Pet monsters were all the rage in the late 90s, digital pets that you could carry around with you, feed and care for. What had started as a toy turned into an ever-growing franchise that would go on to make numerous cartoon animations featured around digital monsters inside a toy and break through into the gaming industry. The only thing is Bandai couldn’t figure out how to market a game that was unlike the competition and captured all of the charm and enthusiasm that the original Digimon Adventures had.
Here are the top games we think are the best to come from Bandai and stand out for anyone who wants to get into Digimon and Digifans can agree are the better of the games that were released.
Digimon Adventure
If the title sounds familiar, that’s because this game is an RPG that mirrors the Digimon series that aired in 1999, Digimon Adventure. The original show followed a group of children after they had been whisked away into a digital world where they met wondrous creatures. The game follows the same premise as the show with slight RPG elements and battle mechanics. Although the game was made in 2013, it’s still a good game for beginners who are familiar with the show and want to step into the game.
Digimon Cyber Sleuth
This game is definitely one of the top games out of all of the Digimon games released. Digimon Cyber Sleuth has a cohesive story with differing paths. You can either play as a detective or a hacker trying to uncover the sudden mystery of corrupted data where strange creatures appear online. Another RPG with battle mechanics and puzzles, this game strongly resembled The World Ends With You in its stylistic approach yet still keeps the wonderfully complicated evolution branches that Digimon fans have endured and praised. With many elements to keep players entertained, those who love Digimon can’t go wrong with trying this game out whether you are a dedicated fan or a novice to the series.
Digimon Survive
A complete twist in the lineup of Bandai’s Digimon games. In the past, they were trying to replicate the charms and adventures that were seen in the series. But with Digimon Survive, they take on a whole new spin. Reminiscent of Danganronpa and Corpse Party without the graphic nature both series have become infamous for, Digimon Survive does raise the stakes once a group of young teens becomes stuck in a digital world. Be careful with the choices you make because they may just lead to hazardous consequences that may put you or your friends in danger. Probably the most similar to its predecessors, the game does have a fascinating storyline as well as a combative playstyle where strategy and tactics are key to success.
Honorable Mentions
Namely just one. Digimon games are hard to come by, especially those that are playable, make sense, and are beginner friendly. For a long time, there was only Digimon Adventures, banking on its nostalgia. But Digimon World Dawn and Dusk was a great step forward with its release in 2007, making for some fun battle mechanics and an amazing overarching story. However, what it gained with these two boons, it lacked in world-building, imploring the player to traverse literal mazes to progress in between the story. It’s received both praise and criticism but was a major step forward for the games that you see today.
Think we missed any games? Let us know if some of your favorite Digimon games didn’t make it to our roster and we’ll check them out!
Jordan is a student studying Digital and Print Journalism at the University of North Texas. After discovering how much fun gaming journalism can be, she hopes to make a career in it once she graduates. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys playing games such as Genshin Impact, Ace Attorney, and Fire Emblem or watching Murder, She Wrote late at night on weekdays.
