10 Best RPGs on Nintendo Switch (2025)

RPGs on Nintendo Switch are deeply varied; you’ll most likely find something that fits your taste and style perfectly. Perhaps a compelling story with a unique art style or set in an inviting world of fantasy creatures and magical abilities; all you desire should be available on the Nintendo Store. Below, we go over the best RPGs on Nintendo Switch worth checking out this year.

What is an RPG?

An RPG, or role-playing game, features a protagonist going on a quest-driven journey where they interact with NPCs, uncover secrets and mysteries, solve puzzles, fight enemies, and more interactive gameplay.

Best RPGs on Nintendo Switch

The best RPGs on Nintendo Switch will have you glued to the screen, featuring intense storylines set in a fascinating world.

10. South Park: The Fractured but Whole

South Park is one of the longest-running animated sitcoms, going on its 28th season. So, it makes absolute sense that the series has a counterpart game series. As the sequel to The Stick of Truth, The Fractured but Whole takes you on a new role-playing adventure, following fan-favorites Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman. 

The player, however, controls the New Kid as they join superheroes Mysterion, Human Kite, Toolshed, and others in the heroic efforts of ridding South Park of crime.

9. Undertale

Undertale has a unique art style, seemingly bred out of nowhere by an indie studio. Now, it’s become many gamers’ favorite RPG on Switch, exploring the underworld where monsters and humans rule. 

Equal parts comical and emotional, the story of a world packed with dangerous monsters will easily reel you in, especially with the freedom to do everyday activities with the monsters. You can date them, dance with them, cook with them, or kill them all. 

8. Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy has some of the best role-playing adventures in gaming history, with Final Fantasy VII ranking among the best RPGs on Nintendo Switch, worth checking out. It maintains the original’s classic look and feel, only adding QoL features like speeding up the game, turning off battle encounters, and a battle enhancement mode. 

Otherwise, you still control Cloud Strife, a former soldier, joining the efforts of a rebel group against the Shinra monopoly.

7. Hollow Knight: Silksong

The first Hollow Knight game was an instant indie hit. And now, we have the sequel, Silksong. Call it the refining of the original’s best features, from the graphics to the gameplay. You unlock new powers in addition to your base hack-and-slash abilities, and encounter a more diverse variety of bugs and monsters. 

Set in the insect kingdom of Pharloom, players will move up to the top of the citadel, uncovering secrets of their past, and defeating 200+ enemies and 40+ bosses.

6. NEO: The World Ends with You

NEO: The World Ends with You has similar vibes to Alice in Borderland on Netflix, featuring Rindo and their survival of a vicious “Reapers’ Game.” The streets are stylized in a stunning anime aesthetic. Meanwhile, the player unlocks psychic powers they can use to determine their fate. 

5. Octopath Traveller II

Octopath Traveler II’s art style is another unique retro, pixel art aesthetic, fused with 3D computer-generated graphics, you might like just as much as its unique take on role-playing. You’re free to choose from eight travelers, each with unique backgrounds, motivations, and skills. 

Further, each choice leads you down different paths, performing unexpected actions, and unraveling a unique tale, all spread out across diverse locations, from sailing the seas to industrial regions, and beyond.

4. Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Pokémon forges on headstrong with Pokémon Legends: Arceus, this time, delving into a more action-oriented RPG experience. As much as freely exploring Pokémon habitats remains, now you can instigate spontaneous battles with wild Pokémon. 

Your Pokedex will continue to populate with the creatures you catch and tame. And over time, you’ll discover varied uses for your growing collection, from mountable and flying creatures you can hop on to explore more of the Hisui region, to more powerful fighters for battle. 

With Arceus’ unique mix of real-time and turn-based combat systems, it should be plenty of fun to experiment with different abilities and watch in awe as your training bears fruit.

3. Fire Emblem: Three Houses

On the next entry of our list of the best RPGs on Nintendo Switch this year is Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It also has a focus on action-oriented role-playing adventures, with players choosing from three houses to train and control. 

Under your tutelage are several students of varying personalities and abilities. And while you guide them through school and academia, you still have to prepare them for turn-based, tactical RPG battles against the other houses, teaching them to anticipate surprises and employ strategic takedowns. 

2. Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Perhaps you want an even more fully fleshed-out battle RPG system. Then, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a worthy choice. It follows Noah and Mio as they navigate their opposing nations’ wars and dark secrets. You’ll explore vast worlds, learning and mastering real-time combat against an exciting stream of enemies and bosses. 

Switching from exploration to real-time combat is seamless, simply drawing your weapon to instigate a battle encounter. By using the Arts’ special abilities, you might get a leg up on the opponent. But you can also swap your characters mid-battle, experimenting with different play styles and strategies, or pair up specific characters via the Ouroboros mechanic to discover even more powerful synergies.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Now that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been revamped for the Nintendo Switch 2, you can enjoy better graphics, smoother mechanics, and an overall better gaming experience. Either way, though, the core playthrough remains ever fantastic, with the massive landscapes you can explore underground, in the surface world, and on the floating islands above the skies. 

The role-playing adventure Link embarks on is packed chock-full of things to do, whether weapons and vehicles to craft, puzzles to solve, or many story secrets hidden in plain sight.