The Five-Year Switch RPG Tour – Part Four
All Five-Year Switch RPG Tour content.
Handheld consoles have been my bread and butter for as long as I can remember. I’ve been a firm supporter of Nintendo’s handhelds, loving the portability of playing my games wherever I wanted. And with the Switch being my first console where I truly decided to dive into more indie releases, it is shaping up to be one of my favorite consoles to date. Of course, that may not be fair to older handhelds that I didn’t get the chance to truly explore their gaming catalogs, but that’s beside the point!
Over the course of this month, we at SwitchRPG have been tasked with going down memory lane and recalling our favorite (and some not-so-favorite) RPG releases. Since I didn’t play that many games prior to joining the SwitchRPG team, I’m not really going to be exploring the least favorite options, but hopefully my favorites will still be of interest. So, let’s get started with my favorite SwitchRPGs!
2017
Disgaea 5 Complete
I still remember my initial reaction to watching the Nintendo Direct months before the release of the Switch where Breath of the Wild was announced. There was a lot of excitement over the game being a launch title for the console. But, in my typical tactics loving ways, my attention was focused elsewhere. For secluded to a few seconds in the montage section was one of my favorite tactics series, Disgaea. Disgaea 5 would be coming to the Switch and just mere months after the release of the console. While Disgaea isn’t a stranger to Nintendo consoles, the main line games have been homed primarily on Playstation. But little did I know then just how supported the series would become on the Switch.
2018
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA
Truth be told, I haven’t actually finished this game, but there wasn’t really any other RPG that I played semi-extensively on the Switch this particular year. But what I had played of the game was very enjoyable for me. Ys is a series that I’ve only dipped my toes in, with this title and Ys: Memories of Celceta. For some reason, the story and characters never tend to stick around in my mind, but what does stick is the gameplay. I’ve always found Ys to be a fun experience to play, even if I don’t end up putting much thought into my movements.
2019
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age
I think I’ve mentioned this in prior articles, but Dragon Quest XI was my first real jump into the series. I’ve dabbled in past games before (VII and IX) but have never actually finished one. So when Square Enix was funneling the same trailer multiple times across the span of many months, my hype levels were off the charts. I loved the character models, the music, the world, and the promised adventure that was waiting for me. And when I finally got my hands on it, my days and nights were dominated by Dragon Quest XI. It’s a very classic RPG experience and one that will stay at the top of my lists for the Switch for years to come.
2020
Hades
Hades was another curveball that I never expected to get so enthralled by. I loved the art for the game and was initially drawn in due to the promise of fun character interactions. Prior to it, my only exposure to roguelite/roguelike games has been the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games. That feeling when a new genre just clicks for you is something that can’t really be described outside of “how have I never played something like this before?” The gameplay was responsive and any deaths that I experienced felt well deserved. And when I reached the exit of Underworld for the first time, the sense of accomplishment was a moment of bliss for me.
2021
Dodgeball Academia
With the announcement of Dodgeball Academia, I had no clue that it would end up being one of my favorite RPGs of the year. Sometimes, amongst all the big hitting releases and major RPGs with 20 different mechanics and systems, you want something that’s a bit simpler and chill. A dodgeball RPG is something that doesn’t come to my mind first and foremost, but just makes sense when you think about it. It leaned into a lot of its inspirations and it is definitely a game with a lot of heart.
2022 (So Far)
Triangle Strategy
This was, to no one’s surprise, my most anticipated RPG for 2022. I also haven’t finished Triangle Strategy, but I am playing it on and off in the little free time that I have. And my goodness am I enjoying the game so far. I kind of wish there were more stages to actually do battle, and some of the messages about Serenoa’s ideals being strengthened do confuse me from time to time. But it’s been a great ride so far and I’m excited to see how the game wraps up.
Speculative Favorite: The DioField Chronicle
If The DioField Chronicle comes out this year, I anticipate it will be battling against Triangle Strategy for my favorite tactics game (and perhaps RPG) of this year. I was immediately excited from the moment I first saw this game during the Playstation event. I would love to get a bit more information, but the fact that Square seems to be putting out more tactics games is something I am more than happy to see. After all, there are never enough tactics games for me.
That’s it for my picks! What did you think about my list, and what would you have chosen differently? Let me know!
