The Best Anime Games Only Available On The PS1

Summary

• Plenty of anime games on PS1 are must-play gems, like Dr. Slump.
• Unique mechanics and a superb techno soundtrack make Ghost in the Shell stand out as one of the best anime games ever made.
• From card and board games to fighting games, there are a plethora of anime offerings on the PS1.

Anime goes hand in hand with video games, whether adapting a popular series to the medium or having the games animated in that eye-catching style. It seems only natural that a series like Cowboy Bebop would make its way to the PlayStation 1, though it was poorly executed and not enjoyed by fans.

Not every adaptation was bad though, and Sony’s debut console features some excellent anime games like Devilman and Xenogears, though they are available to play elsewhere. Not all games receive remasters or are ported to other consoles, and here are some of those must-play titles that remain trapped on the PS1.

10

From TV Animation – One Piece: Grand Battle!

The First One Piece Game On Home Console

• Released: 2001-03-15 (JP), 2003-06-23 (EU)
• Developer: Ganbarion
• Genre: Fighting

The fighting game with a very catchy name, From TV Animation – One Piece: Grand Battle! is the first One Piece game to appear on home consoles. It features 16 playable characters, each with their own assigned rival and some having support characters.

There are six maps in recognizable locations like Syrup Village, and each character’s attacks are based on three main attributes ranked from A to E: Offense, Defense, and Agility. The Event Battle game mode contains cutscenes and six battles, culminating in a fight with the player-character’s rival, whereas Grand Battle is more of a traditional arcade-style gauntlet.

9

Digimon World 3

Escape A Digital World With The Help Of Digimon

• Released: 2002-06-06
• Developer: B.B. Studio
• Genre: RPG

While it was not popular with contemporary reviewers, Digimon World 3 has garnered something of a cult following. One of several Digimon games to release on Sony’s debut console, it tells the story of Junior, who becomes trapped in an MMORPG about the aforementioned digital monsters and must use them if he and his friends wish to escape.

Battles are turn-based and players can also participate in Card Battles. A lack of fast travel can be frustrating for players with modern sensibilities, especially given the volume of random encounters and maze-like structure of the map, but this is still an enjoyable experience for Digimon fans.

8

Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories

An Early Version Of The Classic Card Game

• Released: 1999-12-09
• Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
• Genre: Card game, strategy

Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories‘ gameplay may be unfamiliar to some fans, as the game was released in Japan prior to the existence of the anime and the card game itself was still being developed. Rules such as Tribute Summoning and Effect Monsters are not present here, just to name some differences.

The story is quite deep, taking place in both Ancient Egypt and modern-day Domino City, each with its own protagonist in Atem and Yugi. While there may be confusion for fans, given the later changes to the game, it’s still an enjoyable experience, though prospective players should prepare for a difficulty spike towards the end.

7

Animetic Story Game 1: Cardcaptor Sakura

An Interactive Re-Telling Of Season One

• Released: 1999-08-05
• Developer: Arika
• Genre: Adventure

The first game of a two-part series, Animetic Story Game 1: Cardcaptor Sakura was sadly never released outside Japan. An adventure game with chibi-style characters, the game basically follows the plot of season one of the anime accurately.

Across the 14 episodes that make up the game, there are three different aspects to the gameplay:

• Non-interactive scenes – following the story with some FMV cutscenes.
• Interactive scenes – controlling Sakura and other characters, traversing the map, and conversing with other characters.
• Minigames – fun minigames which are replayable after completing the game.

The game is somewhat short and may be a struggle for non-Japanese speakers, but for any interested fans, there is an unofficial English translation.

6

Dr. Slump

Quirky Game With Great Visuals

• Released: 1999-03-18
• Developer: Bird Studio
• Genre: RPG, platformer

An RPG with many platforming elements, Dr. Slump is credited as being faithful to its source material. Using designs from the show’s remake, but staying more true to the original story, players control Arale Norimaki, a robot created by the eponymous Dr. Slump.

Exploring her home, Penguin Village, players interact with other characters and complete quests around the different areas. The gameplay is relatively simple, and the timeless art style makes it one of the best-looking games on PS1, according to many reviewers. As with Cardcaptor Sakura, this game was only released in Japan, but there are some English fan translations available.

5

Alice In Cyberland

A Prescient Near-Future Setting

• Released: 1996-12-20
• Developer: Glams Inc.
• Genre: Adventure

Many would argue that Alice in Cyberland is a game that was ahead of its time. Set in the near future when the internet has become an important part of society, a new digital world has been developed called “Cyberland”. Junior high school student Alice Minazuki and her friends must maintain order in Cyberland.

Across the five chapters of the game, players will be given dialogue choices that will impact the story and gameplay later. Featuring battles with guard programs, there are plenty of other side activities to keep Alice and her friends occupied in the fully explorable Tokyo and Cyberland settings. Once again, this was a Japan-exclusive title.

4

Ranma ½: Battle Renaissance

Weather Affected Grappling

• Released: 1996-12-06
• Developer: Atelier Double
• Genre: Fighting

Often compared to Tekken 2, Ranma ½: Battle Renaissance is more than just a typical fighting game. The game features a standard one-off fight in Versus Mode, and a gauntlet in Battle Mode, where the chosen fighter battles all eight characters, culminating in a match against Rouge.

Story Mode has players traveling around Kikaiga Island in search of eight stones that contain the treasure called Shingouku, battling other combatants in order to claim them. What sets the game apart is the environmental effects and the weather, potentially causing players to turn into their cursed mode, or back to normal. These moments can turn the tide of a battle drastically.

3

Naruto: Shinobi No Sato No Jintori Kassen

A Naruto Board Game

• Released: 2003-03-26
• Developer: Dimps & Denyusha Co.
• Genre: Board game

A rather peculiar entry in the Naruto series, Naruto: Shinobi no Sato no Jintori Kassen is a strategic board game. It means “Naruto: Ninja Village Jintori Battle” when translated literally, and features many playable characters from the anime with the ultimate goal being to occupy the home base of opposing players.

As players progress around the game board, they are able to lay traps, and when opponents land on them, either the opponent takes damage or chooses to fight. Any players who don’t speak Japanese will struggle at first, but just messing around and figuring out what each button does can lead to a really enjoyable time, especially when playing multiplayer with friends.

2

Gundam: Battle Assault 2

A Huge Step Forward From The Previous Game

• Released: 2002-07-18
• Developer: Natsume Co.
• Genre: Fighting

After the somewhat disappointing gameplay in the first game, it was vastly improved in Gundam: Battle Assault 2, a mech-fighting game. Rather than reducing health, as happened in the previous game, i-Fields and dodging reduce a boost gauge, which replenishes over time. Players also have finite ammo for some attacks and therefore must be cautious.

Fully 3D-rendered backgrounds are a vast improvement on the static images of the first game, and the story mode, called Street Mode, now features additional playable characters and voiced cutscenes. Other game modes include Time Attack, where players battle many opponents consecutively as fast as possible, and Survival Mode.

1

Ghost In The Shell

One Of The Best Anime Games

Often touted as one of the best anime games ever made, Ghost in the Shell features some unique mechanics and a superb techno soundtrack. Traversing a 3D world in the “Fuchikoma”, a semi-intelligent robot tank, players are able to climb walls and ceilings in order to reach their target.

The beautiful animated cutscenes are reminiscent of the manga, and tell a compelling story, and the gameplay is satisfying, though a bit repetitive at times. The 12 story missions are fairly varied, keeping things fresh as players progress, and often allowing for creativity in terms of how to take them on.