Not that the 3DS has any shortage of great RPGs to pick from, but if you’re looking for a meaty, unique role-playing experience that won’t break the bank, have I got a recommendation for you.

Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan (3DS) $9.99 in 3DS eShop

The Etrian Odyssey series has been a JRPG staple of Nintendo’s handhelds since the series debuted on the DS in 2007. Though it offers a handful of unique variations on the traditional JRPG formula, there is one standout feature that makes this series one-of-a-kind: cartography. Instead of just crawling through the game’s maze-like dungeons, Etrian Odyssey will task you with manually creating a map on the touchscreen. With a huge variety of obstacles, impasses and shortcuts littering every locale your party explores, this map mechanic is both rewarding and vital.

Being the fourth entry in the series, Legends of the Titan builds upon a strong lineage of refinements to the formula. It incorporates an elaborate party creation system, a series of overworlds that you’ll map out to connect the game’s towns and dungeons, and a pretty solid story. As the first Etrian Odyssey for the 3DS, part IV marks the series’ transition from sprites to polygonal enemies and, of course, makes use of the system’s stereoscopic 3D as well.

There’s a lot more I could tell you about Etrian Odyssey IV, but for $9.99, if you’re a JRPG fan and have a few dozen hours to kill, you should honestly just try it out for yourself. If you’re still not convinced, you can download a free demo from the 3DS eShop before you commit, and any progress you make in the demo will carry over to the full version if you decide to pick it up!

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