| JP FC | Bloody Warriors: Shan-Go no Gyakushuu | 1990 | Turn-Based | Micronics/Toei Animation | Even translated, the health counter for enemies makes no sense. Pretty short too. |
| JP FC | Captain Tsubasa Vol. II: Super Striker | 1990 | Sports | Tecmo | More in-depth plot, more visible players on screen, but otherwise similar gameplay/leveling |
| NES | Castlevania II: Simon's Quest | 1988 | Action-Platform | Konami | Surprise! Contains a day/night system and XP/leveling |
| JP FC | Chaos World | 1991 | Strategy | Natsume | Neat auto-battle system |
| JP FC | Chester Field: Ankoku Shin e no Chousen | 1987 | Action | Vic Tokai | Light on text, hilarious walking animation, very platformy |
| JP FC | Columbus: Ougon no Yoake | 1992 | Turn-Based | Tomy | Naval combat and quasi-historical themes! Sketch af! |
| JP FC | Cosmo Police Galivan | 1988 | Action-Platform | Nihon Bussan | Platformer ARPG - Metroidvania before metroidvanias were a thing |
| NES | Crystalis | 1990 | Action | SNK | Top-down ARPG, fairly grindy for the time |
| JP FC | Dai-2-Ji Super Robot Taisen | 1991 | Turn-Based | Winkysoft | Features original design robots that would become the cornerstone of the Original Generation series |
| JP FC | Dark Lord | 1991 | Turn-Based | Data East | Mix of overhead and turn-based combat |
| JP FC | Deep Dungeon III: Yuushi e no Tabi | 1988 | Dungeon Crawler | Humming Bird Soft | 1st-person dunegon crawl |
| JP FC | Deep Dungeon IV: Kuro no Youjutsushi | 1990 | Dungeon Crawler | Humming Bird Soft | 1st-person dunegon crawl |
| NES | Destiny of an Emperor | 1990 | Turn-Based | Capcom | Romance of the Three Kingdoms-themed, auto-battle system |
| JP FC | Digital Devil Monogatari: Megami Tensei II | 1990 | Dungeon Crawler | Atlus | Considered to be the origin of the series' heavy-handed order vs chaos theme, good old-fashioned demon negotiation and recruitment |
| JP FC | Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei | 1987 | Dungeon Crawler | Atlus | The series had to start somewhere… |
| JP FC | Doraemon: Giga Zombie no Gyakushuu | 1990 | Turn-Based | Epoch | Featuring playable Doraemon! |
| JP FC | Double Moon Densetsu | 1992 | Turn-Based | Amusement/Dennou Kenkyusho/ORG | Multiple endings, multiple classes to choose from, pulls some nasty punches on the player |
| JP FC | Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki Dayo Zen'in Shuugou! | 1991 | Action | Technos Japan | Kunio and the bois act out a period play the only way they know how, stats now increase upon defeating certain amounts of enemies |
| JP FC | Dragon Ball: Dai Maou Fukkatsu | 1988 | Card-Based | D&D Corp/Tose | Plays kinda like a card-based board game |
| JP FC | Dragon Ball Z: Kyoushuu! Saiya Jin | 1993 | Card-Based | D&D Corp/Tose | CARDS |
| JP FC | Dragon Ball Z II: Gekishin Freeza!! | 1991 | Card-Based | D&D Corp/Tose | Card-based combat |
| JP FC | Dragon Ball Z III: Ressen Jinzou Ningen | 1992 | Card-Based | D&D Corp/Tose | More card-based combat |
| JP FC | Dragon Scroll: Yomigaerishi Maryuu | 1987 | Action | Konami | *Epilepsy Warning* Otherwise a solid ARPG |
| NES | Dragon Warrior | 1989 | Turn-Based | Chunsoft | Solo questing to save the kingdom! |
| NES | Dragon Warrior II | 1990 | Turn-Based | Chunsoft | Rescuing the kingdom, now with a party! |
| NES | Dragon Warrior III | 1992 | Turn-Based | Chunsoft | Introduces a class system to the series, far less linear than its predecessors |
| NES | Dragon Warrior IV | 1992 | Turn-Based | Chunsoft | Breaks up the story into chapters with different protagonists that come together in the end |
| JP FC | Dream Master | 1992 | Turn-Based | Birthday | Not Little Nemo! More puzzle-based than most games of the era, cool concept |
| NES | Dungeon Magic: Sword of the Elements | 1990 | Dungeon Crawler | Natsume | 1st-person dunegon crawl, very sparse on story |
| JP FC | Elysion | 1988 | Action | NEC Interchannel | A bit bland of an ARPG, but it has multiple playable characters, so that's neat |
| JP FC | Esper Dream 2: Aratanaru Tatakai | 1992 | Action | Konami | Cute pastel sprite work and ARPG gameplay |
| JP FC | Famicom Jump: Eiyuu Retsuden | 1989 | Action | Tose | Get isekai'd into a world where heroes and villains from the Jump magazine series converge, XP gain is represented by "effort" |
| NES | Faria: A World of Mystery and Danger! | 1991 | Dungeon Crawler | Game Arts | A top-down dungeon crawler with some cruel elements like invisible monsters |
| NES | Faxanadu | 1989 | Action-Platform | Hudson Soft | Plays more like a standard Castlevania |
| NES | Final Fantasy | 1990 | Turn-Based | Square | What hasn't been said about this game? It's not the final game in the series, nor is it the final iteration of this game |
| JP FC | Final Fantasy II | 1988 | Turn-Based | Square | Leveling is done via utilizing skills rather than experience- a drastic and much-maligned design choice |
| JP FC | Final Fantasy III | 1990 | Turn-Based | Square | First Final Fantasy to feature the job-change system |
| JP FC | Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryu to Hikari no Tsurugi | 1990 | Strategy | Intelligent Systems/Nintendo | Origins of boy-king Marth, an SRPG featuring permadeath of units |
| JP FC | Fire Emblem Gaiden | 1992 | Strategy | Intelligent Systems | Introduced elements like a navigable overworld that were then unused for a long time |
| JP FC | Fushigi no Umi no Nadia | 1991 | Strategy | Advance Communication Company | SRPG based on the anime of the same name, plays vastly different to the Mega Drive version |
| JP FC | Ganbare Goemon Gaiden 2: Tenka no Zaihou | 1992 | Turn-Based | Konami | Changes the battle perspective to show party members on-screen, has lots of side activities |
| JP FC | Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta Ougon Kiseru | 1990 | Turn-Based | Konami | Humorous turn-based game set in medieval Japan |
| JP FC | GeGeGe no Kitarou 2: Youkai Gundan no Chousen | 1987 | Turn-Based | Tose | Based off the spooky anime of the same name |
| NES | Ghost Lion | 1992 | Turn-Based | Kemco | Amazing cover art, unique summon-based battle system |
| JP FC | Grand Master | 1991 | Action | Soft Machine | Features multiple branching paths, ARPG gameplay, and anime cutscenes between stages |
| JP FC | Heracles no Eikou II: Titan no Metsubo | 1989 | Turn-Based | Data East | Dragon Warrior-styled gameplay with Greek mythological flair |
| JP FC | Hoshi wo Miru Hito | 1987 | Turn-Based | Another/Hot-B | Kusoge of legend, incomplete translation but left up here for lulz |
| JP FC | Hyaku no Sekai no Monogatari: The Tales on a Watery Wilderness | 1991 | Board Game | ASK | A multiplayer board game JRPG? On my Famicom? Lots of randomness involved |
| NES | Hydlide | 1989 | Action | T&E Soft | Very grindy, very bad |
| JP FC | Hydlide 3: Yami Kara no Houmonsha | 1989 | Action | T&E Soft | There is no such thing as a good Hydlide game. |
| JP FC | Indra no Hikari | 1987 | Turn-Based | Kemco | Enemies are visible on the overworld, but otherwise appears to be yet another Dragon Warrior clone |
| JP FC | Jajamaru Gekimaden: Maboroshi no Kinmajou | 1990 | Action | Jaleco | Very close to the first Zelda game, but with yoyos for weapons! |
| JP FC | Jajamaru Ninpou Chou | 1989 | Turn-Based | Jaleco | Almost came out in the States, but alas… Another DW clone where you can only fight one enemy at a time |
| JP FC | Just Breed | 1992 | Strategy | Random House | A very detailed SRPG for the time |
| JP FC | Juvei Quest | 1991 | Turn-Based | Birthday | Plot divided into chapters, protagonist can recruit helpers to make adventuring easier |
| JP FC | Kaijuu Monogatari | 1988 | Turn-Based | Birthday | Pretty standard, but also super-hard at the beginning |
| JP FC | Karakuri Kengou Den Musashi Lord: Karakuri Jin Hashiru! | 1991 | Action | Kose | ARPG based on the robot anime |
| JP FC | Kawa no Nushi Tsuri | 1990 | Fishing | Yuu Yuu | It's a fishing JRPG! |
| JP FC | Kouryuu Densetsu Villgust Gaiden | 1993 | Action | Plex | It's got a catgirl. Strange battle system! Side-story to the SNES game |
| JP FC | Lagrange Point | 1991 | Turn-Based | Konami | Banger soundtrack, sci-fi themed |
| JP FC | LaSalle Ishii's Childs Quest | 1989 | Turn-Based | Namco | IDOL MANAGER JRPG. ENOUGH SAID. |
| JP FC | Last Armageddon | 1990 | Turn-Based | Brain Grey/Advance Communications Company | A post-apocalyptic attempt at subverting the traditional fantasy themes of the time- playing as a cast of highly detailed monsters |
| NES | Legacy of the Wizard | 1989 | Action-Platform | Falcom | An early example of a metroidvania with a family element; different family members have different exploration skills |
| NES | Little Ninja Brothers | 1990 | Action | Culture Brain | A tad racially insensitive, first game in the Super Chinese series to have RPG elements |
| JP FC | Majou Densetsu II: Dimashikyou Gailous | 1987 | Action | Konami | A sidescrolling ARPG with 2 playable characters, XP gain refills life; life bar can be extended via items |
| JP FC | Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru Gaiden | 1990 | Action | Westone | Very Zelda II vibes, based off the anime of the same name |
| JP FC | Metal Max | 1991 | Turn-Based | Crea-Tech/Data East | Mad Max: the JRPG! Featuring vehicle combat! |
| JP FC | Minelvaton Saga: Ragon no Fukkatsu | 1987 | Action | Random House | First of the Silva Saga series, featuring overhead ARPG combat |
| JP FC | Mirai Senshi: Lios | 1989 | Strategy | Pack-In-Video | A mech-based SRPG, equipment upgrades improve units and are earned in battles |
| JP FC | Mirai Shinwa Jarvas | 1987 | Action | Taito | If it looks like a kusoge, and plays like a kusoge… |
| JP FC | Momotarou Densetsu | 1987 | Turn-Based | Hudson Soft | Standard gameplay, but cute all the same! |
| JP FC | Mother | 1989 | Turn-Based | Ape/Nintendo | Modern-themed turn-based game starring kids with psychic powers |
| JP FC | Mouryou Senki Madara | 1990 | Turn-Based | Konami | Dark and challenging! Autonomous combat! Anime-based! |
| JP FC | Musashi no Bōken | 1990 | Turn-Based | Quest | Standard DQ clone, but corn can be an enemy so that's pretty funny |
| JP FC | Nakayoshi to Issho | 1993 | Turn-Based | Yutaka | Precious simplistic RPG ft. Kodansha characters (inc. Sailor Moon!) that may give you diabetes |
| JP FC | Niji no Silkroad | 1991 | Turn-Based | Advance Communication Company | Increase your rank as a trader by going out and procuring goods (which you can also buy to raise your stats) |
| JP FC | Ninja Ra Hoi! | 1990 | Turn-Based | ASCII | A parody game of sorts that takes place in feudal Japan |
| JP FC | Otaku no Seiza: Adventure in the Otaku Galaxy | 1991 | Turn-Based | Advance Communication Company | Unbalanced and cheeky |
| JP FC | Outlanders | 1987 | Action | Micronics | Kooky sci-fi with wonky ARPG combat |
| JP FC | Radia Senki: Reiemeihen | 1991 | Action | Tecmo | 4 AI characters + 1 controllable = fun auto tactics |
| NES | River City Ransom | 1990 | Action | Technos Japan | BARF! Beating up rival street gangs to rescue a girl and using dropped cash to buy stat upgrades |
| JP FC | RPG Jinsei Game | 1993 | Simulation | Takara | Make the correct life choices to increase your stats and achieve your career dreams! |
| NES | Rygar | 1987 | Action-Platform | Tecmo | Difficult Metroid-like sidescrolling ARPG with lots of enemy killing via yo-yo-like shield and experience to gain |
| JP FC | SD Keiji Blader | 1991 | Turn-Based | NMK | DQ clone set in the far distant future |
| JP FC | Shadow Brain | 1991 | Dungeon Crawler | Scitron & Art | Futuristic 1st-person dungeon crawler |
| JP FC | Shinsenden | 1989 | Turn-Based | Tamtex | Another day, another eastern-themed DQ clone |
| JP FC | Silva Saga | 1992 | Turn-Based | Seta | Nice graphics for the time |
| JP FC | STED: Iseki Wakusei no Yabou | 1990 | Turn-Based | ADK | Very Phantasy Star-like |
| JP FC | Sukeban Deka III | 1988 | Action | Shouei | Manga-based ARPG |
| JP FC | Sweet Home | 1989 | Turn-Based/Horror | Capcom | Without this, Resident Evil doesn't exist; a horror turn-based game with character permadeath |
| JP FC | Tao | 1989 | Turn-Based | Pax Softonica | Heavily religious-themed, bizarre af (you ride a dinosaur to Moscow), likely kusoge |
| NES | Tecmo Cup Soccer Game | 1992 | Sports | Tecmo | A heavily Americanized (and harder) version of the first Captain Tsubasa video game, where leveling/stat increases happen as players participate in soccer games |
| JP FC | Tenchi o Kurau II: Shokatsu Koumei Den | 1991 | Turn-Based | Capcom | Plays just like the first, just never localized |
| NES | The Magic of Scheherazade | 1989 | Action | Culture Brain | Could get pretty oof in cultural stereotypes, a mix of turn-based and ARPG gameplay |
| NES | Tombs and Treasure | 1991 | Dungeon Crawler | Falcom | 1st-person dungeon crawl with some point-and-click elements |
| JP FC | Toujin Makyou Den: Heracles no Eikou | 1987 | Turn-Based | Data East | First in a long Greek-themed series that Nintendo never bothered to localize (except that one time) |
| NES | Uncharted Waters | 1991 | Simulation | Koei | Do you like micromanagement? Capitalism? Minimal fantasy? This may be for you! |
| JP FC | Ushio to Tora: Shin'en no Daiyou | 1993 | Turn-Based | Tom Create/Pixel | Based on a manga of a similar name, turn-based combat with super-dramatic cutaways; top-down in exploration, first-person in houses and dungeons |
| JP FC | Valkyrie no Bouken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu | 1986 | Action | Namco | Minimal text, starring Namco's famous valkyrie |
| NES | Willow | 1989 | Action | Capcom | Yes, based off the 80's movie with Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer. Solid ARPG gameplay! |
| JP FC | Ys | 1988 | Action | Falcom | Adol bumps into the enemies to slay them |
| JP FC | Ys II | 1990 | Action | Falcom | Adds magic to Adol's repertoire |
| JP FC | Ys III: Wanderers From Ys | 1991 | Action | Falcom | Changes the battles to be side-scrolling rather than top-down and allows Adol to swing his sword/jump |
| NES | Zelda II: The Adventure of Link | 1988 | Action | Nintendo | A side-scrolling Zelda game with XP and leveling? Surely this must be (an) Error! |
| JP FC | Zoids: Chuuou Tairiku no Tatakai | 1987 | Action | Microids | Standard non-combat exploration with shooter-style combat and experience gain behind the scenes |
| JP FC | Zombie Hunter | 1987 | Action | Hi-Score Media Work | Not the greatest side-scrolling ARPG, but it does have synthesized voices |
