JRPG fans are built different. We’ll replay a 60‑hour classic on hardware that sounds like it’s about to take flight, all because the game meant something to us. But let’s be honest: some of these beloved titles are begging for modern remakes. Not remasters. Not “upscaled textures.” Actual, full‑scale, lovingly rebuilt remakes that bring these worlds back to life.

Here are 10 JRPGs that deserve remakes — not someday, not eventually, but right now.

1. Final Fantasy VI

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Final Fantasy VI is a masterpiece, but it’s trapped in 16‑bit amber. This game deserves the same treatment Square Enix gave FFVII Remake — full cinematic storytelling, modern combat, and a chance for Kefka to traumatize a whole new generation in HD. If any JRPG deserves a rebirth, it’s this one.

2. Xenogears

Xenogears is the definition of “brilliant but unfinished.” Disc 1 is legendary. Disc 2 is a PowerPoint presentation. A remake could finally give this story the scope it always deserved — full cutscenes, modern mech combat, and an ending that doesn’t feel like the dev team ran out of caffeine and budget at the same time.

3. Chrono Cross

Chrono Cross is gorgeous, ambitious, and wildly misunderstood. The remaster was… fine. But this game deserves a full remake that smooths out the story, modernizes the combat, and gives players a reason to fall in love with it the way they did with Chrono Trigger. Also, the soundtrack in full orchestral quality? Yes, please.

4. Legend of Dragoon

Sony, please. We’re begging. This game has a cult following for a reason — the combat system was ahead of its time, the world was rich, and the Dragoon transformations were peak PS1 spectacle. A remake could turn this into a modern classic overnight.

5. Suikoden II

One of the greatest JRPGs ever made, period. The story, the characters, the politics — it’s all timeless. But the visuals? They could use a little love. A remake that preserves the 2D charm while enhancing the scale and detail would be a dream. And yes, we want all 108 Stars of Destiny in glorious HD.

6. Lost Odyssey

Lost Odyssey is basically Final Fantasy X’s older, sadder cousin — and I mean that as a compliment. The Thousand Years of Dreams stories alone deserve a remake. Give this game modern visuals, smoother combat, and a chance to reach the audience it missed the first time.

7. Golden Sun

Golden Sun was peak Game Boy Advance energy: bright, charming, and shockingly deep. The Psynergy puzzles were brilliant, the Djinn system was addictive, and the world still holds up. A remake could bring this series back from the dead — and maybe even convince Nintendo to finish the story they abandoned.

8. Skies of Arcadia

Airships. Sky pirates. A world that feels like a warm hug. Skies of Arcadia is one of the most joyful JRPGs ever made, and it’s trapped on hardware most people don’t own anymore. A remake could modernize the combat, trim the random encounters, and let this world shine again.

9. Wild Arms

Cowboys + JRPG melodrama = perfection. Wild Arms blended Western aesthetics with classic turn‑based combat and puzzle‑filled dungeons. A remake could lean into the atmosphere, expand the story, and give the soundtrack the orchestral glow‑up it deserves.

10. Parasite Eve

Yes, it’s a horror‑JRPG hybrid. Yes, it absolutely counts. Parasite Eve is stylish, weird, and begging for a modern remake. Imagine the opera scene with modern visuals. Imagine the combat rebuilt with today’s action‑RPG sensibilities. Imagine Square Enix remembering they own this IP.

Why These JRPGs Deserve Remakes

These games aren’t just nostalgia bait — they’re foundational pieces of the genre. They shaped storytelling, combat systems, and emotional stakes long before modern JRPGs refined the formula. A remake isn’t about replacing the originals; it’s about giving them the technology and audience they always deserved.

If the industry is going to keep remaking games, let’s at least remake the ones that matter.