If you love RPGs of any kind then 2016 is a proverbial level-up for Nintendo 3DS owners. This year, a wealth of fantastic adventures are added to the handheld console’s ever expanding library of role playing games, so here are some of the best new and forthcoming RPGs we recommend for you to get battling, grinding and experiencing in 2016! Plus: don't forget you have a chance to win a New Nintendo 3DS XL by voting for your most anticipated 3DS RPG of the year. See below for details.

Out now – The sequel to 2013’s Bravely Default brings back the critically acclaimed “Brave and Default” battle system, in which players may skip an attack turn in order to double down for more powerful attacks later on. But this time, there’s the new “Bring it on!” system too! Defeat an enemy in one turn and you can immediately fight a stronger version again for a big experience bonus. New locations, even more jobs and a rich new soundtrack make Bravely Second: End Layer a real treat for newcomers and existing fans alike.

Want to sample the world of Bravely Second free of charge? You can download the prelude chapter, The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers, from Nintendo eShop and enjoy hours of exclusive gameplay and story that acts as a prologue to the full game.*

Out now – If you’re a fan of Fire Emblem then you may well like Project X Zone 2 very much. Not only does this strategy RPG guest star Chrom and Lucina from Fire Emblem: Awakening, it also features a ginormous cast of videogames’ finest from the classic games of Namco, Capcom and Sega. Want to fight an epic tactical battle with a party made up of characters from Resident Evil, Tekken and Virtua Fighter? Project X Zone 2 lets you command such gaming dream teams and so much more. Featuring authentic characterisation and more in-jokes than you can shake a meme at, this is a must for fans of not just RPGs but classic Japanese videogames too!

You can try it out with a free demo, available to download from Nintendo eShop!*

Out now – If you like your RPGs on the hard side then Etrian Odyssey is the series for you. In this first-person perspective dungeon crawler, death stalks you at every turn and only the most hardened strategic players will survive the labyrinth. Old school gamers who remember drawing maps on graph paper in the 1980s will also appreciate Etrian Odyssey’s trademark mapping system, which encourages you to plot out the dungeons on the lower screen, making note of shortcuts, hazards and resource points for subsequent journeys. Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight represents the definitive Etrian Odyssey experience with a range of improvements and refinements, making it a great place for newcomers to start or even for old adventurers to jump back in.

You can try it out with a free demo, available to download from Nintendo eShop!*

Out now – Developed by a dream team of Japanese RPG creators behind such classics as Chrono Trigger, the SaGa series and Final Fantasy VII, The Legend of Legacy is an RPG that lives up to its name, delivering a classic style RPG experience that exudes a warm, familiar art style, story and gameplay system. More than just a nostalgia trip, The Legend of Legacy also features its own contributions to the genre including seven different stories depending on your choice of lead character, and a unique battle system based on formations of fighters in attack, guard and support stances. If you like your RPGs to look timeless but with a fresh gameplay twist then The Legend of Legacy is for you.

You can try it out with a free demo, available to download from Nintendo eShop!*

Out now – In 2014, Hyrule Warriors for Wii U brought Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors gameplay to the world of The Legend of Zelda and proved to be extremely popular with fans of the series. Now the game returns on Nintendo 3DS as Hyrule Warriors: Legends, featuring all of the original content, all DLC and brand new characters and stages to create the ultimate Zelda mash-up. Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Tingle and many more return to battle across Hyrule, while Toon Link, Tetra, Skull Kid, King Daphnes and brand new character Linkle also join the fight!

You can try it out with a free demo, available to download from Nintendo eShop!*

Out now – YO-KAI WATCH® is the latest Japanese phenomenon from Level-5, developers of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies and the Professor Layton series, among many more Nintendo favourites. In this brand new adventure, explore the world of Springdale and use the Yo-kai Watch to discover and befriend mysterious, hidden beings with a mischievous nature. There are over 200 Yo-kai to find, each with their own unique personality and abilities!

You can also try it out with a free demo, available to download from Nintendo eShop!*

Out now – Nintendo’s classic strategy RPG series returns in its most ambitious format yet – two different games, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright and Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest. Each version has exclusive stories, characters and battles, allowing you to explore an epic conflict from two different perspectives. You can then bring everything together in the third and final chapter, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation, available now on Nintendo eShop. Just like Fire Emblem: Awakening, there are multiple difficulty levels so newcomers may choose a more forgiving mode in which your much loved party members won't be lost forever, but can live to fight another day.

Coming 15th July – Since the release of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate in 2013, we’ve seen an increasing number of UK Nintendo 3DS owners joining hunting parties to take part in Capcom’s phenomenal multiplayer monster-slaying RPG, so we’re very happy to bring them the next big instalment in the series, Monster Hunter™ Generations. Known as Monster Hunter X in Japan, this new title features the same gameplay fans have come to expect from the series in addition to new systems such as Hunter Arts and Styles that allow players to personalise their hunting techniques more than ever before. Of course, you can expect to see some big new monsters make their debut too!

You can also try it out with a free demo, available to download from Nintendo eShop!*

Out now – Dragon Quest is back, this time with a remake of Dragon Quest VII, originally released in 2001 and never before made available in the UK! Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is a total remake, featuring new 3D graphics and even a re-translated story, bringing the classic RPG up to modern standards. If you loved Dragon Quest IX then you’ll be right at home with Dragon Quest VII. Classic turn based combat, epic world exploration and a huge class progression system are all here, complete with a gripping time travel story that will keep you playing for hours!

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King was also confirmed for Nintendo 3DS in a recent Nintendo Direct presentation!

Coming 23rd November – A new generation of Pokémon comes to Nintendo 3DS in 2016, the 20th anniversary of the hugely popular RPG series! Developer GAME FREAK is busy creating these new titles right now, aiming for a worldwide release in nine languages! There’s still plenty of Pokémon action to get stuck into while we wait though. For example, Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition are all now available on Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console for the first time! Download these classic Game Boy games and not only can you enjoy a nostalgic adventure in the Kanto region but you can also transfer any Pokémon you catch to the Pokémon Bank, ready to be used in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon later this year!

That’s just a small taste of some of the great RPGs available on Nintendo 3DS in 2016. We hope you find at least one that you can’t wait to sink your teeth into. For more details on Nintendo 3DS RPGs, be sure to follow the hashtag #3DSAdventures on Twitter to check out further announcements and trailers or even share your own RPG experiences.

*Wireless internet connection required. The registration of Nintendo Network ID and acceptance of the network related terms and privacy policies required.

**Please check with your local retailer for information on current availability.

Now that you've read about some of the great RPGs coming to Nintendo 3DS in 2016, we want to hear which one you're looking forward to most of all. If you're a Twitter user then make sure to use one of the tweet buttons above to tell us which of these 3DS Adventures you can't wait to play and we'll reward one lucky entrant a New Nintendo 3DS XL and £40 of Nintendo eShop credit on the first weekday of each month from April to December this year! See full terms & conditions below...

Terms & Conditions

^{1. Entry is open to residents of the United Kingdom, excluding employees and the immediate families of the Promoter, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the promotion. Entrants must be 13 years or over.}

^{2. If you are under 18 you are representing that you have consent from your parents/guardian to enter the promotion in accordance with our terms and conditions and privacy policy.}

^{3. By entering the promotion, entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.}

^{4. Entries open at 09:00 on 17 March 2016 and close at 17:00 on 30 November 2016.}

^{5. To participate in the promotion, entrants will require access to the internet and register for a Twitter account.}

^{6. Entry is online via Twitter To enter, entrants should either (i) follow the link in the ‘Top 10 3DS RPGs of 2016’ news story to tweet their favourite 3DS RPG of 2016, or (ii) tweet the name of their favourite 3DS RPG of 2016, using the hashtag #3DSAdventures. The Promoter cannot guarantee uninterrupted or secure access to either entry route. Entrants are free to enter the promotion as many times as they want.}

^{7. One winner will be drawn at random from all entries received on each of the following dates: 01/04/16, 02/05/16, 01/06/16, 01/07/16, 01/08/16, 01/09/16, 03/10/16, 01/11/16, 01/12/16. Entry for each draw will close at 17:00 on the day beforethe draw. Each winner will be notified through Twitter within 14 days of the relevant draw having taken place. If a winner does not respond to contact made by the Promoter within 28 days the Promoter reserves the right to award the prize to a substitute winner.}

^{8. There is no cash or other prize alternatives. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the Promoter reserves the right to substitute any prize for an alternative of equal or greater value.}

^{9. All entries must be made directly by the person entering the competition. Entries made online using methods generated by a script, macro or the use of automated devices will be void. No responsibility can be accepted for entries lost, delayed or corrupted, or due to computer error in transit.}

^{10. The promoter reserves the right to verify all entries and the winner, including, but not limited to, age and eligibility to enter, and to refuse to award the prize, or withdraw prize entitlement, where there are reasonable grounds to believe there has been a breach of these terms and conditions or any instructions forming part of this promotions entry requirements.}

^{11. Entrants’ personal data will be collected, stored and processed strictly for the purposes of administering and assessing this prize draw.}

^{12. The Promoter and its associated companies and agents excludes all responsibility for and all liabilities arising from any postponement, cancellation, delay or changes to the prize details, or arising from use of the prize, to the extent permitted by English law.}

^{13. The name and county of the winner will be made available on written request to the Promoter.}

^{Promoter: Nintendo UK, The Quadrant, 55 - 57 High Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1LP..}