There’s a long-running relationship between anime and video games and it’s always interesting to see these two mediums cross-pollinate and influence each other. There are definitely shared sensibilities between the two and many video games and anime both prioritize action and combat. There’s an increasing trend with anime that are actually adaptations of popular video games, but it’s sometimes more difficult when a hit anime series gets turned into a playable product.
Putting the audience in control of their favorite characters can be a double-edged sword. It’s a process that doesn’t always work and has resulted in both some truly fantastic, but also some abysmal, video game adaptations.
10 Best: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Last Survivor
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is pure magic and each new addition to the franchise expands on the series’s amazing story in new ways. JoJo features amazing characters with even more unbelievable superpowers. Last Survivor is an arcade-exclusive battle royale title that allows up to 20 players to engage in combat with some of JoJo’s best and most memorable characters.
Last Survivor isn’t the best JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure game ever made, but it’s currently the most exciting entry and it’s accurately bringing the chaotic energy of the anime into the arcade experience.
9 Worst: Dragon Ball Z: For Kinect
In theory, Dragon Ball Z: For Kinect is a video game that's a dream come true for young anime fans. It's a title for the Xbox 360's motion-sensor Kinect technology that allows players to enter the Dragon Ball universe and fight via a first-person perspective. Players work their way through Dragon Ball Z’s biggest fights with a wealth of characters and over 100 moves to master.
Despite the novelty behind this game, the motion controls are highly problematic, which makes the game a buggy disaster. Add to that a drab story and repetitive combat and there's little to enjoy about this game.
8 Best: Bleach: The Blade Of Fate
The Bleach series is an incredibly popular shonen anime and The Blade of Fate is a fighting game for the Nintendo DS that brings out the best in the series. The game has a robust story and challenge mode, a roster that takes advantage of the anime’s incredible characters, and even decent online play that's available.
Not only is Bleach: The Blade of Fate arguably the best Bleach video game that's out there, but the sequel to the title, Bleach: Dark Souls, is also among the best anime adaptations that are out there.
7 Worst: Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire
The Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is a tremendous institution in the anime industry and while not every entry in the series is a winner, many of the action-based mech series naturally lend themselves to video games. However, Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire was a PlayStation 3 launch title that strips a lot of the joy and excitement of the Gundam series.
The title is set during the One Year War and the game takes place fully on Earth as it negotiates around a slow story and clunky gameplay that makes the Gundam feel like tanks.
6 Best: Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst
There have been many Naruto titles that have attempted to perfect the formula and figure out how to effectively turn the anime series into a series of fighting video games. The Ultimate Ninja Storm franchise nails the basics of Naruto and each title adds more love and content to the formula.
Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 gets a lot of acclaim, but there's a more thorough and impressive story mode in Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 that's a treat for longtime fans of the anime. Years later, there's still a lot of love for this entry.
5 Worst: Naruto Shippuden: Dragon Blade Chronicles
Naruto Shippuden: Dragon Blade Chronicles is a tough pill to swallow for Naruto fans. There are many Naruto video games that have come out over the course of the anime's meteoric rise. Dragon Blade Chronicles is the bottom of the barrel and an embarrassment to the series.
An abysmal combat system that's both sluggish and counterintuitive turns Dragon Blade Chronicles into a tedious chore with few delights. The game at least features an original storyline that centers around Naruto and Sasuke, but it's not nearly enough to make this title worthwhile.
4 Best: Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Treasure is a legendary game developer that is responsible for some of the best action-adventure titles, yet their adaptation of the Astro Boy series often goes overlooked. Astro Boy: Omega Factor is an action title for the Game Boy Advance that’s incredibly fun and enjoyable in every area.
The sidescroller plays like a dream, features creative level design, and showcases an incredible soundtrack as well. Most importantly, Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a loving tribute to Osamu Tezuka’s classic anime and shows that the old title still can compete with modern hits.
3 Worst: Yu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective
The Game Boy Advance was an impressive handheld system for Nintendo and the fact that some commendable and fun Dragon Ball Z RPGs for the handheld were released gave some developers hope that the same success could be found with the Yu Yu Hakusho anime series.
Unfortunately, the GBA's Yu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective is a misfire on every level. The story, combat, and game are clunky and awkward, but an ugly presentation style just destroys any of the beauty that's achieved in the anime.
2 Best: Dragon Ball FighterZ
There have been Dragon Ball video games coming out since the ‘80s. They took some time to come over to America, but Dragon Ball has a ton of video game titles in comparison to other series. Dragon Ball games are now in a solid place and Dragon Ball FighterZ does everything right.
It’s a fighting game that looks absolutely gorgeous, plus it features a full roster with smooth and polished gameplay that’s a delight to engage in. It’s able to effectively capture the excitement of the fights in the anime, which is not easy to accomplish.
1 Worst: One Piece: Grand Cruise
One Piece is a beloved anime franchise and it should come as no surprise that there are many One Piece games that have come out. One Piece: Grand Cruise is a major disappointment and it feels more like a proof of concept tech demo than a full game.
Grand Cruise is a VR experience that allows players to enter Luffy's world, but that’s it. Grand Cruise works hard to recreate the One Piece universe through VR, but there's no story or sense of completion. It's more an experience that's supposed to just be an impressive escape to another world.