Whether you’re a season pass holder looking to revisit a series you love from a new perspective or you’re fresh to the franchise and want a prequel adventure, this hefty slice of JRPG action will grab you right from the moment you start switching between Blade and Driver.
With some welcome adjustments to combat and combos, this is a fine addition to an already brilliant game on Switch, but also a worthwhile, standalone chapter in the larger Xenoblade saga.
5. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (Switch)
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is an expertly crafted revamp that gives us all the bells and whistles we could wish for in terms of graphical upgrades. However, it’s actually Monolith Soft’s attention to clever gameplay revisions that impresses most here.
This is X streamlined and modernised, carefully recast and reset in order to play better than ever. Additional characters, a new ending, and all that snazzy stuff is all well and good, and fans will be excited by the fresh revelations that occur, but it’s in how everything flows so much better now that we reckon the hardcore will find themselves most impressed.
And for newcomers a recommendation is even easier; this is up there with the all-time great sci-fi RPGs and an absolute must-play.
4. Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
Here it is, the game that started it all. 2010’s Xenoblade Chronicles was epic in scale and setting in a way few games of the era were, and this isn’t a title to rush through. You’ll need many hours to examine and enjoy its incredible complexity, enhancing your abilities and exploring the world’s ecosystem as you go.
The creativity Monolith Soft employed in producing this world was staggering. In terms of presentation, the immense landscapes remain a delight to traverse. While some close-up camera angles expose the Wii’s graphical limitations, the art design more than compensates. Plus, when you’re exploring the world and listening to that beautiful music, who cares?
Nowadays, the combat has aged a fair amount, and the much-improved visuals of Definitive Edition certainly take off a tiny bit of the sheen of the original release. But this is a special game, one that defied expectations and gave the Wii a defining JRPG.
3. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (Switch)
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition presents an already excellent JRPG that’s been improved in nearly every conceivable way, short of a complete reimagining.
On top of the fantastic story, enjoyable combat, and incredible world design, Monolith Soft included an entirely new epilogue story arc while polishing up nearly everything in the base game, from progression systems to visuals to UI design. XC:DE is easily one of the best role-playing games on Switch, a console that’s not lacking in that department.
It goes without saying that if you were ever a fan of the original, or of JRPGs in general, you absolutely must get this. This is the standard against which all others should be judged.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Switch)
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a genuine masterpiece and the highlight of Monolith Soft’s superb series thus far. There’s an emotionally charged and surprisingly edgy epic to get stuck into here, a sprawling and hugely engaging narrative populated by a cast of unforgettable characters that’s backed up by some of the very best combat we’ve had the pleasure of getting to grips with in this genre.
Over 100 hours into this one, we were as captivated as we were when we first booted it up and it more than delivered every bit of the adventure, emotion, and action that its excellent key art promises.
Even with a narrative blip towards the end, you can’t get many better JRPG stories than this one, and with a whole job system, excellent sidequests, and multiple amazing characters, this is the highest of highs in the genre.
Surprised by the overall result? With games of this calibre, it was always going to be a close one!
Nintendo Life Personal Pick
“This is hard! I love all of these games and DLCs dearly, and have fond memories playing the first Xenoblade in particular. But it’s got to be Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for me. I’m a sucker for class systems in combat, so being able to swap and level jobs with every character is so fun. But the story is what makes 3 so special. The final chapters might stumble, but when XC3 hits, it really hits. Chapter 5, folks. If you know, you know.” – Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor
Xenoblade Chronicles FAQ
Before we wrap up this Chronicle, let’s answer a few common questions about the Xenoblade games.
Hang on, why is DLC included here!?
The DLC chapters are enormous standalone adventures in themselves, and we wanted to have them represented above.
They’re crucial to understanding the wider story in the series, with both Torna and Future Redeemed providing context for the events of their respective games — and sometimes well beyond that. They both range from 10-30 hours, too.
If, for some reason, you’d prefer to exclude the DLC, just pretend it isn’t there and — voilà! — the ranking of the other games remains intact.
Where’s Future Connected, then?
Ah, yes, the bonus chapter added to Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition when it came to Switch. Well, it’s not DLC — simple as that. It’s part of the main game and you don’t need to pay extra to play through it.
It’s also a lot less standalone than the other two extra chapters. It’s really an epilogue to Xenoblade Chronicles, and while it sets up things that will come up in future entries, you can’t pick it up without buying the full game.
What about Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition?
We’ll add the Switch port of XCX to the list in due course once everyone’s had the chance to get their hands on it and form an informed opinion. Fortunately, it’s a very small game and won’t take long to finish at all*, so watch this space!
*This is a serious statement.**
** This is also a serious statement.***
*** This is a joke.
Should I play the Xenoblade games in order?
No, there’s no need to play the games sequentially! But it’s a bit trickier than that.
Xenoblade 1, Xenoblade 2, and Xenoblade X we can confidently say can be played in any order. X is very different from the numbered games in many ways. And while you might miss a few references if you play Xenoblade 2 before 1, it won’t hamper your experience.
Xenoblade 3 can also be played whenever, but we’d argue it’s more important to have played 1 and 2. You don’t have to, but this is the game that ties together both worlds.
Lastly, it should go without saying, but don’t play the DLCs without having played their respective games. And for Future Redeemed, it will arguably be more impactful if you’ve played all of the Xenoblade Games.
Whether you’re a season pass holder looking to revisit a series you love from a new perspective or you’re fresh to the franchise and want a prequel adventure, this hefty slice of JRPG action will grab you right from the moment you start switching between Blade and Driver.
With some welcome adjustments to combat and combos, this is a fine addition to an already brilliant game on Switch, but also a worthwhile, standalone chapter in the larger Xenoblade saga.
5. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (Switch)
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is an expertly crafted revamp that gives us all the bells and whistles we could wish for in terms of graphical upgrades. However, it's actually Monolith Soft's attention to clever gameplay revisions that impresses most here.
This is X streamlined and modernised, carefully recast and reset in order to play better than ever. Additional characters, a new ending, and all that snazzy stuff is all well and good, and fans will be excited by the fresh revelations that occur, but it's in how everything flows so much better now that we reckon the hardcore will find themselves most impressed.
And for newcomers a recommendation is even easier; this is up there with the all-time great sci-fi RPGs and an absolute must-play.
4. Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
Here it is, the game that started it all. 2010's Xenoblade Chronicles was epic in scale and setting in a way few games of the era were, and this isn't a title to rush through. You'll need many hours to examine and enjoy its incredible complexity, enhancing your abilities and exploring the world's ecosystem as you go.
The creativity Monolith Soft employed in producing this world was staggering. In terms of presentation, the immense landscapes remain a delight to traverse. While some close-up camera angles expose the Wii's graphical limitations, the art design more than compensates. Plus, when you're exploring the world and listening to that beautiful music, who cares?
Nowadays, the combat has aged a fair amount, and the much-improved visuals of Definitive Edition certainly take off a tiny bit of the sheen of the original release. But this is a special game, one that defied expectations and gave the Wii a defining JRPG.
3. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (Switch)
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition presents an already excellent JRPG that's been improved in nearly every conceivable way, short of a complete reimagining.
On top of the fantastic story, enjoyable combat, and incredible world design, Monolith Soft included an entirely new epilogue story arc while polishing up nearly everything in the base game, from progression systems to visuals to UI design. XC:DE is easily one of the best role-playing games on Switch, a console that's not lacking in that department.
It goes without saying that if you were ever a fan of the original, or of JRPGs in general, you absolutely must get this. This is the standard against which all others should be judged.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Switch)
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a genuine masterpiece and the highlight of Monolith Soft's superb series thus far. There's an emotionally charged and surprisingly edgy epic to get stuck into here, a sprawling and hugely engaging narrative populated by a cast of unforgettable characters that's backed up by some of the very best combat we've had the pleasure of getting to grips with in this genre.
Over 100 hours into this one, we were as captivated as we were when we first booted it up and it more than delivered every bit of the adventure, emotion, and action that its excellent key art promises.
Even with a narrative blip towards the end, you can't get many better JRPG stories than this one, and with a whole job system, excellent sidequests, and multiple amazing characters, this is the highest of highs in the genre.
Surprised by the overall result? With games of this calibre, it was always going to be a close one!
Nintendo Life Personal Pick
"This is hard! I love all of these games and DLCs dearly, and have fond memories playing the first Xenoblade in particular. But it's got to be Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for me. I'm a sucker for class systems in combat, so being able to swap and level jobs with every character is so fun. But the story is what makes 3 so special. The final chapters might stumble, but when XC3 hits, it really hits. Chapter 5, folks. If you know, you know." - Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor
Xenoblade Chronicles FAQ
Before we wrap up this Chronicle, let's answer a few common questions about the Xenoblade games.
Hang on, why is DLC included here!?
The DLC chapters are enormous standalone adventures in themselves, and we wanted to have them represented above.
They're crucial to understanding the wider story in the series, with both Torna and Future Redeemed providing context for the events of their respective games — and sometimes well beyond that. They both range from 10-30 hours, too.
If, for some reason, you'd prefer to exclude the DLC, just pretend it isn't there and — voilà! — the ranking of the other games remains intact.
Where's Future Connected, then?
Ah, yes, the bonus chapter added to Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition when it came to Switch. Well, it's not DLC — simple as that. It's part of the main game and you don't need to pay extra to play through it.
It's also a lot less standalone than the other two extra chapters. It's really an epilogue to Xenoblade Chronicles, and while it sets up things that will come up in future entries, you can't pick it up without buying the full game.
What about Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition?
We'll add the Switch port of XCX to the list in due course once everyone's had the chance to get their hands on it and form an informed opinion. Fortunately, it's a very small game and won't take long to finish at all*, so watch this space!
*This is a serious statement.**
** This is also a serious statement.***
*** This is a joke.
Should I play the Xenoblade games in order?
No, there's no need to play the games sequentially! But it's a bit trickier than that.
Xenoblade 1, Xenoblade 2, and Xenoblade X we can confidently say can be played in any order. X is very different from the numbered games in many ways. And while you might miss a few references if you play Xenoblade 2 before 1, it won't hamper your experience.
Xenoblade 3 can also be played whenever, but we'd argue it's more important to have played 1 and 2. You don't have to, but this is the game that ties together both worlds.
Lastly, it should go without saying, but don't play the DLCs without having played their respective games. And for Future Redeemed, it will arguably be more impactful if you've played all of the Xenoblade Games.
