
RPG Maker (RPGツクール, RPG Tsukuru), is a series of game maker programs first created by ASCII, then succeeded by Enterbrain. As the name suggests, they allow users to create their own Eastern RPGs. Visually and in terms of gameplay mechanics, they tend to be reminiscent of classic Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy titles.
RPG Maker is known for its ease of use and accessibility. Each version comes bundled with a large amount of graphical and audio resources, and there are many additional resources available in the asset store or on various dedicated websites, so no artistic talent is needed to start off. Its tile-based map and event editor system makes it easy to create areas filled with interactable objects with no programming knowledge required (though an understanding of programming concepts such as variables and loops can help a lot, and later versions allow custom scripting for advanced functionality).
The latest version is RPG Maker MZ, released in 2020. It and its predecessors RPG Maker MV, RPG Maker VX Ace, RPG Maker VX, and RPG Maker XP had received worldwide releases with trial versions available. Older versions RPG Maker 2003 (aka 2k3) and RPG Maker 2000 (aka 2k) weren't originally released worldwide, but were reissued on Steam in English and with several improvements on April 24th and July 7th, 2015, respectively. The very first versions RPG Maker 95 and RPG Tsukūru Dante 98 were never translated into English, however. Three versions were also made available on Sony console platforms; the final one, RPG Maker 3, is available on the Playstation 3 as a PS2 Classic. A version of the program made for the Nintendo 3DS, RPG Maker Fes, was released in Japan in December 2016, and was released in the West on June 27, 2017.
After several versions that only used a special interface for inputting commands, RPG Maker started supporting actual scripting languages. The first three versions to do so — XP, VX, and VX Ace — come equipped with Ruby scripting that allows people making a game in the maker to drastically alter the in-game engine, which allows for numerous different types of games (the most common alteration is taking the front-view turn-based battle system that they both come with and changing it into a side-view active-time battle system). The following two entries, RPG Maker MV and MZ, employ JavaScript as the scripting language, in an attempt to make games produced with it multi-platform (i.e. can be ported to smartphones), the former of the two is also receiving a port to the Nintendo Switch.
The newest version, RPG Maker Unite, uses the Unity Engine as a backbone, allowing for ports to various platforms supported by the engine, while still retaining the trademark functionality that makes it popular with developers.
One important thing to note with RPG Maker, at least with earlier versions, is that level-ups and stat growth have much less effect in RPG Maker than in many professionally-developed RPGs. It would require a great deal of trickery to make a game with the very dramatic power escalation of a Final Fantasy title, for instance.
Because of the ease of the program to learn the very basics and how accessible it is for newcomers to get their hands on the many different versions of it, RPG Maker itself has developed a rather low reputation of only being able to pump out either low-quality, unbalanced grind fests, or DeviantArt-level fetish pornography. This is a rather unfair accusation, though; there are plenty of high-quality games made in RPG Maker, with such games as OFF, the LISA trilogy, To the Moon, OneShot (2014), and OMORI being regarded as some of the shining examples of just how great and varied games made in the program can be, when in the right hands.
It is also possible to make non-RPGs in the maker — adventure games and Survival Horror games are the most popular, with the Explorer Horror genre being somewhat of a mix of the two, and not hard to make, while occasionally games in action-oriented genres have been created, though this is more difficult.
In outside of video games made in the maker, Distortion is the notable example of a feature-length film or "machinima" made in RPG Maker game engine.
See also Wolf RPG Editor, a similar game maker software.
Games developed with RPG Maker:
- 7 Days in Dream
- 96
- Adventures Of Dragon
- Agapan
- The Amber Throne
- Apostle
- Arelite Core
- Beloved Rapture
- Black Home
- Black River
- Captive (RPG Maker)
- Ceress And Orea
- Changed (The Special Edition on Steam is currently an Early Access demo)
- Cherry Tree High Comedy Club
- Chest
- Chronicles Of A Dark Lord
- The Chronicles Of Nyanya
- Claritas - Dungeon Crawler RPG
- Coffin of Ashes
- The original Corpse Party
- Crimson Memories
- The Crooked Man
- Dark Elf Historia
- DashBored
- The Deed
- Delve
- Dyztopia: Post-Human RPG
- Einlanzer
- Elevator Ritual
- Elise the Devil
- The Endless Empty
- Even For Eternia
- Evering
- Fake Happy End
- Fallen Makina And The City Of Ruins
- Felvidek
- Forever Home
- Foto Flash
- Girls And Dungeons
- Glory By Example
- Hate Free Heroes RPG
- Helen's Mysterious Castle
- The Heiress
- HUMAN EXPENDITURE PROGRAM
- Hylics
- Ideology in Friction
- Jades Journey
- Journey On
- Kiki And Ana - The Child
- Labyrinthine Dreams
- Last Dream
- Last Heroes
- The Legend Of Bean
- Looters of Dystopia
- Lost Cartridge - Cold Read
- Machina of the Planet Tree -Planet Ruler-
- Machine Made Rebirth
- Manafinder
- Material Girl (2017)
- Midnight's Blessing
- Monster Garden
- Noel The Mortal Fate
- Nepenthe
- Nusakana
- Once Ever After
- Opaline
- Orangeblood
- The Other: Rosie's Road of Love
- Peacemaker Series
- Physical Exorcism Series
- Radiant Arc
- Rakuen
- Sanctus Mortem
- Shining Plume
- The Singularity Wish
- Soaring Machinariae
- Space Pilgrim series
- Space Pilgrim Academy series
- Space Yandere
- Skyborn
- START AGAIN START AGAIN START AGAIN: a prologue (In Stars and Time prototype)
- Strangers Of The Power
- Symphony of War
- Taima Miko Yuugi
- Tales of the Black Forest
- TinkerQuarry
- To the Moon
- To The Moon minisodes 1 and 2
- A Bird Story
- Finding Paradise
- Impostor Factory
- Trials of Guinevere
- Unhappy Ever After
- Vagrant Hearts Zero
- Violet Haunted
- Wolf & Rabbit
- The World Is Your Weapon
- Wind Child Black
- Wooden Ocean
- You...and who else?
- Zelle -Occult Adventure-
- Absented Age Duology
- The Albino Hunter
- Angels of Death (English version is commercial, original Japanese version is freeware)
- Ara Fell
- The Aveyond series, consisting of Ahriman's Prophecy, Aveyond, Aveyond 2, Aveyond 3, and Aveyond 4
- Axial Series
- Bleeding Sun
- BlueSkies Series
- Brave Hero Yuusha (Ex remake commercially released in 2019)
- Bubbaruka!
- Cell of Empireo
- Changed (commercially released in 2018, remake in development)
- Chi
- Close Your Eyes: Redux (-Anniversary Remake- commercially released in 2018)
- The Coffin of Andy and Leyley
- Conviction (SRPG)
- Didnapper 2
- Elohim Eternal Series
- Eredia The Diary Of Heroes
- Eternal Eden
- Familia
- Fear & Hunger
- Gaia's Melody Echoed Memories
- Game Master (RPG Maker) (Has a 2014 freeware version and a 2019 commercial remake)
- The Great Gaias
- Heartbeat
- Hello Charlotte
- Hero & Daughter
- Hybris Pulse Of Ruin
- I Hate You, Please Suffer
- In Stars and Time
- Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass
- Knights of Ambrose
- Last Word
- Laxius Force
- Legionwood: Tale of the Two Swords (freeware, with two commercial sequels: Rise of the Eternal Realm and Heroes of Legionwood)
- Leyline Chronicles (started as freeware, but gained a commercial remaster in 2025)
- Look Outside
- Mad Father (remade in 2016)
- Memoirs of a Battle Brothel
- Ms. Director
- No Delivery
- Numina
- My Neighbor Enide
- OMORI
- OneShot (2014) (remade in 2016)
- Oracle Of Forgotten Testament
- The Other: Airi's Adventure
- Ouroboros (RPG)
- An Outcry
- Prayer of the Faithless
- Rave Heart Series:
- Re:Kuroi
- RealityMinds
- Remnants of Isolation
- Sacred Earth Series
- Sacred Earth - Promise (Originally free, remade commercially in 2018)
- Sacred Earth - Alternative (freeware)
- Saihate Station (base game is free, paid DLC/sequel)
- She Dreams Elsewhere
- Shrink 'High
- Slimes (pay-what-you-want)
- Soma Spirits (Rebalance remake commercially released in 2017)
- Sorry, We're Open (released on Steam in 2023, with free demo)
- Star Shift Series
- Star Shift Origins (freeware)
- Star Shift Rebellion (commercial sequel)
- Stray Cat Crossing
- Stygian (freeware)
- Cat in the Box (commercial sequel)
- Super Lesbian Animal RPG
- Sword of Paladin RE
- Trials of Kokoro
- Trick & Treat (freeware)
- The Witches' Tea Party (commercial Sequel-Prequel)
- Vampires Dawn (all games are freeware except for Vampires Dawn 3)
- Vindictive Drive
- The Witch's House (MV remake commercially released in 2018)
- World's Dawn
- Yuppie Psycho
- Abyss Crossing
- Adventures In In In In
- Aëdemphia
- Ætherion
- Abigail Fortune
- Akai Seishun
- Alter A.I.L.A. and its remake, Alter A.I.L.A. Genesis
- Amatoria
- Amihailu In Dreamland
- Amnesia
- Amulet Of Fate
- Ann
- Ao Oni
- The Aquarium does not dance
- Arcadea
- Aria's Story
- Astra Hunter Zosma
- Avarice
- ALONE (RPG Maker) (has a paid version on Steam)
- Balmung Cycle
- Before Crisis English port
- Beloved Ones Sacrifice Series
- Beloved One's Sacrifice
- Desperate Love Feast
- Spirit-Possessed Flower
- Proof of Guilt
- Berl and the Candy House
- Bevel's Painting
- Born Under the Rain
- Black Galax Revert
- Blank Dream
- BLOODMONEY! (2025)
- A Blurred Line
- The Blue Contestant
- The BOSS: A Jacksepticeye Fan Game
- The BOSS Is Nothing (DLC)
- The Boxxy Quest series:
- The Brains & The Brawn
- The Brief and Meaningless Adventure of Hero Man
- Bury
- Cafe "Venus Flytrap"
- Capella's Promise
- Cardiophobia
- Castle Red
- The Chronicles of Chronicles series
- The Child Of Fire
- Chronicles Of Magicae
- Chronicles of Tsufanubra (aka Dragon Fantasy Remade)
- Claroscuro (2019)
- Clinical Trial
- Cloé's Requiem
- The Closer: Game of the Year Edition
- Cold Front
- Cognitive Dissonance (A Mother fangame tying together the first game and second games.)
- Corruption of Laetitia
- CouncilRyS RPG
- Crashocalypse
- Crescent Prism
- Croma Heroes
- Crowscare
- Crystal Heroes (which is a webcomic, but contains a mini RPG scene made with RPG Maker.)
- Dangan Ronpa RPG
- The Dark Side of Red Riding Hood
- Daydreaming Derpy
- Dayshift at Freddy's
- Dead Plate
- Dear Mariko
- Deep Inside
- Demonpact Clarice
- Desert Nightmare
- DIDNapper
- Died Down Song
- Die Reise ins All
- Die Verlorene Epoche
- Doppelpartment
- Doraemon: Nobita's Resident Evil
- Do Us Part
- Dhux's Scar
- Doll
- Dragondawn
- Dreaming Mary
- Dreamfarer
- Dream of Gluttony
- drowning, drowning
- Dude Cops
- Easter
- Embric of Wulfhammer's Castle
- Emerald Wasp
- Empty Head
- The End (2015)
- End Roll
- Endzeit
- Epic Elf
- Escaped Chasm series
- Eternal Senia 1
- Eternal Twilight
- Everlong
- Exile (2024)
- Exit Fate
- Eyes Without a Face
- Fandomstuck RPG
- Fantasy Maiden's Odd Hideout
- Farethere City
- Fausts Alptraum
- Fear Mythos RPG
- Fia's Night Out
- Final Fantasy: Endless Nova
- Find Me (2016)
- Find me... (2020)
- Five Nights at Fuckboy's
- Flesh, Blood, & Concrete
- Flip Dimensions
- .flow
- Forest of Drizzling Rain
- Forever's End
- Forget Westbury Falls
- Forum Fantasy: Prelich's Journey to Manhood
- Fragile Hearts
- From Next Door
- Ghost Suburb
- Gingiva
- Glitch In The System
- The Gray Garden
- The Great Collapse of Goat Village
- Grimm's Hollow
- Gobli's Adventure
- The God of Crawling Eyes
- God Opens The Door
- Go To Sleep
- GU-L
- Hand In Hand
- The Heart Pumps Clay
- Heartache 101 ~Sour Into Sweet~
- Hearts and Heroes
- Hearts Like Clockwork
- Heavenly Martyr
- Hello? Hell...o?
- Hero's Realm
- A Hint of a Tint (Roguelike)
- A Home Far Away
- House of Shadows
- The Huntress Of The Hollow
- I Am Still Alive
- I Cannot Drown
- Ib
- I'd Cross the World for You
- Illusions of Loyalty
- Ill Will
- Imaginary Friends
- Intelligence: 314th Clash
- It's Not Me, It's My Basement
- The Infyn Prism
- Iron Gaia
- Isolation
- Jay's Journey
- Jesus Christ RPG Trilogy
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: The 7th Stand User
- KAIMA
- Killer Bear
- Kinder
- KSB's RPG Parodies
- LAst WEEK
- Last Scenario
- The Last Sovereign
- LcdDem
- Leave
- Legacy duology
- La Danse Macabre
- The Legend Of Devils
- Legend of Percivus
- The Legend of Zelda: Mystery of Solarus
- Legends Of Happy Tree Town
- Legion Saga trilogy
- Leo & Leah: A Love Story
- Liar Jeannie In Crucifix Kingdom
- Lie of Caelum
- Lily's Well
- The Linear Game
- LISA trilogy
- Living Playground
- The Logomancer
- Lone Siren
- The Longing Ribbon
- Lonely Wolf Treat series
- Love & War
- Lovely Fracture
- Lufia Iduras Revenge
- Lunarosse
- Luxaren Allure
- Lyssa Project
- Madoka Magica Try Another Story
- A Maiden's Ballad
- The Maid of Fairewell Heights
- Makoto Mobius
- Manifest
- The Mansion
- (Mario) The Music Box
- Married in Red
- Master of the Wind
- Masterful Justice Schronicles
- Me (2011)
- Medieval Cop series and its spin-offs
- Mega Man X: Mavericks
- Melolune
- Mica: Apoptosis
- Middens
- Midnight Train
- Mikoto Nikki
- The Mirror Lied
- Miserere
- Misfiction
- Mistrick
- Mitsu Story The Forgotten Odyssey
- Mix Ore
- Mogeko Castle
- Momoka
- Monigote Fantasy
- Monster X Man Inheritence To Lust
- Moon Whistle
- Mother
- Mothlight
- Morimiya Middle School Shooting
- Mouth Sweet
- Murder Typo
- My Dear Brother Jeff
- Namara-chan's Fantastic Adventure
- Natamin's Big Adventure
- Naufragar: Crimson
- Neftelia
- Nightmare Of The Snow
- Nocturne (RPG Maker)
- Nyakori's Rabbit Doll
- OFF
- Okiku, Star Apprentice
- One Final Scream
- The One Night Trilogy, consisting of One Night, The Beyond and One Night: Full Circle
- ONYX
- Oracle of Askigaga
- Oracle of Tao
- Otter Island note
- Ouija Sleepover
- Palette
- Paracentric
- Paradise Destroyed
- Paranormal Syndrome
- Peret em Heru: For the Prisoners
- Perseverance: Full Clearance
- Phylomortis
- Please Love My Computer Game
- Pocket Mirror
- Pokémon Ethereal Gates
- Pokemon Fire Green
- Pokémon Insurgence
- Pokémon Reborn
- Pokémon Rejuvenation
- Pokémon Uranium
- Pokémon Wack
- Pokémon Zeta and Omicron
- Pom Gets Wi-Fi
- Prey With Gun
- The Prince of Landis
- Project Kat - Paper Lily Prologue
- Prom Dreams
- Purgatory (RPG Maker)
- Purple RPG
- Quest Fantasy
- Quintessence - The Blighted Venom
- Rakenzarn Frontier Story
- Rakenzarn Tales
- The Reconstruction
- Relic RPG
- Romancing Walker
- The Room (RPG Maker)
- Rot in Paradise
- Ruina: Fairy Tale of the Forgotten Ruins
- Ruphand: An Apothecary's Adventure
- Sailor Moon Another Story 2
- The Sakabashira Game
- Schuld
- SCP Foundation has SCP-245-1
which is a video game that you have to play though in order to see the description of SCP-245.
- Seleris Lament
- 7 Minutes
- Seven Mysteries
- Seraphic Blue
- Shangri-La
- Skin Walker
- SkyE
- Sofia?
- Soma Union
- Sore Losers
- So uh, a spaceship crashed in my yard.
- Space Funeral
- Subject
- Sunny Side Nightmare
- Standstill Girl
- Star Stealing Prince
- Star Warrior II
- Sunset Over Imdahl
- Super Columbine Massacre RPG!
- Super Pokémon Eevee Edition
- Surprisia
- Survival (only works on consoles)
- The Sword and the Fish
- Tales of Itzkeria
- Tales of the Drunken Paladin
- Taut
- Theia - The Crimson Eclipse
- Three the Hard Way
- The Tiamat Sacrament
- There Is Something In The Anderghast Mine
- A Timeless Story
- Too Impatient
- Touhou A Live
- Touhou Mother
- The Towelket: One More Time series
- TOWER of HANOI
- Traumerei
- Tricks N Treats
- Turovero: The Celestial Tower
- Turtle Head (and its fan-remake Turtle Head: Unmasked)
- Type & Hope!!
- Uncommon Time
- Undertale 2: Revenge of the Robots
- Underworld Capital Incident
- Unemployment Quest (formerly commercial)
- United Cell 3
- Unterwegs in Düsterburg
- The Untold Tales Of The Vocaloids
- Urrezko Kaiola
- Vacant Sky
- A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky
- Visions & Voices
- Vocaloid Holy Harmony: The Quest for the Power Orbs
- VOCALOID no Natsuyasumi -Final 4 Days-
- Vocaloid Story
- Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea
- Walking on a Star Unknown
- War Of Harmony
- Warriors: The Road to Immortality
- The Way (RPG Maker)
- The Wedding
- Weird and Unfortunate Things Are Happening
- What Lies In The Fog
- The What-Iffers in: Final Fancy
- White Pearl
- Wine & Roses
- Wise Legacy
- Witch's Heart
- The Witch's House
- Wolfenhain
- Wolf's Gang
- Wraith and its sequel Sainth
- Xenoverse: Per Aspera Ad Astra
- X-Noir
- Yanderella
- Yoobiiverse
- Annabelle (RPG Maker) series
- The Brains & The Brawn series
- Annventure series
- Antirealm
- Billie Eilish Fangame
- Your Turn to Die
- The You Tube Poop World
- Yume Nikki
- Yume 2kki
- ZENO
Tropes specific from RPG Maker material:
- All There in the Manual: Even some unused avatars have been given names in some official websites.
- Anime Hair: The RPG Maker 2000 and 2003 first character (named Alex and Zack) has spiky hair.
- Fanservice: Some avatars have revealing outfits.
