Here are the top six JRPGs on the App Store.Some are updates of old classics, and others are new titles with familiar references. All are worth your time and money.
Chaos Rings: Omega
Price: $11.99Compatible with: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later
Chaos Rings: Omega may not have the best localization, but it more than makes up for it with an engrossing story. From publisher Square Enix, Omega stands apart from the first Chaos Rings by focusing its story, ditching the numerous viewpoints for a narrative centered on one character. Combat is menu-driven yet fast-paced, and options are extensive, providing a welcome layer of strategy. It also has a good smattering of puzzles. Omega is an ideal introduction to what iOS developers can offer in terms of original JRPGs.
Eternal Legacy
Price: $4.99Compatible with: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1.2 or later
Spiky-haired anime guy with a huge sword? Yeah, Eternal Legacy might not look like the most original of titles (it’s from Gameloft, the clone masters of the App Store), so consider it a homage to Final Fantasy. Eternal Legacy is perhaps the most visually stunning of the JRPGs available on the iPhone, and it backs this up with plenty of voice acting and a storyline that twists and turns. The action can be a little hands-off with its own take on Final Fantasy XIII's Paradigm system, so Eternal Legacy focuses on exploration and sidequests.
Final Fantasy III
Price: $15.99Compatible with: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later
It's only proper that a game from the series that inspired so many other JRPGs should make the list, and what better title than Final Fantasy III? When first released over 20 years ago, Final Fantasy III revolutionized the series and subsequent JRPGs. The jobs system and the summon spells that Final Fantasy fans now take for granted first appeared in this title. A conversion of the DS 3D remake, Final Fantasy III for iOS is one of the pricier titles on the App Store, coming in at a cent under $16. But it's worth every penny.
