Beginner’s Guide to RPGs on Switch 2: Where to Start
New to the genre? Here is everything you need to start your adventure on the Switch 2.
- Interactive Storybooks: If you like Netflix series, you're already an RPG fan.
- Turn-based = Zero Stress: You control the pace. Perfect for playing while sipping tea.
- The 1080p Advantage: Switch 2 makes reading dialogue a joy.
- Start Simple: Use our comparison guide below to pick your first game.
I bought the Switch 2 on launch day, but the library was a bit quiet — almost awkwardly quiet. One of my friends laughed at me and said, “So you’ve got the Switch 2… but what games are you actually going to play on it?”
Honestly, I kind of felt the same way at the time.
But after a while, more games started coming out, and now it finally feels like things are picking up. If you’ve recently picked up the new Switch 2, you might have noticed a lot of buzz around games described as “RPGs”.
For many people, the term brings up images of complex spreadsheets, confusing menus, or needing to be a "hardcore" gamer to understand what's going on. But is it really like that?
Actually, RPGs (Role-Playing Games) are just interactive storybooks. If you enjoy binge-watching a good series on Netflix, you might already be an RPG fan without knowing it.
With the Switch 2 launching with a beautiful 1080p handheld screen, there has never been a better time to dive in. This guide will give you a good start and help you find your next great adventure.
What Exactly is an RPG?
My simple way to describe it is this: an RPG is a game where you control a character (or a group of friends) who grows stronger over time.
Think of it like the Harry Potter series. In the first book, Harry knows very little magic. By the last book, he is powerful. In an RPG, you play through that journey yourself.
- XP (Experience Points): This is just a measure of practice. Win a battle? You get XP. Get enough XP? You "Level Up" and get stronger.
- The "Turn": Many RPGs are "turn-based." This is like a game of Chess or a board game. You take your turn, then the computer takes its turn. You don’t need fast reflexes; you can put the controller down to sip your tea and think about your next move. You control the pace, which is important for people who can't just sit there playing for hours straight. You can still do bits and pieces here and there, or get some household stuff done if someone complains you're playing games all day doing nothing. (Hey, to be fair, playing games is a thing!)
The 5 Main Flavours of RPGs
Not all RPGs are the same. Some games might feel completely different from others. They generally fall into five "flavours." You might find a certain type is particularly interesting, but you won't enjoy others at all. Find out which one might be your cuppa.
| Genre | Best For... | Pace | Top Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| JRPG | Cosy, guided stories | Relaxed | Dragon Quest VII Reimagined |
| WRPG | Freedom & exploration | Real-time | Cyberpunk 2077 |
| ARPG | Action & reflexes | Fast | The Legend of Zelda |
| CRPG | Readers & strategists | Deep | Divinity: Original Sin 2 |
| SRPG | Logic puzzles | Strategic | Fire Emblem |
JRPGs (Japanese RPGs)
The Vibe: A playable anime.
What to expect: You usually play a pre-set character with a specific name and personality. The stories are often emotional, grand, and linear (meaning they have a clear beginning, middle, and end).
Perfect for: People who want a cozy, heartwarming story.
Also perfect if you secretly enjoy dramatic monologues and saving the world with friendship.
New Release: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. Newly released in February 2026, this is a stunning remake of a classic. It’s colourful, charming, and uses a turn-based system that is very welcoming to beginners.
WRPGs (Western RPGs)
The Vibe: Be whoever you want to be.
What to expect: These games often let you create your own character from scratch (choosing your face, name, and background). They focus on "Open Worlds"—massive maps where you can ignore the main story and just go exploring.
Perfect for: Explorers who love freedom and making moral choices. Yeah, if you want to be the bad guy, why not?
The Classic: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. After a rocky start, this game redeemed itself to become the modern benchmark for first-person Open World RPGs. It offers a dense, vibrant city (Night City) and allows for deep customisation of how you play—guns blazing, stealth hacking, or melee.
ARPGs (Action RPGs)
The Vibe: Fast and furious.
What to expect: These mix RPG growth (getting stronger) with real-time combat. You don’t wait your turn; you press a button to swing your sword instantly. The Legend of Zelda series often fits here.
Perfect for: Players who find turn-based games a bit too slow and just want to smash buttons.
The Benchmark: Elden Ring. A once-in-a-decade phenomenon. It successfully translated the high-stakes combat of "Souls-like" games into a breathtaking open world. It doesn’t force a narrative on you; instead, it invites you to explore its vast landscapes with a sword and magic. It is the pinnacle of discovery and action.
Platform Note: Elden Ring is currently not natively available on Nintendo Switch.
The Switch King, period - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The literal reason you bought this console,right?
If Elden Ring teaches you to survive a hostile world, Zelda teaches you to break it. While its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, reinvented the open-world genre, Tears of the Kingdom perfected it.
It is the ultimate Action RPG for the creative mind. You aren't just leveling up stats; you are building giant robots, flying machines, and fusing swords with rocks. It offers a level of physics-based freedom that even high-end PC rigs struggle to replicate. Playing this on the Switch 2 finally does justice to its massive scale—loading times vanish, and the world feels truly seamless.
I spent 150 hours in Hyrule and still haven't seen everything. If you are new to the series, you can start with Breath of the Wild for a simpler experience, but if you want the best toys immediately, jump straight into Tears of the Kingdom.
Editor's Note
This is my favourite genre. So many great games sucking in hundreds of hours. The fun and the frustrations are real! It all blends into those memories.
CRPGs (Classic/Computer RPGs)
The Vibe: The digital tabletop.
What to expect: Think Dungeons & Dragons. These games have a top-down camera view and focus heavily on dialogue, dice-rolls, and strategy. They can be complex, but they offer the deepest writing in gaming.
Perfect for: Readers and puzzle solvers.
The Benchmark: Baldur’s Gate 3. The undisputed king of the genre. It swept every major "Game of the Year" award for a reason. By digitising the D&D rulebook, it offers unparalleled freedom—whether that’s talking your way out of a boss fight or accidentally altering the fate of the world.
New Phenomenon: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Yes yes yes, a lot of people will say this is a typical turn-based JRPG. I get that. But to me, it’s a CRPG at heart. Not because of the camera angle or combat labels, but because of what it expects from the player.
Expedition 33 is obsessed with consequence, tone, and intent. Every system feeds into its world logic. Combat isn’t just about optimisation—it’s about commitment. Choices feel authored, heavy, and slightly uncomfortable in the best CRPG way.
It doesn’t hand you a sandbox as wide as BG3, but what it does instead is tighter, sharper, and more deliberate. It respects the player’s intelligence, trusts you to sit with ambiguity, and never rushes to explain itself. That alone puts it above most “turn-based JRPGs”. (Oops, talked too much here, moving onto the next!)
Platform note: While Baldur’s Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are currently PC-focused experiences, they define what modern CRPG design looks like at its best. If you’re looking to experience this style on Switch, Divinity: Original Sin 2 remains the closest and most authentic CRPG available on the platform.
SRPGs (Strategy RPGs)
The Vibe: Chess with wizards.
What to expect: You move a team of characters around a grid-based map. Positioning is everything.
Perfect for: People who love logic puzzles and thinking three moves ahead.
The Benchmarks: Fire Emblem: Three Houses / Unicorn Overlord.
Fire Emblem perfected the mix of character development (the "Hogwarts-style" academy life) and grid-based tactical warfare.
Unicorn Overlord (2024) is a masterpiece of art and systems, featuring stunning 2D visuals and a deep squad-building mechanic that rewards strategic thinkers.
Upcoming Release: Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave (Coming in 2026—my hopes are so high!)
Why Switch 2 is the "RPG Machine"
RPGs are often long games—we’re talking 40 to 100 hours of gameplay. In the past, this meant being glued to your TV for weeks. The Switch 2 changes the equation for two reasons:
- Portability: You can chip away at a massive adventure in 20-minute bursts on the train or in bed.
- The Screen: The new 1080p handheld screen is a game-changer for RPGs. These games often have a lot of text (dialogue, item descriptions). On the old Switch, this could get blurry. On the Switch 2, it’s crisp and easy on the eyes. Everything is just better and smoother, making it more immersive overall.
- Plus... some games are exclusive to Nintendo, which leaves no other option, does it?
Comfort for the Long Haul
A good controller is crucial. If you plan on sinking 100 hours into Dragon Quest, standard controllers can sometimes struggle. You might experience "drift" (where the joystick wears out and the character walks on their own) or hand cramps from the flat design.
For long RPG sessions, we recommend looking at the new Mobapad Chitu 2 Pro Switch Controller.
Mobapad Chitu 2 Pro
It’s a great fit for RPG fans for a few reasons:
- TMR Glide Joystick Technology: Next-gen "Hall Effect" (drift-proof) sticks. It means your controller stays accurate for years, ensuring your character never walks off a cliff by accident. No physical POM ring contact means providing butter-smooth control.
- Mechanical Buttons: The buttons have a satisfying "clicky" feel, which makes navigating menus feel tactile and responsive.
- Comfort Grip: It fills the hands way better than standard Joy-Cons, preventing cramps during those marathon weekend sessions.
So what can we take away?
Don't let the acronyms scare you off. Whether you want to save the world in a JRPG or explore a massive continent in a WRPG, there is a story waiting for you.
The best way to start? Pick a game that looks like your favourite movie genre, grab a comfortable controller, and press Start.
Keep hydrated, keep playing. Happy gaming!
