Teach me about 16-bit RPGs

[JustRob]

Ok, next up is an entire genre I pretty much told to fuck off for the past 20 years. I'm in a very receptive mood and am finally ready to start learning about and playing these.

What are some good 16-bit, either SNES or Genny rpgs to start with? I'm ruling out Mystic Quest as I've tried it and it turned me off big time. I need games that have easy save points as the time I have to dedicate to them will likely be spread out over weeks.

So...suggestions?

[substantial_snake]

I would suggest starting out with Final Fantasy VI (III in the States) and Chrono Trigger on the SNES.

Chrono Trigger is largely considered the best RPG thus far and I know a lot of people who considered it their favorite game ever. It a pretty light game for genera being 20-30 hours easily for a new player. It has fun combat mechanics, relatively light story, and not a ton of long talking phases to sit through. Its also not grindy and I know that's a plus for those getting into the genera. The graphics and music are both superb and look really great even now. Overall it really is a fantastic game and a great starting point.

I also suggested FFVI because its one of my personal favorites and IMO the best Final Finatasy game. In some ways the story is pretty good for the twists it takes and in others its pretty derivative, at least at first glance. There is a very large cast of character all with their own unique personalities and back stories with one of the greatest videogame villans ever IMO. The game is quite a bit more grindy then Chrono Trigger and the battlesystem is largely the FF bread&butter of Turn Based Combat. Its a average game for the genera in completion time at about 40-60 hours depending on hour through you are at exploring everything. The music and graphics are also great at showing off with the SNES can do with a lot of memorable tracks. Overall another solid game and a great example of the genera.

Special Mention:

Secret of Mana (though I am personally not a fan)
Final Fnatasy IV
Super Mario RPG

I am personally more of a fan of 32-bit RPGs most of the time but their are some gems in the 16-bit era.

[j_factor]

Super Mario RPG is really great for beginners. It's pretty easy and "RPG lite", but new things keep happening that keep it interesting.

If you want to dive in, I recommend Eye of the Beholder. It's kind of difficult to figure out at first if you're new to things, but it's a very rewarding game.

Quest for Glory is great, if you want to "ease into" RPG-ness via another genre.

[treismac]

Earthbound for the SNES; it is unconventional, charming, and quirky as hell. Buy two copies, and send one to me for turning you on to this cult classic. Just don't look at the price when you're buying them, alright? PM me for my address.

[hashiriya1]

Final Fantasy IV is all you need.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Its trite to say, but if you want to play the best 16-bit RPGs, you really can't go wrong with anything Square put out, especially Final Fantasy 6 (Known as Final Fantasy III in the US at the time).

FF6 is probably the best Final Fantasy game ever made, with a massive 14 playable character cast spanning well over 30 hours. FF6's visuals and audio will just grab you, and the unique and well crafted story will be a great motivator to see what happens next. The villian is among gaming's all time greats, and the game has some of the most memorable gaming events EVER. Opera scene, anyone?

So yeah, if you want to experience the best of 16-bit RPGs, you can't go wrong with Final Fantasy III. (SNES)

[Edmond Dantes]

Quest for Glory is great, if you want to "ease into" RPG-ness via another genre.

I wasn't aware Quest for Glory was released on either the SNES or Genesis...

[Colorado Rockies]

Snes:
Secret of Mana
Chrono Trigger
Super Mario RPG
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy II
Earthbound
Lufia
Lufia II
Breath of Fire
Breath of Fire II

Genesis:
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star IV
Shining Force
Shining Force II
Warsong
Beyond Oasis

[badinsults]

I'd happily suggest Dragon Quest V, though it was only released in North America officially on the DS. Definitely a great JRPG. DQVI is also great, though the sheer scope of the game might be a bit much for the beginner.

[Steven]

For SNES (the king system of all rpgs) I'd recommend: Earthboud, Final Fantasy VI (III in the US), Paladin's Quest and Chrono Trigger.

Heh, Paladin's Quest sticks out like a sore thumb listed next to those greats. What was it about PQ that you liked so much? (without spoiling it for other people). It's often called average at best or even below average. Just curious what you liked so much about it to lump it in there with those classics.

Lufia

I wouldn't recommend Lufia to an RPG newbie trying to get into the genre. It's a bit repetitive and had some annoyances that will likely drive away someone trying to find his place in the genre.

Best to go with Chrono Trigger or Super Mario RPG first.
Lufia is one of those games you trek through after you become a big fan of the genre.

[NerdXCrewWill]

What are some good 16-bit, either SNES or Genny rpgs to start with? I'm ruling out Mystic Quest as I've tried it and it turned me off big time. I need games that have easy save points as the time I have to dedicate to them will likely be spread out over weeks.

None of the games mentioned above (aside from maybe Beyond Oasis, as I haven't played that) offer better saving than Mystic Quest. If you want a game you can save at anytime, try playing some Gameboy games on the Super Gameboy. There's some good stuff out there, like Dragon Warrior I-III, the Final Fantasy Legends series, Final Fantasy Adventure, and Pokemon (among others).

[jonebone]

None of the games mentioned above (aside from maybe Beyond Oasis, as I haven't played that) offer better saving than Mystic Quest. If you want a game you can save at anytime, try playing some Gameboy games on the Super Gameboy. There's some good stuff out there, like Dragon Warrior I-III, the Final Fantasy Legends series, Final Fantasy Adventure, and Pokemon (among others).

Or just play them on an emulator with Save States. Sure you're "cheating", but if all you care about is experiencing the game and being able to save any moment that you want, this is the perfect option for you.

Saves you hour long trips into dungeons where you only get beat by the boss because you were unprepared.

[chrisbid]

start out with final fantasy ii on the snes. it is not super long, you can save anywhere in the overworld, and there are a decent number of save points within dungeons.

another good-but-fairly-quick game is phantasy star iv for the genesis.

[JustRob]

Wow, wasn't expecting so many responses so soon, but I guess I should have figured based on the topic.

I've played Final Fantasy II (SNES). I just couldn't take the grinding. The part I don't like about those earlier Final Fantasies is the complete lack of direction besides the generic "To the west lies a great mystery" type of crap coming out of the NPCs.

I've got tons of experience with the western style of RPG. Someone mentioned Eye of the Beholder. I've played through the Gold Box D&D games, Fallouts, etc, so those are what I know.

I have Chrono Trigger and all of the Final Fantasies released for the GBA and DS, so I guess I can start with those.

I was actually planning on playing them on the real hardware vs emulation, but I'll make an exception for the handheld remakes as they'll do nicely.

Super Mario RPG is actually right at the top of my list. From what I gather, it's the best of Square with Nintendo trappings.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Grinding goes hand in hand with oldschool RPGs. You will have to grind in every 16-bit RPG I can think of. That said some games require it less than others, and again in that respect, I recommend FF6, both thanks to smart progression design and the fact that the grinding is of little annoyance since the battle system is so perfectly executed.

And if you really don't want to level grind, the SNES Final Fantasy III has the famous Vanish/Doom glitch once you acquire the magic to do that about 15 hours in. Vanish causes the enemy to disappear, making them invulnerable to physical attacks but magic will always hit. Then cast Doom, a spell that instantly kills the target unless they have a resistance to it, which most enemies do. Cool thing is, in the SNES original, the game code ignores all resistances once Vanish is cast, so you can kill any enemy in the game by casting Vanish and then Doom. This even works on all the bosses!

[theMot]

At the risk of getting shelled.... Have you played Zelda, A link to the past? If we're classing secret of mana as an rpg then so is alttp...

[Trebuken]

The above. Also Landstalker. More action oriented and may ease you into the other RPG's.

[PresidentLeever]

Check out Mother 3 if you're looking for a good story. One of the few JRPG's that really had an emotional impact on me. Also the music is excellent for being on the GBA, the pacing is pretty quick and the challenge is somewhat higher than in the FF games.
It's pretty dark and depressing at times (its looks are deceiving in that way) though so if that's a turn off then go for Mario RPG instead.