8 Best Co-Op JRPGs, Ranked (2024)

JRPGs are known for being one of the most accessible genres on the market. That’s not to say they are a walk in the park because there are some that will greatly challenge veteran players, demanding they master all their mechanics or engage in extensive grinding.

Another way to perhaps lessen a JRPG's difficulty is to team up with a few friends, although the genre is not particularly known for its co-op support. Still, some Japanese RPGs encourage players to take on an adventure together, allowing them to play through their extensive campaigns as a unit. What are some of the best co-op JRPGs?

Updated on September 26, 2023 by Mark Sammut: Co-op JRPGs are not that common, but a few games do incorporate the feature; in fact, some franchises are known for their multiplayer. This article has been updated to include the specifications of each title.

8 Dungeon Explorer 2

Dungeon Explorer 2 is a game that not many people may have heard of, mainly since this game was on a console that barely had any impact upon being launched in the West. The TurboDuo may have been a great console in its own right, but the high price point deterred many people from checking this platform out.

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It's a shame since the console definitely had its fair share of decent games, including Dungeon Explorer 2. The title was a fairly standard JRPG with co-op that was a blast to play with friends. Unfortunately, it has become a lost fragment of gaming history since it launched on a pretty unknown console.

7 Tales Of Berseria

The Tales series has garnered a reputation for incorporating addictive co-op real-time action. At this point, the IP is arguably the JRPG genre's main multiplayer series, although its most recent entry, Tales of Arise, bucked the trend. However, most of the older games do support co-op, including fan favorites like Graces F, Vesperia, and Xillia. Berseria is the most recent Tales project to include co-op.

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Now, it should be noted that co-op only comes into play during the real-time battles; otherwise, Berseria plays out like a single-player campaign. While a lot of time is dedicated to clearing out dungeons and engaging in combat, there will be fairly long stretches where only one player will be doing anything. That said, the partner AI is not great, so co-op improves the game significantly.

6 Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is a three-player co-op game with online functionality. This spinoff from the main Final Fantasy series is like a retelling of the first game with a few twists along the way. Saying anything more would spoil things, so players should discover the story for themselves.

It’s also a bit of a Soulslike experience but one that is accessible to newcomers thanks to difficulty options and the easiness of setting up multiplayer. It’s far from the best action entry in the series, but the co-op gameplay heightens it a bit.

5 Dragon’s Crown

Dragon’s Crown is a 2D dungeon crawler that is reminiscent of the old Dungeons & Dragons arcade games. Players can choose one of several classes to tackle and invite up to three friends to join in on the grind. It’s one of Vanillaware’s best titles that didn’t make a huge splash.

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However, it has a dedicated following and is relatively easy to play on PlayStation systems. A port to other consoles would be nice along with a sequel, but this original should do for now.

4 Phantasy Star Online

Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 was a phenomenon on all systems it released on. It was not quite an MMO but was pretty close to one thanks to the online functionality. It also featured couch co-op which was a bit harder to play back in the day with tiny cubes representing multiple characters.

It was a setback but the game was so good that players ignored the inconvenience. It’s difficult to play this classic now with emulation, but the newest entry, Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, is worth looking into as well.

3 Secret Of Mana

Secret of Mana is one of the best SNES RPGs of all time. Most may not have known this but the game featured three-player co-op. Players needed to buy an extra accessory to gain this third port on the console but it was an investment well worth it for this action RPG.

The sequel, Trials of Mana, also had co-op in the original SNES version. The game also received a remake in 2020, but fans may be saddened to know that this remake doesn't feature any form of co-op, which is a shame. That being said, players can always boot up a copy of the original game and play with friends if the lack of co-op gaming is a dealbreaker.

2 Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies

Sentinels of the Starry Skies was the first main Dragon Quest entry to feature co-op and character customization. Players could team up with friends wirelessly to create parties of up to four.

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Players could wander around in the main group or split off and do quests elsewhere. The combat remained turn-based, which is still a unique concept for a co-op game. Thanks to the DS’ communication functions, this game became a must-have for convention goers in the summer of 2010. While the process of setting up Dragon Quest 9's multiplayer is not as seamless as modern co-op releases, the feature was quite innovative and ambitious for its era.

1 Eternal Sonata

Eternal Sonata is a creative JRPG that holds up reasonably well. It allows players to explore the mind of a dying Frédéric Chopin (a real-life composer who lived in the early 19th century) and witness the amazing fantasy world blooming in his mind moments before his demise.

It's a great idea, and Eternal Sonata rolls with it courtesy of a beautiful and vibrant art style that absolutely shone on the PS3, a console criticized by many for having too many games with a drab and aggressively gray palate for the majority of its titles. The fact that this game has a decent integration of co-op barring a few instances is the perfect icing on the cake.

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