Some turn-based combat systems didn’t offer a lot of innovations coming out of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. For a time, that didn’t really matter as long as they were still fun or the story was good. There are still a surprising number of turn-based RPGs that are the opposite and were ahead of their time, with many features, including combat.
They’re so good that they can even feel like modern RPGs thanks to others adapting from them. Also, when these classics keep releasing via remasters or remakes, it’s easier to keep them in the cultural zeitgeist. Whether there are direct correlations or not, these turn-based RPGs still slap in the modern age of RPG gaming.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Chrono Trigger
Character Combos
Chrono Trigger
- Released
- March 11, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Chrono Trigger’s battle system is much faster than a lot of its SNES contemporaries, and in general, most turn-based systems in modern games are quicker, too. The real revelation is the combo system, in which two or three characters can combine to execute more powerful attacks.
For example, Lucca can ignite Crono to do a fire spin, while Marle can create a big iceberg for Ayla to toss at enemies. Grouping enemies is also important for achieving an area of effect, and this has inspired indie RPGs like Sea of Stars to follow in Chrono Trigge r’s footsteps.
Persona 3
Weakness Bonuses
Persona 3
- Released
- July 13, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Persona 3 was like a reboot of the franchise, as it focused on a teenager going to school and living out his life one day at a time. This is where Social Links were established, and in combat, Atlus doubled down on the weakness system.
Most enemies in the game had a weakness to something, like wind or fire, and if players triggered it, this would get them an extra turn to exploit. The experiment proved to be a good idea as Atlus has further evolved the idea with the Persona sequels and even spiritual successors like Metaphor: ReFantazio. The best way to play this game today is, of course, the remake: Persona 3 Reload.
Final Fantasy 10
Mid-Combat Thrills
Final Fantasy 10
- Released
- December 17, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- PS2
Some Final Fantasy battle systems can feel the same, while others are radically different, and Final Fantasy 10 fits into the latter category, as there is no entry like it. In battle, players can have three characters fight at once, but they can also switch out party members without it affecting their turn.
If Yuna is in the party, then she can summon an Aeon, like Bahamut, Yojimbo, or Ifrit, to replace the rest of the party with just her and the chosen Aeon. No modern game fits this mold exactly, which puts Final Fantasy 10 ahead of its time and thus makes it feel fresh as an idea. New and old players can still experience it in remastered editions.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
An Active Plumber Duo
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Released
- November 17, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- AlphaDream
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Wii U
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga’s reactive combat system is the best among all three Mario RPG franchises, and this original entry is the best in its individual series. In battle, Mario is controlled with the A button while Luigi is controlled with the B button, at least for the GBA release.
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Players can select attacks for each plumber and increase their power with a well-timed button press, and on the defensive, players can dodge and counter enemies. Reactive turn-based combat can be seen most recently with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and that game would definitely not exist without any of the Mario RPG games.
Parasite Eve
An On The Beat Detective
Parasite Eve
- Released
- September 9, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Animated Violence, Mature Sexual Themes
- Genre(s)
- Horror, Action RPG
There are two games on the PS1 that Squaresoft used to test out a new turn-based and action hybrid, with the first being Parasite Eve and the second being Vagrant Story. In Parasite Eve, players could run around battlefields to dodge attacks, and when it was their turn, they could use psychic powers or guns to target enemies, and sometimes individual body parts, with a dome representing the range of effect.
This took place in modern New York City, whereas Vagrant Story was a medieval fantasy game with mostly melee attacks. Of the two, Parasite Eve could perhaps be thanked for adding guns into RPGs, paving the way forward for RPG shooters like Destiny.
Suikoden 2
A Big, Fast Party
Suikoden II
- Released
- September 29, 1999
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
Suikoden 2, and the rest of the Suikoden games, have original RPG mechanics. In battle, players can bring i. Six party members, with each character having unique traits, and some even possessing combo abilities to unite with others. With 108 party members possible, the recruitment process was large if players wanted to pursue it.
While the ideas of the Suikoden franchise are niche, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a modern spiritual successor featuring similar party limits and a large cast of playable characters to find. Plus, there is a modern remaster to enjoy via Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars.
Mother 3
Of Roulettes And Rhythm
Mother 3
- Released
- April 20, 2006
- Developer(s)
- HAL Laboratory, Brownie Brown
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Mother 3 has a unique battle system all its own, and it is never outright stated, but players can time the beat of their attacks to the music to continually strike enemies. When characters get hit in return, their HP will not immediately drop to the attack’s amount.
For example, if Lucas has fifty HP and an enemy attack does sixty HP of damage, players can keep Lucas alive with any healing item or spell as long as the roulette wheel of health does not drop to zero before they can act. No major game borrows these ideas, but indie RPGs like Undertale definitely learned from the quirky nature of the Mother series to go WAY outside the box of normalcy.
Wild Arms 3
A Dusty Roundabout
Wild Arms 3
- Released
- October 15, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Mild Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
The Wild Arms series borrows Western themes for its worlds, with Wild Arms 3 being the most blatant cowboy RPG example. In battle, players can control four characters, each with a distinct weapon type, including pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, and machine guns.
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When players attack, they will use ammo, which they have to actively reload on one of their turns, similar to reloading in modern RPG shooters like Borderlands, which also has dusty aesthetics. In-between turns, enemies and the party will also run around and switch positions to give players the allusion like they are in a real cowboy shootout, or in an active real-time combat system, which most RPGs are nowadays.
Xenogears
A Turn-Based Fighter
Xenogears
- Released
- October 20, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Xenogears is one of the most ambitious PS1 games that Squaresoft ever produced on the system. Featuring a biblical story in a futuristic world, players could command a party of human characters in battle, along with calling down the power of mechs for support. Humans and mechs could chain together combos when inputting commands for attacking, mimicking how fighting games work.
There aren’t a lot of key examples of modern combat systems that use this exact output, but since it mirrored a fighting game, it’s safe to say that perhaps Xenogears helped create brawler RPGs. Also, the Xeno legacy lives on via Xenoblade Chronicles. Either way, Xenogears itself still feels uniquely fresh.
Grandia
Interrupted Turns
Grandia
- Released
- September 30, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
Grandia’s exact battle system has not been copied, but part of it has. Two of the game's biggest innovations, besides being another example of having battles not be randomized, are turn order displays and interruption mechanics.
A lot of RPGs show the turn order now, so that players can properly prepare for what is coming next, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The turn order can also be interrupted if players have a faster attack than the enemy. Attacks that cost less time to prepare are weaker, but constantly interrupting enemies is a solid strategy.
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