The unmistakable worlds of manga and anime have thrilled fans in and outside Japan for decades. The stylized conventions of these genres have transcended the eastern borders to earn a much-lauded reputation and devoted fanbase.
It’s unsurprising, therefore, to see the striking images of manga and anime permeate the gaming world, the penetrating aesthetic and mix of fantasy and science-fiction enlivening everything from board games and online apps, to some of the video game world’s all-time biggest sellers. Here we check out seven of the best you can play right now.
Dragon Ball Legends
An exciting fighter with some intriguing side steps into RPG and adventure, Dragon Ball Legends grabs attention instantly thanks to its basis in the anime TV series. Being an app for iOS and Android, its fight mechanics are understandably simple, but throw in an absorbing story mode, and the familiarity of its characters of this Gacha game proves to be winner.
Dragon Quest
The long-running Dragon Quest series most recently saw its 11th instalment hit shelves for PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch players. It boasts the lavish detailing of manga with a cinematic quest that befits anime’s grand big screen adventures. In addition, the 3D environments in this RPG are deliciously immersive thanks to the design work of Dragon Ball mastermind Akira Toriyama.
Magical Stacks
Magical Stacks is a prominent fixture at leading online providers like William Hill Casino, alongside other slots games based on popular characters, films and TV like Suicide Squad, Gladiator, and The Dark Knight. Featuring five reels and 20 paylines, it’s distinguished by its anime inspiration. The brightly textured graphics are supported by a suitably outlandish premise featuring a wide-eyed pink-haired girl with magical powers adorning the wild symbols, and a white cat as the scatter symbol.
Tokyo Ghoul: The Card Game
A strategy-based card game featuring some of Tokyo Ghoul’s most memorable characters, two to four players face-off in a turf war between villains hoping to earn bragging rights (and the biggest deck). Building a well-established fanbase around the world, Tokyo Ghoul: The Card Game is an entertaining mix of careful planning and decisive action as characters match-up with only the strongest surviving.
Sword Art Online Board Game: Sword Of Fellows
A board game for one to four people, Sword of Fellows sees teams or solo players trying to triumph over villainous monsters and ultimately survive. With an in-built fanbase, thanks to being inspired by the hugely popular Sword Art Online anime, the game features dice that reveal the special powers players are able to utilize. Each game lasts for about half an hour, with endless replay value thanks to the assortment of characters and their differing strengths and weaknesses.
Attack on Titan Tactics
This mobile game from the makers of Pokémon Masters is a fun strategy-based RPG, that is enticing to both established fans and newcomers to the franchise. Fully licensed and featuring recognizable characters, Attack on Titan Tactics centers around picking up characters and setting them off against enemies, with its story developed around the series’ first season.
Monopoly: Pokémon Kanto Edition
This Pokémon-inspired version of Monopoly brings together the classic board game with the trend-setting characters of a franchise that has spawned everything; from video games and TV series’, to the groundbreaking augmented reality mobile game. Here players head to the Kanto region sporting one of the six tokens which, in this edition, include Pikachu, Squirtle, and Jigglypuff. The mechanics are what you’d expect from Monopoly with a few neat twists.
There are many more great games inspired by manga and anime, but this selection includes some of the best you can play right now. If you’re a fan of the imaginative worlds seen in the genre, then this diverse selection of tiles is a perfect way to re-immerse yourself in a unique and exciting way.
