9 Best Switch 2 JRPGs That You Need to Play in Fall 2026

Whether you have crunchy leaves on the ground, there’s no denying that we’re deep into fall now. Halloween is approaching, families are finalizing Thanksgiving travel plans, and students are hitting the books with summer vacation now a passing memory. I might be in Australia, living through Spring instead, but my American upbringing yearns for pumpkin spice and a more orange tint to everything right now.

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Fall is such a cozy season, making it easy to try and relax before the holidays lead to all kinds of time-sensitive responsibilities and chaotic stress. There’s a little added stress for those of us who adore a good JRPG, though. How do you fit it in with travel plans and the ever-growing pile of homework? Well, if you’re as dedicated to the genre, you’ll find the time. And these Nintendo Switch 2 JRPGs will make that even easier with their portability. Let’s take a look at the best games for the season.

9 Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

School Days

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet RPG Released November 18, 2022 Developer(s)Game FreakPublisher(s) Nintendo, The Pokemon CompanyPlatform(s) Switch Genre(s)RPG Powered by ExpandCollapse

Did you know that Australia starts their school year in January and it ends in December? I sure didn’t before I started dating someone who was in school to be a teacher over here. Still, I have many memories of school starting in August, getting up early in the morning, and groggily starting my day. I’m sure you’ve adjusted to your schedule by now if you’ve just gone back to school, but Pokémon Scarlet and Violet would likely be a great way to escape from homework for a second.

After all, haven’t we all sat bored in a class at one point, wishing we could be learning about Pokémon instead? School would have been way cooler if it was about video games. We all thought about this when we were like, five. Right? Oh, what’s that? Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are Switch 1 games? Listen. I’ll let you in on a trade secret. It runs better on Switch 2. That’s all the reasoning I need to put it on this list.

8 Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Hooked on the Brothers

Mario & Luigi: Brothership RPG Adventure Released November 7, 2024 Developer(s) Acquire Publisher(s) Nintendo Platform(s)Nintendo SwitchGenre(s)RPG, Adventure Powered by ExpandCollapse

The huge cluster of family chaos that is Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday season. Or at least it does in my family. We have a tradition of putting our Christmas Tree up on Thanksgiving every year with good food and seasonal movies acting as background noise on the TV. I make it sound perfect, but it rarely ever is. That’s why I feel like Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a good colorful adventure to get into before everything really kicks into gear.

Yes, I’m arguing for you to play not one but two Switch 1 games on a Switch 2 list, but like many of the original Switch’s offerings, Brothership runs better on the Switch 2 even without a dedicated update. Even if you played the latest Mario & Luigi adventure when it first came out, it’s worth a revisit thanks to the lack of awkward frame rate drops. So, why not give yourself a relaxing and comfortable adventure to relax with against everything coming up?

Real-life aside, we all need at least a few easy-going JRPGs to play ahead of the huge year we’ve got coming up. Take the chance while you’ve got it.

7 Metaphor: ReFantazio

The Flashiest JRPG This Side of Persona

Metaphor: ReFantazio RPG JRPG Action Adventure Released October 11, 2024 Developer(s)Studio ZeroPublisher(s)Atlus, SegaGenre(s)RPG, JRPG, Action, Adventure Powered by ExpandCollapse

I need to warn you, before I go into this one, that Metaphor: ReFantazio hasn’t made its way onto the Switch yet. The keyword here is “yet.” It finally hits Nintendo fans on November 12, 2026. That’s still deep into fall, though, so if you’ve found this list around that time, great! Pick it up! Like now. It’s had multiple game of the year nominations and two wins that already solidify it as a must-play for any Switch-bound players out there.

Metaphor is chock-full of all kinds of things everyone loves out of a JRPG, like airships, dramatic political tensions, and a lingering meta narrative. Needless to say, it’s an outright treat for fans of the genre and classical stories in general. The only thing we’re waiting for with this game is to see how it performs on the Switch 2 itself. But considering how well Persona 5 Royal was optimized for the Switch 1, I think it’s a pretty safe bet. There’s really nothing telling you “no” here.

6 Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave

Nintendo’s Big JRPG Hit of the Season

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave RPG Tactical Released September 17, 2026 Developer(s)Intelligent SystemsPublisher(s) Nintendo Platform(s) Nintendo Switch 2 Genre(s)RPG, Tactical Powered by ExpandCollapse

Alright, you asked for it. Have a game that really thrives on the Switch 2, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. No, don’t look at me like that. Fortune’s Weave is actually superb. I felt the same as you might have with the way Fortune’s Weave looked leading up to launch. I felt underwhelmed, but now that the game’s out and I’ve experienced it, it’s an important game for those who enjoy JRPGS.

Fortune’s Weave is incredibly open-ended, removing the restriction Fire Emblem: Three Houses had before it, letting you switch between its stories at any point. You’re given a huge and mechanically interesting world map to explore, with all sorts of things to do to where I can say that if you adore Fire Emblem, this might be the only game you have time for out of this list. You will be hooked, and you won’t easily be able to put Fortune’s Weave down and pick up something else. That’s the only thing keeping it from “must play” status for me.

5 Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Edition

The World is Cold and Cruel, Yet Also Soft and Warm

Tales of Arise Action RPG Released September 10, 2021 Developer(s)Bandai Namco StudiosPublisher(s)Bandai Namco StudiosPlatform(s)PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SGenre(s)Action RPG Powered by ExpandCollapse

What color is widely associated with fall? That’s right! Orange! And Tales of Arise opens up beautifully with a completely orange-toned landscape of… a land ravaged by slavery and oppression. Not everything can be super cozy, I guess? Eh, enough of my bad jokes. Tales of Arise is just a gorgeous game with fantastic art direction that I feel fits the season.

Arise is still very anime, as expected of something from the JRPG subgenre, but everything is given this amazing watercolor texture on top of it. It’s very subtle, but even if you don’t entirely notice it on the screen at all times, it still makes it all feel warm, especially with oranges and browns. Almost like aged paper. It gives a nostalgic, worn feeling that’s characteristic of fall. On top of that, you can manage party interactions by campfires when the opportunity strikes. There are a lot of softer moments amidst the tensions of the story, and I’m sure you’ll love that, too.

4 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Something Old, Something New

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Released February 29, 2024 Developer(s)Square EnixPublisher(s)Square EnixPlatform(s)PlayStation 5 Powered by ExpandCollapse

Technically, this is two games in one, considering you really, really should play Final Fantasy VII Remake before touching this if you haven’t already. But Final Fantasy VII Rebirth gets the mention because it’s about opening up; literally and figuratively in multiple ways.

First, you have the way the party expands with the addition of Red XIII and Yuffie. Then, of course, there’s the relationship systems that let you talk to your party members, get to know them better, and bond with them as the game progresses. FFVII Rebirth really embraces the non-nuclear found family dynamic that Cloud and friends build over their adventure. And let’s face it. It’s like I said before. Next year marks the release of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, and it’s best that you catch up on the adventure sooner rather than later.

3 Persona 3 Reload

Add Some Time Management to Your Time Management

Persona 3 Reload JRPG RPG Life Simulation Strategy Released February 2, 2024 Developer(s) P-Studio Publisher(s)Atlus, SegaPlatform(s)PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PCGenre(s)JRPG, RPG, Life Simulation, Strategy Powered by ExpandCollapse

So I’ve talked a lot about Thanksgiving, but that’s not my favorite fall holiday by far. I am a big fan of Halloween, and Australia doesn’t really go out of its way to celebrate it. Short of just buying candy and binging my favorite Halloween specials, video games are great for me to vicariously live through to celebrate the occasion. I am far and away from the biggest Persona fan out there, but after getting Persona 3 Reload on the Switch 2, I’ve got to concede that it fits the bill.

It has darker themes, it has the literal Dark Hour, a lot of the creature designs are perfect for a good mix between spooky and legitimate creepiness… I could go on. It’s also another game that lines up well with any responsibilities you students have, even if Persona 3 starts in the opposite season to fall, Spring. But hey! You’ll just know how I feel sitting here with a bowl of Halloween candy in Australia right now! And there’s nothing wrong with that!

2 Kingdom Hearts Collection 1-3

Wouldn’t You Like to See Something Strange?

KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I～III] Released October 8, 2026 Developer(s) Square Enix Publisher(s) Square Enix Platform(s) Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by ExpandCollapse

I grew up on Tim Burton movies and I didn’t give up trick-or-treating until I was well into my teens. You probably know where this is going already. I have a tradition of playing one of my favorite video game levels ever around this time, and thankfully it got new life on the Switch 2 recently through Kingdom Hearts Collection 1-3.

Specifically, Kingdom Hearts 1, Kingdom Hearts 2, and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories feature Halloween Town from Nightmare Before Christmas. And yes. I have dedicated saves to replay those sections every year. (Or every other year at least.) Because of the colorful characters and my life-long attachment to this series, there’s a nostalgic feel that comes with playing a lot of the games in this collection. And if you agree, you definitely understand how that goes hand-in-hand with a good chill fall breeze.

1 Final Fantasy Resonance

Old School is Back, Baby!

Final Fantasy Resonance RPG JRPG Released October 22, 2026 Developer(s) Square Enix, Lancarse Publisher(s) Square Enix Platform(s)PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SGenre(s)RPG, JRPG Powered by ExpandCollapse

I think no matter where you sit on your opinion of Final Fantasy, RPGs or gaming as a whole, we can all agree that Final Fantasy Resonance is nothing short of miraculous. It’s an adaptation of a story arc originally found in the mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius given new life as an HD-2D game. And it’s managed to beat every misconception a game like that might have.

Final Fantasy Resonance is actually a sizable return to what made classic turn-based Final Fantasy so memorable and iconic. It offers an adventure roughly the size of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth that’s mechanically rich, player-friendly, and tropey in a love letter sense for better or for worse. It’s a delight to many players, including me, and I’ll go as far as to say that it is the must-play of the season.