something we had never seen before in a JRPG before, when it came to turn-based combat. Each character could do a series of attacks, each with its own percentage of success – that you could see!
Doing this would increase the level of skills you could use. This contributed to the brand new Field Effect system. Each battle had a field effect that you could see – a series of colors. As you cast spells/techs, this would push one of those colors off the field.
Enemies could do this too, though, making it harder to get just one color to dominate the field. It’s dangerous though because this added a powerful damage multiplier/allowed you to use rare, mighty Summons. It was a really interesting system, and it added a layer of depth and tactical thinking to combat.
6) Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG was a pretty serious gamble – taking one of the most popular side scrollers of all time and turning it into an RPG? While the story may not be the most exciting, it was still a solid Mario adventure. What made it stand out though was how amazing its combat was, though. Combined with the bright, colorful palette, battle was always a joy.
Super Mario RPG introduced the concept of timed hits to turn-based JRPG combat – at least as far as we know. Knowing exactly when to press a button before an attack you/an enemy did could increase your damage, or completely nullify enemy attacks! It also used a similar timing system for special attacks.
Some were timed presses, others were holding a button, but it all required you to interact with the game more than other JRPGs asked of you at the time. It was certainly the most interactive JRPG of its time, and influenced many games along the way.
7) Legend of Legaia
Legend of Legaia dropped in a time where a real “Golden Age” of turn-based JRPGs was taking place. Legend of Dragoon, Final Fantasy 7, Xenogears, and so many other games were on the market around this time. It was so hard to stand out in that sea of brilliance, but Legend of Legaia did it with a pretty fascinating system.
It featured the Tactical Arts System. Instead of just pressing a button to attack, you had to specify whether you were doing Right/Left attacks, and High/Low attacks. Each had its own merits, depending on your foe/weapons. Flying enemies couldn’t be hit with Low attacks, for example.
Knowing which set of attacks triggered Arts (powerful skills) was so important. There were NPCs that would help you figure it out – which was great, because at the time, there wasn’t much information on the internet. You did also have to have enough AP (Art Points), but that’s easier than figuring out the combos. It was such a rich, detailed system, and it’s a shame it’s not used more.
One of the things that makes JRPGs special are the little things we remember – in this case, stellar combat. All of these games may not have reinvented the wheel, but they brought something unique and special to the hearts and minds of gamers worldwide.
