15 Best Mobile JRPGs to Play on Your Phone

If you’re looking for some quality JRPGs to play on your mobile device, here are a few you should consider.

Best JRPGs to Play on Mobile

Final Fantasy VI

Alright, let’s get all the Final Fantasies out of the way, first and foremost. Final Fantasy VI’s mobile port isn’t perfect; in fact, the new pixels look quite atrocious, but the fact remains that this is still probably the best entry in the entire series, and if you’ve only got a mobile phone to work with, you should give this one a chance.

Final Fantasy IX

Not quite as popular as its seventh big brother, but Final Fantasy IX is a whimsical throwback to the older FF games, and comes packed with a pretty lighthearted story and very charming characters. Fair warning: the story does start a little slowly, and things take a while to get going, but the payoff will be worth it.

Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition

The console and PC versions of Final Fantasy XV are enormous, with a gigantic open world to explore, and tons of monster hunting side quests to do. That can also be a bad thing, especially for fans who are just here for the story. Pocket Edition cuts all the nonsense, and just delivers the important story beats to you in a coherent fashion, with some light gameplay elements in between.

Dragon Quest VIII

Now that we’ve gotten all the mandatory Final Fantasy entries out of the way, we can get into some of the good stuff. Dragon Quest VIII still holds up incredibly well today, and is still regarded by fans as one of the best entries in the series. It also boasts an insanely good and catchy soundtrack. What’s not to love?

Chrono Trigger

Another beloved Square classic, Chrono Trigger might very well be the best JRPG released by the company during the SNES era, rivaling even Final Fantasy VI. Chrono Trigger tells a gripping story about time travel, and it’s only strengthened by its powerful cast of characters —each of them bringing something new to the table and keeping things fresh and interesting every step of the way.

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth

A port of the original Valkyrie Profile, Lenneth is easily one of the best mobile JRPGs to play right now. The combat is deep and intricate enough, even by mobile standards, and it features that iconic soundtrack from Motoi Sakuraba. There are also multiple endings to go for, if you’re looking for something with a bit more replay value.

Terra Battle

Developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi and MISTWALKER, Terra Battle is one of the best mobile JRPGs you can check out right now. Combat is built around a fun card-based system and a grid where you have to rout the enemy by placing cards in strategic corners and using their powers correctly. The music is great, it’s atmospheric as hell, and it’s also the perfect way to pass time on a short commute.

Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2

It’s not exactly the new SMT entry we were hoping for, but it’s at least something. Liberation Dx2 features that same Press Turn system fans will be familiar with, and all of the usual combat mechanics are intact here, such as the process of summoning and fusing demons to create even stronger ones.

Chaos Rings 3

Developed by Square Enix, Chaos Rings 3 is probably the most impressive mobile JRPG we’ve seen so far. It features a full world to explore, and a deep turn-based combat system to get into. The visuals are arguably the best part about this game, and we kinda wish it was on the Switch instead.

Dragalia Lost

Published by Nintendo, Dragalia Lost is another pretty impressive JRPG to keep an eye on if you’re looking to play something on your mobile device. Unlike Chaos Rings, this is an action RPG where your moves are determined by your swipes onscreen. Swipe-based games can feel a little imprecise at times, but there are tons of skills and attacks to experiment with in this one.

Monster Hunter Stories

Originally released for the 3DS, Monster Hunter Stories is basically a streamlined Monster Hunter game with an actual story to follow, and a protagonist you can relate to. The mobile version features a redone user interface, and all of the monster collecting elements are still present here, along with the ability to engage in online battles.

Kingdom Hearts Union X

If you can’t get enough of Kingdom Hearts, or you want to catch up on some missing lore before diving into Kingdom Hearts 3, Kingdom Hearts Union X is another decent mobile JRPG from Square Enix. It also features swipe and touch-based combat, along with a good set of Disney worlds you can travel to.

Final Fantasy Mobius

We lied. There are more Final Fantasy games to get through. Seriously though, out of all the mobile-exclusive FF games out right now, Mobius is probably the most interesting and innovative one to play. FF Mobius is also designed around a card-based combat system, and you can level up cards, create new ones, and build decks for different types of enemies. It also comes with an original story that’s actually not too shabby.

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia is the free-to-play mobile version of the Dissidia brawler formula that was recently brought to PS4. In the F2P version, however, you still get to engage in the fun, fast, and fluid combat that the Dissidia games are known for, while collecting new characters and fighters to play as.

Final Fantasy Tactics

The fact that we haven’t seen a new FF Tactics game, or at least a revamped port of the classic game on a modern console is criminal. Final Fantasy Tactics is often regarded as one of the best non-mainline FF games in the series, known for its tough strategical combat, heavy story, and extremely well-developed characters.