Even though Game Freak’s franchise combines various ingredients that are readily found in many other titles, there is nothing quite like a mainline Pokémon game. The inherent joy of building a team capable of topping a region’s Gym Leaders and Elite Four while seeking to complete the Pokédex have kept the license relevant for multiple decades, and Pokémon Sword & Shield maintains that thrill splendidly.

Putting aside a couple of spin-offs and remakes, Pokémon Sword & Shield marked the first mainline entry to debut on a home console, with it being released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. While there might be nothing quite like Sword & Shield, fans of Game Freak’s RPG should find something to enjoy in these 10 Nintendo Switch titles.

10 Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition

Starting with perhaps the most obvious recommendation, Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition is a must-play for anyone seeking another monster-collecting game with turn-based combat. Containing two games that each require roughly 40 hours to complete, Cyber Sleuth is one of the best deals on the Nintendo Switch.

Although the main narratives are quite slow, Cyber Sleuth and Hacker’s Memory both feature a large array of fun side-quests and even some surprisingly dark moments. The rock-paper-scissors combat system is simple to grasp but, on the highest difficulty, will test even the most veteran of players. More importantly, there are over 200 Digimon waiting to be obtained, trained, digivolved, and de-digivolved.

9 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch

Originally released on the PlayStation 3 before being ported to the Nintendo Switch, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch ranks among one of the most gorgeous JRPGs of the 2010s. Created by Level-5 with some assistance from Studio Ghibli, Wrath of the White Witch’s somewhat stereotypical fantasy storyline is elevated through memorable characters, strong writing, and sobering emotional beats that add weight to an otherwise rather innocent adventure.

The combat system combines elements from both turn-based and real-time RPGs, with players getting to control monsters known as Familiars that can be tamed throughout the campaign.

8 World Of Final Fantasy Maxima

Few franchises have a more storied history than Pokémon, but Final Fantasy is arguably one of them. While most of the numbered entries are worth checking out, World of Final Fantasy Maxima should be especially enticing to Switch owners who loved Sword & Shield.

Serving as a send-up to the entire series, World of Final Fantasy offers a standalone storyline that features many guest appearances from famous Final Fantasy characters. Along with solid turn-based combat and stunning visuals, World of Final Fantasy’s central gimmick is the ability to tame monsters as Mirages.

7 Battle Chasers: Nightwar

Battle Chasers: Nightwar successfully pays homage to classic RPGs and dungeon crawlers while modernizing just enough elements to stand on its own. Featuring six playable characters, Battle Chasers is divided into overworld exploration and dungeons, with the latter containing the majority of the battles.

The turn-based gameplay uses an overcharge mechanic instead of traditional mana, as executing physical attacks builds up the necessary points to perform magic. Battle Chasers: Nightwar is long and quite challenging, but it is well worth giving a try.

6 Disgaea 5 Complete

A tactical RPG with a grid-based battle system, Disgaea 5’s gameplay is quite far removed from the one found in Pokémon; however, the former’s expansive range of playable classes and hilarious cast of characters make it a must-try for fans of the latter.

Like Sword & Shield, Disgaea 5 shines the brightest when the story is out of the way, as an extensive post-game frees players to grind to their hearts’ content. It is the type of RPG that one could easily end up putting hundreds of hours into.

5 Siralim 3

Siralim 3 is the ultimate indie monster taming game, one that comes packed with over 700 creatures waiting to be fought, captured, and bred. With a main storyline that primarily exists to ease players into the (seemingly) infinite endgame, Siralim 3 uses randomly generated dungeons and various surprise mechanics and modes to make each run through a level feel quite unique.

Siralim 3’s monster taming system is its main selling point, but the rest of the game is also incredibly deep and fulfilling.

4 Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age

Often regarded as the grandfather of turn-based JRPGs, Dragon Quest’s influence can be seen in most of the genre’s major franchises, including Pokémon. As the most recent release, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a visual marvel that retains the charm of the earlier games in the series.

With a large world to explore, a dependable turn-based battle system, and a straightforward good versus evil storyline, Echoes of an Elusive Age is a modern masterpiece.

3 Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Released on the Nintendo Switch on May 29, 2020, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is the best current-generation gateway into Monolith Studios’ series. Boasting an open structure and real-time combat that feels similar to MMOs, Xenoblade Chronicles is a truly epic JRPG with an ambitious storyline and an engrossing world waiting to be experienced.

Even if Pokémon Sword & Shield’s mechanics, presentation, and narratives are not all that similar to Xenoblade Chronicles, both titles represent the pinnacle of what the JRPG genre has to offer on the Nintendo Switch.

2 Final Fantasy IX

While a number of Final Fantasy titles have been ported to the Nintendo Switch, 2000’s entry is the best starting point for Pokémon Sword & Shield fans who might not be that familiar with Square Enix’s license.

Taking place in the world of Gaia, a more traditional fantasy setting compared to most of the franchise’s later sequels, Final Fantasy IX is one of the more beginner-friendly entries in the series, mainly due to its accessible ability and class systems. Outside of battles, players can explore towns, dungeons, and take part in a ridiculously fun card game.

1 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

While Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Eevee! are no-brainers for fans of Sword & Shield, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is such a drastic departure from the mainline RPGs that it requires some selling. A dungeon crawler that allows players to actually become Pokémon, Rescue Team DX is a remake of a 2005 spin-off that has always been a bit divisive.

Even if Rescue Team DX’s turn-based combat is a bit too simplistic for its own good, its story is surprisingly effective and the game does a great job of allowing fans to experience Pokémon’s world from a unique perspective.

NEXT: 10 Best Nintendo Switch Games On The eShop Under $20