Thanks to the likes of Unreal Engine and Unity, it has never been easier for indie developers to create their own games. As the aforementioned software is geared largely towards developing 3D titles, however, those hoping to replicatethe 16-bit style of the mid-ninetiesoften turn instead to Enterbrain’s excellent RPG Maker. Some of the resulting games have been truly spectacular.
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First released almost three decades ago, the package has grown into one of the most prominent and easiest-to-use game design programs on the market. Although geared mainly towards RPGs, it can be used to creategames in a wide range of genres; giving its users the power to customize just about every element of their creations as they go.
Updated July 24, 2025, by Tom Bowen:Thanks to the ever-expanding indie game market, gamers no longer need to rely on big-name developers for their fix of top video game titles. The number of indie games has skyrocketed in recent years due largely to the many easily accessible video game engines and game creation tools that are now available to devs and enthusiasts. The likes of RPG Maker and Unreal Engine make it easy for would-be developers to bring their ideas to life, while platforms like Steam make selling the finished product directly to the end user surprisingly simple.The best RPG maker gameshave had a huge impact on the industry, with a handful of them even inspiring change in some AAA titles.
20Ib: A Dreamlike Adventure
As one might expect, most of the games developed using RPG Maker tend to mirror the manygreat role-playing games of the early to mid-nineties. However, one other genre has benefited quite a bit from the emergence of the popular game development program, with many great horror games having been created using RPG Maker over the years.
Ib: A Dreamlike Adventureis a psychological horror game in which a young girl finds herself lost and alone at an art gallery. However, it soon becomes clear that she’s not quite as alone as she first believed, as the museum begins to come to life around her. The game’s 2022 remake makes these nightmarish visuals all the more terrifying and helps to cementIb’s place as one of the best RPG Maker games of all time.
Mad Fatheris a horror adventure game in which players control an 11-year-old girl named Aya. They’ll need to use everything at their disposal to figure out what happened at Aya’s home and uncover the truth about the experiments being conducted by the patriarch of the Drevis family: the titular mad father.
Thanks to a 2016 remake, the game boasts full achievement support on Steam as well as multi-language support. The remake spruces up the visuals, too, as well as adding new scenes and a new game+ mode of sorts which alters the course of the main story. It’s a fun and at times terrifying experience that fans of RPG Maker games should definitely check out at least once.
18Grimm’s Hollow
Despite the software being incredibly intuitive, using RPG Maker to create a game is far from simple. As well as experience and dedication, creators need a strong vision, and that’s something that is clearly on display throughoutGrimm’s Hollow. It’s one ofthe best free-to-play horror games on Steam, and, thanks to its singular art style and striking color palette, one of the most distinctive RPG Maker games of the past few years.
The game’s much more than just pretty visuals though, with a solid combat system and a strong narrative helping to catapult it into the hearts and minds of those who take the time to play it. It really is a charming game and will likely bring more than a few tears to players' eyes during the course of a standard playthrough. Its brevity arguably works in its favor too, helping it to fit neatly into the “short but sweet” category of games.
17Star Stealing Prince
Released back in 2012,Star Stealing Princetells the story of Snow, who inherits the kingdom of Sabine following the mysterious death of his parents. Though short, its narrative crams in plenty of exciting twists and turns, while also introducing an extensive cast of likable and well-realized characters along the way.
Not only did the game receive a web novel sequel, but its creator, who goes by the name of Ronove, recently revealed plans to remake the game using RPG Maker MV. An early demo ofStar Stealing Prince – Definitiveshows off the power of the new engine, not to mention how much Ronove’s skills have improved since the release of the original game almost one decade ago.
16Alter A.I.L.A. Genesis
Alter A.I.L.A. Genesisis a side-scrolling RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world. Though somewhat simplistic in its design, the game features a lot of interesting ideas, particularly when it comes to combat. The sprite work is fantastic too and will likely appeal to fans of classic 8 and 16-bit games.
Though the game certainly has its fair share of flaws, it’s difficult to judge it too harshly given that the majority of the work was completed by just one person. Besides, none of these issues are close to being enough to dampen the overall experience, which is fun from start to finish.
15Space Funeral
Released more than a decade ago,Space Funeralis an RPG in which players embark upon a mission to save the world from a mysterious corruption. Its simplistic MS Paint-style visuals are somewhat deceptive and don’t come close to giving an accurate portrayal of the quality that’s on offer here. The game excels in many departments, but it’s through its fantastic humor that it’s able to connect with most players.
Though in many waysSpace Funeralis a parody of both the RPG and horror genres, there’s a surprising amount of depth to its narrative and gameplay, which has led to the game being downloaded more than 100,000 times. Prospective players cancheck it out for free over on Gamejolt, and fans of some of the more unique RPGs likeEarthboundandUndertaleare strongly advised to do so.
14Off
The decade that followed the turn of the century was arguably the golden age of RPG Maker games, with many of the best examples having been released during this ten-year period.Offis one of the more underrated RPG Maker games in this regard. It rarely gets the same levels of acclaim as some of its contemporaries, yet that’s not to say that it isn’t just as deserving.
Theturn-based RPGwas released in 2008 and places players in the shoes of a baseball player known simply as “The Batter.” After the protagonist is given a sacred mission at the beginning of the game, players will need to navigate their way through four unique worlds, using baseball bats and magic to fend off enemies. The game also features two distinct endings, providing players with plenty of reasons to give it another swing after they’ve completed their first playthrough.
13Finding Paradise
Freebird Games has released some fantastic RPG maker games over the years.Finding Paradiseis a sequel to the developer’s very best, and while it doesn’t quite live up to the excellence of the original, it’s still a fantastic game with a narrative that’s more befitting of a big-budget AAA title.
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As with its predecessor, the score for the game is a thing of beauty that perfectly captures the emotional tone of the narrative. The visuals are impressive too, offering a noticeable improvement over the original game without straying too drastically from the predefined art style.
12Pokemon Uranium
There have been plenty ofPokemonfan games and ROM hacksover the years, but none are quite as impressive asPokemon Uranium. Built using RPG Maker and Poccil’s Pokemon Essentials template, the game is incredibly ambitious and one of the largest unofficialPokemongames to date.
As well as designing a brand new region and numerous original Pokemon, the team behind the project also created its own unique Pokemon type, complete with its own custom moves. Nuclear-type Pokemon aren’t all that easy to use due to their innate weaknesses, but they’re some of the coolest-looking Pokemon in the game and contribute a lot to its fantastic story.
11The Endless Empty
When most people think about RPG maker games, they tend to imagine titles with graphics likeFinal Fantasy 6andChrono Trigger.The Endless Emptyshows that the engine is capable of a whole lot more than just replicating the visuals of classic RPGs though, with the game looking more like a Cyriak video than an NES or SNES title.
The Endless Emptyputs players in control of a recently deceased spirit who, perhaps understandably, is struggling to come to terms with being dead. They’re then taken on an intense journey full of vibrant visual and audio stimuli and interesting philosophical ideas regarding death and the afterlife. The experience it offers is entirely unique and is definitely one worth checking out.
