The best anime-based video games are those that are able to capture the spirit of the original anime, yet are able to bring something new to the table. This includes fighting games too, as the majority of them not only have story modes but in some cases, they also have an authenticity to them in where characters and character attacks are consistent with the original anime. There are so many types of games that are based on anime; visual novels, fighting games, action-adventure games, RPGs, etc., that it’s hard to boil it down to just a few titles. There are just too many anime-based video games out there. But these are five top-notch titles that vie for the best anime-based video games of all-time.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne
The Prophecy of the Throne just came out, and we reviewed it, and while it may seem premature to call it one of the best video game adaptations of an anime of all-time, you have to take into account that Re:ZERO is one of the best anime in the last 10 years. The game captures the magic, tone, and spirit of the anime series perfectly. It’s a visual novel with some tactical RPG bits thrown into it. The story is an original story and superb, maintaining the authenticity of Re:ZERO and its characters. As far as anime-based video games go, it’s one of the best.
Jump Force
Jump Force is sure to be a controversial pick, as the single-player campaign, according to some people, had a lackluster story and bland cutscenes. Despite this though, if you look at the game mechanics, it’s an excellent fighting game and a lot of fun. There are 57 fighters total, including DLC characters, all from Shonen Jump, hence the title of the game. It’s accessible to those who don’t play games as hardcore as, say, Mortal Kombat, but it does have some rather in-depth mechanics so it’s not overly simple. The characters and their moves are true to their anime and manga counterparts and capture the spirit of the originals. Jump Force is an extremely good game that every anime fan should give a chance; they won’t regret it.
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is an RPG based on the entire Dragon Ball Z story. It follows multiple story arcs with a number of playable characters as you fight off aliens, androids, and more. Usually when a video game tries to adapt a video game outright, it falls flat, but Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is able to adapt the story of Dragon Ball Z and its characters perfectly. The gameplay is fun, although it can get repetitive, and a lot of quests in-between story chapters can be repetitive, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the game is an excellent anime adaptation.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
There is a reason why Dragon Ball FighterZ is still consistently at the top of the North American Nintendo Switch eShop. Its popularity is unrivaled, despite being a two-and-a-half-year-old game. The game is a 2D fighting game and comes along with a story mode and a seemingly unlimited amount of characters to choose from. There are several game modes, giving it longevity, which is proof enough considering it’s still selling so well. The graphics are great, the gameplay is superb, and while it’s more of a hardcore fighting experience, that’s pefectly okay. It doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a great anime adaptation. Based on popularity alone, Dragon Ball FighterZ is one of the best anime-based video games, but popularity doesn’t make a great game. FighterZ is a great game because of its excellent gameplay mechanics, numerous game modes with tons of unlockable content, and its faithfulness to the original source material.
Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle
The video game Attack on Titan 2 was good enough, but with the add-on, Final Battle, Koei Tecmo re-released the game with the DLC on disc, rebranding it Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle. Alone, the original Attack on Titan 2 video game was one of the best anime-adaptations of all-time. Now, with the Final Battle add-on, it can be said definitively that Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is the best anime-based video game. It re-creates cutscenes from the first two (now three) seasons of the anime shot-for-shot with a level of authenticity never seen before. Not only that, it’s also incredibly fun. Using 3D maneuver gear and cutting down Titans is fun, and there have been some additions, such as the thunder spears and the gear that the first-interior squad uses, so you’re no longer limited to just your blades when you have the Final Battle add-on. There are also numerous gameplay modes that will take you hours upon hours to complete. It covers seasons one through three of the anime. With Attack on Titan: The Final Season currently airing, hopefully, there’s a third game that does a good of a job as this one has at adapting this incredible anime’s final season.