Classic RPGs

[Gabriel]

Dragon Warrior I & II for sure! I never got to play III & IV. 16-bit goes to Crono Trigger! That is the most fun I've ever had playing classic RPGS.

 

Dragon Warrior 1 gets a sort of nostalgia pass. It's not a very good game, but it's so well focused on it's limited gameplay that it's kinda fun.

 

I played about halfway through DW2. It started seeming very tedious.

 

DW3 is the game of the series that I think is the best overall. Oddly, I've never played very far into it., whereas I've completed the first one several times, and have even logged more hours with the second installment.

 

I feel that DW4 is overrated. I've never really liked that one. It's heresy, but I think it's one of the worst in the series.

 

Chrono Trigger ties into my problem with Dragon Warrior as well. I do not like the DragonBall Z artist's style. I cannot get over how retarded I feel the characters look in Chrono Trigger. So, despite being able to recognize that Chrono Trigger is an absolutely stellar game, I just can't enjoy it. In the same way, since the later installments of Dragon Warrior start putting that kind of art front and center, I have distinct problems being able to look past it.

[cimerians]

Anyone know where I can find an online, or physical copy of the code wheel used in Pool of Radiance? I downloaded the PC version..

Try this. I think the code wheel was the same for all versions. BTW, does the code actually randomize on DOS? I've been playing the Amiga version and 90% of the time the code is "Jungle", 9% of the time the code is "Temple" and 1% of the time it's something else. Probabilities pulled out of my ass, but you get the picture.

 

If you guys want send me a message and I'll give you a copy of the game that doesnt require the code wheel. I removed it in the 90's using a hack tool and I still use my copy.

Edited April 28, 2013 by cimerians

[Algus]

Dragon Warrior III has this annoying difficulty curve around the time you get to Isis. Once you pass it though, gold comes easier and fights are less stressful. Then you can really enjoy customizing your party.

 

The one thing that bugs me about it is that while it is great you can roll like 20 characters, there's not much point beyond rounding out your main party of four. I appreciate the extra features over FF1 but if any game ever needed a NG+ its this one.

[doomwaves]

If you guys want send me a message and I'll give you a copy of the game that doesnt require the code wheel. I removed it in the 90's using a hack tool and I still use my copy.

 

Pm'd

[doomwaves]

Started Sword of Vermilion today.. So far, excellent game.. Good combo of Action RPG/Dungeon crawler..

 

Also, downloaded Evoland from the Steam Summer Sale.. Haven't started it yet, but the game is supposed to be a graphical homage to the evolution of classic RPGs & adventure games.. Very excited to play this!

 

[MagitekAngel]

So, are we ready to call Pokemon Red and Blue classic RPGs yet? They helped redefine the genre for years to come, and are now 17 years old.

[Algus]

Definitely. Pogeymans Red is still my favorite. Even if it is easy to cheese it. Oh Level 100 Alakazam, you still exist (sort of) on my Pokemon Stadium cart, even though all your friends underwent battery death.

[doomwaves]

Lost my Dragon Warrior 2 save...

 

15+ hours.. at least 4 of which were last night.. This game is kind of a slog... Not sure I am ready to start over... Will most likely move on to 3, and worry about this one down the road.

[xDragonWarrior]

Final Fantasy is the better game and has anybody played Drakkhen for SNES?, it's a first person RPG.

Edited July 20, 2013 by xDragonWarrior

[BillyHW]

To answer the original question, Phantasy Star beats out Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy by a mile. (Though DW and FF are great too! )

[bretthorror]

I am looking for some RPG advice. I have never really played one in my life, I honestly don't think they're going to be my thing, but they are so popular I feel I have to at least give them a chance. I played a small portion of the GBA Mario & Luigi RPG as well as Paper Mario for the Wii, I remember basically nothing about either of them, but that's where my experience lies.

 

What would be a good first RPG to start with? Keep in mind this choice could make or break me as an RPG player. It seems all I ever hear is Chrono Trigger, so that's the one I was going to try, but I worry if it's too hardcore/difficult or easy for me to get lost in it'll turn me off, so I want to hear from those who are experienced in these and can put themselves in a rookie's shoes. I'll be emulating, so I don't care what system it is for. I must admit, I'm not much into fantasy and story in video games (maybe this is why I have no interest in RPGs?), but either way, I wanna try one or two. Earthbound has crossed my mind as well because instead of magic and stuff it has pizza or whatever and it's just easier for me to relate to.

 

Either way, I'm open to suggestions. We'll see if I can finally actually try at a real RPG.

[byonddrivn]

Not to be difficult but this is a little vague. Are you looking for something with some action? old school turn based? a strategy RPG?

Some of the later Final Fantasy's can be more action based. I prefer the turn based but that seems to turn a lot of modern gamers off i.e. older Dragon Warriors or Phamtasy Star. Shining Force is the way to go for strategy based rpg's. I'd be happy to dig in my vault if you give me a little more to go on.

[omegadot]

Secret of Mana and Secret of Evermore I think are pretty approachable SNES RPGs. My memories of SoE are cloudy but I did play SoM more recently in the last few years and it was pretty straight forward and is an action RPG so which translates well if you aren't into the line of fighters turn based style (which I am also into).

[Algus]

Earthbound is fairly difficult for an RPG and probably not a good choice for newbies to the genre. For SNES, I'd say Final Fantasy III, Chrono Trigger, and Secret of Mana are all excellent choices. Final Fantasy III is the game that got me into RPGs when I was a kid and I usually do a play through once a year or so. It's an excellent game.

 

RPGs are slower paced with focus on story and mechanics. Older RPGs strongly resemble tabletop RPGs in mechanics, but most Japanese RPGs got away from that kind of stuff in favor of the storytelling aspect.

 

 

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[bretthorror]

Not to be difficult but this is a little vague. Are you looking for something with some action? old school turn based? a strategy RPG?

Some of the later Final Fantasy's can be more action based. I prefer the turn based but that seems to turn a lot of modern gamers off i.e. older Dragon Warriors or Phamtasy Star. Shining Force is the way to go for strategy based rpg's. I'd be happy to dig in my vault if you give me a little more to go on.

 

Turn based is what frightens me most, but it just seemed like the most popular ones are turn based, so I was going to dive in on that. Action (which would be like River City Ransom, but likely not a beat 'em up?) based would probably be better (I like Zelda games, but they're so damn hard to figure out). When I was playing the Mario & Luigi GBA game, I just couldn't find any satisfaction in killing an enemy based on choosing an attack and pressing a button so the game would do it for me, it just seemed like it'd make more sense to just attack yourself. I'm open to anything, I just am hoping to find something I can handle going in cold for the first time.

 

At the end of the day, it just seems like all I ever hear about are these RPGs and I want to find out if I'm missing something or not. You can only hear about Dragon Warrior, Secret of Evermore, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Phantasy Star, Earthbound, etc. so many times before you start to think you've got to be missing out on something here.

 

Secret of Mana and Secret of Evermore I think are pretty approachable SNES RPGs. My memories of SoE are cloudy but I did play SoM more recently in the last few years and it was pretty straight forward and is an action RPG so which translates well if you aren't into the line of fighters turn based style (which I am also into).

 

Secret of Mana will go into the pool for sure, then.

[lushgirl_80]

Phantasy Star for SMS!

 

 

 

[Algus]

You might like the original Super Mario RPG. It has a really cool timed attack mechanic where you have to hit the button at just the right time to trigger a critical hit. Turn-based battles are a staple of this genre but there are some good action RPGs out there where you directly control your character.

[byonddrivn]

Yeah, Secret of Mana would be a good start then. As far as turn based goes. You can't think of it as the game doing it for you. It's a strategy, you're more like a general commanding your troops, find the enemies weakness and exploit it.

 

X-Men Legends and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance are good action RPG's. I haven't played them too much but I thought the Y's games were a little Zelda-like too. Golden Sun for the GBA might be something to consider as well, I enjoyed the first one but never had time for the second. I played Skies of Arcadia too but can't remember much about it, it might be something to check out.

[bretthorror]

All right, I think I'll give Secret of Mana a try starting tomorrow and see how things go. Super Mario RPG for turn based probably does make sense for me too, since I can relate to those characters and it'd be more accessible for me to jump into.

 

The strategy troop commanding analogy does make sense now that I think about it, actually. So it's kind of like trial and error where you use x skill on an enemy and see which one has the most effect on its health?

 

I'm also especially interested in anyone's opinions on Phantasy Star games because while I hate fanboys, I'm always game for anything Sega did back in the day because I feel its legacy isn't given its due these days and my cousin talked my parents out of getting me a SMS for Christmas in like 1990 for the much more popular NES (which I have to thank him for looking back), and I had a Genesis and not a SNES as a kid.

[zylon]

You can try Sword of Vermillion for Genesis. It is action based in that you do your own fighting, The navigation system when between towns and in dungeons takes getting used to. The story isn't very deep, but it is one of the longer games for Sega and can be had very cheaply. Usually for less than $10 shipped.

If you want to try turn-based, then Dragon Warrior is a great trainer. It is not very long, levels max out easily, and can also be had cheaply.

If you have the GBA player for GameCube, then most of these classics can be had on various GB ports.

[some_canuck]

I don't think you can go wrong with CT as your first JRPG. Better than plopping yourself in the middle of FF...

 

(like where do you start in the series, do you play the NA-released ones first/only?

or 1 through 6? personally i think it's a daunting task to think about playing 6 games back to back right away...

skip the classics and jump into 7 or X? i honestly don't know).

Edited November 3, 2015 by some_canuck

[bretthorror]

I've been playing Secret of Mana for two and a half hours or so and it's basically just like Zelda, so yeah, if all RPGs are just like this then I know the score. I was told long ago that Zelda really wasn't an RPG and I'm guessing now they mean simply because Link doesn't level up. The one thing I don't like about it at all is that you can't regain health, that's just ridiculous. I've been using save states to a degree anyways, but now I'm at the point where I have 20 health and one hit kills me and I'm gonna have to get lost finding an inn and then get lost finding my way back, all the while never getting hit once. I'll see how much more I can take in a few hours. It's fun enough, but not being able to find health in the wild could be a game breaker for me.

 

Are most of the RPGs that have been suggested so far the same way in which you can't find health from enemies?

[omegadot]

There probably aren't too many RPGs that are entirely grind free. Off the top of my head I can't really think of any, just some with a lot less. I suppose I don't much notice it unless it's really bad, which think I found many of the early Dragon Warrior and FF games to be pretty grindy / random battly.

 

 

EDIT: To not seems crazy, the health issues in those games are usually solved by grinding. Once you have enough cash and HP to walk around like an unflappable death cannon it becomes less of an issue.

Edited November 3, 2015 by omegadot

[cimerians]

Easy to beat, little or no grind, awesome games and will not take longer than 20-30 hours to beat:

 

Suikoden I - PS1

Final fantasy I and II Dawn of Souls for - GBA

 

I would have recommended Super Mario RPG but thats basically what became Paper Mario....and I think you mentioned you played the (older) Paper Mario games.

[+adamchevy]

Ive always wanted to go back and play all of the classic rpgs but time is not on my side at this point of my life. Phantasy star on the sms is one I would like to try though.

 

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