1. Legends of Terris (PC) (Highlighted game)
In the days of the mid-90s internet, when bandwidth was scarce, speeds were slow, and AOL was one of the more happening places out there, there was a new and fascinating world out there to discover. Part of that, was the fabulous world of MUDs. MUDs - multi-user dungeons - are easiest explained as the forerunner of today's MMORPGs, with one key difference - they are completely text-based (well, and typically a graphical front-end of some sort for interface, but, the room descriptions and actions and everything). Instead of seeing yourself entering a dark, murky cave, with moss creeping on the walls, blood dripping still wet from the edges, pieces of meat and flesh scattered to the sides, and the sound of goblins from further within, you would... well, you would read a description similar to what you just read, and then have to make a decision whether to go north, further into the cave, or south back out into the forest. Fortunately, you didn't have to face these challenges alone, as there were other players - from all over the world - out there to join forces with and brave the challenges.
Legends of Terris - at the time just known as Terris - was one of a number of MUDs that were on AOL in the mid-90s. Others included Dragon's Gate, Gemstone, DragonRealms, and others. But Terris was the one that I gravitated toward, and would spend hours upon hours exploring and interacting with everyone. In a world where pretty much any time, day or night, one would be joined by 300-400 people, there was so much to do and see and share and experience and live.
Of course, the mid-90s faded, as did AOL. Around the turn of the millennium, Terris made its way off of AOL, and onto the plain, regular internet, at legendsofterris.com. And, unfortunately, the population which used to be in the 300-400 range is now more typically in the 30-40 range. Still, there's a dedicated fanbase sticking around and keeping the game active, and still full of surprises. I'm just one of the players, I'm not involved in running it or anything like that, I just have a username which is based off the game that I've been regularly playing since those crazy mid-90s days, still discovering new and exciting things hidden away amongst all that text, with memories of people I shared great times with - some of whom have sadly passed on - and continuing friendships which are just as important to me as anything. I don't expect anyone other than me on here to have played it, or possibly even heard of it - although it would be great if others had as well - but, for me, it is probably one of the most important games in my life.
2. Chrono Trigger (SNES)
RPGs have long been my favorite genre. But, out of them all, Chrono Trigger is the one that shines above them all as the perfect combination of everything that I have wanted in them. A perfect story (I don't care how cliché, nothing has told everything from "damsel in distress," "saving the world," and "princess kissing the frog" as good as this has), great characters (a silent protagonist is fine by me - I can imagine what I would be saying in each situation), beautiful graphics (frankly, I think this is the peak of how I would like a game to look, nothing even today compares to this), a memorable soundtrack, a wide variety of areas to explore, many different endings, choices to make throughout the game, secrets to discover, and just a joy to play through from beginning to end, time and time again.
3. Earthbound (SNES)
It's funny to think how something can be so off-the-wall and wacky just by focusing on a seemingly typical setting. A seemingly-ordinary boy, in the sort of town that you might find walking down the street yourself, surrounded by typical, regular-life stuff... who is all of a sudden thrown into a strange situation. It's hard to describe exactly what it is that makes Earthbound so special, but in a world full of fantasy, the real-world setting of Earthbound seems like a breath of fresh air. Of course, that isn't to say it's without its zombies, aliens, dragons, and other more standard flora and fauna, but it's the juxtaposition of these themes which create quite a different feeling. Mix that with one of the better battle systems ever featured in a game, some great writing, and piles of memorable moments, and it's another game that really shines out.
4. Lufia and the Fortress of Doom (SNES)
I have been into RPGs since the original Dragon Warrior on the NES, but, it was the first Lufia game for SNES which really kindled my enjoyment of the genre, and burst it into the passion that it is now. The thing which always stands out most for me about Lufia 1 is the story. It is simply impossible for me to play through this game without crying - typically multiple times. Beyond that, some great areas to explore, a wide variety of enemies, and the great adventure that is the Ancient Cave, and Lufia really is a wonderful game.
5. Lufia and the Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES)
If you played Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, the first of the two Lufia games to be released for SNES, you will have noticed how at the beginning you were tossed into the climax of a rather dramatic situation. That situation was later fleshed out as the culmination of Lufia and the Rise of the Sinistrals - released afterwards, but coming chronologically before Fortress of Doom. For this reason many would say to play this game first, but I feel the gameplay flows better playing this one second - and there's still more to the ending to discover than what is shown in the first game. Rise of the Sinistrals shares many of the elements that made Fortress of Doom so great - in particular, an amazing story, and many tear-inducing moments - but also a more refined battle system, visible enemies through most of the game, and a bigger focus on dungeon puzzles. Many place Rise of the Sinistrals above Fortress of Doom for these reasons, and I admit my ordering of them is somewhat based on sentiment, but either way, they are both amazing games, and both definitely worth experiencing.
6. Mother 3 (GBA - Japan-only)
Earthbound, mentioned up a bit on this list, was Mother 2 in Japan. Inside of Earthbound there were some specific references to a follow-up game planned - an "Earthbound 2 Development Office" in one of the towns, and an ending that was basically begging for a sequel. The path to that follow-up was an interesting one. Starting its development for the ill-fated 64DD that saw a sparse release in Japan, and a big change in style from the previous game, what was shown was still plenty of cause for excitement. Still, the add-on had a troubled path itself, and this game slowly faded away. For a while it looked like it might never happen at all. And then, out of the ashes rose this wonder of a game. It was pretty clear from the beginning this would never make its way out of Japan, but - with only a single semester of college Japanese under my belt, not nearly enough to understand much more than Hai and Iie - I imported this game the day it came out in Japan, and, armed with a translation guide, made my way through an absolutely unforgettable journey. A full translation of this game is out there now, of course, and if the game was a day-one purchase in a language I didn't understand, it is a must-have now, and a wonderful conclusion to one of gaming's most amazing series.
7. Final Fantasy Legend 1 (GB)
Known in Japan as MakaiToushi SaGa, this game made it over to the US with a Final Fantasy branding. Regardless of the name that it was under, this game presents one of the best games for the original Gameboy, and still a wonderful game today. My main memories with this game are, every summer we would go to the beach for a week - and me, being the exciting person I am, would spend the week sitting on a blanket in the sand, playing this game. At the time it would generally take me around the full week to play through it - in part since I didn't fully get the level/stats/progression system - so it was a perfect fit. This game has you climbing up a tower, with different worlds at each section of the tower, which really creates an interesting atmosphere. You enter into one area, experience a unique and meaningful world, overcome challenges, and then further progress your way up the tower.
8. Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage (N64)
People say that the N64 had basically no RPGs - and compared to the RPG wonderland that was the SNES, that is certainly a fair criticism. As the second N64 RPG from the company that brought you Quest 64, Aidyn Chronicles was created in part to right many of the things that had gone wrong with Quest 64 (which, while a fun game as well, certainly had its share of criticisms). Aidyn Chronicles is a huge, expansive RPG, filled with a deep story, a world full of secrets and mystery, so many things to discover and find, and is quite easy to get completely engrossed in. It's also a very lengthy game - my first playthrough of it was around 70 hours, and I think my most recent one ended at around 130. Even then there are so many possibilities left to try and things left to find, that it keeps bringing me back for more.
9. Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention (GEN)
While I had played a Genesis plenty before this game, this was the game that made me purchase the system. While I'm typically not as keen on strategy/grid-based RPGs, this still stands out as one of my favorites. With a large cast of characters, they all still serve to be memorable. A number of towns and people to interact with and places to explore which are all quite interesting, and a great look and sound to everything as well.
10. Final Fantasy 6(3US) (SNES)
I know it looks strange being so far down on this list, but that's just because there are so many RPGs that I enjoy. In my mind the pinnacle of the Final Fantasy series, one of the finer points about this game is how it manages to both have a large cast of characters, while at the same time making each of them unforgettable. With many different possible combinations of characters to use at a number of points, options for customizing characters (even if they do end up being pretty similar by the end if one is obsessive with leveling like me), and a great story, this really is a game that anyone who enjoys the series, or RPGs in general, should play. Although, I do much prefer the WoB to the WoR, but nonetheless.
Honorable mentions:
H1: Dragon Warrior 1 (NES)
The game that introduced me to RPGs, while it's a bit lower on my list now due to all the games I've experienced since then, it still stands out as one of the best. A single warrior on a quest to save a princess - but thou must! - and a kingdom, the slow sense of progression as one slowly makes the way out from the starting castle, piece by piece braving further into the wilds really builds a sense of dedication and leads to a meaningful conclusion when the end is finally reached.
H2: Drakkhen (SNES)
The game more typically shows up on people's most-disliked games lists, but, being one of the earlier SNES games that I got around when the system came out, I put a great deal of time in with this game, and while it certainly isn't perfect, there's still a good amount to appreciate. The world, composed of four separate sections, with castles in each are varied and interesting to explore. The castles themselves, in particular, have an amazing atmosphere and sense of mystery to them. The soundtrack as well is simply enchanting. While the battle system could have used a bit more work, even just for the journey through the game, it's a great experience.
H3: Final Fantasy 1 (NES)
Who would have guessed when this game came out - a desperate cry for help from a company that produced such games as Rad Racer (pretty rad) to 3D WorldRunner (kind of rad) to King's Knight (pretty bad - and not in the 80s sense of that term either) - this game was surprisingly deep and involved. The knocking down of Garland and the crossing of the bridge was only the beginning of what would become an amazing journey. The character options, and the somewhat peculiar magic system only added to the charm, as half the fun was trying to play through the game with different varieties of character combinations. While I typically opted for a standard Fighter, Red Mage, White Mage, Black Mage party, the challenge of a 4 White Mages party is always interesting as well.
H4: Pokémon Blue (GB)
When Pokémon came out in the US, I was already in high school. I hadn't really noticed the game much initially, but thanks to a friend (now my brother-in-law) who had gotten it when it came out, I checked it out, and quickly became addicted. While I did manage to "catch them all," I made most of my way through the game with an (eventually) Level 100 Charizard (leveled up legitimately) and just a couple of other ones hanging around for HMs and such. Of course, battling with others at lunch (what better thing to do in a high school lunchroom than Pokémon battles?) things quickly turned into the typical "6 Level 100 Rare-candy-glitch-abused" groups, but even then, it was still great fun.
H5: Dragon Warrior 3 (NES)
Honestly probably better than Dragon Warrior 1 which is a couple of spots up, Dragon Warrior 3 has an amazing party creation system, leading to all sorts of different ways to play through this game. With more areas to save in than the first game, the world sprawls out even more as you explore all over, taking your party to the furthest reaches as you discover all of the secrets this game holds. Trying out different character combinations, as well, leads to plenty of reason to play this game through time and again - to say nothing of how fun it is to play through.
There are countless more games that I could mention, there are so many RPGs that I love, but, that's a look at some of them. Some which are favorites of many others, and maybe something new in there to discover as well.
