Recommend me a Retro RPG!!!

[Commander Jameson]

OK, so I recently got my GP2X, and now it's groaning with stuff...and I don't know what to play first!

One genre I've always dismissed entirely is RPG's - never owned any for years until getting Zelda for the Wii, but soon got bored of that, SO - I've decided to give another one a try, but going more retro.

My question to you all is - which one?

I'm thinking 8 and 16 bit era, format /platform could be anything really, NES, SNES, SMS, Megadrive, GBA, Amiga, Spectrum....you get the idea.

SO if I'm only ever gonna play 1 RPG EVER - which should it be?

PLEASE nothing after 16 bit era, no PSX/N64 etc. as I want to do it handheld stylee.

[nokgod]

Secret of Mana- Snes

[famicom69]

Chrono Trigger - SNES
Zelda: Links Awakening - Gameboy (Arguably one of the best games on the original Gameboy)
Final Fantasy IV Advance - GBA


Other recommendations include Mother3, Zelda: Link to the Past and Golden Sun. All are perfect for hand held gaming on the go.

[Rinoa]

Final Fantasy VI - SNES

[FatTrucker]

The Snes is positively drowning in quality RPG's. Some well known and well documented titles to try are Shadowrun, Zelda a Link to the Past, The Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Mario RPG, Earthbound - Mother 2 and the Final Fantasy games.

You can also try Sweet Home (not Mother ) on the NES which is basically the great, great ,grandad of Resident Evil.

Not too sure on the Megadrive front.

You can try some of the action oriented RPG's from the 16 bit comps like Dungeon Master, Captive, and other games of that ilk.

Then you've got early..ish PC RPG's like Baldurs Gate and Planescape Torment.

My favourite Snes RPG is Shadowrun, purely for the Bladerunner meets the Matrix storyline and ambience. You wake up in a morgue with a bomb in your head, no idea who you are or how you got there. You experience everything from Cyberspace and corporate hacking, Big guns and technology, through to Shamanic magic and fighting zombies and vampires. Fantastic game (with fairly ropey graphics). While J-RPG's are abundant and very similar (but largely excellent) on the Snes there is nothing else like Shadowrun on the system.

[tekaotaku]

Phantasy Star series - paticualy parts 3 and 4 (Ive only completed 3 and 4, find the older ones hard to play and didnt get on with the PS-Online series....)

[Fred83]

i loved suikoden on psone

[FatTrucker]

PLEASE nothing after 16 bit era, no PSX/N64 etc. as I want to do it handheld stylee.

i loved suikoden on psone

[Fred83]

didnt see that

[Sureshot]

Definitely Chrono Trigger, if it's only one RPG.

[witchfinder]

Eye of the Beholder!

[Rabiteman]

Chrono Trigger's the one to go for if you're after a traditional JRPG, although Final Fantasy VI is a superb alternative.

For an action RPG though Secret of Mana's top of the pile, but Zelda Link to the Past or Link's Awakening wouldn't disappoint either.

Shining Force 2 on the Megadrive if you want to try a strategy RPG.

[GarryG]

Suikoden I and II are good, but if you want to go really retro I'd eccomend Ultims IV, V,VI and VII.

[Romulous]

I would have to agree with Legend of Zelda on the SNES and moreso Secret of Mana on the SNES both games were absolutely fantastic and really kept you going back for one more try to further the adventure.

Zelda on the Gameboy was one of the first i played - especially after getting home after nightshift, in bed with a few cold cans of beer - HEY my day was your night 'hic'.

[killbot]

You can also try Mother on the NES which is basically the great, great ,grandad of Resident Evil.

Sweet Home, surely?

Not too sure on the Megadrive front.

Soleil, Landstalker, Phantasy Star IV, Shining Force 1&2, Shining In The Darkness, Story Of Thor... there aren't as many great RPGs as on the SNES, but there's still some really good stuff.