We might be getting Ni No Kuni 2 on Nintendo Switch, if a new ESRB rating is anything to go by.

Wario64 spotted the rating for Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Prince's Edition on Nintendo Switch. The Prince's Edition is the full package, including all DLC and new story scenarios plus the in-game equipment package.

New ratings are usually indicative of incoming announcements, though sometimes they are inaccurate. However, the Ni No Kuni 2 Switch rating has remained live since it was first spotted this morning, suggesting both that it's accurate and some kind of new showcase is on the way.

It's been a while since the last Nintendo Direct, but if there is a Ni No Kuni 2 Switch announcement, it's likely to come in a partner showcase. Nintendo is attending E3 2021 after all, and it's pretty unlikely we'd get a full Direct barely a month before Nintendo's major summer showcase.

Whatever the case, Ni No Kuni 2, with its gorgeous world and complex characters, would certainly be a welcome addition to the Switch's already formidable library of JRPGs.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

There’s Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom if you can’t get enough of Level-5’s world. This one follows Ding Dong Dell prince Evan as he struggles to regain his sense of self following a bloody coup.

Fortunately for him, and us, he meets a charming band of misfits along the way, as well as a gaggle of Higgeldies, giving the sequel as much charm and character as the first Ni No Kuni. There’s even a robust kingdom-building simulator and some extra DLC to round out the experience.

That's it for our list of the best RPGs playable on PlayStation 5 right now. In the coming months and years, the PS5 will naturally get its own hefty library of top-notch RPGs. For now, we hope these are enough to tide you over until then and offer a chance to fall in love with a world you've never experienced before.

What RPGs would you add to this list? Sound off in the comments below! 

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch returned to PlayStation 4 in remastered form with updated visuals, which is really just a good excuse to dive into Studio Ghibli and Level-5’s heartwarming (and breaking) masterpiece again.

Young hero Oliver travels to another world to save someone dear to him and mends the shattered hearts of those he meets on the way. It’s part Pokemon, with little familiars you “catch” and train, part action RPG, all wrapped in a package that’s like you’re playing a classic anime series. There's even more where that came from too.

Monster Hunter: World

The original Monster Hunter: World is also free in the PS Plus Collection, making it easier than ever to get into Capcom’s long-running franchise. World redefined Monster Hunter by smoothing over the edges and making it more accessible in a number of ways, from seamless world design to easier tracking.

There’s still plenty of challenge on offer from World’s biggest and baddest monsters, though. You’ll need to keep up with your gear — with the help of MonHun’s adorable Palicoes of course — back at the gorgeous base camp/city if you want a shot at the Elder Dragon causing so much chaos in the world.

Once you’ve done all that, the fun is only just beginning. Monster Hunter: World Iceborne adds new regions, monsters, and gear plus a series of new events. Even better, Capcom’s making these events available again for those who missed them before thanks to a new rotating cycle, so everyone can join in the fun.

Bloodborne

Sure, Demons’ Souls is great (it really is), but have you played Bloodborne? If not, now’s your chance to get it for free with the PS Plus Collection. While the power of the PlayStation 5 doesn’t boost Bloodborne to 60fps, it’s still a remarkable game.

Set in the gothic city of Yharnam that’s just oozing atmosphere from every flying buttress, you play as a fighter injected with special blood by the city’s ruling organization, the Healing Church. It’s supposed to offer protection against a plague turning everyone into monsters, but surprise! It doesn’t.

Now you have to kill them in spectacular style while hunting for a cure. It’s Dark Souls-adjacent, but fast-paced and exhilarating in both visual design and action.

The Outer Worlds

If you really like the idea of a futuristic RPG where your choices (kind of) matter, give Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds a chance. You play as a human taken out of cryogenic stasis to investigate what happened at the Halcyon colony, a corporate-owned space experiment with no end of shady deals attached to it. But you’re free to do… whatever really.

Be a good person, be a stooge, take the middle road, and whatever you choose, watch as your actions shape the lives of everyone around you and determine what ending you get. It's more Fallout-esque than what Obsidian has developed in a little while, but that's definitely not a bad thing.

The Outer Worlds doesn’t re-shape the genre, but it’s a solid first-person sci-fi RPG with equally solid DLC.

Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon

Yakuza 7 is a reboot of sorts following a new character in a new gameplay style. This time, you play as optimist Ichiban Kasuga on his quest to bring some semblance of order to an unjust world. “Quest” is key here because Ichiban sees his world through the lens of his favorite series, Dragon Quest.

That means turn-based battles, job classes, and plenty of retro RPG references mixed in. It takes the series’ usual heartfelt story and dials it up to 12 with some surprisingly on-point observations about society.

Really, both Yakuza games are some of the best RPGs on PlayStation 5, so you can't go wrong either way.

Yakuza 0

There’s so much Yakuza to choose from on PlayStation 4, but your best bet for getting started is Yakuza 0. Yakuza 0 is where it all begins, hence the 0. It’s the height of the bubble economy in 1980s Japan, and you play as newbie yakuza Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima.

While the story is good, as ever it’s the side stories and characters that steal the show, with some of the best writing and wackiest scenarios in gaming. It’s also one of the most refined combat systems in the series. If you want to jump into the latest Yakuza, though, check out the next entry.

NieR: Automata

If you like it when stories mercilessly toy with your brain, then go play NieR: Automata immediately. This bizarre and wonderful game brings together the best parts of Yoko Taro’s scenario writing and Platinum’s peerless action combat for an experience that really is like no other.

In this post-apocalyptic world, where Shakespeare-spewing technology ran humans off the planet, you play (mostly) as 2B. You’re a robot fighter created by the human resistance to destroy the invading menace in action that switches seamlessly between fast-paced 3D fighting and top-down bullet hell across the game’s gorgeous environments.

Once you’re done — you’re not done. You have to beat NieR: Automata several times to get the full story. And don't fret if you think you have to play the upcoming NieR: Replicant to understand it either. The two are completely separate stories.

Tales of Berseria

We’ll have to wait a while yet for more Tales of Arise news, but meanwhile, there’s Tales of Berseria to hold you over on PlayStation 5. While it’s designed as a prequel to the somewhat contentious Tales of Zestiria, Berseria works perfectly well as a standalone game and shakes up the series’ usual storytelling style.

Gone are the obviously good heroes with primarily good motives. In their place is a ragtag bunch of ne’er-do-wells seeking their own ends. Their motives don’t always align, but they share one thing in common: an unquenchable desire for vengeance.

Berseria feels like a culmination of the series’ combo-based fighting begun with Xillia, with fast-paced battles that require much more than just mashing buttons until you win. It’s a solid package and one that’s frequently on sale too.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 1-4

Why settle for one RPG when you can buy and play a four-part series on the same system? As of 2020, PlayStation 4 has all four Trails of Cold Steel games, and if you’re looking for an epic RPG saga like few others, these are definitely worth checking out.

Despite sitting mid-way in the overall Trails series, Cold Steel tells its own story, one of warfare and political intrigue in the aggressively expansionist Erebonian Empire. You play as Rean Schwarzer, son of a minor noble and new student at Thors Military Academy. All is not well in the empire, however, and as Erebonia gradually spreads its influence over the continent, its dark history repeats itself and threatens to consume the entire world.

Like all Trails games, Cold Steel uses a unique combat system where placement and stat augmentations matter more than most RPGs, and the worldbuilding is unparalleled, with countless side stories developing alongside the main plot.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age — Definitive Edition

Maybe you played Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age already, but if you haven’t played DQ XI Definitive Edition yet, you haven’t experienced the game at its best. You get new story chapters for every protagonist plus new story segments where the party travels to the worlds of previous Dragon Quest games to resolve issues popping up there.

It’s the ultimate series tribute, and the scenarios are designed so well, they’re enjoyable even if you haven’t played every game before. You can also play the entire game in 16-bit style 2D if that’s your thing.

If you’ve never played Dragon Quest XI before, then get ready for one of the best RPGs of the generation. The story starts out basic before turning in on itself and making you question the nature of heroism and goodness, making it bolder than previous DQ games. And in true series fashion, XI has a sizeable cast of outrageous and fantastically well-written characters to fall in love with.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

CD Projekt RED kinda sorta shafted reviewers and consumers alike with Cyberpunk 2077 on consoles, there’s no denying that. But rejoice, ye lovers of massive RPGs, because there’s another option in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

If you’ve yet to play this hulking behemoth of a game, the PlayStation 5 is one of the best ways to experience it. Apart from faster load times taking the sting out of fast travel, there’s a next-gen upgrade in the works giving it some extra visual polish.

The Witcher 3’s vast, open-world houses secrets galore if you feel like finding them. The combat might be stilted, and your choices don’t matter near as much as in Divinity. But the story is pure candy for lovers of high fantasy. Geralt’s world and those who inhabit it gradually absorb you the more you play, and the complete edition boasts two of the finest expansions in RPGs.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition

Saying Larian’s Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a modern Baldur’s Gate is true, but this rich, unique gem of a game is far from derivative. There’s a core story in DoS 2, and it’s a good one with plenty of fantasy flair, treachery, and surprise murders. The real narrative is the one you make along the way, though, and that’s not just a meme thing to say.

DoS 2 is the Romancing SaGa of Western RPGs in that so many choices you make shape the game in ways you don’t always see right away.

A seemingly offhand response to a Seer has you fight her to the death, where you could have just chatted. Your bloodthirsty elf friend wants to kill the slave trader for obvious reasons, yet you need him alive for info… It’s utterly engaging with a complex, yet rewarding combat system and some gorgeous visuals on PlayStation 5.  

Persona 5/Persona 5 Royal

You’ve got two options for Persona 5 on PlayStation 5, and both are easily some of the best RPGs available for the system.

PS Plus subscribers get the original Persona 5 for absolutely freesies through the PS Plus Collection. The original Phantom Thieves saga and all the intertwining character stories that made it a top RPG on the PS4 still hold up now, along with the series’ trademark Persona fusion system and the countless customization options that entails. It’s all wrapped in the most stylish package in gaming too.

But if you’re fine with spending a bit of extra dosh, then go for Royal. It augments the original’s winning system with a wagonload of quality of life upgrades, new Confidants to hang out with, more battle options, and an entire new semester carrying the story to a surprising and touching conclusion.

Final Fantasy 15: Royal Edition

Final Fantasy fans have no shortage of options on PlayStation 5, from the ambitious Final Fantasy 7 Remake to the magnificent Final Fantasy 14. But you’ve just spent hundreds of dollars on a new console, and if you’re looking for the best value for your money, the PS Plus Collection on PS5 brings you Final Fantasy 15: Royal Edition for no extra charge (you do have to subscribe to PS Plus to get it). 

FF15 is a twist on the series’ usual, with a dudebro car adventure taking place in the middle of the franchise's standard political dramas.

We’d be lying if we said it was flawless, with its too-simple combat and somewhat disjointed story. However, the Royal Edition goes a long way in making FF15 feel whole with all the additional story episodes giving new life to the world of Eos. Then there’s the food. Just look at the food!

The PlayStation 5 is here, hooray! And out of its launch lineup, there's only one RPG: Demon's Souls. It's an incredible RPG, sure, but outside of that, it's a bleak slate often par for the course with new consoles.

Fortunately, while we wait for Final Fantasy XVI, Tales of Arise, and whatever else might be in store, the PlayStation 5 is still in a pretty good position for RPGs thanks to backwards compatibility with PS4 games.

Some of the best RPGs are free with the PS Plus Collection, some are expansions of older games, but they’re all top in the genre and definitely some of the most noteworthy PS4 RPGs you can play on the PS5 right now.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age

In a world where traditional RPGs are fast losing favor, Dragon Quest XI S shows the formula still has plenty of life in it. You’ll have an idea of what to expect if you’ve played any previous Dragon Quest: turn-based battles, chosen heroes, world-ending darkness, and Akira Toriyama’s fabulous artwork.

Dragon Quest XI S has all this, but it executes every part of it — and then some — so well.

That’s thanks in no small part to the excellent cast. Everyone gets their story told, and the Switch version adds even more with optional extra episodes.

The battle system is the same as ever for the most part, but gets some much-needed boosts from things like Pep Powers and handy new spells and skills. There’s a Dragon Quest version of item crafting, too, which saves money and is worth doing if only because you use a “fun-sized forge” to make things.

Dragon Quest XI S sweetens the deal even more. Alongside those extra character episodes, you can travel back in time to segments from every previous Dragon Quest game with new story content and quests. Plus you can play the entire game in 16-bit 2D, which makes the slight visual downgrade from the PS4 version more than worth it.

That's it for our list of the best JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch. Of course, there are other contenders out there, but these are the ones you should start with if you're looking for a brand-new JRPG adventure on the console. What are your favorites? Join the conversation over on Twitter!

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

So far, the Switch only has Tales of Vesperia to represent Bandai Namco’s long-running Tales of series. We’re not complaining, though. It’s widely regarded as one of the best in the series, and with good reason.

Vesperia inverts the usual cast archetypes from the get-go and ends up being one of the most varied and interesting in the series. Protagonist Yuri Lowell is a snide loner, the mage Rita’s favorite hobbies are studying by herself and insulting people, and Repede the dog smokes a pipe. 

The story is standard Tales fare, a big, epic fantasy with warring nations, betrayals, and sumptuous locales you’ll visit as you travel the world. Standard doesn’t mean boring, though, and the interesting cast of characters keeps it from ever seeming stale.

It’s all wrapped up in the series’ signature battle system. Vesperia’s combat is a half-step ahead of Tales of the Abyss’ Flex-Linear system, but a half-step behind the combo-based fighting of more modern entries. The flow might not be as smooth, but managing skills and the points required to use them keeps you on your toes for each battle.

Romancing SaGa 3

Romancing SaGa 3 can be a total pain, but the same thing that makes it challenging is what makes it great: minimal barriers.

The story unfolds as you figure out how to move it forward. Instead of completing objectives, you have to speak with people, understand what’s going on, and then act on it. Your actions and choices determine how the story progresses in some cases, locking specific quest and narrative paths depending on what you do.

On top of that, Romancing SaGa 3 features multiple characters, not unlike Octopath Traveler. Their stories follow unique paths that simultaneously paint a picture of the wider story. But SaGa 3 does a slightly better job showing how it all works together, assuming you can make it to the end, of course.

The trouble is that sometimes, you’re really flying by the seat of your pants. The same setup applies to combat and character progression. You’re free to figure out how it works on your own — because the game won’t tell you. Romancing SaGa 3 isn’t for everyone because of that, but if you can power through its more obnoxious elements, there’s an adventure like no other here.

Disgaea 5 Complete

Since we’re throwing strategy games in here, we’d be remiss not to include Disgaea 5 Complete as one of the best JRPGs on Switch. Technically, Disgaea 5 is the same Disgaea formula established back with the first entry on PlayStation 2. You play as heroes and anti-heroes from the Netherworld on their journey to Do A Thing, engaging in over-the-top tactical battles and leveling up to 9,999 if you want. 

It’s wacky — as any game with exploding penguins called Prinnies has to be. It’s also a refreshing take on the usual JRPG setup, even if Disgaea 5 weighs in as slightly more serious than its predecessors.

With loveable characters, the Item World for eternal grinding, and in-depth character management all being the same, you might be wondering whether to go with Disgaea 5 over the other two on the Switch. While Disgaea 4 Complete+ adds in all the quality of life enhancements D5 introduced, D5 has one thing D4 doesn’t: every bit of DLC.

Stuff like the Gift of HL is included with no extra charge, and who wants to say no to free money?

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a strategy game. But Nintendo calls it an RPG on the official site. It’s Japanese, so it works.

Three Houses takes the split narrative style that failed in Fire Emblem Fates and turns it into the central feature. You choose one of the three houses at the beginning and guide your students’ growth as events suddenly spiral out of control. 

And then it happens: your choices determine who’s gonna die. Emotional manipulation? Maybe. But it sure makes the story hit harder, and more importantly, it makes you want to play the other routes to find out what was going on with everyone else.

Three Houses changes the battle system enough to keep it interesting, with new monsters, terrain, and weapon types. And even though everyone who plays it is horny for just about everything in Three Houses, it does a much better job keeping support relationships as, well… support, instead of making them the ultimate endgame.

Octopath Traveler

Octopath Traveler is great at dividing opinion, but at House GameSkinny, we’re firmly in the “it deserves its spot as one of the best JRPGs on the Switch” camp. Octopath Traveler’s episodic stories and piecemeal narrative don’t work together until the end, though there are connections if you pay attention.

Even if not, the character stories are enough to make it interesting — the thief facing his betrayer, the merchant realizing the world isn’t made of happiness and butterflies, the hunter apprentice trying to save her mentor. It’s good stuff, even if the individual abilities don’t affect side stories as much as they could.

The combat is even better stuff, which is good since you’ll be fighting a lot. Outside the deep job system with secondary skills galore, Octopath Traveler uses a Bravely Default-style boost system. Knowing when to spend boost points to bolster your attacks is key, and it creates a satisfying ebb and flow in every fight, especially the dramatic boss fights.

And if you don’t know when to do this, you better learn fast. Octopath Traveler pulls no punches.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3

You can’t get much further from Ys 8 than with The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3 on Switch. Trails is heavy on story, with combat steeped in traditional turn-based style. Those things are also what make it so good.

Unlike Ys, Cold Steel 3 isn’t fully standalone, but it does offer plenty of ways to catch up on what’s been going on with the folks of Class VII. Yes, it’s a school story, but only on the surface. 

Underneath, Cold Steel 3 builds up one of the best RPG narratives around broad themes of government scheming, imperialism and conquest, and giant mechs. It’s the kind of game where a national tax plan takes center stage one minute and slinging spells at an unhinged would-be terrorist takes the next, and it's all an important part of the same tightly wound story

Spell slinging and attacks in Trails are never a static affair, despite being traditional in structure. Each character uses an orbment you customize with different quartz crystals. These augment stats, grant the use of certain spells, or inflict status ailments.

You’ll need to fine-tune your setup for some of the game’s bigger fights, along with balancing your offense with each character’s special skills. There’s a lot going on both in story and gameplay, making Trails of Cold Steel 3 one of the more satisfying RPGs on our list.

And did I mention the soundtrack is stellar? Because the soundtrack is stellar.

Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana

Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana has an 8 in the title, but like other games in the series, it’s a standalone title.

Protagonist Adol Christin washes up on the shores of a mysterious island called Seiren, where “mysterious” means “crawling with monsters and massive dinosaurs that shouldn’t exist.” Adol is, as always, the story’s main focus, but the action shifts to Dana at various points, as the past and present gradually intertwine in a grand crescendo.

At its heart, Ys 8 is an action and exploration game, and there’s plenty of both to go around. You’ll open new parts of the island as you explore and recruit more castaways — and party members — to your base camp, which means encountering new monsters as well. 

Fortunately, Adol and co. have a wide variety of skills you’ll weave together seamlessly when you aren’t swapping between party members to take advantage of enemy weaknesses. Aside from the story, it’s that breathless, fast-paced action that sets Ys 8 apart as one of the best JRPGs on the Switch.

And if you like what you see, Ys 9: Monstrum Nox is headed to Switch in 2021.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is one of the more unique JRPGs on Switch. You set off to save the world — but it’s not your world. It’s a fantastical Studio Ghibli world bursting at the seams with personality. Oliver, the hero, isn’t some reluctant, duty-bound hero fated to banish the darkness either.

He just wants his mom back, and it’s the power of simple kindness in his heart that lets him face off against the dark forces threatening this other world. That and the army of Familiars he recruits if he’s lucky.

Ni No Kuni is Pokemon-ish in that you raise adorable little monsters into hulking beat-down machines, but Level-5’s bizarre insistence on making recruitment a challenge mars the experience a bit. It’s not as bad as Yo-Kai Watch, but it could be better.

Still, dealing with the few bumps in the road is a small price to pay for spending time in this gorgeous world and soaking up its heartfelt story.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

You can play a lot of Final Fantasy games on Switch, and any of them would be a good choice. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age offers the most value, though, and it boasts one of the best stories and feature sets in the series.

FFXII takes place in Ivalice, which may already be an indicator of greatness if you’ve played Final Fantasy Tactics. Like Tactics, FFXII leans heavily on fantasy politics for its story. Some have even called it the result of a fling Final Fantasy had with Star Wars, what with XII’s team of plucky rebels resisting an evil empire bent on domination.

That’s oversimplifying things of course, as there’s plenty of other side stories and character arcs going on.

Then there’s the combat. FFXII’s Gambit system is a breath of fresh air that puts a twist on traditional turn-based combat. You aren’t controlling your characters’ every move. Instead, you basically program how they act in specific conditions. It takes getting used to, but it’s a wholly absorbing system once you get going.

We said that "The Zodiac Age takes what was originally a mediocre game and makes it one of the best gameplay-oriented entries to the series." If that sounds good to you, it's probably worth a look. 

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Of the two Xenoblade games on Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition gets the easy recommendation. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has plenty to love about it, including its story. But XC: Definitive Edition does everything better.

Combat is more varied and easier to get into from the start. Environments are more interesting, with more secrets to uncover. And best of all, the story starts with a huge bang and maintains its momentum throughout the lengthy adventure.

It’s also easier to see Chronicles as a successor to Xenogears in tone and style. What starts out as a tired sci-fi tale of humans versus alien-things gets weird pretty fast, with plenty of unexpected twists thrown in along the way.

Definitive Edition smooths out almost all the ugly spots from the original release, with improved visuals, a better map, and more intuitive interfaces. It’s a classic through and through, even if the extra story content is hit-and-miss.

Check out our review for the full skinny. 

Nintendo Switch has the games, specifically a boatload of JRPGs to keep you busy for years on end. With so many JRPGs to choose from on the Switch, finding the one that speaks to you could be a challenge. So we've spent the time looking through all of the system's JRPGs to put together this list so you can start your search by finding the best and going from there. 

Despite all of these games falling under the same broad umbrella of "Japanese RPG," every entry on our list has something different to offer.

There's fast-paced hack and slash action RPGs, fantasy comfort food, RPGs with grand, epic tales, and even an old-school title to sink dozens of hours into.

Let's get started with a remake of a modern classic.

Amazon is holding one of its Buy 2, Get 1 Free sales this week. Quite a few big titles are included in the sale this time around — and new ones at that.

Chief among the offerings in this week's sale are The Outer Worlds and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (the uh, modern one), both of which released just last week. There are plenty of other gems from this year, too, as well as old favorites.

To make things easy, we've collected a short list of some of the most notable games available during the sale. We don't currently know how long the sale will last, though it's a safe bet it'll last until the end of the week. 

Note that the Amazon page says "Buy 3 Items, Get 1 Item(s) Free," though it's a trifle misleading. The third item is the free one; you don't need to buy four items total.

Here's a brief overview of what's included in the sale:

The full list, which includes over 60 games, can be found over on Amazon. Meanwhile, PS4 owners should check out Sony's Halloween Sale for more spooky savings before they disappear like phantasms in the first light of dawn.

Yet another of Bandai Namco's many leaks from over the weekend has been confirmed as true: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is being remastered for PlayStation 4 and PC, while the Nintendo Switch is getting a port of the base game.

Both versions are set for a September 20 launch, though the remastered version really isn't all that different from what the Switch is getting, according to Bandai's official press release.

The main differences are framerate and resolution. Where the Switch version will run at 30 frames per second at 720p, the Remastered edition will run at 60 frames per second at 1080p. PS4 Pro owners can choose 4K resolution at 30 fps or 1440p at 60 fps as well.

The Switch version's specs will remain the same in handheld and docked mode.

This is the first time the full Wrath of the White Witch game will appear on a handheld; Japan got an abridged version with some changes for the DS, though it never made it West.

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch follows the story of Oliver, a young boy who faces a terrible tragedy shortly after the game begins. With the help of his mysterious, lantern-nosed, Welsh companion Mr. Drippy, Oliver makes his way to a strange new world where he finds he has magical powers — and an unexpected, dangerous foe — as he tries to find a way to rescue his mother from the clutches of death.

The game boasts an incredible art style created by Studio Ghibli and a sweeping soundtrack by Ghibli composer Joe Hisashi, of Spirited Away fame. It also offers a unique gameplay system where players tame and train familiars a la Pokemon and fight alongside them and AI partners in real-time battles.

The story, art, gameplay, and soundtrack combine to make what Bandai considers an "amazing adventure" they want to bring to anyone who has an interest in it. Specifically, Randy Le, Bandai's brand manager, said

A beautiful and compelling tale told by expert storytellers with a heartbreaking score, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch stands alongside the best games of the last generation. We’re excited to let gamers rediscover this rich world on modern systems.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Collector's Edition

This edition of A Link Between Worlds was only ever released for the GAME chain of stores, a retailer in the UK, whose branding also appears on the box. There wasn't much to it -- a download code for Link's Awakening DX and a humongous A0 poster (shipped separately) featuring the Master Sword. However, it also included a small treasure chest which played the signature treasure sound upon being opened and, as an additional bonus, stored up to five 3DS game cartridges.

Honorable Mentions

Featured here are editions which, for various reasons, did not make it onto the main list:

Okami HD The Mankaiouka-Dama Limited Edition was released exclusively in Japan through the e-capcom store in limited quantities. It included a fluorescent phone strap and a snow globe displaying Amaterasu, the game's protagonist, under a beautiful cherry blossom tree.

Undertale Collector's Edition, released exclusively on fangamer.com, included the game's soundtrack across two CDs, the game's sheet music, a colorful storybook, and a gorgeous, gold-plated music locket.

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Do you own any of these editions? Know of any rare and unique collector's editions which deserve some publicity? Leave a comment below, and as always, for everything cool, stay tuned to GameSkinny!

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Wizard's Edition

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, the charming RPG by Studio Ghibli and Level-5, received two versions of the Wizard's Edition. With downloadable golden skins for familiars, a cute Drippy plush toy, and a replica of The Wizard's Companion found in the game, the EU version was slightly surpassed by the U.S. version, which also included five artwork cards, a soundtrack CD, and a collectible coin featuring the game's main protagonist, Oliver.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Collector's Edition

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, made by Platinum Games, was not only a spectacular spin-off to the Metal Gear series, it also received an equally spectacular Collector's Edition in the United States. In addition to a steelbook case and a soundtrack CD, it contained a plasma lamp featuring part of Raiden's katana on display, which lit up in glorious color.

Little Big Planet 2

Collector's Edition

Little Big Planet 2, much like its predecessor, is oozing with charm, and its U.S. Collector's Edition reflects that. While somewhat sparse on contents, it's the quality which counts. Along with some downloadable costumes of familiar characters from other franchises and a cute Sackboy plush toy, this edition also included cardboard bookends, themed after the game, to display your collection of games in style.

Gal Gun: Double Peace

Mr. Happiness Edition

At first glance, there is nothing significant about Gal Gun's Mr. Happiness Edition -- some DLC costumes, a soundtrack CD, and a wall scroll featuring two girls. It also included a pair of panties. Some developers seem to have a thing for underwear, though fret not, it's actually just a microfiber cloth for cleaning the screen of your device. Which is still weird considering the main objective of the game is to rub girls. Oh, Japan....

Catherine

Deluxe Edition

Catherine is a bizarre game, and its Deluxe Edition, released in North America, is even more so. While some of its contents were pretty mundane -- an artbook, a soundtrack CD, a t-shirt -- it also included a pillowcase featuring Catherine, one of the game's main heroines. To top it off there, was also a pair of oversized polka-dot boxer shorts, with everything neatly packaged in a Stray Sheep Pizza box, a bar/pizzeria which is featured in the game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Juggernog Edition

Regardless of what you may think about the series, Call of Duty: Black Ops III had probably one of the coolest editions ever made. The Juggernog Edition featured things like coasters, a season pass, a steelbook case, some art cards, and a digital soundtrack along with some downloadable content. It also included a fully functional mini-fridge which stored up to 12 cans of Mountain Dew (or beer, for those of age).

Bully

Special Edition

One of the more popular titles by Rockstar Games, and perhaps the most elusive edition on this list, Bully, released in 2006, received a Special Edition that is almost unattainable today. The outer box was themed after a school locker which, because the game takes place in a school environment, is very fitting. This edition included a Rockstar Games-branded sticker, a comic book based on the game, and an inflatable dodgeball.

Bloodborne

Nightmare Edition

Bloodborne, a spiritual successor to Dark Souls, which, in turn, is a spiritual successor to Demon's Souls, received a Europe-only Nightmare Edition. The set included a steelbook case, a digital soundtrack, a notebook, an artbook, and a bell trinket along with some downloadable content. Its main highlight, however, was a set of quill and ink, with an ink vessel resembling a skull. All of it was packaged in a tin case disguised as a row of books, which made for an impressive piece of decor.

Collector's editions, limited editions, special editions -- however developers decide to name them, these editions, along with the game itself, are usually bundled with one or several collectible items, ranging from posters and stickers to hardcover artbooks and elaborate figurines. Such bundles have existed for a long time, but they became especially prominent during the seventh console generation, when, for most major releases, it was almost an unwritten rule to provide a limited edition alongside the standalone game.

This list features 9 such editions and was compiled using one simple criterion:

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• Each edition must contain at least one somewhat unique or significant item in the context of the game itself
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A regular figurine, no matter how well made, will not cut it for this list. Editions such as Saints Row IV's "The Super Dangerous Wad Wad Edition" or Grid 2's Mono Edition were not considered due to their ridiculous nature and price, and Steel Batallion, while impressive in its own right, was not classified as a collector's edition. With that aside, click over to the next page to view 9 awesome collector's editions in alphabetical order (by game title).

(The image at the top here is of the Gold Edition of Superbeat Xonic: Limited Edition for the PlayStation Vita; there's only one in existence!)

Studio Ghibli is a beloved franchise for its outstanding anime movies that capture a sense of peculiar wonder. They have given us many faces that we know and love, which is why many of us would love to see some variation of them in a video game. There are a few games out there that may spark the interest of a Studio Ghibli fan. Let's take a look. 

Cliff Hanger

This arcade game uses scenes from the animated films: Mystery of Mamo and The Castle of Cagliostro. The characters in the game do not go by the same name as the characters in the films but they have many similarities. Now Studio Ghibli may have not been involved in the creation of the game, but Miyazaki did play a directing role in the Cagliostro series, which also gave him the notoriety he needed to start Studio Ghibli. So while the game may be an odd mashup of these two films, it does take many of the most iconic scenes and use them for its story. Unfortunately, Cliff Hanger isn't available to play because it's an arcade game.  

Lynn and the Spirits of Inao 

Another game that may entice Studio Ghibli fans is Lynn and the Spirits of Inao. This game is not made by the studio but it is a Kickstarter that is inspired by the films and has parallels to some of the films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. It is a 2D platformer game that sees the main character Lynn trying to bring peace back to her land of Inao. She must learn the secrets of the evil spirits and encounter some demons along the way. So while this is not a Studio Ghibli project the art style and story elements are reminiscent of Miyazaki.

Unfortunately, this game is not available to play because the game's Kickstarter was canceled after hitting 1695 backers due to allegations against Bloomylight Studio. The allegations are from interns that worked on the game, who claimed that the studio had not paid them for months of work. After the cancellation, the game was put in to a developmental stalemate due to conflict within the team. It is sad that we may never see what could have been a great Studio Ghibli inspired game. 

Ni No Kuni

The other games that fans need to have a look at is the Playstation exclusive franchise, Ni No Kuni. Many are familiar with the popular Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch that received enormous critical praise and has a sequel on the way. The game was directly made with Studio Ghibli and even though Miyazaki was not involved, the game managed to capture everything Studio Ghibli is in one unforgettable gaming experience.

It has a fantastic JRPG combat system and more than 100 hours of content to satisfy even the most hardcore fans. The story focuses on a young boy, Oliver, who is forced to deal with the burden of his dying mother when he is sucked into a fantasy universe. He must stop the lurking evil and save his mother at the same time. The game is available on PS3 here. 

The game's sequel Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom offers everything that made the first game great with a whole new story. Taking place several years after the events of the first game, King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum must reclaim his kingdom from the mouse kingdom. The game comes out January 18th, 2018 and you can pre-order it for PS4.

Forgotten Anne

This game is a platforming puzzle experience that offers a unique cinematic experience. The game centers around Anne,  an enforcer in the Forgotten Lands, where she works to quell an ongoing rebellion. The game's art style provides a beautiful anime appearance and is very reminiscent of Studio Ghibli movies like Howl's Moving Castle.

Choice is a driving factor of the game and part of what makes the game an interactive adventure. Rather than only using big decisions to affect the game's course, they also include numerous decisions that involve player emotion. The aspect of emotion is very much a theme of Studio Ghibli and allowing players to make decisions that are emotionally based promises to provide a Studio Ghibli experience. The game has no release date but the game is expected to be out soon for PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu

Jade Cocoon is a JRPG with a unique pet system that uses the game's environment. This game was developed with collaboration from Studio Ghibli's Katsuya Kondō, who worked on Kiki's Delivery Service and I Can Hear the See. The game follows the protagonist who wants to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Cocoon Master. As a Cocoon Master, he purifies the game's monsters called Minions, who can then fight for him. Jade Cocoon is available for PS1.

These games are sure to provide some sense of joy for any Studio Ghibli fans. Let us in the comments what game reminds you the most of Studio Ghibli's iconic work.

Stars Not Yet Aligned

While these games may not have the popularity or staying power of a franchise like Pokémon, they are still decent alternate options for players looking to play other monster collecting games. There are plenty of other monster collecting RPGs you can play as well -- such as Dinosaur King, Monster Rancher, Moco Moco Friends, and Spectrobes, just to name a few. Those featured on this list are just some of the more recent and notable ones.

Although a mainline Pokémon game for the Nintendo Switch may still be a few years away, hopefully we'll have these games, their upcoming sequels, and maybe even others yet to be released to help satisfy our need for capturing hundreds of monsters until then.

Monster Hunter Stories

Nintendo 3DS

The most recent game on this list to be released in Western territories, Monster Hunter Stories is a turned based RPG spin-off of Capcom's popular hunting action series.

In Monster Hunter Stories, you take on the role of a Rider from a hidden village. Instead of hunting monsters, the riders of this particular village befriend monsters by stealing eggs from nests then hatching and taming them. 

In battle, both the rider and your companion monster are able to attack the enemy -- and the rider character has access to different skills depending on the weapon and equipment used. Additionally, companion monsters can be ridden in the overworld.

Companion monsters can also be customized by using a feature called the Gene Bond  -- a system somewhat similar to breeding in other monster collecting games -- in which you transfer Bond Genes from one monster into another monster’s slots in order to obtain different stats and abilities.

Monster Hunter Stories  should be able to provide plenty of enjoyment for those not interested in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and additionally, in true Monster Hunter fashion, has plenty of post game content. 

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance

Nintendo 3DS/ PS4

While this game doesn't focus solely on monster collecting, it's still an important aspect of the game.

In Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, instead of running around various Disney worlds with characters Donald and Goofy, you explore select worlds with new creatures called Dream Eaters. Friendly dream eaters are called spirits, while the enemy dream eaters you fight are called nightmares.

Spirits are created by combining Dream Fragments together with an item or spell, either by trial and error or using recipes found throughout the game. The player characters can also link with Spirits to perform unique attacks.  You can even pet and play with your Dream Eaters which will help them gain new abilities, similar to Pokémon-Amie, although surprisingly this game did it first.

Although not a monster collecting RPG at its heart, Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance can still be played as an alternative to Pokémon if you focus more on the spirit creating aspect, and you get the additional benefit of getting to visit several amusing Disney-based worlds on the way.

Fossil Fighters: Champions 

Nintendo DS

Fossil Fighters: Champions is a sequel to the original Fossil Fighters -- also for Nintendo DS -- and greatly improves upon the gameplay introduced by its predecessor. i

To obtain monsters in this game -- called Vivosaurs --  you have to dig up their fossils and clean them off using the touch screen. This system of obtaining monsters is quite unique and can be rather exciting for awhile. Having to clean every single new fossil you find can become tedious and frustrating early on, but certain items obtained later can help speed up the process.

The combat system isn't too deep, and each vivosaur has a predetermined moveset of only 4 or 5 attacks they learn from leveling up. But if you don't mind that, then Fossil Fighters: Champions can still be a fun experience.

With strong charm and atmosphere, great and memorable characters, and awesome looking creatures, Fossil Fighters: Champions is a nice way for you to get your monster collecting fix -- especially if you happen to be a fan of Fossil Pokémon and wish there were more.

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2

Nintendo DS

Perhaps the most challenging game on this list, the sequel to Dragon Quest Monsters Joker, and the fifth game in the Dragon Quest Monsters spin-off series, Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 vastly improves the gameplay of its predecessor.

The Dragon Quest Monsters series has always had a strong focus on breeding, even before Pokémon had the option. Breeding powerful monsters takes a lot of trial and error to get what you want, due to having very few rules. Because of the detailed breeding system, catching every new monster you encounter is obligatory if you want to create a monster with the best stats and skills. Monsters may also have hidden bonuses that won't be obvious to new players at first.

Another factor that motivates catching many monsters is the difficulty of the game. Sometimes you won't be able to progress to the next part of the game until you have a monster strong enough or have reached a high enough rank. The game expects you to stay on top of everything, so if you aren't properly prepared for an especially challenging battle, you may have a difficult time getting past it.

Featuring a more challenging difficulty than most other monster collecting RPGs and an extensive post-game, Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 is great for any monster collecting RPG or Dragon Quest fan looking for a new challenge.

Hopefully the Nintendo 3DS sequel, Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 3, will be announced for Western release soon. 

World of Final Fantasy

PS4 & PS Vita

This is Final Fantasy returning to it’s classic turn-based formula, while at the same time also trying to take a stab at the monster collecting genre. To prevent clutter during battle, a new mechanic called stacking was created for the player characters to fight alongside their monsters (known as mirages). There are also summons called Champions -- chibi forms of famous Final Fantasy characters which are summoned temporarily, including Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII and even Sora from Kingdom Hearts.

The story of the game isn’t quite as interesting as other Final Fantasy games, but a revelation near the end of the game about the main characters might surprise you. At times, the game can be pretty boring, and as much as using the fast forward function helps in battles, sometimes it doesn't feel quite fast enough. Part of the last dungeon can be pretty frustrating too, due to lack of a proper map.

Despite its few pitfalls, World of Final Fantasy is not only a great alternative to Pokémon, but a great start for anyone looking to play a modern Final Fantasy game with more traditional gameplay.

Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth

PS4 & PS Vita

 After a drought of localized Digimon games, Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth was finally released in the West in February 2016. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth had almost everything an avid Digimon fan wanted in a new Digimon game -- similar battling to the beloved Nintendo DS titles, a decent amount of Digimon, and a world which felt like the near-perfect combination of the popular anime films Summer Wars and Digimon: The Movie. 

There are a few glaring flaws, but how much they're noticed depends on the player's prior knowledge of the franchise.  Some digivolution lines are intact, while others are all over the place and connect Digimon species who would otherwise be unrelated to each other. In addition to this, Digimon you haven’t seen or obtained will show up as "who’s that Pokémon" style silhouettes, so you'll have to find out what they are yourself or look up a guide.

It's not the worst since you can just dedigivolve them and level them up again if you you're unsatisfied -- an easy task when having experience boosting Digimon and items later on in the game, but a tedious activity in the earlier parts. The most irritating part of the messed up digivolution lines is that some Digimon which are not obtainable in the game (despite the rest of their line being obtainable) will still be seen on collectible medals. So it's a bit odd these missing Digimon were still put in the game that way. 

Hopefully, the upcoming sequel, Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Hacker's Memory, adds plenty more digital monsters, and fixes these and other minor flaws from the original. But otherwise, Cyber Sleuth is another great alternative to Pokémon.

Yo-Kai Watch

Nintendo 3DS

The first game in this series, plus its corresponding anime series and movie, finally came to the U.S. in 2015 after originally being released in Japan 4 years prior. The second game(s) released in the U.S. in September 2016 -- taking a hint from Pokémon with two versions, Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls. The third, updated version, Psychic Specters, is coming this fall. 

In the first game, the main character is given the titular Yo-Kai Watch, which causes them to be able to see Yo-Kai -- spirits that cause all kinds of odd everyday occurrences good, bad, or just plain weird. A significant difference between this game and other monster collectors is that the player does not technically capture Yo-Kai, but instead befriends them by feeding them their favorite foods -- and is given their medal so that they can be summoned from the Yo-Kai Watch at any time.

Yo-Kai Watch has been losing steam recently after the third iteration didn't sell as well as the previous ones -- possibly due to Pokémon's comeback, the lack of creativity with some of the newer creatures, and the absence of true backwards compatibility between the games and the toys. The series also isn't nearly as popular in the West as it was in Japan, but it has found a pretty decent fan following in Europe -- with plenty of kids (and some adults) all over the world still enjoying it.

Although the gameplay is a little outdated being mostly touchscreen-based, the Yo-Kai Watch series is still a fun, and more inherently Japanese,  alternative to Pocket Monsters.

Ni No Kuni

PS3 & PS4 (via PS Now)

Created by Level-5 and Bandai Namco, with art and animated cutscenes by Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies etc.), Ni No Kuni is a great game to help satisfy your monster collecting RPG itch.  

In Ni No Kuni, you play as a boy named Oliver, who has just lost his mother and only parent, and is racked with guilt. His tears bring the fairy plush toy, Mr. Drippy, back to life and they venture into the world of Ni No Kuni to find Oliver's mother and defeat the Dark Djinn, Shadar, and the titular villain of the game, the White Witch.

In addition to having different spells and abilities themselves, each of the three rotating members of your party is allowed to use one monster -- called familiars -- at a time, in which the human and their respective monster share a health bar. Similar to other games, you can capture more monsters to expand your collection. These monsters all have evolution trees as well, although sometimes changes are more subtle, such as adding accessories or just palette swapping.

The sequel, Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom, will be coming soon -- and although the gameplay will be a bit different, playing or replaying the first game would be a good refresher before the sequel's release.

Many were disappointed by the announcement of the new Nintendo 3DS exclusive sequels to Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon -- called Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon respectively -- despite not being given much information.

After changing up the long standing tradition of an updated third version with the the release of Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 in the fifth generation, and entirely skipping an updated version of of the sixth generation games, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, players weren't sure what to expect for the future of the seventh generation.  Many were expecting either the long rumored Pokémon Stars for the Nintendo Switch, or at least some kind of Switch port of Sun and Moon with cross play compatibility, similar to the recently announced Monster Hunter XX (double cross).

Many players, however, forget that there are plenty of other great monster collecting games out there. They might not be as popular as Pokémon, but they are still great games which can stand out on their own. Here are 8 monster collecting games to try if the announcement of these new Pokémon games made you bitter like the taste of a Switch cartridge.

To Be Continued?

Bandai Namco has plenty of games in its ever-expanding catalog. Between anime tie in games, Dark Souls, Little Nightmares, the upcoming Code Vein, and others, there's no shortage when it comes to games the publisher could bring to the Nintendo Switch.

If the ports of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and One Piece Unlimited World: Red do well enough, we could see a lot more Bandai Namco games coming to the Switch in the near future.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Classic HD Collection

While the PlayStation 4 is getting the Ultimate Ninja Storm Legacy Collection and PlayStation 3 is getting the Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy, many forget the fighting game series which Ultimate Ninja Storm came from-- which is the original Ultimate Ninja series for the PlayStation 2.

Unlike Storm, the original series is a 2.5D fighter that had five main entries, with the fifth never being released in North America. The first three games took place before the timeskip, while the last two were primarily based on the later series, Naruto Shippuden -- but still contained modes which retold the story of the original series as well.

After the release of Ultimate Ninja Storm and its sequels, many fans seem to disregard or forget this series. Due to Naruto's continuing popularity with the spin off series (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) and plenty more planned games coming out, a collection like this could provide newer fans with some insight on older games, while at the same time providing older fans with feelings of nostalgia.

Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth Series

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth originally released exclusively for the PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2015. A PlayStation 4 port was released in Japan, North America, and Europe in 2016 alongside the Western release of the Vita version.

The four Digimon games released in the West before this -- Digimon World DS, Digimon World Dawn and Dusk, and Digimon World Championship -- were all released for the Nintendo DS. There were also several games exclusive to Japan, such as Digimon Story: Lost Evolution and Digimon World Re:Digitize Decode, released on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, respectively.

It might seem weird to bring the Pokémon rival back to Nintendo consoles, but with games like Monster Hunter Stories and Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters already out in Japan and coming to the West soon, Nintendo is no stranger to monster collecting RPGs that aren't of the Pokémon variety.

Tales Of Graces:f 

Tales of Graces was originally released for the Nintendo Wii in Japan in 2009, with an enhanced port known as Tales of Graces:f released a year later for the PlayStation 3 in Japan, North America, and Europe.

The game takes place in a world known as Ephinea and follows Asbel Lhant. During his childhood, Asbel befriends an amnesiac girl and witnesses her death. Seven years later, he is reunited with the girl who mysteriously returns, albeit still with amnesia. They then go on a quest to save humanity from being destroyed.

Tales of Graces:f received praise for its gameplay with mixed reviews for its presentation.  Longtime Tales fans often claim it has the best gameplay of any game in the entire series.

Due to this positive reception, Tales of Graces: f may be a major contender for the upcoming yet unannounced Nintendo Switch Tales game. If not, Bandai Namco should still think about giving this game another re-release.

Chroma Squad

Although the recent beat'em up, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Mega Battle, left fans disappointed -- and the fighting game Power Rangers Legacy Battle is restricted to mobile devices at the moment -- Bandai Namco still managed to release an interesting game heavily inspired by the Super Sentai series which Power Rangers was created from .

Chroma Squad follows a team of stunt actors who decide to start their own Tokusatsu studio after growing tired of their previous job. Once the studio is established, the player must assign the actors to different roles and suit colors for the teams.

Like the various series the game takes inspiration from, each stage is a different episode of the show in which the heroes fight a group of villains -- and their performance during the episode makes a direct impact on the show's ratings.  The episodes are grouped into seasons, and failure to complete the goals set by the sponsors at the end of each season will lead to a game over.

Chroma Squad is currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, but a Nintendo Switch port could be possible. Its pixelated graphical style would be perfect for the Nintendo system.

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle is a fighting game by CyberConnect 2 based on Hirohito Araki's popular ongoing multi-part  manga and anime series of the same name. The game was originally released on the PlayStation 3 in August 2013 in Japan and April 2015 in Western territories.

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle not only includes characters up to the most current anime series at the time, but even includes characters up to the most recent manga. This feature is still seen in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure fighting games today.

While this game deserves a re-release on modern consoles in general, being one of the two best games based on the franchise, bringing it to the Nintendo Switch would add the extra benefit of portability.

The eShop on Switch has plenty of classic NeoGeo fighting games, so why not add some more modern ones as well?

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

In Japan, Ni No Kuni originally released as two separate games, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch for PlayStation 3 -- which later released worldwide -- and Ni No Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn  which released a year prior for the Nintendo DS.

In Ni No Kuni, you play as a boy named Oliver whose mother has just passed. After bringing a fairy plush toy to life through his tears, he sets out to find his mother in a fantastical alternate dimension, while also fighting against a great evil power. Oliver ventures through the magical world with some new friends and has the ability to obtain different Pokémon like familiars along the way.

With Level 5's other monster-taming RPG, Yo-Kai Watch, losing popularity, bringing their critically acclaimed RPG to a portable system may be a wise decision. They could maybe even add some familiars and other features exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version.

Soul Calibur 2 HD Online

Originally released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, the 3D fighting game Soul Calibur 2 had a different guest character for each version: Heihachi from the Tekken series on PlayStation 2, Link from The Legend of Zelda on GameCube, and Necrid from Spawn on Xbox.

In 2013 an enhanced version of Soul Calibur 2 was digitally re-released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as Soul Calibur 2 HD Online, and both versions featured Heihachi and Spawn. But Link was nowhere to be seen.

If Soul Calibur 2 HD Online came to the Nintendo Switch, it would be the true definitive version, since Link could be put back in. There also hasn't been a Soul Calibur game since the lackluster Soul Calibur V for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, so why not make a return with a portable version of what many fans claim is the best game in the series?

One Piece: Unlimited World Red - Deluxe Edition -- an enhanced port of the Nintendo 3DS game -- was announced for the Nintendo Switch not too long ago, and will be Bandai Namco's second anime-related game to be ported to the hybrid console after DragonBall Xenoverse 2, which was just announced to release on September 22.

Bandai Namco publishes a handful of anime tie-in games for other series in addition to notable games such as Dark Souls, God Eater, and the Tales series, among others. With so many different properties under its belt, Bandai Namco has the option to bring even more of its catalog to Nintendo's portable system.

Here are seven games that we think should be prime contenders for the next port.

JRPG's may still have language issues when they come to the West, but translation has improved immensely since the earlier days of video games. But no matter how well a game has been localized, there will always be critics, -- and in the end the quality of the translation pales in comparison to the content and meaning of the quotes it's trying to convey. 

It's always good to remember that between the confusing or questionable dialogue, some insightful lines get translated just enough so they can help inspire and motivate players. 

The next time you're playing a JRPG that you feel could've had a better localization, keep an eye out for buried words of wisdom from main characters, bosses, or even random NPCs. You could learn something valuable.

King

Final Fantasy Type 0 HD

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"The past is gone for good, but the future's still ours for the taking. That's why we fight."

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While Final Fantasy XV has a few insightful quotes, those from the less popular Final Fantasy Type 0 HD are a bit more inspiring.

Why worry about the past if it's impossible to change? The future is never certain -- but even knowing this, it's always best to fight for what you believe in and fight for a better future.

A simple quote from a mediocre game, but an inspiring one nonetheless.

Nobutsuna Kamiizumi

Bravely Default

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"There are no certainties in life. Righteousness and truth have a different meaning to each and every one of us. If you try to see the world as only black and white, you'll lose sight of its true nature."

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This is one of the best quotes you'll find in recent JRPGs, and it's as relevant as ever.

When we see only what we believe as righteousness and truth, we blind ourselves to hearing the beliefs of others and broadening our views. Not everything can be separated into right and wrong or good and evil -- especially in regards to something as complex and multi-faceted as humanity.

A myriad of situations can be separated into grey areas of many different shades, and we have to put some thought into analyzing all the different aspects of a situation before judging it to be right or wrong.

Igor

Persona 5

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"Being at the peak may mean you are mere moments from your downfall."

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Mysterious ally Igor has plenty of vague (yet insightful) quotes. That's kind of his whole deal. But this particular quote has relevance both to significant events in the game as well as in real life.

When you're at your greatest moments in life, it's easy for everything to go to your head and lead you to a downward spiral. It's more beneficial to keep your wits about you even when life is going exceptionally well. That way, when you face a situation which could be your "downfall", the resulting aftermath won't be as intense or as difficult to deal with.

Oliver

Ni No Kuni

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"When things go wrong, you have to try and make them right. And you have to keep on trying, no matter how hard it gets. That's what life is all about."

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While not applicable to every situation -- especially since it can end up making a situation worse -- this quote still rings true for many different circumstances.

When we make big mistakes in our lives, it's usually best to do what we can to correct them. It might be a difficult task, but if we can keep pushing forward, we'll eventually be able to fix our past errors, and hopefully won't make the same slip-ups as before.

Sora

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

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"Hearts are made of the people we meet, and how we feel about them — they're what ties us together even when we're apart! They're what...make me strong."

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It might be extremely cheesy (like a great deal of other Kingdom Hearts dialogue lines) but this quote still proves a point. Think about all of the important people you've met throughout your life -- the ones that stayed and helped you out when life got hard, the ones that still contact you every once in awhile just to check up on you, and even those who aren't in your life anymore. You're connected to all of them in different ways.

All of these people have had a significant impact on your life, whether in the past, present, or both. They have helped you grow into the person you are today. Our lives are all affected by the people we meet -- and in turn, we affect their lives as well.

Many JRPGs get a bad rap when it comes to dialogue, which is primarily due to translation and localization issues. From the late 80s and early 90s to now, some translations are still criticized -- despite being much better than they once were.

But despite poorly translated quotes like "This guy are sick." (Aerith, Final Fantasy VII) and "Please take care of me" (Protagonist, Persona 5) -- and the half finished translations of Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth -- there are actually some rather insightful words of wisdom that JRPG characters have provided players over the years.

These quotes tend to stick with us just as much as the sillier ones, especially if they resonate enough with us. They can help inspire and motivate us to do great things, or help us power through difficult times in our lives.

There you have it. Each of these gaming moms have shown us something different in what it means to be a mother, but all of them are portraying the same thing -- the love they have for their children.

Mother's day is coming round once again, so with that in mind, why don't you take the words from the picture above and say them to your mom. I think it's fair to say that we often don't say them enough, and this time of year is a great reminder of everything they do for us. If a person in a game is able to resonate love more so than we do in the real world, then we need to step up! I challenge you all to give your mother a hug today. Go on, do it.

Are there any mothers in games that you love? Heck, you may just want to tell everyone how much you love your own mother. Sound off in the comments, and happy Mother's Day!

Bonus: Jun Kazama - Tekken Series

Jun may be from a fighting series rather than an RPG, but that doesn't make her any less of a great mother, so she manages to sneak in at the end of this list as bonus entry -- yes I know I've cheated a bit, but she is a bonus mom.

At face value, Jun plays an extremely minimal role throughout the series, as she only appears in one canon game -- Tekken 2. However, this role portrays who she was as a person and what she meant to her son, Jin.

The Mishima/Kazama saga throughout the fighting franchise has been one of hatred, evil plotting, bloodshed and devil related mishaps. Both Jin and Kazuya have been plagued by the devil gene for the entire duration of the series, but sadly Jun, the only ounce of purity and goodness in the family, died, or at the very least, disappeared.

Jun was determined to guide Jin and Kazuya through their struggle with the demonic gene. So much so that her very presence kept it at bay. As a character she is wildly juxtaposed to her family as a nature loving, calming influence.

A lesson to be learned here is that amidst the chaos of our lives, a mother can sometimes be the only source of happiness in our lives. Don't take that for granted.

Allie - Ni No Kuni

Allie is an example of a mother who puts her life in extreme danger for the sake of her son.

Spoilers incoming. Although she ultimately dies from a heart condition, Allie is quick to rescue Oliver from a river before he drowns at the start of the game. For a mother to put her own life on the line and do something like this is the ultimate sacrifice. It's a personification of the love that they have for their children.

Throughout Oliver's adventures, although Allie is not physically with him, she is what keeps him going. He may not see her, but on a transcendental level, she has never left. It is this that makes Ni No Kuni a truly touching story.

This game teaches all of us an important and heartfelt lesson. Even when our mothers might not be with us, the legacy they leave behind always lives on. It sounds cheesy, but it's most definitely true. Through our memories and abundant love for our mothers, they will always remain close.

Lara - Chrono Trigger

Lara is a mother who, while not doing much herself, indirectly represents a loving mother through the actions of her daughter, Lucca.

Once Lucca is able to time travel with her friends, the option to revisit her mother in a heartwarming side quest becomes available. Lara is a paraplegic who unfortunately became paralyzed after a tragic incident with a sewing machine but Lucca is able to erase any memory of this happening if you are quick enough.

This quest in Chrono Trigger will take you back before the moment occurred, and if Lucca enters a specific password (L-A-R-A, for the record -- how touching), history will be rewritten and her mother will be forever cured of paralysis, or rather, it will have never even happened.

For a child to go to lengths such as this to help their mother is proof enough that they love her to pieces. Going back in time to save our mothers from something is probably out of the equation, but doing something to relay that love will always be received with adoration.

Ness' Mother - Earthbound

Whereas a mother's love is able to keep the mother herself going in King's Quest VII, it is also what keeps the child going, as Earthbound alludes to.

Ness' mother, who has no name, will regularly feed Ness' favorite food and give him a place to sleep so that he can be fully rejuvenated for the next fight. It's the simple stuff that counts, am I right?

Better yet, if Ness doesn't come by and say hello to his mother enough, either through visiting or a by calling her, he will eventually become homesick. This can occasionally cause him to miss a turn in battle, so it just goes to show that a child needs their mother in order to keep enduring the hard times. 

Without our mothers, we aren't a strong as we should be. They can do a world of good for all of us, so just remember, if your mother makes you some food, be sure to thank her for it afterwards.

Valanice - King's Quest VII

Queen Valanice was proclaimed as a compassionate soul to just about everyone she met. Her loving heart relayed to her own daughter, and when she was sadly kidnapped, Valanice leaped into action to save her in King's Quest VII.

Being the protagonist of the seventh entry in the series, Valanice braves harsh climates and environments in order to be reunited with her daughter. A face of beauty couldn't quite cut it when going up against giant scorpions and other nasties, but Valanice's sheer love and desperation to see her daughter again won the day.

It's a clichéd term, but love does conquer all. In Valanice's case, it allowed her to courageously venture across dangerous lands for the sake of her child. Would your mother do that for you? You may be inclined to say no, but when push comes to shove, you'd be surprised at what a mother would be willing to do to keep their child out of harm's way.

Lirum - Lost Odyssey

Now we're moving on from Flemeth and going right to the other end of the spectrum. Lirum is a shining example of a mother who loves her children unconditionally despite having a truly hard life.

After being separated from her parents when she was only a young child, Lirum spent almost her entire life searching for them so she could be with them once more. In that time, she bore children, Cooke and Mack. The quirky twins may have opposing personalities, but they both love their mother more than anything else.

Once Kaim was able to be reunited with his daughter, it was too late to conventionally cure Lirum from the condition that she had been stricken with. Get ready for some gut wrenching spoilers here... In her final moments, Lirum wearily addresses her loved ones saying how much of a joy they were to her, before passing away in front of them.

If this isn't enough to have you crying yourself to sleep, then do yourself a favor and go and tell your mother how much you love her. Seriously. Do it right now. Lirum's final moments in the Lost Odyssey compels you to!

Dishonorable Mention: Flemeth - Dragon Age Series

As a bonus before we begin, let's take a lot at a mother who acts as a very bad role model for every child-bearing parent across the globe.

Morrigan's life was made much harder thanks to this witch. The not-so loving Flemeth literally absorbs the souls of her daughters in order to extend her own life. That right there is not a compassionate act of motherhood. 

Morrigan fortunately escaped her, much to our delight, and then sees her somewhat estranged mother once again in Dragon Age: Inquisition. She isn't too thrilled with this reunion, and spares no expense in showing her disgust but Flemeth toys with her nonetheless.

We still have to give Flemeth a little credit. She recognizes Morrigan's potential and isn't villainous to her outright, but if you're looking for a mother brimming with compassion, this isn't the lady you should be seeking.

Who doesn't love their own mother?

The very person who brought all of us into this world is someone we should always look up to. A special bond between mother and child is something to be cherished and with Mother's Day just around the corner in the States, it's something that should be on many people's mind right about now.

Although it may not be seen as important in the world of gaming, RPGs throughout the years have given us a glimpse into the (sometimes harsh) reality of being a mother and how their love for their child resonates with other characters, whether it's through their words or actions.

To get us into that Mother's Day spirit (not that we should need it anyway), here is a list of 5 mothers in RPGs whose love for their children is too big for words.

JRPGs are called a lot of things, but rarely are they called "artistic". Many gamers look at their colorful and often cartoonish aesthetic, and dismiss them. But from Dragon Ball Xenoverse to the Persona series, all the way to franchises like the Ni No Kuni games, JRPGs have proven time and time again that they can look like grade-A anime.

But it's not just looks that elevate a game to artistic status. Immersive worlds and the creatures or characters you find in them add another layer of depth to a "pretty" game. Final Fantasy XV is a great example of this. Its humongous monsters were stunning to look at because of the amount of detail and care that went into their design. So even in situations where you knew you were in danger, you also found yourself in awe -- and that's what art does. 

But FFXV is just one instance of an artistic JRPG. Here are 5 others that -- either because of their design, their storytelling, their aesthetic, or any combination of the three -- can be called truly artful games. 

5. Tales of Berseria

What makes Tales Of Berseria so good is the world of Glenwood -- a wasteland set in the distant future filled with large lands and islands. The Northern and Southern hemisphere temperatures range from enduring winters to everlasting summers. As you play through this game, the world totally immerses you and has new beautiful things to see at every turn.

Playing through this game, you'll run into a lot of cutscenes. And during those scenes, it's easy to forget that you're not watching CrunchyRoll because of how smooth and anime-like they are.

Tales Of Berseria releases in North America on January 24th for the PS4.

4. Nioh

Nioh takes place in the 1600's in feudal era Japan, and showcases some amazing medieval architecture. But the real artistic feel comes from the enemies you fight in the game, known as Yokai. THese monsters are very grotesque, but weirdly beautiful at the same time. The game also has a great combat system -- strongly resembling the Souls and Ninja Gaiden series -- which is so smooth that it's almost like a dance.

Nioh will be releasing worldwide on February 9th, 2017.

3. I Am Setsuna

I Am Setsuna  has a great art style, as you can see above. It takes the aesthetic of old-school Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy, and translates that into a beautiful, snow-blanketed setting. In the mostly white landscape, color becomes an important factor in the scenery and is even more vivid than it would be otherwise. And the magic animations are simply gorgeous, too.

I Am Setsuna is currently on PS4, but is also coming to the Nintendo Switch after the console releases in March.

2. Persona 4 Golden

Persona 4 Golden is one the best looking games on the PlayStation Vita. You play as a student who just moved to a new town, where a series of murders have been occurring. You and your new friends have to find out what's happening before things get worse.

The game looks incredible from start to finish, with its vivid characters and locations. And in some areas, the flawless bridging between the game and the anime is nothing short of artistic genius. 

1. Ni No Kuni

Ni No Kuni is a game about a boy named Oliver and his journey to another world to save his mother and stop a beckoning evil. This is another one that looks like a gorgeous anime you would watch on TV rather than a JRPG you'd play on a console. Many comparisons have been made between the aesthetic of this game and the beautiful animation of Studio Ghibli films.

This game is already available for a number of consoles and handheld systems, and its sequel -- Ni No Kuni II -- is set to release sometime in 2017.

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These are just some of the JRPGs which demonstrate the true artistry of the genre. There are many more I could have included here, and I'm sure that many of the JRPGs coming this year will also be great works of art. And I can't wait to see them.

Which JRPGs do you think have some serious artistic merit? Let us know in the comments below!

Level-5 is the latest in a growing list of third-party developers to express interest in the Nintendo Switch.

In a recent interview with Vandal.net, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino was asked his opinion on the upcoming Switch, to which he replied:

“We plan to make games for Nintendo Switch, but I think it’s very important to find out the best way to get the most out of the console. For that reason, we won’t have any titles at launch, but we’ll work with it as soon as we figure out how to take advantage of it.”

The statement casts some doubt over whether Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom,  announced last year, will be released for the Switch. Though at the very least, we can be sure of a Level-5 game for the platform at some point.

As the developer of massively popular games like Yokai Watch and Professor Layton, Level-5 has been a regular presence on the Nintendo DS and 3DS, but have often outsourced their home console titles to PlayStation platforms, especially for their American releases. However, it seems like the Switch may change things up a bit, likely thanks in part to its portable nature. 

And so ends this list. Yes, that is a cat cuddled up with a copy of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. That's Fukurashi, the cat of Masahiro Sakurai (Kirby, Super Smash Bros.) and whose hilarious adventures are cataloged in these two Twitter albums. In case you're hopping mad your favorite gaming kitty didn't show up, I'd highly recommend checking them out to soothe your soul.

Did your favorite feline miss the cut? Let us know in the comments below!

12. Crono's Cat (Chrono Trigger)

Imagine a sunbaked morning, with your head buried beneath the warm covers as your fur baby is curled up within your arms. Granted, Crono's Cat chooses to rest beside a nearby waste bucket, but he still represents the ideal cat: a loving companion who'll never leave your side. Just look at how he follows Crono around the house!

Crono's Cat is hardly seen throughout the game, yet its role is potentially the biggest of the game's cast. It influences Chrono Trigger's default ending, and winning a certain game at the Millennial Fair will win you more cat food...which attracts more cats. If the mischief of various cats throughout the game are any indication, looks like those sunbaked mornings are about to get a lot more lively for Crono.

11. Meowth (Pokémon)

Meowth, that's right! Several cat-inspired Pokémon have debuted throughout the years, but none are nearly as iconic as Meowth. Just look at his resume: he's the Team Rocket poster child, is one of the few talking Pokémon, had his own GameCube tech demo (Meowth's Party, where he rocked out with a groovin' guitar), is a PokéBall summon in Smash Bros., the list goes on. Granted, half of those come from the anime, but it's helped propelled him into stardom, regardless.

Meowth's signature attack, Pay Day, comes quite in handy for Pokémon Trainers in need for cash. In what are probably the funds its gathered from its nightly prowls, Meowth showers the opponent with coins, some of which go to the player's wallet. Whoever said cats can't make money?

10. Toro and Kuro (Sony)

These two cats aren't from a specific game, but they operate as Sony mascots for their gaming platforms. Toro Inoue, the white one, tries his best to act like a human, while Kuro, the black one, is his bully of a rival rival with something of a perverted streak. Their follies aside, taking just one look at their faces will give you the warm fuzzies

These mascots mainly function as such in Japan, but we've seen them several times in the Western sphere. Pictured above is their playable appearance in Street Fighter x Tekken; not a game loved by many, but their theme song is just too cute. 

9. Nago the Cat (Kirby's Dream Land 3)

Yes, that is a cat! His one and only Kirby appearance lies in Kirby's Dream Land 3 for the SNES, where he's one of many animal buddies that aid the puffball's quest. Some get a bit creative with how they accompany Kirby; in Nago's case, he rolls him along like a ball.

Animal buddies can channel Kirby's Copy Abilities to concoct devastating attacks, and Nago is no exception. So, what can he do? Well, in the case of Spark, he paws Kirby with enough static electricity that it is dangerous to the touch. Then there's Clean, where Kirby turns into a cloth and Nago slides on him to plow into enemies. And, my personal favorite: Stone, where he picks up Stone Kirby and repeatedly slams him into the ground with earthquake-level force. It's great. 

8. Judd (Splatoon)

Everyone can't get enough of the kids and squids of Splatoon, but us cat lovers know who the real star is: the referee, Judd. The corpulent kitty oversees the Inklings' Turf Wars, raising and dropping flags in stupefied awe to whoever, respectively, won or lost. But when he's not busy judging, you'll find him in Inkopolis Plaza doing what every cat does best: napping.

In this world of aquatic-human hybrids, it's refreshing to see a full-blooded mammal within Splatoon's colorful cast. But why is that the case? The answer may lie in the Sunken Sea Scrolls, which imply a past that'd make any cat owner's heart break...

7. Katz (Tales of Symphonia)

This one might be cheating, although we never learn what exactly Katz are. In any case, they're a pot-bellied cat-like race who occupy nearly every town in the world of Tales of Symphonia, offering treasure hunting services and mini-game fun. There's even a hidden Katz Village in the far corners of Sylvarant, serving as a cozy little hamlet full of goods.

Racism is quite the heavy theme in Tales of Symphonia, as citizens of both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla fall prey to anti-Half-Elf propaganda. Thankfully, it would appear Symphonia's world is populated with cat lovers, as they embrace the mysterious nature of Katz with open arms. Just look at how touched they are when they help rebuild Luin! 

6. Cat Goomba (Super Mario 3D World)

I'm sorry, I know Cat Toad is the cutest of Super Mario 3D World's catfolk, but in my heart I know Cat Goomba is the greatest of them all. They're not just cute; their newfound jumping prowess is so fearsome that even Luigi is too panicked to fight back! 

...But that's just Luigi; actually, if he musters up the courage to fight back, he'll discover they're still defeated in one stomp. But they still try hard with their new feline persona, and that melts my heart enough to make me want one of my own. Seriously, why haven't they made a Cat Goomba plushie yet? 

5. Jibanyan (Yo-Kai Watch)

Paws of Fury! Jibanyan, the mascot of Level 5's Yo-Kai Watch series, is one of the first ghostly Yo-Kai you'll come across. A fire-breathing, two-tailed kitty, Jibanyan was once a cat named Rudy in a past life, until he was fatally run over by a truck. But a kitty's grudge runs deep; even now, he tries to challenge the truck that killed him, but fails every time. Why exactly does he go to such lengths? I'd tell you, but I'm getting chocked up just thinking about it...

Yo-Kai Watch has been gradually gaining momentum since it launched in Western territories last year, but apparent reports of its slowing down in Japan have dispelled any notions of Jibanyan taking down Pikachu. Whatever the case, I just can't get enough of his dancing animation while charging his Soultimate. It's so purrfectly adorable. 

4. Tangy (Animal Crossing)

Is there any cat in all of Animal Crossing more fascinating than Tangy? As much as I remain amused by Rover's stalking train hopping, all it takes is one look at Tangy's head to start asking questions. What's with all pores? The leaf sprouting between her ears? Was she actually born as a half-cat, half-orange hybrid, or was it plastic surgery gone horribly, horribly wrong?

I realize I'm asking this in a series where villagers can be robot frogs and mummy dogs, but those have logical answers: Ribbot was just built that way, and Lucky might've had a terrible accident. We get no such answer from Tangy, but in any case, she might want to watch out: villagers with the "lazy" personality are known to get pretty hungry, reeOWR.

3. King Tom (Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch)

That's Your Meowjesty, to you! Reigning over the province of Ding Dong Dell, this third-person-speaking cat was a great wizard in his heyday, but you wouldn't know it when we first meet him. Indeed, he's one of the many Other World residents who's fallen under Shadar's Brokenhearted spell, and so we first encounter him lounging about lazily in his throne room. Typical for a housecat, but not so much for a king. It's not until Oliver and Drippy cure his broken heart that he repays his debt by handing Oliver his old wand, setting his first real step as a full-fledged wizard.

By the way, they say every Other World denizen has a soulmate in the Real World, like two sides of the same coin. Could Oliver know King Tom's counterpart back in Motorville? Possible, but as seen above, Ding Dong Dell has something of a rat problem, so it's best not to linger on that...or is it?

2. The Cat Who Swims on the Ground (EarthBound Beginnings)

Ninten meets a number of enigmatic figures in the mystical Magicant, be it evil tree stumps, a legendary bard, a forgotten man...and yes, swimming cats. You can spot a couple swimming in the enchanted realm's waters, but it's The Cat Who Swims on the Ground that captivates us. Just how did it master the art of swimming through Magicant's cloudy landscape, and is it as blissful as it looks?

Even more impressive is how it can swim with only one paw above the ground, and so it engages Ninten in a guessing game: what does it have in the paw below? Rumors say it'll only give a prize to a girl, though. 

1. Palicoes (Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate)

The Felynes of Monster Hunter have never been afraid to hunt down meownsters, but their role as Palicoes in last year's Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate touched our hearts. Palicoes accompany the player right from the beginning, and can be customized with a wide variety of weapons and costumes. There's nothing quite as cathartic as being accompanied by a talking, fighting cat while on the prowl.

Oh, did I mention the existence of Sunset Isle, a Palico paradise where Felynes can engage in mini-games? Best of all: they can equip armor borrowed from famous video game characters via DLC. I mean, let's face it: who doesn't love dressing up their cats?

Last year, we had not one, but two Top 10 dog lists here at GameSkinny. To balance things out, here's a list featuring gaming's very best of what's really the greatest animal out there: cats, the stars of YouTube videos and meme images all across the internet.

And you can forget posers like Big the Cat or Bubsy the Bobcat; we're going to discuss the true feline stars of gaming. Who ranks among the greatest of gaming cats? The cutest? The fuzziest? The weirdest? Join us to see which cantankerous kitties made the cut.

If you consider yourself a "hardcore" gamer, there's a good chance that you have extensive backlog of games that you want to play, but most likely never will. Also known as the Pile of Shame.

I have one of these dreaded backlogs myself; it's full of fantastic games that I'll probably never finish. Here are the top 5 games in my backlog that I am dying to play, but probably never will. 

Okami

I have wanted to play Okami since it was a PS2 exclusive. For some reason when I was younger, I never purchased the game and forgot about it. Luckily, it ended up coming out again on the PS3, and this time I swore that I wouldn't miss out. I purchased the game from the PSN Store when it went up during a flash sale, and I've had it downloaded on my PS3 since then. I have never once booted the game up, and I often forget that I even own it. Sadly, I doubt that I'll ever get the chance to go back and play the game I've heard so much about.

Persona 4 Golden

When I bought my PSVita a few years back, Persona 4 Golden was a Day One purchase. I had heard so many good things about the game and was ecstatic to get my hands on it. I played the game for roughly 10-12 hours and greatly enjoyed my time with it. For some reason, though, I just stopped playing it and never went back. I absolutely loved everything about the game - from the characters, to the combat, and even the story. Despite this, I still haven't made an attempt to go back and pick the game up again in almost a year. I'm hoping that I can finish the game before Persona 5 releases, but right now, it's looking doubtful. 

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

I didn't know much about Ni No Kuni until it had already been out for a while. For me, this was one of those games where word of mouth really sold me on the idea. After so many friends suggesting that I buy the game, I decided to go out and purchase it. Just like Okami though, it has done nothing but sit on my shelf since then.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

I've always been a big fan of the Kingdom Hearts games and when KH 3D came out, I purchased it on Day One. That was 3 years ago. I have only put the game in my 3DS maybe once or twice the entire time that I've owned it. For some reason, I just never felt like I was in the right mood to play. Luckily, the game will be getting re-released in the Kingdom Hearts 2.8 collection on PS4, so maybe I will finish it after all.  

Bloodborne

I have never been a person who has played the Dark Souls games. However, when Bloodborne came out, I decided that I would give the game a shot. I still have yet to do that. Currently, I think that it's still wrapped in the original cellophane that I purchased it in. I want to get into this series of games so badly, but I don't know if I have the time commitment to do so. Maybe one day I will finally get the chance. 

These are my five games, but what are yours? What games do you have sitting in your backlog that you may never play? Let me know in the comments!

We leveled up and are now level 2. With this new level comes two new faces, Ben, and Elijah (who is also playing Star Wars: Battlefront 2)! We quickly talk about how Elijah isn't forever alone as Ben is also new.

We find out about a new a new family feud style game Kathryn has been playing, called Google Feud, and also more Skyrim adventures, this time on hoarding! We also talk about how many hours we have played Skyrim (and other games).

Pierre confused Xenoblade with Ni No Kuni, which Ben has been playing. Even though he doesn't generally like JRPGs he loves this one! Ben also has played Life is Strange and he really likes it. DONTNOD really likes rewinding time.

Elijah really likes CounterSpy! "I'm still playing it because it's just that much fucking fun." And he doesn't want to talk about Star Wars: Battlefront 2, as he is keeping all of that for the review!

And Pierre has been playing two games which are basically John Woo/Matrix the game, and both are free, Boring Man and Double Action. He also played Dying Light and thinks it's the best implementation of first-person parkour in any game, but there are still many flaws with an otherwise amazing game.

We then talk about Cortana coming back in Halo 5, Pierre says WHY?! Everyone kinda thinks, ok fair enough. Guess who is the biggest fan of Halo? *everyone looks at Pierre* We also talk about Battlefield Hardline, and how it's missable. Wait, what's missable? Some spoken words get... well spoken, about a Driver boat game, the controversy between Kojima and Konami, and canceled reboot from Phantom Dust trailer leaked.

Shout out to DONTNOD for having female protagonists!

Make sure to check out Ability Scorecast Level 2 for the cast and the full show notes!

Welcome to the Ability Scorecast

We are the Ability Scorecast. We love talking about games, and we love writing about them too. Let’s face it, we just simply love ‘em, you love ‘em too, and we all want to hear about them! Tune in for some of the most interesting discussions in gaming (maybe… kind of… we aim for it at least).

What is the Ability Scorecast?

So what sets us apart from other podcasts? Well, we have a Character Card. Can any other podcast say that? I didn’t think so.

Our character card is rather special, and it effectively keeps track of how many Casts we have recorded.

Our total level is directly represented by our regular, weekly to biweekly podcasts.

Our stats increase as we complete “Mini-casts” based off of a specific Character Attribute.

For example, Strength mini-casts are usually discussions about the games industry and how strong their products/services are being presented. That would give us a +1 boost to our Strength parameter.

More information available on www.abilityscorecast.com

As gamers we've all had those nights of endless gaming where you tell yourself "Just gotta get past this last thing," which then turns into twenty more things and then you look at the clock and it's morning. Well my buddy Cameron and I have had this same experience. Instead of doing the cool thing and going out with friends (or some ladies....that we don't know) on a friday night, we decided to spend our night playing Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.

While playing Ni No Kuni we came across a graveyard that housed a casino/gambling area and that's when our memory of the night gets a little fuzzy. Minutes turn to hours and just one more slot machine turns into fifty more tries with tons of money lost and nothing gained. We bounced around from game to game from dealer to dealer in search of the best game to win the most virtual money. Are we proud of spending almost a whole night on a virtual casino? You bet we are! Check out the video above to see our crazy night unfold. 

Namco Bandai had a large presence at MCM London Comic Con this October, although it would have been surprising if they didn't as they're one of the most established and recognisable video game brands around. In 2005, Japanese video game company Namco merged with Japanese video game and toy/model manufacturers to create the large company that it is today. With that, both companies brought a wealth of ownership and distribution rights for classic games like Pac-Man and games/brands like Dragon Ball Z and Digimon.

With an area showcasing all their upcoming games, and an exclusive and much hyped presentation and Q&A session with executives flown in fresh from Japan, it has become clear that Namco Bandai is no longer the reassuring brand of quality that it used to be.

The Good

Truth be told, there are some excellent titles coming up soon from the company, namely Dark Souls II, JoJo's Bizzare Adventure: All-Star Battle, and Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z. Each of these look and play fantastic.

• Dark Souls II - Still insanely difficult, but manages to look even better whilst maintaining  its incredibly absorbing gameplay. A great follow-up from the first two games (Dark Souls and Demon's Souls), with a brand new hero.
• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle - Covering the first eight story arcs of the manga, this classic fighter-style game captures the high-octane mania and colour of the original series. Fast-paced, dazzling, and a lot of fun.
• Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z - Looks just as visually stunning as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, and introduces new 4v4 and 4vE gameplay.

The presentation and Q&A with representatives of the games showed that the company can put a lot of thought into development when it wants to. Kunio Hashimoto, for Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z, not only burst on to the stage in full cosplay and screaming "Lend me your energy!" but was also incredibly responsive about the game. When asked why players weren't allowed to transform mid-battle and stick with the only one of each character's transformation in a team, he took the time explain that this was to ensure balance, especially when it came to 4v4, giving an in-depth answer and more than satisfactory response.

There's also other great recent games to their title, such as the sumptuous Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, wich saw the company team up with famed anime studio, Studio Ghibli, to produce something exquisite.

When Namco Bandai want to make a good game, they can make a bloody brilliant one.

The Bad

But there was also a collection of games that really failed to raise any enthusiasm, or outright bored us, showing that there are times when Namco Bandai couldn't care less, resulting in forgettable games.

• Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers - a generic fighter with cheap graphics, no flair, and no complexity
• Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures - a lack lustre and lazy generic 3D platformer that's as easy as it is dull (read our full review)

These two games shows not just the worst side of the company, but also the games industry as a whole. Here, Namco Bandai are purely trading-in the rights they have to certain brands as a way to make a quick buck rather than a good game. Sure, sometimes they're sturdy and the gameplay is solid, but they're devoid of imagination and ingenuity, which in our opinion is worse than making a bad game.

When compared against the games in "The Good" list above, the graphics and animations are noticeably less polished, and then the gameplay is bog-standard; at best, the developers were rushed to finish the game, and at worse, they just didn't bother. Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures goes as far as almost ripping off Super Mario 64, and Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers adds nothing to the genre since Street Fighter broke ground.

Ryo Mito, in his presentation for Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers, even said that if you didn't want to try for more complex combos and moves, you could simply just "mash the buttons" and still win--hardly a glowing endorsement for the game. To add insult to injury, the demonstrator failed four times in a row to show off the super-special-awesome move that was billed as one of the game's selling points. They eventually gave up and the crowd were told to try and successfully initiate it themselves at the game's demo booth.

Recently, there was also the hideously embarrassing and buggy Star Trek game, which even had film director J.J. Abrams weigh in with outright disappointment for the game.

YouTube game-breakers, BirgirPall, didn't need to do much with the woeful Namco Bandai title, Star Trek.

The Fallout

It's sad that these days, anything from Namco Bandai must be judged on its own merits, as the quality of games from the company sway wildly from the brilliant to the banal, and even to awful. It's not exactly a great position for any company to be in, as if your brand and products can't assure a standard of quality; what faith are your investors going to have in the company's future, let alone gamers who will potentially buy your product?

Yes, admittedly some of the titles mentioned above have been developed by third-party developers and then published by the company. But as publishers they still have a responsibility of quality control. Furthermore, engaging with a third-party developer needn't result in a bad game either; Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch being a prime example where working with developers Level 5 worked wonders for Namco Bandai.

But hasn't it always been like this? A quick look over the list of games that the separate and joint companies have released show a gaggle of obscure and forgotten titles alongside universally praised ones.

Also, to pick Namco Bandai out as an example is possibly a little unfair as there are other large game developers and publishers who make similarly cheap decisions. But if you're going to make a big song and dance about your products at one of Europe's biggest expositions, then at least ensure some level of quality across everything you're presenting or risk as goading such as this one.

"Namco Bandai has become the Forest Gump of the games industry: you never know what you're going to get."

The worst part of it all, though, is that Star Trek, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, and Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers exist purely to exploit and extort these respective fanbases; a pretty dastardly and cynical motivation, and one that sullies the video games industry.

But for all there is to say about Namco Bandai, no more will the company's brand pique the interest of gamers just because its name is slapped on a title, despite it's long and illustrious history. Namco Bandai has become the Forest Gump of the games industry: you never know what you're going to get.

For more information about Namco Bandai's upcoming releases, visit www.namcobandaigames.com.

The creator of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and legendary Japanese film director and animator Hayao Miyazaki is retiring after his final film “The Wind Rises".

Studio Ghibli executive Kouji Hoshino made the announcement on Miyazaki's behalf on Sunday at the Venice Film Festival.  Miyazaki has won several awards for his work in anime-style films including, but not limited too, Best Animated Film for many of his titles at the Japanese Academy Awards, New York Film Critics Circle Awards, and Hollywood Film Festival.

His list of accomplishments within the art community goes on far too much to list here, but he is a pioneer of the art form. Some of his films while collaborating with Studio Ghibli were groundbreaking. For example, “Princess Mononoke” was one of the first animations to include CGI, and his film “Spirited Away” captured the spirit of fantasy.

The news of his retirement is definitely a hit to the anime, art, and film worlds alike. Pairing up with developer Level 5, Studio Ghibli’s Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch was received with wide acclaim and some even call it a gaming masterpiece. 

“The Wind Rises” will be his final feature film, which, for North America, will be making its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival from September 5-15, 2013. Miyazaki will truly be missed! It’s a shame he won’t be continuing to make great games and films. 

We all know video games are expensive nowadays. It takes around $60 to buy a single game for the PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii U. Even handheld games for the PS Vita and the 3DS will take about $40 your pocket.

Wait, There's More!

On top of that, you have the downloadable content, which is becoming increasingly popular (and gives game companies another chance to milk some more cash out of a single game). And if you are like me and want to experience every little part of the game you love, this downloadable content will cost you somewhere between $1.00 - 20.00 (usually downloadable content is offered for action and arcade games).

Dedicated and Cash Poor

As a college student, I will freely admit I do not have the fattest wallet. But gaming is my hobby, my habit, my addiction, and my vice ... so I still tend to spend a bit of cash on my games (I'm doing better, it has been a month since I last purchased one). Recently to cut down on the amount I was spending, I have been playing some games that I had loved but had never taken the time to beat. But back to what I was talking about ... money.

Quality = Reason

If a game is really good and is something I have wanted, I will pay a pretty high price to get it. Such as last summer--I was playing a classic Square Enix game, Parasite Eve. After completing the first game, I wanted to play the second. I found the game for around $65 at my local used game store. Because Parasite Eve 2 is rare, and I wanted to finish the story I was invested in, I was willing to shell out the cash. If this had been a game that was new to me, or I had not known anything about it, I might not have been as willing.

Give Me More

Recently, I finished playing Ni No Kuni, the latest video game by Level-5 and Studio Ghibli. I can not even tell you how much I loved that game. After completing it I actually felt a little sad that it had come to an end. So it is no surprise that if downloadable content were offered I would be all over it, even if it packed a steep price.

Summing It Up

So my thoughts about today's rising game prices: sure I wish games (and consoles) were more affordable, but as long as fans are as dedicated as I know we are, games will still fly off the shelf or be downloaded no matter how much they cost.