The Nintendo Switch has some great action JRPGs. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 came out in 2017 which was the best action RPG of the time, while its sequel Xenoblade Chronicles 3 came out in 2022 and improved its battle system. PlatinumGames also released a game on the Switch called Astral Chain. There are many more action JRPGs on the Switch and in this ranking we will go over the 10 best action JRPGs on the console, whether they're cross platform or Switch-exclusive.
For this ranking we are going to go over a few criteria. First, the game has to be on the Nintendo Switch. Second, the combat system must be real time, so it can't be turn-based combat systems. This excludes many titles in our Ultimate JRPG Guide. Finally, the game must feature classic JRPG elements such as a story, character progression, and combat in order to not be considered a pure action game. With that being said, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 takes the number one spot as it features incredibly large parties that are able to combine into one. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 also deserves mention as it was one of the first Switch action RPGs and laid the groundwork for other titles.
Originiality was key in deciding the placement of Astral Chain in our rankings. PlatinumGames' 2019 release showed that the Switch was capable of exclusive action-RPG titles, rather than just offering mini-game compilations and emulated titles. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
Original exclusive titles for Switch such as Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Astral Chain and Pokemon Legends: Arceus, as well as the port Monster Hunter Rise, demonstrate the diverse action-JRPG sub-categories that the console supports. It also shows how the console's unique hardware allows for a portable version of the game that cannot be created for PlayStation or Xbox. For a full guide to Switch games that represent all sub-genres of JRPG, including turn based RPGs, check our Best JRPGs on Nintendo Switch, covering the entire range of Switch JRPGs. For the best action-RPGs of the console's first ten years, the titles below should be your starting point.
What We Used to Determine the Top Action JRPGs on Nintendo Switch
Our editor's methodology divides the Switch action-JRPG entries into three categories, each highlighting unique strengths. First is the optimization of Switch hardware. In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Monolith Soft's auto-attack action combat reached the most refined on Switch hardware. The Ouroboros fusion feature allows for team-up attacks that previous Xenoblade titles did not have. Also, in the Switch's portable size, PlatinumGames is able to present console-level action combat as seen in Astral Chain where the Legion chain mechanic allows for tactical positioning in action encounters. In 2021, Monster Hunter Rise was the first Switch game and within that game the Wirebug mechanic was introduced which became the defining feature for combat in modern Capcom games. This led to the 2023 expansion confirming the commitment to Switch action-RPG development for Capcom.
The second filter is combat sophistication paired with depth in the use of party systems. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 introduces the Driver-Blade mechanic where each party member combines with a summonable Blade whose elemental abilities and team attacking integrate into the unit. The multi-layered damage system of the Blade Combo and Chain Attack mechanics reward players for developing strategies before engaging in battle. PlatinumGames signature action combat is also seen in NieR Automata The End of YoRHa Edition which includes weapon-switching, dodge-cancel mechanics, and the Pod AI that assists with ranged attacks during ground combat combat. Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition incorporates the franchise's signature real-time action-command hybrid battle system in the 2008 original story arc in the Linear Motion Battle System.
The third filter combines cross-platform availability with specific positioning for the Nintendo Switch.
Releases that are exclusive to Switch gain priority in ranking as the Switch exclusive lineup creates the most unique action-JRPG identity. Cross-platform ports are included as long as the Switch is the most portable version or the platform-first version. This is the case for Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana and Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition, where the Switch port offers the same or better experience compared to other platforms. Monster Hunter Rise is an example of the Switch-first then cross-platform model, benefitting action-RPG fans who started with the Switch in 2021 and followed up with the cross-platform expansion in 2023. These selection criteria ensure that Switch hardware is the main recommended platform for each entry below.
10. Tales of Symphonia Remastered — GameCube Tales Switch Port (2023)
Tales of Symphonia Remastered earns the 10th spot for being Bandai Namco's 2023 Switch release, which brought the 2003 GameCube Tales of Symphonia to current Nintendo hardware. Lloyd Irving, the protagonist, returns from the original campaign as he journeys with the Chosen of Mana, Colette Brunel, on the Journey of World Regeneration across the two parallel worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. Alongside the original Linear Motion Battle System returns also real-time action-command combat where party members engage in battles with distinct battle styles including Lloyd, Colette, Genis, Raine, Kratos, Sheena, Zelos, Presea, Regal, and other characters across the franchise's signature multi-character ensemble.
With the Switch hardware, Tales of Symphonia can now be played on the go, something that was not possible with the original GameCube release. With handheld mode, the 60+-hour campaign can be played in commute and travel play sessions. The remaster also improves resolution, speeds up combat, and includes modern quality-of-life improvements like an auto-save feature and the new battle item shortcut wheel. The Mana lineage worldbuilding that spans the two parallel worlds gives the franchise its most ambitious narrative scope until the Berseria-era reboot. Tales of Symphonia Remastered is the first Switch entry for fans who want the GameCube-era peak of the franchise now in portable form on modern Nintendo hardware. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
9. Pokemon Legends: Arceus — Action-Capture Pokemon (2022)
Pokemon Legends: Arceus breaks the mold in 9th place with Game Freak's new exclusive Switch title, which tries its hand at the action-RPG style of gameplay. In the Hisui region, players are taken to a time before the Sinnoh region, and players of the Galaxy Expedition Team step into the role of the faction rivals in the story. Action capture shifts combat from the traditional Pokemon formula and allows players to throw Pokeballs at wild Pokemon in real time, and without access to a separate combat screen. Players can select a combat enemy and take a stealthier approach for a more tactical reward before attempting to make the capture. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
Some battles will trigger the turn-based style of combat, but when this happens, Pokemon are able to choose between Agile (fast and weak) or Strong (slow but powerful) attacks, which are new across the traditional Pokemon battle style. One of the new additions in Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the Hisui Pokedex completion mode which rewards players for catching specific amounts of each of the Pokemon species. To complete the Pokedex, players must also catch the environmental triggered Alpha Pokemon and Shiny variants. For now, Pokemon Legends: Arceus remains the most action-oriented Pokemon title on the Switch, and it will be interesting to see how the action RPG style is used in future entries to the franchise.
8. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox — Ys Modern Switch Entry (2021)
The eighth spot goes to Nihon Falcom’s 2021 release Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, which brought the franchise to modern Switch hardware. Adol Christin, the main character, explores the Monstrum curse and transforms into a supernatural being alongside other characters with unique combat skills. With party combat for Adol the Crimson King, Aprilis the White Cat, Doll the Masked Doll, Hawk the Cyber Warrior, Renegade the Gunslinger, and Raging Bull the Brawler, this is the franchise's most ambitious party composition. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
The combat system features Falcom’s signature real-time action RPG style with attack-combo chains, timed dodge cancels, and mid-encounter party member switches. Set in the Balduq Prison City, the campaign is confined to one explorable urban area which opens up more as the player completes Monstrum Side Quests and explores the Nox Shadow Realm. Each protagonist in Monstrum has a unique ability that allows for different ways to navigate the area: Adol has the Crimson Line which is a teleport, Aprilis has a platforming ability called Pounce, and Doll has a grappling mechanism called Strings. They combine to create their most complex traversal system yet. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the modern Ys entry on Switch and is recommended for fans of the franchise who enjoy party-based action JRPG combat on the Nintendo handheld.
7. Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition — Fan-Favorite Tales Switch (2019)
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is Bandai Namco's 2019 Switch release that brings the 2008 fan-favorite Tales of Vesperia to current Nintendo hardware for the first time outside Xbox 360 and Japan-exclusive PS3. The game is set in the Empire of Zaphias in which the protagonist, who acts as a vigilante, takes on the role of an Imperial Knight, Yuri Lowell. Along with the princess Estelle, players will have other party members such as Karol Capel, Rita Mordio, Raven the airship pilot, Judith the Krytian, and the patron of Patty Fleur (Definitive-exclusive PS3 character) and Flynn Scifo who will join across multiple chapters.
In the franchise, the Linear Motion Battle System provides real time action-command combat and in Tales of Vesperia, there is the addition of a Skit system which allows players to view optional party dialogue when traversing the overworld. With the addition of Patty Fleur and Flynn as newly fully playable characters, the game will now include more Mystic Arte techniques, voiced cutscenes, and a new Bonus Dungeon. Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition has finally been released on Switch hardware and is a fan-favorite Tales title. The game has mid-2000s peak storytelling with the new features surpassing the original Xbox 360 release. This comprehensive ranking, curated in 2026, covers the genre's most influential entries.
6. NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition — PlatinumGames Switch Port (2022)
Claiming this 6th Spot is PlatinumGames and Square Enix's 2022 Switch port of the 2017 NieR: Automata which extends the philosophical action-RPG masterwork to Nintendo hardware. In NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition, the player acts as 2B, a YoRHa combat android fighting on a post apocalyptic earth in the far future against 'Machine Lifeforms' in a proxy war for lost human masters. The player is able to use real time action combat with weapon switching. The weapons available are the Type-3 Sword, Type-4O Sword, and the Virtuous Treaty. Players are able to combine these weapons to create their own playstyle.
The Switch port still has the full Route A (2B’s perspective), Route B (9S perspective) and Routes C-E (post-game philosophical revelations) campaign which adds to the multi-perspective storytelling structure. Yoko Taro's narrative and philosophical questions about consciousness, mortality, purpose, and the meaning of existence for Artificial Intelligence. Other than the overall resolution of the Switch hardware which is lower than that of PS4 and PC versions, the Switch port still retains the combat fluidity that the game experience requires. NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition is without question the most philosophically ambitious action RPG available on the Switch and is an overall masterpiece. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
5. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana — Ys Series Modern Peak (2018)
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is the fifth best game on this ranking as it is Nihon Falcom's 2018 Switch release that brought the Ys franchise's modern peak to Nintendo hardware. The protagonist of the game, Adol Christin, is investigating the cursed Isle of Seiren after his passenger ship called Lombardia was wrecked in the Gaete Sea. During the game, the colony of Castaway Village becomes the campaign's home base across multiple chapters. The party consists of Adol, Laxia the noble swordswoman, Sahad the fisherman, Hummel the rifleman, Ricotta the wilderness girl and Dana the protagonist of the dream-realm, which provides the franchise's most ambitious party composition.
The combat system is built on the franchise's signature real-time action-RPG combat template, and incorporates the concepts of Flash Guard and Flash Move, which reward players for accurately defending against enemy attacks. The Dana chapters, which are dream-realm themed, provide multi-perspective storytelling that intersects with Adol's modern shipwreck narrative through revelations scattered throughout the various campaign chapters. The resource gathering, building, and equipment crafting systems that are integrated into the base of Castaway Village are combined with the core action-RPG combat to form the game's overall combat system. For fans of party-based action-RPGs with refined storytelling systems from Falcom, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana represents the best option on Switch. Following the PC and PS4 releases from 2017, the 2018 Switch release brought the franchise's most critically acclaimed mainline title to Nintendo hardware. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
4. Monster Hunter Rise — Action Hunter Switch Peak (2021)
Monster Hunter Rise ranks fourth as Capcom's first Switch release of 2021. This title set the standard for modern iterations of the Monster Hunter action-RPG formula, prior to the 2023 cross-platform release. Rise takes place in Kamura Village, which serves as the home base for the campaign. Here, the player protag hunts and trains for the village's Rampage event. Like most entries in the franchise, Monster Hunter Rise features real-time action-RPG combat with 14 different weapon types including: Great Sword, Long Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Hammer, Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Switch Axe, Charge Blade, Insect Glaive, Bow, Light Bowgun, and Heavy Bowgun. Each weapon has a unique fighting style, playstyle, and combo options. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
New to Monster Hunter Rise is the Wirebug, which grants hunters more mobility by allowing them to grapple to ledges and perform aerial combat tricks during fights. Hunters are able to execute specialized combat techniques called Silkbind Attacks which counter monsters who attack the hunter. For the first time in the franchise, players can take their canines (referred to as Palamutes) into battle during co-op hunts. Palicos (the franchise's standard cat companions) still serve a role, but each combat support role is distinct to the pet class. New to Monster Hunter Rise is Rampage mode, which is the first tower defense style mode in the franchise, where players defend a village from waves of attacking monsters. The 2022 Sunbreak DLC expansion added more monsters, more weapons, and the Elgado Outpost expansion. Finally, among all the titles released during the Switch era of Monster Hunter, Rise is the most worth playing for fans of cooperative multiplayer combat as it is the first and only portable Nintendo hardware entry in the franchise.
3. Astral Chain — Switch Exclusive Action JRPG (2019)
Astral Chain is the third game on the list. This game is developed by PlatinumGames and Nintendo. It is a Switch exclusive title released in 2019. This game shows that the Nintendo Switch is capable of running original AAA action-RPG games. While a player plays the game, they take on the role of Howard. Howard's sibling is also a playable character and the player may choose a brother or sister variant. Howard is an investigator for a division of the Ark city Neuron Task Force. This city is being invaded by supernatural beings called Chimeras, posing a danger to the Astral Plane of Ark City. The unique battle system in this game is meant to emulate real time action combat. Each player has a node or link to a partner character in the game and they control both their character and the partner character at the same time. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
The partner character can attack, support, or even assist in solving puzzles. The partner characters are named Sword Legion, Arm Legion, Beast Legion, Arrow Legion, and Axe Legion, and they have different abilities, both for combat and to assist characters in achieving objectives. Players can face multiple supernatural creatures (i.e. Chimeras) in large arenas. In order to score the highest in combat, players must combine their abilities with the proper use of strategy in order to win the battle. The Nintendo Switch runs the game in handheld mode at 30 FPS. It also has full Joy-Con support. The developers have met their own standards for the game and that has made this game stand out among other exclusive Nintendo Switch games. It is recommended for players who enjoy action-RPGs to play this game as it is an original game for the console and is the only one of its type available.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 — Foundation Action JRPG on Switch (2017)
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is positioned second as Monolith Soft and Nintendo's 2017 Switch exclusive that became the defining JRPG release for the platform and the foundation for the action-RPG catalog. The main character, Rex, and Aegis Blade Pyra traverse the Cloud Sea world of Alrest using the Blade resonator system that provides dozens of unique combat partners during chapter-style campaign structures. The Driver-Blade combat pair mechanic allows each party member to utilize their summoned Blade as an elemental avatar, and participate in team-up mechanics, which can deal devastating multi-stage damage against bosses.
Cloud Sea is made up of enormous Titan creatures that form the explorable landscape: Gormott the lizard-titan, Uraya the dragon-titan, Mor Ardain the dragon-titan, Indol the dolphin-titan, all rendered at a scale that pushed the Switch to its technical limits. The Blade Combo and Chain Attack systems allow for tactical planning of multi-stage damage across combat encounters, as each Blade element (Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Electric, Ice, Light, Dark) can trigger different specific elemental Combo finishers. The 2018 Torna ~ The Golden Country expansion (released as a standalone download and as a physical disc) added the Lora prequel campaign with a new playable cast and combat mechanics. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 continues to be the most influential modern action-RPG on Nintendo hardware. Its release cemented the foundational action-RPG template for Switch titles, and launched Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022) and the Xenoblade Chronicles 1 Definitive Edition (2020) titles. This comprehensive ranking, curated in 2026, covers the genre's most influential entries.
1. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 — Best Switch Action JRPG (2022)
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the best Nintendo Switch action RPG game of 2022. In the story, characters Noah and Mio lead six other party members through the world of Aionios from the warring nations of Keves and Agnus. In Aionios, every soldier lives for 10 years before they are subjected to a ceremony known as the Homecoming ritual. Players experience battles in real time while using auto-attacks. Each character has the ability to use special attacks by fusing together with another character.
The game features the best character selection in the franchise with seven playable heroes. The playable characters include Noah, an off-seer flautist, Mio, an off-seer drummer, Eunie, a healer, Taion, a strategist, Lanz, a heavy, and Sena, a smith. There are also optional hero recruits Riku and Manana. The game features pairs that are called Ouroboros. Each pair, Noah and Mio, Eunie and Taion, and Lanz and Sena can become a unique form of combat. With the right timing, combat can be transformed into auto-attacks in multi-form tactical encounters.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has an extensive 100+ hour campaign. The game also features an open world with zones and areas that are vertically structured. The campaign has Keves Castle, Agnus Castle, the tower of Origin (final dungeon), and dozens of other areas. In 2023, the Future Redeemed expansion was released. This expansion adds a prequel campaign that connects the stories of the first two Xenoblade games into the third game. Playable characters also include Shulk and Rex, along with new characters Matthew and A.
The Switch hardware enables fluidity of action-combat at 30 FPS in both handheld and docked modes, featuring the franchise's most refined combat system, and reigns supreme over the entire Xenoblade catalogue. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
As for the other Xenoblade titles, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the greatest one on the Nintendo Switch. It is the most remarkable action-RPG on the platform, and a must-have for anyone looking for a top-tier action-JRPG on Nintendo Switch. This entry in the series showcases Monolith Soft's 20 years' experience in designing action-RPGs, and what nearly flawless action-JRPG design for Nintendo Switch hardware should be. The game also features an unparalleled world with cross-game integration, and thanks to Future Redeemed, all games in the franchise are connected narratively, creating a holistic experience that no other title on the platform offers.
Honorable Mentions and Where to Start
Some Switch action-JRPGs were close to finishing the top ten list. PlatinumGames' action peak on Switch is the 2022 release Bayonetta 3, although it feels more like a pure action game as there isn't much depth to progression. The 2023 release of Octopath Traveler II uses hybrid action-tactical combat with Break/Boost mechanisms that feel more turn-based, so check out the entries we've categorized as turn-based. Trials of Mana Remake brought the Mana franchise action-RPG to Switch in 2020 with improved real-time combat. Crystar on Switch from 2019 is an indie action-RPG with party combat and emotional storytelling. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition on Switch from 2020 is the re-release of a GameCube exclusive, and it offers the original cooperative action-RPG experience that was previously on GameCube. The 2019 release of Romancing SaGa 3 Remastered provides an entry into the SaGa franchise, but it's more turn-based than action. For our guide, Best JRPGs on Nintendo Switch, to find more Switch JRPG options that include turn-based games check out that guide. This comprehensive ranking reflects editorial standards in 2026.
New readers in 2026 reading this for Switch action JRPGs, we recommend Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to begin with because it is the best action-RPG on the platform. It offers over 100 hours of gameplay with the most ambitious combat and worldbuilding on the game. For a foundational entry, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is most recommended for players wanting the original Cloud Sea adventure before the sequel Xenoblade Chronicles 3's Aionios continuation.
Monster Hunter Rise has combat-focused action-RPG multiplayer with franchise custom 14-weapon variety, while Astral Chain has PlatinumGames branded intense combat in exclusive Switch JRPG action game combat, and Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana has the Nihon Falcom modern action-RPG party combat. Please see our Ultimate JRPG Guide for more on Switch exclusive and cross-platform released action-RPGs, including JRPGs that cover turn-based and tactical genre subcategories. The Switch action-JRPG catalogue features exclusive and cross-platform released action-RPGs of consistent quality throughout the 2017-2026 platform lifecycle. All images are official screenshots from their respective publishers and developers. Published May 18, 2026.