When consoles switched over to discs, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities. One great thing was the inclusion of live-action video, especially in FMV games. Then there were the anime cutscenes that entered into a lot of RPGs. Xenogears is one big example along with the port of Chrono Trigger to the PS1.
Anime cutscenes are great, but fans of the genre presumably loved it even more when full games were dedicated to some of their favorite shows like Dragon Ball. Of the many that made it to the PS1, what are some of the best anime games to check out? A majority of these examples were only released in Japan because anime still hadn’t broken through in the West compared to our modern era.
10 Best RPG Games Based On Anime
RPGs based on anime are few and far between. These titles are not only rare, but also rank among the best in their genre.
8 Dr. Slump
Dr. Slump is the first big manga creation from Akira Toriyama before Dragon Ball. It’s a more obscure title in the West and the premise follows a young robotic girl named Arale through a series of comical misadventures. The game is technically an action platformer although it’s more concerned with storytelling and completing random tasks. It’s quite the looker for a PS1 game as it uses the same early cel-shading polygonal techniques as Mega Man Legends. It was released only in Japan unsurprisingly, but fans have patched it into English for all to enjoy now.
7 Kaettekita Cyborg Kuro-Chan
Kaettekita Cyborg Kuro-Chan, or Cyborg Kuro-chan Returns, is based on Cyborg Kuro-chan which is a series Westerns are probably unfamiliar with. The anime follows an ordinary house cat who eventually gets cybernetic upgrades to help protect his human family. It’s a silly, over-the-top anime that feels like Heathcliff if the titular cat did more than complain about food and hit on his girlfriend. The game adaptation was a Konami joint which is fitting as it is a run and gun shooter like Contra. It was only released in Japan, but there’s not much story to it, making it easy to navigate.
6 Gunnm: Kasei no Kioku
Gunnm: Kasei no Kioku, or Gunnm: Martian Memory, is the only console game based on Battle Angel Alita. The somewhat recent live-action movie, Alita: Battle Angel, did get a phone tie-in but that has been it. Like Dr. Slump, it too follows an Android girl although the titular Alita is more of a teen and her world isn’t as colorfully full of joy like Arale’s.
8 Best Mobile Games Based On Anime
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It’s an apocalyptic wasteland full of scum, villainy, and everything in-between. The game is an action RPG with basic character growth and story progression through random quests. It’s another Japan exclusive but players can enjoy the work of other fans who put this game out with an English patch. It’s not 100% done, but the patch offers a good demo.
5 Gundam: Battle Assault 2
It seems like making a fighting game based on an anime is the easiest thing for developers to do. Even the the Gundam series is not safe from the genre as seen in Gundam: Battle Assault 2. That’s not to say it is a bad thing, but it does seem silly considering characters are piloting giant mechs that move just as swiftly as a character like Ryu in Street Fighter.
Logic aside, this is a solid fighting game on the PS1 which still looks great thanks to the developer Natsume. They did great work on a variety of licensed-based projects like the SNES Power Rangers games. Natsume is a company players should dig into if they enjoy Gundam: Battle Assault 2.
4 Super Robot Taisen Alpha Gaiden
Super Robot Taisen Alpha Gaiden is one of many games in the Super Robot Taisen series that began in 1991. Like most of the titles, this one was only released in Japan. Dedicated fans have patched it into English, making it easily accessible today through various means. For those new to the name, this franchise crosses over anime mechs from a wide range of shows from Gundam to Mazinger to Getter Robo, and beyond for a deep strategy experience. Fans of mech anime and tactical RPGs should give this import game a go.
3 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is based on the Stardust Crusaders arc in the anime. It was developed by Capcom and it looks and plays a lot like the Darkstalkers games. When it comes to fighting games, Capcom was at the top of their game in the 90s so it made sense to partner up with them.
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As My Hero Academia Ultra Rumble proves, battle royales based on anime can be huge hits. These other shows could serve as the basis for such games.
Now, it’s not the best fighting game Capcom put out on the PS2. The roster is small, for example, and it was expensive despite the small amount of content. Price aside, it was a fun time whether players faced a friend or clashed against the computer.
2 Policenauts
Policenauts is technically not based on an anime, but it comes from an anime background. It was one of the few non-Metal Gear games that Hideo Kojima directed. Those who follow the man should know he is into anime and the culture of otakus. Policenauts then seems like a love letter to both 80s anime and Western 80s action movies. It’s a classic adventure game wherein players are a cop in the future, looking into some mysterious crimes. Think of it like Lethal Weapon but in space through an anime lens. It was only released in Japan, but there is an English patch for the PS1 version.
1 Popolocrois Monogatari
Popolocrois Monogatari was a 90s anime that fans of Ranking of Kings would enjoy. The anime and game follow a young Prince, Pietro, who has to save his kingdom from an evil mastermind who put his father in bed. There were two games on PS1, both exclusive to Japan. However, an official release into English was made in 2005 when they were ported to the PSP. They are both turn-based RPGs but characters can move within a small circle in battle to gain certain advantages.
The pixel art looks like a storybook, the story is simple and yet engaging and expressive, and the battle system seemed ahead of its time. It’s one of those hidden gems from the PS1 generation that the RPG community as a whole should be talking about more.
