Top 10 RPG Video Games of All Time

Since their invention, there have been many fantastic RPG series that have reached mass popularity. Each and every one of these could battle for the position of greatest RPG ever made. These games all have every aspect that a good RPG should have: in depth storylines, excellent gameplay, innovative battle systems, intriguing puzzles, unforgettable characters and of course plenty of play time to keep intense gamers happy for a while. RPGs are for a special type of gamer. I've compiled a list of the 10 greatest RPGs/RPG series. This list excludes tactical RPGs, MMORPGs and PC based role playing games.

1. Final Fantasy Series

No list of great RPGs would be complete without at least one or two from the Final Fantasy series. These great games have been released every couple of years since 1987 when the series' namesake Final Fantasy was released for the NES. Since then, most sequels to the series have been named after the original and given a Roman numeral number to indicate which in the series it is. The most recent, Final Fantasy XIII has been released and given positive reviews. However, the most commonly held up games from the series are Final Fantasy for starting the series off; Final Fantasy VI (called III in North America) for its fantastic storyline and unforgettable characters; Final Fantasy VII for its equally great story, battle system, and being the first in the series to be 3D; and Final Fantasy X for its innovative gaming, potentially endless gameplay, and being the first in the series on the Playstation 2 with impressive music, plot, and graphics.

2. Chrono Trigger

Often forgotten by gamers, this SNES classic was released by Squaresoft (the developers of Final Fantasy) as a side project. The game was hugely successful and instantly raised as one of the most fun and innovative RPGs of all time. The gamplay included some RPG firsts like multiple endings, a half and half battle system/action adventure style of battle, and the game plus (starting a game over from the beginning but maintaining the level that you had at the end). A second game in the series was released years later for the Playstation under the name Chrono Cross. This game was not as successful, but is also an innovative RPG.

3. Suikoden Series

A rival to the Final Fantasy series, Suikoden by Konami has been around since its original game Suikoden for the Playstation in 1996. From that game, they reached huge popularity because of their radically different style of RPG gaming. One of the most popular aspects of the series revolves around the 108 main characters of each if the Suikoden plots. Each of these characters has unique avatars, personalities, and most are actually playable characters as well. In the first Suikoden, a party consisted of six characters which you could choose from your 60 or so that were in your army. With so many choices, the customization of Suikoden games is very advanced and appealing to gamers. There are currently five main Suikoden games, which like Final Fantasy are named by Roman numerals.

4. Seiken Densetsu 3 (Secret of Mana 2)

This game of the Secret of Mana series is known by both names depending on where in the world you are. The game included an innovative style of action-adventure style RPG battling as well as computer controlled teammates and the ability to play the game through each of the different main characters, making for a slightly different experience each time. These touches made the game not only very popular, but also very fun.

5. Xenogears

Like Chrono Trigger, this game was released by Squaresoft as a side project for the successful RPG developing company. The game met with instant success because of its impressive 3D graphics, two innovative battle systems, and interesting storyline. After its success, there was talk of a sequel but it never occurred. Years later, Xenosaga, a science-fiction RPG was released for the Playstation 2, though this game has no real connection to Xenogears aside from name.

6. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Developed by BioWare and released for the Xbox in 2003, this was the first big RPG for the system and it made quite an impression. With creative customizable gameplay, an action-adventure with stats elements battle system, and the ability to choose the light or dark side, this game took Star Wars gaming in a completely new direction. The game has little to do with the actual Star Wars series, which makes for a fresh gaming experience. It deserves a place as one of the greatest RPGs of all time.

7. The Legend of Zelda Series

This action-adventure RPG has been around since The Legend of Zelda was released for the NES in 1986. Since then, the series has continued to grow with a new game on a major platform every couple of years. The games are wildly successful and considered one of Nintendo's major games. The most popular of the recent Zelda games are Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64, The Wind Waker for the Nintendo Gamecube, and Twilight Princess for the Wii. The series made such headway with their large, expansive worlds, puzzle solving, great action-adventure battle systems, item quests, and interesting use of gadget-style weaponry.

8. Kingdom Hearts

Though staunch RPG gamers may laugh at the idea of this game making it to the list of greats, Kingdom Hearts has done something that other RPGs have not been able to do: appeal to a younger audience. This fun and engaging game was created by collaboration of Disney and SquareEnix in 2002. The game combined characters from the famous Final Fantasy series along with iconic Disney figures to create a mesh of RPGing and cartoon characters. The result was a surprisingly well-done RPG with enough mystery and darkness to appeal to teenagers and enough Disney antics to appeal to a younger crowd. The use of iconic cartoon figures may have helped their popularity, but Kingdom Hearts and its sequel also, for the most part, stand tall as good and innovative RPGs in their own right.

9. Tales Series

Beginning with Tales of Phantasia in 1995 for the SNES, the Tales series has released some great games over the years. Tales of Symphonia was one of the most popular. Released for the Nintendo Gamecube and Playstation 2, this game used an innovative action/battle hybrid system for the battle within the game. Players could use certain moves by using simpler abilities in succession to create combos. Players can also move around like in an action-adventure style battle, but only within the small battle field that you are currently in. The characters, puzzles, story, and especially battle system made this and the other Tales games more than worthy of being on a list of the greatest RPGs.

10. Dragon Warrior Series (called Dragon Quest outside of North America)

Developed by Enix, the original Dragon Warrior made a splash in 1989 as the first real RPG competitor for the Final Fantasy series. Though it didn't quite outmatch its rival, Dragon Warrior gained a legion of loyal fans that bought up each new addition to the series, which like Suikoden and Final Fantasy, were released with the original name and the appropriate Roman numeral. Dragon Warrior VII is considered the greatest game in the series because of its engaging gameplay and impressive length. Enix merged with Squaresoft in 2003 to become Square Enix.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suikoden ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_fantasy ; etc.