The Best RPG Remasters On Nintendo Switch

When it comes to Nintendo Switch games, there are a couple of areas where the library really thrives: RPGs and remasters. Though there are plenty of great new games, there is no shortage of notable revamps on the system, to be sure.

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The Nintendo Switch is the perfect home for some of the best RPGs of a generation. Let’s take a look at the best on the console.

The Switch’s competent, unique hardware has allowed many of these already rich, appealing games to shine like never before. At the same time, a number of them have enjoyed increased exposure. Whether you’re revisiting nostalgic classics or discovering them for the first time, there are many great role-playing remasters in which to immerse yourself.

Updated on March 28, 2025, by PJ Molloy: Even at the end of its life cycle, the Nintendo Switch is still delivering exceptional RPG remasters. We’ve updated the list with the very best ones that have launched over the past couple of years.

17

Tales Of Graces F Remastered

A Stunning Fantasy Adventure

Action RPG

Adventure

JRPG

Released

January 17, 2025

Developer(s)

Tose

Initially launched on PS3, Tales of Graces f follows swordsman Asbel Lhant, whose childhood friend, Sophie, returns after years of being presumed dead. Along with their buddy, Richard, they must defend their home in a bloody war and perhaps find the answers behind Sophie’s baffling reappearance.

The fast-paced, real-time combat feels great, especially with the new gameplay adjustments. The Switch remaster also adds overhauled graphics, an auto-save feature, and many other enhancements. This is undoubtedly the best way to play this enthralling adventure.

16

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

The Plumber’s Greatest RPG

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)

Systems

Widely regarded as the best in its series, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door finally made it to Switch in 2024 with many exciting new tweaks. Take control of the famous plumber as he travels the world in search of the seven Crystal Stars, which are rumored to unlock the mysterious, centuries-old door underneath the city of Rogueport.

The battle system is famous for its use of action commands, which keep you engaged in combat even after your turn. The gameplay is even better in the remaster, thanks to the much-needed quality-of-life updates, such as a partner wheel, reduced backtracking, and a revamped fast-travel system.

15

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion

An Iconic Prequel

Released

December 13, 2022

As a prequel to Final Fantasy 7, Crisis Core tells a captivating story of the events leading up to Cloud Strife’s iconic adventure. When SOLDIER agents start to go missing, Zack Fair must set out to find them. Along the way, he encounters familiar faces, including Aerith and Sephiroth.

The real-time combat from the original Crisis Core is back and better than ever, enhanced with polished HD visuals, quality-of-life updates, and a newly arranged soundtrack. Overall, it’s an excellent choice if you want to delve into the city of Midgar again.

14

Child Of Light: Ultimate Edition

A Stunning Side-Scroller

Released

April 30, 2014

Developer(s)

Ubisoft Montreal

A rare shining light of the Wii U’s barren eShop, this RPG grips with its graceful storybook visual style that rings like an interactive fairy tale. You take the role of a floating princess trying to find her way home as she traverses the lush lands of Lemuria.

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Ubisoft draws you in with a rich, lovely atmosphere but keeps you hooked with an accessible yet deep blend of RPG and side-scrolling gameplay. Child of Light also stands out when it comes to the fun, fluid combat, which uses an active-time battle system comparable to Grandia.

13

Baldur’s Gate And Baldur’s Gate 2 Enhanced

Revisit Two Legendary D&D Adventures

As part of the expansive D&D universe, this bundle of Overhaul’s Baldur’s Gate games instantly has much fantastical lore to draw upon. Both the original and its robust sequel bring cross-platform multiplayer to the fold, allowing mages, monks, thieves, and others to band together and fight through this massive, memorable campaign.

This modern rendition polishes up the presentation, including widescreen and higher resolution. With countless quests and customization, over 300 spells, and added content, the bundle exposes the advanced-level RPG to a new audience in a grand fashion. Collectively, this package can comprise hundreds of hours of fantasy-based fun, which is almost unheard of on Switch.

12

Rune Factory 4 Special

RPG Meets Life Simulation

Rune Factory 4 Special

Action RPG

JRPG

Simulation

Released

February 25, 2020

Marvelous Inc. and XSEED’s Rune Factory series has largely been considered a more stylistic, anime-themed Harvest Moon alternative, and there is some truth to this notion. However, the series—and particularly this detailed sequel—also stresses other elements that are closer to an RPG than a sim.

These include a story-driven plot, human relationships, dungeon crawling, and rewarding combat. You can easily become immersed in the vibrant world of Selphia and make the experience your own, as you can craft customizable gear, marry, and even construct ‘Orders’ to instruct your town.

The Special rendition adds to the already dense experience, bringing added content, anime cutscenes, voice lines, and a new difficulty mode.

11

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Revisit The Sinnoh Region

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Systems

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

November 19, 2021

Developer(s)

ILCA

After the lukewarm Sword & Shield, fans were looking forward to this revamp of the DS classics Pokemon Diamond & Pearl…to equally mixed results. Still, there are plenty of trappings of that fan-favorite adventure, and new Pokemon devs ILCA do a fine job translating the content for Nintendo’s hybrid console.

Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl host a random slew of Pokemon from past generations, giving team compositions a strategic angle. This, along with gameplay and progression that’s tougher than most of its ilk, adds some depth and intrigue when traversing the Japanese-themed Sinnoh.

Being more remake than remaster, the gameplay tweaks and additions are fairly limited. Still, it’s cool to see this game come to vibrant life in 3D (isometric) form on the Switch’s superior hardware.

10

The Last Remnant Remastered

A Must-Play Hidden Gem

The Last Remnant Remastered

Systems

Released

November 20, 2008

This game from Square Enix is still fairly obscure despite finding its way onto several consoles in over a decade. With a tinge of Western influence and a deep interface, this gritty RPG is something of a departure from the more typical JRPG. The story follows Rush Sykes, the son of prominent scientists, who finds his way through a chaotic war.

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For those who can deal with a fairly steep learning curve, The Last Remnant entices with lush worlds and a deep, structured battle system that fuses action with strategy. The polish of this remaster suits this epic with its grand, realistic feel. It also bumps up the performance with an upgrade from Unreal 3 to Unreal Engine 4.

9

The World Ends With You: Final Remix

Fast-Paced, Flashy Fun

Successfully porting a DS RPG can be tricky, given the distinct features of the hardware. But if there’s any console well-suited to translate a title from this handheld, it’s the Switch. This stylized action romp proves a great fit and thrives even more with the console’s larger, crisper screen. This makes it easier to decipher all the action and flashy effects.

Rather than using major fantasy tropes like many JRPGs, this cult hit from Square Enix takes a more grounded approach with its urban, semi-real-world themes. While the premise intrigues, it’s the exciting combat that really shines, with its inventive touch-screen commands and frantic pacing.

The World Ends with You: Final Remix brings a few new baddies, abilities, and a post-game chapter. There’s also motion control support — which adds a fun new dynamic to the gameplay.

8

Final Fantasy 8 Remastered

An Underrated Gem In The Series

Released

February 11, 1999

This game has remained one of the more polarizing entries in the esteemed Final Fantasy series. This can largely be attributed to its unique plot and odd quirks. There’s also its distinct battle system, which hinges on summoned monsters known as Guardian Forces. These “GF” serve as alternate moves to bust out beyond basic attacks and help break the monotony of grindy battles.

With its uniquely dark vibe and dynamic characters, FF8 still captivates on Switch. The remastered version not only polishes the low-poly PS1 visuals but also tosses in quality-of-life improvements and adds a bit of content.

7

Dark Souls Remastered

Prepare For A Challenge

Released

May 23, 2018

Developer(s)

From Software, QLOC, Virtuos

One of the most challenging titles in modern gaming slashes its way onto Switch, serving as a tempting option for old-school Nintendo fans used to the grind of NES games. This ARPG epic is made all the more atmospheric — and thus eerie — with the spruced-up visuals and smoothed performance.

With Dark Souls’ pure, undiluted action gameplay, this one lends itself to handheld play—though you’ll want to avoid tossing the handheld console in frustration following the inevitable deaths at the hands of the unforgiving, ominous foes. The technical leaps of this remaster are more marginal on Switch. However, it does refine the online experience with the addition of dedicated servers.

6

Grandia HD Collection

Two Iconic RPGs In One Bundle

Some might be deterred by a fairly steep price and the exclusion of PS2’s Grandia 3 in this bundle. Still, it’s hard not to be enticed by these two terrific RPGs in one appealing HD package. Along with a gripping narrative and memorable worlds, Game Arts’ epics arguably have among the most inventive and fun battle systems in the genre.

This is particularly the case in the second game, which pits you in a fully 3D arena, allowing for free-roaming and more thrilling action. The ingenuity lies in a system of timed hits, which allow you to disrupt enemy attacks. It’s a rewarding feat, made all the more exciting by the swift pacing of the turn-based system and the range of flashy spells at your disposal.

5

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Thrilling, Real-Time Action

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Systems

A beloved 3DS title, this RPG is made all the more monstrous with this robust remaster on Switch. What it lacks in the stereoscopic 3D visuals, Generations Ultimate more than makes up for with its polished graphics and crisper textures, giving a more organic look to the creatures.

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Like other Monster Hunter games, you’ll venture out to various lush locales and clash with ominous creatures, either alone or with fellow monster-slayers. Along with loads of distinct weapons and gear, you’ll also have useful special attacks and new combat styles at your disposal this time. This expanded remaster also boasts a slew of new monsters and extra content, which can run a whopping 730 hours for completionists!

4

Collection Of Mana

Final Fantasy With A Twist

Collection of Mana

Systems

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

August 27, 2019

This retro gem feels like a delightful look into Mana’s history in addition to a video game compilation. Not only does it host three classics from Square Enix’s Final Fantasy spin-off series, but it also hosts a soundtrack playlist with some of the best RPG music to date.

You are treated to a delightful trip to the series’ roots with Final Fantasy Adventure. But more significant is the HD remaster of the charming Secret of Mana, and the first Western launch of the hidden gem Trials of Mana. This ARPG swan song for SNES can now be enjoyed in all its vibrant glory on Switch.

Nearly 70 hours of deep, thrilling gameplay can be savored between all three games in the Collection of Mana.

3

Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age

Get Immersed In A Dark, Exhilarating Story

Released

October 31, 2006

This black sheep tends to be overshadowed by classics like FF7. It makes sense on one level, given its distinct style that almost resembles a Western MMO more than a typical Final Fantasy romp. But this is partly why Final Fantasy 12 thrives. Along with a darker, more nuanced plot involving political strife, the game enthralls with its fun, fluid battle system, which is more action-based than its FF kin.

Though the game is already solid in its original PS2 form, the remaster reinforces it with improved technical performance and some quality-of-life tweaks.

2

Tales Of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

A Must-Play Tales Game

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

JRPG

Action RPG

Adventure

Released

January 11, 2019

Developer(s)

Namco Tales Studio

This memorable Tales game got off to a slow start, with fairly limited exposure on Xbox 360. Years later, it now shines as one of the Switch’s best RPGs.

The thrilling, fast-paced battles prove quite fitting with the Switch’s pick-up-and-play nature. Its colorful aesthetic really shines on both the handheld screen and while docked. It’s easy to get immersed in the vibrant, majestic lands of Terca Lumireis as you’re treated to semi-open-world exploration, fun combat, and loads of goodies to find.

The Definitive Edition injects even more life into the joyous journey. This takes the form of crisper visuals, better performance, added content, full voice acting, and new party members.

1

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Action RPG Gameplay At Its Finest

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Systems

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

May 29, 2020

Developer(s)

Monolith Soft

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

It says something that a remaster of a 2010 title can produce so much hype. Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade Chronicles became one of Wii’s most renowned RPGs, with its deified biomes, exhilarating battles, and iconic weapons.

Building on the already rich, majestic experience, XC: DE brings quite a few welcomed quality-of-life refinements. For the most part, it wipes away its few weak spots — with a more palatable interface, added waypoints, and gorgeous visuals that pop like never before.

An Expert Mode and Time Attack add even more to the onslaught of fun content this ‘titanic’ game offers.

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