The Rise and Popularity of Japanese Role Playing Games in the US

Date originally created:  May 7, 2004

I love Japanese Role Playing Games (JRPG's). Ever since I experienced the first Final Fantasy at my friends house, I've always had a great admiration for the genre as a whole. With their interesting stories and gameplay mechanics, JRPG's have evolved since the early 1980s from simple turn-based systems into complex narratives with innovative gameplay mechanics. In this paper, I will go over the history of JRPG's - detailing their early years in the 1980's up until the present. I will also provide some personal experiences about some of the games I've played. I hope you enjoy this written adventure through the history of JRPG's!

Origins and Early JRPG Influences (1980s)
JRPGs began as Japanese developers adapted ideas from Western role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Ultima. However, they soon diverged by focusing on narrative, character development, and simplified gameplay mechanics.

Dragon Quest (1986) AKA Dragon Warrior (1989 US Title and Release Date) - Dragon Quest (known as Dragon Warrior in the U.S.) is widely regarded as the first true JRPG. Created by Enix, it featured turn-based combat, a single protagonist, and a simplified command interface that made the game accessible to a wide audience. The game's engaging storyline and quest structure laid the groundwork for JRPGs. While it was initially modestly popular in the U.S., Dragon Quest established a format that would be expanded upon by future titles.

Final Fantasy (1987/1990 US Release Date) - Final Fantasy, developed by Square (later Square Enix), marked a turning point in JRPG design. The game introduced a party system, allowing players to control four characters with different abilities, and set a new standard for epic storytelling and world-building. Its modest U.S. success led to increased localization efforts for future entries and made Square a major player in the industry.

Phantasy Star (1987/1988 US Release Date) - Sega's Phantasy Star series broke new ground by introducing sci-fi elements into a genre traditionally dominated by medieval fantasy. The game's 3D dungeons and compelling characters set it apart and demonstrated that JRPGs could handle diverse settings and themes, further broadening the genre's appeal. Another feature that set this game apart from other RPG's at the time was the use of a female heroine, Alis, as a main character.

These three games I've mentioned above are the earliest examples of JRPG's that had moderately good sales in the US. A fond memory I have is from Christmas day 1990. My best friend who lived in my neighborhood called me at 11 AM really excited that he had just opened Final Fantasy for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) - and that I HAD to come over and play it as soon as possible with him! I remember walking over to his house through snow covered backyards and streets, catching glimpses of other families having lunch and enjoying their gifts. My friend had told me briefly that the game was an "adventure game" like The Legend of Zelda where you explored a massive world and fought monsters with four characters. I remember trying to imagine what the game could possibly be like. I had only played The Legend of Zelda briefly at a classmates birthday party, and had definitely only played games before hand where you controlled one character throughout the entire game. How can you possibly play as four characters?! When I got to his house, he showed me the cartridge and the in-depth manual that came with it. When we booted up the game and blue screen with text told us the story of the light warriors, I was shocked. This was way different than any other game I had played before… it was like reading a book on the TV! Well then the game started. As we explored Corneria and accepted the king and queen's request to save her daughter, Princess Sarah, I was hooked. I couldn't believe the graphics and how real the world felt. Being young at the time, my parents naturally placed limits on where I could go when I was outside, such as not leaving our neighborhood. When playing Final Fantasy though, I realized we could go ANYWHERE! The sense of freedom I felt was unreal. The manual showed us that the game world was made up of several islands with towns and dungeons. When we left Corneria and got into our first battle against a pack of Imp's, it was exciting to see how controlling the four warriors worked and defeating and leveling up our characters. We played that game all day to try get as far as possible, and I was disappointed to have to leave to go home for dinner! I will never forget that memory, and it cemented my love of the JRPG genre!

The Growth of JRPGs in the U.S. (1990s)
During the 1990s, JRPGs grew in popularity as U.S. audiences became more receptive to complex, narrative-driven games. This decade saw the release of influential titles that brought the genre mainstream attention in the U.S.

Final Fantasy IV (1991) - Released as Final Fantasy II in the U.S., this game introduced players to better character-driven storytelling, with a more developed narrative and deep emotional conflicts. The game's success in the U.S. highlighted the demand for localized JRPGs, setting the stage for more titles to be brought overseas.

The same friend I mentioned above who invited me over to play Final Fantasy also got a Super Nintendo that next Christmas and got Super Mario World and Final Fantasy II as his first games for the new system. Like the previous Christmas, we stayed up all day (and night!) playing that game. I made sure this time to purposefully tell my mom that I was having a sleepover since I knew we would be playing it as long as possible!

Secret of Mana (1993) - This action-RPG by Square allowed for cooperative multiplayer gameplay, a rarity in the genre at the time. Its real-time battle system set it apart from turn-based JRPGs, providing a more dynamic experience. Secret of Mana resonated with Western audiences and demonstrated the genre's flexibility, appealing to players who might not have enjoyed traditional turn-based combat.

EarthBound (1995) - Known for its quirky humor, modern setting, and distinct visual style, EarthBound by Nintendo offered an alternative to fantasy-themed RPGs. Although not initially a commercial success in the U.S., its cult following grew over time.

Although I've never played it, I remember this game piquing my interest based on reading about it in an issue of Nintendo Power in a store one time. What interested me about this game was its modern setting and the fact that the items were normal objects, such as food being bread, or weapons being a baseball bat instead of a sword. I also saw that the towns had houses and multi-story buildings which looked really cool!

Chrono Trigger (1995) - Chrono Trigger stands out from other JRPG's with its innovative time-travel plot, multiple endings, and active-time battle system. The game's seamless blend of narrative, music, and combat mechanics were well received by audiences upon its release, and the game was commercially successful enough to get a sequel, Chrono Cross, in 1999 for the Sony Playstation.

Final Fantasy VII (1997) - The release of Final Fantasy VII on the Sony PlayStation marked the watershed moment for JRPGs in the U.S. With groundbreaking 3D graphics, cinematic cutscenes, and an expansive story, it reached a wide audience and helped the PlayStation gain a foothold in the console market. Final Fantasy VII's commercial success in the U.S. introduced millions of players to JRPGs and demonstrated that the genre could compete globally. Its impact was so profound that it is credited with making JRPGs a mainstream genre in the U.S.

This is the first RPG I got for my Playstation, and I loved playing this game! The game's characters, music, CGI cutscenes, and battle system are all top-notch. When this game came out, everyone in school was talking about it, and of course my childhood friend and I were hyped about it also! I played this game the entire summer of 1997 with him, and the game felt just as epic as the first time we played Final Fantasy II on the Super Nintendo!

Pokémon Red and Blue (1998) - The Pokémon franchise, initially released for the Game Boy, introduced JRPG mechanics to a young audience in the U.S. The game's creature-collecting element, combined with strategic turn-based combat, proved immensely popular. Pokémon's success in the U.S. helped normalize JRPG mechanics and introduced the genre to a new generation of gamers.

Ahhh Pokémon. The marketing for anime and the accompanying games that released with it was insane! I remember seeing a local news story about the "Pokémon craze" and how parents everywhere were trying to get copies of the games for their kids for Christmas. I initially never played the games myself, but while I was in high school I used to babysit two siblings, a brother and a sister, and they each had copies of Red and Blue respectively. When they got the games, they were excitedly telling me all about the various types of Pokemon and showed me how you can trade Pokemon between Gameboys with a link cable. I was late in playing it, but I eventually tried Blue in the summer of 1999 and I'll admit that it's a pretty unique concept! Raising Squirtle into a full-grown Blastoise was an fun experience. I didn't get into watching the anime until I picked up a VHS copy of Pokemon: The First Movie at a Blockbuster for laughs. Pikachu's high pitched voice couldn't get out of my head for over a week...

Legend of Legaia (1999) - While not as popular as Final Fantasy VII, this title on the Playstation was notable for its fully 3D rendered environments (better looking than Final Fantasy VII's in my opinion) as well as its use of the unique "Tactical Arts" system, in which you fight by inputting a series of directional buttons that dictate various move-sets. This is another personal favorite JRPG of mine. I first accidentally came across it in a demo disc I received as a bonus while picking up another game (Tomb Raider III) at Toys R' Us. When I played it, I was immediately hooked on the combat system and I enjoyed figuring out the various fighting moves you could pull off by inputting the right series of combinations. The story of a mist that isolated the entire world and causes monsters (Seru) to attack humans was interesting to me.

Factors Contributing to JRPG Popularity in the U.S.
Now that I've shown you various JRPG's that were popular in the US, here is a summary of why all of those games helped popularize the genre in the US over time:

Evolving Localization - In the late 1980s and early 1990s, U.S. localization was minimal. However, with games like Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger, localization efforts improved, preserving more of the original story and making the games more accessible to U.S. audiences. Speaking from personal experience, being very young when Final Fantasy I and II came out was the perfect time to experience those games in my opinion. Replaying the first Final Fantasy's nowadays, I can notice obvious English grammatical errors, and compared to later JRPG's the storytelling really is quite basic.

Narrative and Character Development - JRPGs appealed to U.S. gamers with deep, character-driven stories. Unlike many Western games at the time, JRPGs focused on emotional arcs and complex storylines that went beyond simple good-vs-evil tropes. This approach attracted players who sought immersive storytelling experiences.

Advancements in Technology - The PlayStation's CD-ROM format allowed developers to create larger, more visually impressive games. Final Fantasy VII, with its cinematic cutscenes and 3D sprites, took full advantage of the PlayStation's capabilities, drawing in a wide audience. Legend of Legaia also expanded on this further by making all of its environments 3D rendered instead of static 2D backgrounds.

Strategic Marketing and Releases - Major releases like Final Fantasy VII and Pokémon were accompanied by large marketing campaigns, making JRPGs more visible. Additionally, partnerships between Japanese developers and U.S. publishers helped make JRPGs more accessible and visible in the US market.

Conclusion
The rise of JRPGs in the US through the 1980s and 1990s demonstrated the genre's appeal beyond its origins. By emphasizing storytelling, character development, and innovative gameplay, JRPGs established a strong presence in the U.S. gaming market and set a foundation for the genre's continued growth. Their influence can now even be seen in the development of narrative-driven games made by non-Japanese game developers (Core Design's Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness comes to mind as a recent example), and I expect JRPG's to only become even more popular as the 2000's continue.

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