Favorite Lighthearted RPGs?

[Manhattan Sports Club]

My favorite RPGs have been primarily the most lighthearted ones, where typical melodrama is sparse. Some of my tops:

-Super Mario RPG
This was the first RPG that I ever loved. Very accessible and a ton of charm through which Paper Mario followed suit.

-The Paper Mario series (great level of interaction outside of battle)
Great level of interaction outside of battle.

-Grandia
It didn't live up to my expectations but I admire the fact that the game refrains from being too serious, has a colorful cast and distinct battle system.

-Metal Max series
I've only played the first on Super Famicom and the one on PS2 but the game breaks the typical JRPG mold by being post-apocalyptic/sci-fi, comical, and open-ended in one package.

-Dragon Quest VIII
I've only played a few of the games but DQ8 was my favorite. There are some dramatic moments but they were executed tastefully and not overbearing.

I haven't played the Mario & Luigi games but they look interesting so I'll keep them in mind.

[kupomogli]

Not necessarily my favorites, but I liked all of these games atleast. I also don't consider Brave Fencer Musashi an RPG really as Lumina gaining experience is the only RPGish thing about it, but people call it an RPG, so I'll follow.

-Arc the Lad series(somewhat light hearted.)
-Grandia(PSX)
-Thousand Arms(PSX)
-Threads of Fate(PSX)
-Brave Fencer Musashi(PSX)
-Brave Story New Traveler(PSP)
-Contact(DS)
-MS Saga(PS2)
-Atelier Totori(PS3)

[celerystalker]

I guess the most obvious would be Earthbound, but I'll throw out a few more.

Lunar: The Silver Star and Eternal Blue on Sega CD or Playstation
RoboTrek on SNES
Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest SNES
Shadow Madness Playstation
Albert Odyssey Saturn
Paladin's Quest SNES
Okage: Shadow King PS2
Cosmic Fantasy 2 Turbo CD
Skies of Arcadia Dreamcast or GameCube
The World Ends With You on DS-maybe a little drama, but it's colorful and campy
Rurouni Kenshin Playstation
Tengai Makyou Ziria, Manji Maru, and Kabuki-Den for PC Engine CD
Tengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV for Saturn
Mother 3 GBA
Azure Dreams Playstation
Cross Edge PS3
Samurai Shodown RPG Playstation, Saturn, or Neo Geo CD

Hopefully that range of system variety might give you an idea or 2. Good luck, I prefer the light-hearted games as well!

[Tanooki]

I suppose due to the style or goofiness factor of things Super Mario RPG, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, and Skies of Arcadia. I'm sure I'm forgetting something but those do fit. I guess Earthbound would be the overly obvious answer to this one too with its weirdo style.

[mailman187666]

The Costume Quest series is pretty lighthearted. I know its fairly new and rather short games. I don't think there is a whole lot of serious stuff at all in them. I like the games for what they are and find them to be fun.

[Daria]

The Costume Quest series is pretty lighthearted. I know its fairly new and rather short games. I don't think there is a whole lot of serious stuff at all in them. I like the games for what they are and find them to be fun.

Good answer. I loved Costume Quest.

My list for "Light Hearted" RPGs in no particular order:

1. Rhapsody (PSX)
2. Atelier Series (I'm playing Totori at the moment)
3. Madou Monogatari (SFC)
4. Dokapon Kingdom (Wii)
5. Final Fantasy IX (until the random end battle anyway).
6. Lunar Eternal Blue
7. Paper Mario
8. Breath of Fire 3
9. Dragon Quest (any of them)
10. Summon Night: Swordcraft Story (GBA)
11. Cima: The Enemy (GBA)

[LaughingMAN.S9]

Earthbound (it's light to me anyway)
Final fantasy 9
Super Mario rpg
Ni no kuni
Tales of destiny 1

Haven't played enough to really judge this but I know rhapsody is super light


Some of these are probably controversial in being brought up as light hearted RPGs butI tend to prefer and play darker in tone RPGs. So the ones I mentioned may not be universally light but they're light to me. Persona 4 is almost a light hearted rpg in my eyes compared to My favorites in the series eternal punishment and 3

[Jorpho]

For something completely different, there's Superhero League of Hoboken for the PC. Not a great game, but there sure aren't very many like it.

Anachronox is also fairly light-hearted, if a bit shakily constructed.

I'd like to play The Adventures of Hourai High / Horai Gakuen no Bouken! some day, as it's apparently comparable to Earthbound. I hear the Tenchi Muyo and Slayers RPGs are quite nice as well; both of them have been translated. For that matter, there's Square's Live-A-Live, which has a few lighthearted bits; the various chapters range considerably in tone.

[Tron 2.0]

Lunar TSS and Eternal Blue,be it the sega-cd or the remakes.
Grandia
Skies of Arcadia
Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door
Brave Fencer Musahi

At least the ones i can think of that i enjoyed the most.

[Nebagram]

The paper Mario games would probably be top of this list for me but I have a soft spot for skies of Arcadia too. A slightly obscure game that came to mind is an old home brew ps1 game called simply 'adventure game' that was released on the official playstation mag's demo disc in 1998. The game was crammed full of little gags, such as the butt-ugly princess and the 75-year old orphan who kept harassing you for money, following up with 'but my parents will beat me if I come home empty handed'. Sure, it was really short, but oh so much fun. :-)

[Manhattan Sports Club]

I almost forgot Popolocrois. :)

The PSP version was essentially three episodes trimmed down a bit into one package, but served as a great introduction to the series for people who never had a chance to play it. So glad that one got localized!

[misfits859]

I would include the recently released Fantasy Life for the 3DS. Very forgiving and lighthearted game but there is tons to do.

[DJ Daishi]

For me it would have to be Skies of Arcadia...was basically comfort food in game form.

[Manhattan Sports Club]

I'll add Beggar Prince for Genesis, as well. It got me to reading the book that inspired it, which I am also enjoying so far (The Prince and the Pauper).