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[Seraphis Cain]

Opoona.

The music alone will make you happier than you've ever been.

 

[CorwinB]

"My world, my way" on DS. And yes, Blue Dragon is awesome.

 

[VoteForPedro]

Please play this:

you can thank me later.

 

[jvalioli]

Blue Dragon can be had for like 10$ and it is a pretty relaxing and happy-go-lucky experience.

 

[GeneralHerpes]

Lunar & Lufia II. why, i think i'll go play now.

 

[Thomper]

Please play this:

you can thank me later.

THIS! It's not really an RPG, but it's one of my favorite DS-games. Really wish they'd make a sequel. Need more tank-battles. Maybe on 3DS? Please, Square-Enix?

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Bowser's Inside Story is hilarious. We need more games about Bowser; dude has a lot of personality.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

I'd swear a Rocket Slime sequel was on an official Square-Enix list at some point and then quietly faded away.

 

[Ricker]

There is only one

 

[Vorador]

Atelier Rorona is what the OP is looking for.Skies of Arcadia is pretty hard to find nowadays.

Lunar & Lufia II. why, i think i'll go play now.

Lufia II a "happy RPG"? The hell?

 

[Kevtones]

Costume Quest is happy but also kind of stinky.

 

[ultron87]

And persona 4 happy? What version am I playing?

The happy slap stick parts of the game are some of the best in the business. They totally make up for the bleak sections involving murders and suppressed emotions.

A game has to have some balance. It can't just be happy all the time or it will be overwhelming.

The overall message of P4 is incredibly positive.

 

[Kikujiro]

Shadow Hearts II, despite the atmosphere the game is really (self)humorous, and the story is beautiful.

 

[Spwn]

Costume Quest is happy but also kind of stinky.

It's what it is. It's a feelgood game and I enjoyed it. If I wanted a deeper RPG experience, I would look elsewhere.

 

[astroturfing]

any non-anime style happy RPGs?

 

[LiK]

any non-anime style happy RPGs?

Earthbound?

 

[Speevy]

Dragon Quest 8

 

[Tranced Shadow]

Gonna have to throw in another vote for Recettear. So charming

 

[Zek]

Earthbound for sure. Mother 3 is sort of depressing but not in a dreary way, it comes from the heart.

 

[jmdajr]

Brace Fencer Musashi!

 

[Lupin3]

Thousand Arms for the PSone was quite happy, if I remember correctly. Lot's of "dating" at least. Haven't played it since I don't know when though.

 

[iosef]

You want to play Grandia II on the Dreamcast.

 

[Vorador]

any non-anime style happy RPGs?

Fable

And Divinity II Dragon Knight Saga might not be "happy", but it can be goddamned hilarious.

 

[Jomjom]

One vote for Demon's Souls. It's a happy RPG because it's an RPG that makes you happy when you play it.

 

[larvi]

any non-anime style happy RPGs?

Superhero League of Hoboken comes to mind if by happy you mean humorous and light- hearted

 

[Boney]

There is only one

I need to play this.

 

[charlequin]

Mother 3

Dragon Quest IX

Lufia II

Did you people grow up in a Dickens novel or something?

 

[Haunted]

Did you people grow up in a Dickens novel or something?

:lol

Looks like a case of people remembering the bright colours but glossing over the actual events in these stories.


Rocket Slime and Costume Quest might've been the best suggestions I've read in this thread so far. Penny Arcade Adventures might be another. All these are humorous throughout.

 

[LiK]

:lol

Looks like a case of people remembering the bright colours but glossing over the actual events in these stories.


Rocket Slime and Costume Quest might've been the best suggestions I've read in this thread so far. Penny Arcade Adventures might be another. All these are humorous throughout.

Paper Mario N64 was pretty damn happy.

 

[turnbuckle]

Dragon Quest IX is far from happy. It basically goes from one depressing scenario to another.

 

[iosef]

OH and also:

I am completely serious. A fun, free, hilarious RPG. http://talesofgames.com/barkley/

 

[Fantasy Final]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGjRL1MoDpQ

 

[Wallach]

BSUAJ:G is pretty hilarious. Short but worth the time spent.

 

[charlequin]

Rocket Slime and Costume Quest might've been the best suggestions I've read in this thread so far. Penny Arcade Adventures might be another. All these are humorous throughout.

I would add the Mario RPGs here, which are also basically relentlessly cheery and humorous, and Disgaea which is "naughty" (i.e. fanservicey) but otherwise completely absurdist and fun.

The next tier down is the "Saturday morning cartoon" cheery stuff like Blue Dragon -- it's pretty extreme in its shonen go-get-em angle so it's pretty hard for anything really dark to sneak in there. The Lunar games have bad things happen but are extremely cheery and funny in their overall tone. Skies of Arcadia is also pretty thoroughly cheery with very little but cartoon villainy.

I personally find basically every aspect of Persona 4 to be a mood-upper and the soundtrack puts me instantly in a good mood, but (although it's not actively depressing like Persona 3) a lot of the thematic material is relatively dark and I definitely wouldn't call the game "happy."

Shadow Hearts II, despite the atmosphere the game is really (self)humorous, and the story is beautiful.

Shadow Hearts 2 is like a 30 hour meditation on the idea of "you laugh to keep from crying." Total gonzo over-the-top humor and ridiculousness wrapped around one of the most depressing plots I can think of.

 

[thefro]

Skies of Arcadia.

The whole thing's not happy but it makes it all the more enjoyable when you overcome the odds.

 

[Tarazet]

NieR

Spoiler

if by 'happy' you mean 'will make you want to cut yourself'

 

[Syril]

Look no further.

 

[Haunted]

Oh yeah, all of the Paper Mario and Mario&Luigi RPGs are good fits. Can be played on a variety of systems as well. (GBA, DS, Wii)

OH and also:

I am completely serious. A fun, free, hilarious RPG. http://talesofgames.com/barkley/

Shut Up and Jam Gaiden might be one of the greatest RPGs of our time (or any time, really), but I don't know if its brutally dark subject matter and mature storyline are suited to his type of mood. Hoopz Barkley's epic journey of redemption is some heavy shit, man.

 

[Shig]

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is pure, concentrated happiness.

Bowser's Inside Story is almost there, but the stylus/blowing minigames will probably make you pretty angry at some point. Also it seems a little longer than it should have been.

 

[ZoddGutts]

Correct answer.

 

[turnbuckle]

Look no further.

This is a great answer. Very fun game

 

[manueldelalas]

Earthbound?

He said happy.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Did you people grow up in a Dickens novel or something?

Worse, a Cavia game.

 

[Curufinwe]

Persona 4 is quite happy despite all the murder.

True.

 

[Jigsaw]

grandia was the first thing that came to mind

it's also on psn,get it

atelier rorona also is way too cute

 

[GillianSeed79]

DQVIII. Light, cheery, fanciful are words I'd use to describe it. Plus there's a talking frog and a princess that's been turned into a horse.

 

[disappeared]

Just bought a Slim PS3 today, and this thread convinced me to try 3D Dot Heroes.

Also, I'll download Costume Quest.

 

[Jomjom]

Just bought a Slim PS3 today, and this thread convinced me to try 3D Dot Heroes.

Also, I'll download Costume Quest.

and DEMON'S SOULS!!!!!!!

 

[mrpeabody]

Dark Cloud 2 (PS2). Pure ARPG goodness.

 

[subversus]

I wanted to say "a happy RPG? lol" but then I took a look at XMB and saw Costume Quest there.