Summary
If there’s one game company that has a chokehold on the anime video game market, it’sBandai Namco. Out of all the publishers out there, Bandai Namco has more anime brands tied to them than any other game company, such asDragon Ball Z, One Piece,andNaruto.
This domination dates back to the early years of the NES with Bandai locking down deals with anime franchises. Thanks to the merger in 2006, Namco gained access to the anime library too. Alone or as a combined company, Bandai Namco has made and published many outstanding anime games, and these are top-tier choices ranked by their source material and overall quality. To give the list more variety, only one game per series will be highlighted.
MostBleachgames are fighters, andBleach: Rebirth of Soulsis no different. Players will fight one-on-one against a friend, rival online, or the computer to throw down across familiar territories from the anime, including Ichigo’s dinky little town and the Soul Society. Players can choose betweenheroes like the aforementioned Ichigoalong with other Shinigami and villains for a decent roster. There’s also a story mode that roughly follows the anime’s major story events, including some big battles against Hollows.
One Piece Odysseyis the latest console entry in the series and, like mostOne Piecegames, this is an original tale.The Straw Hat Piratesfind themselves on an island with many mysteries and treasures just waiting to be unearthed. Almost immediately, players will have access to the entire crew to place in their turn-based parties. Moves mimic the powers from the anime. As a turn-based RPG, it’s a decent throwback without the game pushing the genre forward too much. Its lighthearted tale is there to make anime fans happy.
TheSuper Robot Warsseries began on the Game Boy, and its biggest gimmick was combiningmechs from several different animeinto one big tactical RPG.Super Robot Wars 30is the latest entry, featuring mechs and characters from anime likeCode Geass, Z Gundam,andSSSS.Gridman.
This entry also has video game cameos from franchises like theSakura Warsseries. It’s not the most cohesive story, since so many characters are involved, but it is one of the flashiest tactical RPGs around.
Digimon Adventureis based on the first season of the anime, and follows the major plot beats from the show. A group of young kids go from summer camp in Japan to a digital world filled with monsters. Some befriend and form partnerships with these kids, like Agumon going to Tai. In the game, players can take three characters and their Digimon into battle for typical turn-based gameplay. The Digimon who can join depends on the story. The game was never released outside of Japan for the PSP, but fans have since translated it into English.
Sand Landwas legendaryDragon BallcreatorAkira Toriyama’s last work. Based on the manga and anime,Sand Landtakes place in the far future where the world has almost run out of water, and greedy humans and demons fight wars over it. Beelzebub is a demon prince who joins forces with some humans to find a legendary water resource to bring peace to the world. Players will switch between fighting with Beelzebub in action combat and fighting battles in tanks, mechs, and other vehicles. It’s like a more anime-basedFalloutgame.
3Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
Level-5’s PSP Secret
Mobile Suit Gundam AGEwas the name of this specific Gundam anime, which then received two game adaptations:Universe AccelandCosmic Drive.Level-5 worked on these gamesfor Bandai Namco, and they were divided similarly to how Nintendo splits up theirPokemongames.
Each version has specific content, but both follow more or less the same plot. Players can freely walk around towns and dungeons to talk to NPCs or look for treasure. Combat is action-based, and they are quality Level-5 titles overall. which also never left Japan on the PSP.
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Stormis the first episode in this series of games, which starts with Naruto’s beginnings as a ninja and ends right before the time jump. Players can engage with it like a typical 3D fighter with a good roster of heroes and villains to choose from. What set this game apart from other anime fighters was the vast world to explore in the story mode, which lovingly recreates familiar places like the Hidden Leaf Village. The story boss battles are incredible, like Naruto’s fight against Gaara in his Shukaku form, which is nothing less than cinematic. Every game in this series isa must-play forNarutofans.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarotdoes forDragon Ball ZwhatNaruto: Ultimate Ninja Stormdid forNaruto,except on a bigger scale. It makes sense since the two games share a developer, CyberConnect2. The game was a full 3D RPG that swapped between characters depending on the story arc in the anime, which started during the Saiyan Saga.
This game added so much detail and background to the characters, even ones from the originalDragon Ballarcs, that it may be hard to go back to the anime after playing the game. The big battles are a thing of beauty and the art style is spot on.Dragon Ballgames dominate the anime video game landscape, and this is just one of many fine examples, although each fan has their favorite.
