The best RPG video games on every Nintendo handheld console

Quality RPGs have been released on Nintendo platforms since the 1990s. For Nintendo's earlier home consoles, RPGs were one of the main genres that pushed them forward. As Nintendo entered the 3D era, the success and popularity of Pokémon gave companies another reason to develop games for handhelds, which are cheaper to develop and tend to have a larger user base than comparable home consoles.

Nintendo's handheld consoles have been at the forefront of JRPG games so far, and series like Fire Emblem have ensured their longevity. It's no coincidence that the strongest RPG home console Nintendo has released in decades is a hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch.

7 Pokemon Yellow – Game Boy

• You can communicate with Pikachu and see his emotional state throughout the game.
• There were discussions about releasing Pokémon Yellow alongside a sister title, Pokémon Pink.

For fans of the Pokemon anime, Pokemon Yellow is the best choice as it includes as many references as possible while still maintaining the feel of Pokemon Red and Blue. Any Pokemon game is a good RPG as you get to choose many complex creatures for your party and the plot advances in a way that is more objective-oriented than narrative-based.

In Pokémon Yellow, the sprites are larger, more detailed, and resemble the more modern graphics of Pokémon compared to Red and Blue. Pokémon Yellow gives you the ability to use all three starters, your Pikachu follows you around, and refuses to evolve with a Thunder Stone—it's like playing the game as Ash Ketchum.

6 SD Gundam Dimension War – Virtual Boy

• SD stands for “super deformed,” which reflects the designs used for the mechas in this game.
• Sells on the used market for $1,000.

Only 22 games and only one RPG were released worldwide for the Virtual Boy, so it's easy to see why SD Gundam Dimension War is considered the best RPG for this short-lived handheld.

The combination of large sprites, grids, and red and black coloring gives SD Gundam Dimension War a perspective as if you're on a submarine traveling through enemy territory. While the gameplay is fairly standard, SD Gundam Dimension War features highly detailed animations during battles between units, and the chunky, chibi-like interpretations of Gundams make SD Gundam Dimension War stand out visually.

5 Pokemon Crystal – Game Boy Color

• Ho-Oh appears in the first episode of the anime series, although it is not set in Johto at this time.
• Only four programmers developed Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Pokemon Crystal is one of the few sequels to the series. Pokemon Crystal spoils its fans by showing what happened to Lance and Blue and introduces a new rival: Silver, the son of Giovanni.

Pokemon Crystal not only offers a respectable 251 Pokemon to choose from, but also grants you access to Kanto after beating the main game. While the Kanto map isn't as large as in the original Red and Blue games, it still offers extensive postgame content, allowing you to take on all the old Gym Leaders.

4 Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade – Game Boy Advance

• The protagonist of Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade is Roy's father.

The Game Boy Advance was Nintendo's first handheld console with an extensive RPG library, especially when it came to Japanese exclusives. Unfortunately, the best JRPGs for the Game Boy Advance, such as Mother 3 and Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, were not released outside of Japan. Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade is the Fire Emblem entry that introduces Roy, who most of us know from the Roy series in Super Smash Bros.

Most gamers will be familiar with its sequel, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, and while both games are nearly equal in quality, Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade isn't as hampered by a brutal difficulty bump. With one of the best difficulty curves in the series and a map design that reduces the chance of being caught off guard by unpredictable attacks, Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade is one of the most accessible installments in the series.

3 Shin Megami Tensei: A Strange Journey – Nintendo DS

• Was never launched in Europe.
• The first localized Shin Megami Tensei game was a Virtual Boy shooter called Jack Bros.

Not many RPGs on the Nintendo DS challenge you like Shin Megami Tensei: A Strange Journey. As with many Shin Megami Tensei games, dungeon exploration is the main thing that makes Shin Megami Tensei: A Strange Journey so special.

Carefully planning your party, deciding what fusions to make between creatures, and planning dungeons so you don't run out of resources while exploring are key elements that make Shin Megami Tensei: A Strange Journey exciting. You'll constantly be torn between never being painfully weak and never dramatically overpowered as the game progresses.

2 Fire Emblem: Awakening – Nintendo 3DS

• It would have been the last Fire Emblem if it hadn't sold more than 250,000 copies.
• Set 2,000 years after Fire Emblem Gaiden.

The focus of Fire Emblem: Awakening is on building relationships between your party members. The more time characters spend getting to know each other, the better their combat skills will be when they're on the field together. Modern Fire Emblem emulates this dynamic, making Fire Emblem: Awakening one of the most influential and best games in the series.

Not only do party members have dialogue and synergies that you can unlock by bringing them closer together, but they can also become spouses and have offspring for the next generation of party members. Breeding allows you to create incredibly powerful characters, making it a key mechanic for leveling up in the late game.

1 Unicorn Overdrive – Switch

• The development took about ten years.

Tactical RPGs work well in the Switch's detached mode, and Unicorn Overdrive excels not only in its tactical aspects but also in its strategic depth. The game places an emphasis on the movement of numerous units across a large map and features the typical turn-based RPG battles that take place when two units clash.

Unicorn Overdrive offers several methods to overcome its challenges and encourages players to optimize by incorporating a countdown timer during battles. Character abilities are straightforward, but you'll need to form multiple units and battalions from your large squad. Unicorn Overdrive successfully blends elements from chess, Advance Wars, and JRPGs.