My wife, like many female gamers, plays a LOT of Mario games.  She loves all things Mario, and dumps regular hours into them on the DS.

Recently, we were at Gamestop looking for something to play.  I picked up Orcs and Elves to quench my old school dungeon crawler thirst, and she was kind of stuck.  She didn't know what to pick up.  She scanned a few titles that "looked cute", but I assured her that they weren't worth her time.  Finally, after she asked if there was something "like Zelda", I suggested Final Fantasy III for the DS.  (She does most of her gaming on the DS, and some on the Wii.)  It was a longshot, but I figured it was worth a shot to see if she would enjoy it.

Well, she did enjoy it.  A LOT.  She's been playing the crap out of that game for the past 24 hours, and now I even hear her use the terminology.  "Those zombies in that dungeon keep on killing me!  Maybe I should run around the world map and fight some monsters for XP and gold so I can level up my characters and buy better equipment."

I warms my heart to hear her say "XP" and "level up".  Really.

She's currently playing through it with the aide of the Prima guide. (I said "she enjoyed it."  Not "she's hardcore.")  She has already expressed interest in I & II (GBA compilation.), but what should she get next?  I mentioned that she mostly plays on DS and Wii, so what are some RPGs that are pick-up-and-play she might enjoy for those platforms? (Virtual console, GBA, and Gamecube included.)  I plan to pick up a PS2 sometime, so suggestions for that are fine too.  (I've never been much for Sony, but the PS2 is cheap, and it has a goldmine of great games on it.)

For extra special bonus points and a cheesecake, suggest good multiplayer RPGs, so we can get in the game together.

Thanks.

FFIV should be coming out on the DS soon, and I think FFV is already out on GBA...  Other than that Golden Sun and its sequel for the GBA should be pretty cheap if you find it used at GameStop and it's pretty awesome.  On top of that Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the GBA is absolutely amazing, and the DS sequel is pretty decent (and pretty disconnected, so she doesn't need to play the first, which can be hard to find)

Uh, that's all I can think of right now but I know there's a LOT more.

For extra special bonus points and a cheesecake, suggest good multiplayer RPGs, so we can get in the game together.

Get a PS2

Champions of Norrath

done and done

ff6. i really dont know what else to say. ff6.

edit:
chrono trigger also.

Well, she could always try Paper Mario and get the best of both worlds.  There's Paper Mario for the N64 (available on virtual console), Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for Gamecube, and Super Paper Mario for the Wii.  The first two are more traditional rpgs, while Super Paper Mario is more of a platformer/adventure game.  I reccommend either Paper Mario or The Thousand Year Door.

In my experience, women care about aesthetics in games much more than gameplay and she probably won't like any other RPGs you shove down her throat even though they are exactly the same.  She might like Romancing SaGa though because it's "cute", even though by conventional metrics it's an awful game.  Also, you don't want to have a wife who plays video games.

Your wife sounds like she would enjoy Okage: Shadow King on the PS2.  Terrible RPG gameplay wise but a very charming story with great characters.  One of the few games I played just to see where the story was going.

I warms my heart to hear her say "XP" and "level up".  Really.

Oh how I wish my girlfriend even knew the meanig of those lovely words ) :

Let alone what this so called "Video Game" is.

But yeah, I'd totally reccomend the first two Paper Mario games. They're just a really enjoyable experience, especially the 2nd.

For extra special bonus points and a cheesecake, suggest good multiplayer RPGs, so we can get in the game together.

Thanks.

Tales of Symphonia for the GC(to play on the Wii) can be played in multiplayer and it's fairly long so it should keep you and her busy for a while.

Also, you don't want to have a wife who plays video games.

hahahahahahahahahaa

Poor Him.  Get her her own computer.  My wife and I play Diablo II - she has a lvl 80 sorc.

Final Fantasy VI for the DS or the Paper Mario games (given her love of Mario).  Or even show her Mario RPG for the SNES.

In my experience, women care about aesthetics in games much more than gameplay and she probably won't like any other RPGs you shove down her throat even though they are exactly the same.  She might like Romancing SaGa though because it's "cute", even though by conventional metrics it's an awful game.  Also, you don't want to have a wife who plays video games.

saga games are hilarious and awesome and PS: most people care about aesthetics in games more than gameplay

it's why every game ever made has guns in it

Poor Him.  Get her her own computer.  My wife and I play Diablo II - she has a lvl 80 sorc.

Maybe I should just dump her 

I've had a girlfriend for 6 months now and she's started making her own RPG. I feel like a proud... parent...

Maybe I should rephrase that >_>

I've had a girlfriend for 6 months now and she's started making her own RPG. I feel like a proud... parent...

Creepy, yet disturbing.

She has a laptop.  Maybe I should surprise her with a few emulators, some choice roms, and a USB gamepad.  All she uses that thing for is Neopets, Chuzzle, and e-mail.

Just get her Elite Beat Agents.

She has a laptop.  Maybe I should surprise her with a few emulators, some choice roms, and a USB gamepad.  All she uses that thing for is Neopets, Chuzzle, and e-mail.

If you're going to do that then I'd suggest Chrono Trigger.

If you're wife is into Legend of Zelda, you could buy Four Sword Adventures for the Gamecube. It has nice "cute" graphics and has a pretty good multiplayer setup with some interesting puzzles and gameplay.

She has a laptop.  Maybe I should surprise her with a few emulators, some choice roms, and a USB gamepad.  All she uses that thing for is Neopets, Chuzzle, and e-mail.

Yes! I constantly use roms, and I love my USB SNES controller adapter. (Supersmart Joy, if you want to know. Just plug it in, then plug in  your controller, and you're good to go.)

Obviously, the Paper Mario series is excellent, particularly the first. Although the others are fun too!

Also, like Izekeal said, Chrono Trigger is pretty much the best RPG out there, with great characters, fun gameplay, and of course stunning music and graphics. It's the whole package.