Best Atelier Games
Image: Nintendo Life

Atelier fans have it good on Switch. The launch of Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, the latest game in the sprawling RPG series, is nearly upon us, and looking back over the series entries that have come to Nintendo's console, there are well over a dozen available to play on Switch.

That's a bumper set of quality RPG-ing from Gust and Koei Tecmo, and with compilation bundles available for a couple of the sub-series (the Dusk Trilogy and Mysterious Trilogy), it's likely that any Atelier fan with a passing interest has multiple entries sitting on their Switch. And Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist Of Salburg has brought everything full circle with a remake of the first game in the series.

But which Atelier game is best? It's a tough question to answer given all the different flavours, so we asked Nintendo Life readers to weigh in and help us rank every Atelier title on Switch — and the ranking below is the result!

Remember, similar to our other reader-ranked lists, this is a dynamic ordering that can change in real-time depending on each game's User Rating on the site. Registered Nintendo Life users who haven't yet rated the Atelier games they've played can click on the stars below, rate any of them out of 10, and potentially influence the ordering even now.

If you've previously rated these games in our database, well, you're the loveliest of people and we thank you! If not, you can add your score to the game at any time, present or future, and it will still count and potentially influence the order. We say again, the game currently sitting at #1 doesn't have to remain there — the ranking is entirely up to you lovely people!

Okay, enough waffle. Let's take a look at the rundown of the Best Atelier Games on Switch, starting at the bottom...

16. Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World (Switch)

An Atelier spin-off game which launched back in 2019, Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World was released to celebrate the series' 20th anniversary and features a bunch of characters from past games. It added a hefty dose of town management and life sim to the franchise's RPG formula while scaling back the combat. As such, it was sure to rub some of the series faithful the wrong way. It isn't perfect, but it was nice to get a change of pace from the main series, and to onboard potential newcomers with the more sedate town-management angle.

15. Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland DX (Switch eShop)

Originally released on the PS3 in 2011 (in Japan, elsewhere the following year) with a 'Plus' version following on PS Vita in 2013, this third entry in the Arland sub-series revolved around Merurulince Rede Arls — Meruru to her pals — a beansy princess who's after a life of adventure rather than opening libraries, waving limply at loyal subjects, and having to put up with the questionable behaviour of extended family members.

Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland DX is a solid entry, though its protagonist wasn't to everyone's taste, and a weak story leaves it in the mid-to-lower tier of Atelier adventures.

14. Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland (Switch)

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland proved to be a great entry in Gust’s long-running series. Much like the many concoctions made by the eponymous Lulua, this was a refined product that reflects several of the best traits of its predecessors. If you can get past the ho-hum storytelling and learn to master the intimidating crafting system, you’ll find that the game has plenty to offer in its surprisingly involved combat system, gorgeous locales, and rewarding gameplay loops.

13. Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky DX (Switch eShop)

Atelier Escha and Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky DX gets off to a pretty turgid start with exposition-heavy scenes punctuated with lots of tutorials. However, once it gets its bearings, it's another satisfying tale with two strong lead characters to choose from, a great cast of supporting characters, and that deep alchemy sat right at the centre of it all, pulling the weaker strands of its gameplay together into a satisfyingly unified whole.

12. Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream (Switch)

2022's Atelier Sophie 2 stands as a wonderful achievement; an entry that feels like the perfect fusion of the old and the new. Sophie’s adventure may not have much to offer up in the story department, but it more than makes up for this with its streamlined design, thrilling combat, expansive world, and addictive alchemy system — all stalwart pillars of the series. It's a winner for both longtime fans and newcomers, and one of the best Atelier releases yet.

11. Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist Of Salburg (Switch eShop)

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist Of Salburg is an impressively well-realized revisit to a long-lost RPG classic. What it lacks in length or complexity, it makes up for in charm and quality; this is the kind of game that you can get sucked into for an hour or two at a time without even realizing it. Its laid-back atmosphere, open-ended gameplay, and lovely visuals all combine to make this a must-buy for fans of the series, and a highly recommended title for those who want to see what Atelier is all about.

10. Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk DX (Switch eShop)

First released on PS3 in 2012/13, Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk DX is a welcoming start to the Dusk trilogy. It hits the ground running while gently easing new players in by dialling back the traditional time limit aspect of the alchemy. It's never really going to satisfy the most ardent RPG fan as its exploration is too contained and controlled, and its combat is not ferocious or engaging enough for battle-hardened players.

For everyone else, though, its alchemy is a thing of depth and beauty which creates a satisfying core around the lesser elements. With a strong – if rather small-scale – story backing the whole thing up and time-saving quality-of-life features added to the DX version, Atelier Ayesha is perfect for those looking to dip their toe into the light and breezy, warm-hearted series.

9. Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland DX (Switch eShop)

Debuting on PS3 in 2010 or 2011 depending on your territory, Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland is the second in the Arland quadrilogy (oof, what a word! Our apologies for that one) series. Set five years after the first in the series, it sees new wannabe alchemist Totori learning alchemy under the tutelage of Rorona, the previous game's protagonist. Totori, however, is also on a journey to find her lost mother — everyone in Arland thinks she's passed on, but Totori thinks otherwise. While the Arland series is beloved among Atelier fans, Totori is often singled out as one of the best protagonists in the series, and as the second game, this entry settles into a strong, comfortable rhythm, and it's hard to argue with the adorable Totori and her adventure being one of the series' standouts.