What's your favorite 16-bit action RPG?

[DragonmasterDan]

Neither Zelda III nor the Neutopia games are RPGs.

In an RPG, the primary way of advancing the player character's power is through levels, usually through obtaining experience points.

Zelda and Neutopia are adventure games.

The definition of what is and isn't an RPG, particularly on consoles has changed over time. The Zelda series were certainly considered and categorized as RPGs in the 8 and 16 bit eras. The main reason is they're games built around exploration, have an overhead view, finding items to power up your character, an inventory management screen, have in game currency and shops, have an overworld and then separate dungeon areas. These were the types of traits that caused games to get classified as RPGs or hybrids back in the day, rather than an experience point based level system as the sole piece of criteria.

[Gentlegamer]

The only Zelda game that is an action RPG is Zelda II.

[BigusSchmuck]

Toss up between Soul Blazer and Ys Books 1&2.

[MrBroadway]

Toss up between Soul Blazer and Ys Books 1&2.

You thought Soul Blazer was better than Illusion of Gaia or Terranigma?

[Black Tiger]

I don't remember adventure games like Zelda being refered to as RPGs during the 8 or 16-bit eras. It only seemed to come up often after retro gaming became popular in the past decade. Too often I've seen the same people who call adventure/misc non-RPG games "RPGs" also include war sims and digicomics.


I've never understood the appeal of Illusion of Gaia. It was a dud at a local rental store bitd and quickly got liquidated for $9.99. I bought it and played it to death (like I did every game) and it was not enjoyable even the first time through. It really feels like a crude simple unfinished game by an unprofessional team. The kind of homebrew some people might throw together today without putting much thought into it. It also felt like it must have been 4 megs tops. Even as a $10 game in 1995 it felt like it wasn't a worthwhile purchase.

[DragonmasterDan]

I don't remember adventure games like Zelda being refered to as RPGs during the 8 or 16-bit eras. It only seemed to come up often after retro gaming became popular in the past decade. Too often I've seen the same people who call adventure/misc non-RPG games "RPGs" also include war sims and digicomics.

Game publisher promotional material and game magazines often called games with overhead views, medieval themes, overworld/underworlds and inventory screens role playing games.

Here's an example of NEC doing just that in the TurboGrafx promotional video from 1989.

Added in edit: My time sensitive URL didn't work when embedding the video go to 6 minutes and 18 seconds in when they cover Neutopia.

[VenomMacbeth]

I've never understood the appeal of Illusion of Gaia. It was a dud at a local rental store bitd and quickly got liquidated for $9.99. I bought it and played it to death (like I did every game) and it was not enjoyable even the first time through. It really feels like a crude simple unfinished game by an unprofessional team. The kind of homebrew some people might throw together today without putting much thought into it. It also felt like it must have been 4 megs tops. Even as a $10 game in 1995 it felt like it wasn't a worthwhile purchase.

I got it for $15 & I really just can't figure it out.  Something about it just makes me derp out & not know where to go or what to do.  I don't think I've ever played it for more than 10-15 minutes...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jibbajaba]

If Actraiser counts, then probably that.  If not then I dunno.

[Gentlegamer]

I don't remember adventure games like Zelda being refered to as RPGs during the 8 or 16-bit eras. It only seemed to come up often after retro gaming became popular in the past decade. Too often I've seen the same people who call adventure/misc non-RPG games "RPGs" also include war sims and digicomics.

Game publisher promotional material and game magazines often called games with overhead views, medieval themes, overworld/underworlds and inventory screens role playing games.

That doesn't make it correct. By that criteria, King's Quest is a role-playing game, and surely you know that's not right.

[VenomMacbeth]

What's your favorite adventure game, Gentlegamer?

[DragonmasterDan]

That doesn't make it correct. By that criteria, King's Quest is a role-playing game, and surely you know that's not right.

I don't think the definition of "Role Playing Game" in the video game sense was as clearly defined as we think of it today. I can see why people have called Zelda, Neutopia, etc RPGs using the criteria I mentioned above. The definition is kind of arbitrary in general as not everyone agrees on what characteristics define such categorization.

[SuperDeadite]

Not my favorite, but I highly recommend everyone gives Silkroad 2 on X68000 a try.  It's like a super cute version of Zelda with really purdy graphics.  Really nice for a doujin, and you don't see many doujins of this type of game.

[lukester]

Dungeon Explorer and Monster World are my favorites.

I did not like Secret of Mana at all.