Remakes and remasters are now a major part of the games industry, from faithful upgrades to ambitious reimaginings. Yet some classic Japanese role-playing games remain so well designed that a new version could easily lose what makes them special.
These seven JRPGs have received ports or light remasters, but their core presentation, systems and identity remain close to the originals. For Australian retro players, they are excellent reminders that thoughtful design can outlast hardware generations.
1. EarthBound
Where to play: Nintendo Switch Online with a standard subscription
Released in North America in 1995, EarthBound brings the second Mother game to a strange, funny version of small-town America. Its enemy designs range from piles of puke and irritating hippies to a group of moles competing to be third-best, while its humour remains as distinctive as ever.
Shigesato Itoi’s save-the-world adventure has influenced countless later RPGs. Although an official English release of Mother 3 remains unavailable, EarthBound needs no modern overhaul to remain entertaining. It is part of the SNES library on Nintendo Switch Online.
2. Final Fantasy IX
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One
At the end of the PlayStation 1 era, Square moved away from the steampunk atmosphere of Final Fantasy VII and VIII for a traditional medieval-fantasy setting. Final Fantasy IX follows an upbeat hero, a sharp-witted princess seeking freedom and a cast confronting love, mortality and the meaning of life.
Talk of a remake has circulated for years, but the game’s 25th anniversary passed without an announcement. That may be no great loss: the visuals and soundtrack that impressed players in 2000 still have considerable charm today.
3. Chrono Trigger
Where to play: Windows PC
Chrono Trigger spans six historical periods, following a memorable party that includes a warrior frog, a cave woman and a gentle robot. Together they attempt to alter history and prevent the world’s destruction by a hostile alien force.
The 1995 classic was created by a remarkable collaboration between Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii and Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. Fans have imagined it in an HD-2D style, but the original remains compelling. It is still not available on Nintendo Switch, leaving PC, SNES, PlayStation 1 and 3DS among the legitimate options noted here.
For more practical advice about building a dedicated retro setup, see RETROCADE’s Arcade Machine Buying Guide.
4. Lunar: Silver Star Story
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One
Lunar began in the early CD-game era, when Working Designs combined SNES-style pixel art with anime cutscenes and original music. Its story features a floating magic academy, outspoken cats and a romance between a determined priestess and a brash mercenary.
Some of its storytelling may feel familiar now, but the game’s personality remains intact. Ports and remasters have preserved the appealing look of the 1993 original, and it is widely available alongside the equally well-regarded sequel, Lunar: Eternal Blue. The official Lunar site provides further information.
5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Where to play: Nintendo Switch Online with a standard subscription
The original Legend of Zelda remains historically important, but the 1991 SNES adventure A Link to the Past is an easier recommendation for modern players. Its structure, dungeons and world design established many of the series elements still recognised after Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Death Mountain, the Zora and the fairies all contribute to a compact adventure that remains highly playable. Switch Online’s rewind feature is particularly useful: a failed dungeon attempt does not have to mean repeating an entire section.
6. Suikoden II
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X
Suikoden II sits between the pixel-art traditions of the SNES and the emerging 3D style of the PlayStation era. Released in 1998, it follows two childhood friends forced onto opposite sides of a war spreading across an entire continent.
The campaign lets players recruit 108 allies, establish a castle for them and oppose a genocidal conqueror. Konami’s 2025 remaster combines the first two games and retains much of the original PlayStation pacing and visual character, while adding HD graphics, widescreen support and a revised localisation.
Its blend of character collecting and large-scale conflict also makes it an interesting subject for the wider RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
7. Golden Sun
Where to play: Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
The 2001 Game Boy Advance RPG Golden Sun gives familiar genre ideas a fresh shape through intricate puzzles and extensive party customisation. Childhood friends Isaac and Garet investigate the supernatural event that devastated their village years earlier.
Their journey includes sea monsters, talking trees capable of drugging an entire village and a location strongly reminiscent of Atlantis. Both Golden Sun and its 2002 sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, are included in the GBA library on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
Why these JRPGs still work
Each game has dated technology in some form, but none depends solely on visual spectacle. Memorable worlds, distinctive casts, inventive systems and confident pacing do the heavy lifting. That is why these adventures can sit comfortably beside modern releases without requiring a complete redesign.
If you are planning a dedicated games room for classic console sessions, browse RETROCADE’s arcade machines or consider a space-saving bartop arcade for a compact setup.
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