Final Fantasy IV (or FF4, if you're lazy) is the one that really hooked me on JRPGs back in the SNES days. You start as Cecil, a dark knight with serious guilt over his kingdom's shady orders, and the story actually goes places—betrayals, sacrifices, even a trip to the damn moon. The Active Time Battle system keeps fights tense, and the party swaps members constantly, so you're always adjusting strategies. That soundtrack? Uematsu at his best, especially the Red Wings theme.

It's got that classic 16-bit charm with just enough complexity—not as punishing as the NES games, but not hand-holdy either. Pro tip: Don't get too attached to anyone. The game loves pulling the rug out from under you. Still holds up if you can handle old-school random encounters.