Games From Anime We Want To Play

Anime is full of wonderful worlds, characters, and events viewers regularly wish were real. That is especially the case for gamers that love anime and the long list of fictional games some of the medium’s greatest protagonists are shown playing. Including augmented reality and unbelievable twists on games that already exist, anime is full of playable experiences that are practically begging to be brought to life.

Whether played outdoors or in the confines of your home, anime has a game for every type of competitor. From a fighting game even the strongest sorcerers enjoy to a board game with near infinite possibilities, here are several anime games we dream of.

10

Shangri-La Frontier

Shangri-La Frontier

Shangri-La Frontier follows protagonist Sunraku’s experience with the eponymous fictional VR game. It is considered the pinnacle of gaming in universe for how immersive its visuals are, adaptive skill trees, and vibrant online player base among other reasons.

The game is elevated due to having no lag or bugs, its wondrous medieval setting inspired by Europe and Asia, as well as a multitude of diverse sand boxes. Like any great RPG, gamers are there for the abundant loot, friendly community, and intense boss battles. While VR in real life, the game Shangri-La Frontier is a technical marvel by comparison.

It has long been the dream of developers to create worlds that are completely immersive, that suck players in, allowing them to create memorable lives online. In the anime, that is what Shangri-La Frontier represents and it would be nothing short of extraordinary were it to hit store shelves in real life.

9

Augmented Reality Duels

Yu-gi-oh! Zexal

Yu-gi-oh! and its many spinoff series have continually found ways to spice up the card game. Most alternative forms of Yu-gi-oh! in the anime, however, require duelists put their lives and souls on the line. Thankfully, there is one form of the game that would be incredibly fun to watch or play without anyone needing to be banished to the shadow realm.

By far the coolest version of the game has to be the Augmented Reality Duels shown in Yu-gi-oh! Zexal. Players use duel gazers to scan their surroundings to create augmented reality stages. Cards come to life when they are played and do attacks that look real but only affect the generated landscape. It’s the Yu-gi-oh! millions play turned up to 11.

8

Unnamed Fighter

Jujutsu Kaisen

Virtual fisticuffs are not usually what comes to mind when Jujutsu Kaisen and its roster of smooth sorcerers are mentioned. But buried in the anime is an exclusive scene that fans of Satoru Gojo and co can only dream of replicating in real life.

For a few seconds in the season 2 ending Akari, Gojo can be seen beating Suguru Geto in a fictional arcade game. The scene, with its hyped up onlookers, gives it a real competitive vibe. Even better is the grin plastered on Gojo’s face. In real life, the game would be another fun way to bring cosplayers and fans of 2D fighters together. Plus, a game that is good enough to earn Gojo’s approval is one worth playing.

7

Run-And-Round Roller Race

One Piece

The Straw Hats have experienced plenty of challenges that pushed their abilities to the limit. During the Davy Back Fight, however, they played one game that just about anyone could enjoy.

Round-and-round Roller Race melds the best elements of football and roller skating. Each crew selects a point getter to skate around a track while their team follows to provide support or obstruct their rivals. Whoever is in the lead after five minutes wins. Because in One Piece, anything goes a few rule tweaks would be required to prevent injury in real life. That would make it a fun alternative to tag or football.

6

Goblin City

Yu Yu Hakusho

In season three of the classic Yu Yu Hakusho anime viewers are treated to one of the coolest fictional arcade games, Goblin City. It’s so popular in-universe that multiple characters have played it, including Yusuke’s sensei Genkai.

According to Yusuke, the game has become a mega-hit because of the way it combines multiple genres in one neat package. Players have to beat the Goblin King in a series of challenges to save a town. Those challenges are selected by the king at random and include sports like tennis, trivia, a tetris-like puzzle game, and a vertical shooter, among others. The first to win four games is the ultimate winner.

In Yu Yu Hakusho it has become a real hit, with gaming parties being held where friends team-up to take on the Goblin King together. The fantasy narrative only adds to its appeal. In real life, Goblin City could be the ultimate game for buddies to link up and put their skills to the test.

5

F-Mega

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

Gamers enamored with F-Zero’s take on racing would love F-Mega. This fictional videogame played by Kakyoin and Darby in Stardust Crusaders has everything: futuristic-looking vehicles, engines that send cars flying down the track, and four-player co-op.

Cars can fly off the tracks while turns executed at over 400 mph look buttery smooth. Even better are the jaw-dropping controls that allow Kakyoin to take the lead. There’s no need for Stands to have a blast playing F-Mega. Just a few controllers and some friends.

4

E-Chess

Cowboy Bebop

Chess has been played on the internet for decades and the game itself has been a cultural touchstone far longer. Now imagine a form of chess that can be played across the stars with opponents, all in real time.

In Cowboy Bebop, tech-wiz Radical Edward goes head-to-head with Chessmaster Hex in a remarkable long-distance chess match where holograms lend the game a high-tech, visual component.

E-Chess uses the outernet, the series’ version of the internet, to keep players connected across a massive amount of space. No more worrying about lag or feeling the need to stay glued to a screen. It’s the definitive game of kings on the go.

3

Monster Rancher Fighting Game

Monster Rancher

This series of games is centered on raising a stable of magical creatures in an original fantasy setting. Its 1999 anime adaptation, however, opens with main character Genki playing a game that is very different.

Genki is introduced as a finalist in a massive video game competition where competitors are playing a fictional version of Monster Rancher. That version turns out to be a fighting game with magical creatures, fluid dodging animations, and powerful special moves.

While plenty of Monster Rancher games have been made in real life, none have captured the fast-paced button-mashing fighter viewers see in episode one of the anime.

2

Gundam Fight

Mobile Fighter G Gundam

The ingenuity of mobile suits has helped Gundam achieve lasting stardom. Unfortunately, we rarely get a chance to see them used outside a warzone. That’s partially why G Gundam remains so iconic 30 years after debuting on TV. Where other protagonists were trained to put their lives on the line in intergalactic battles, Domon Kasshu and his fellow pilots had an Olympic-level fighting championship to look forward to.

Instead of waging ruinous wars against each other, nations in this timeline settle their differences in a massive martial arts tournament called the Gundam Fight. Like the Olympic games, they are held every four years and every country is given a chance to compete. But the best, and most appropriate format for the real world, is the Gundam Fight Finals. They are held in bespoke arenas complete with special seating for spectators and referees. With the flare of wrestling and sophisticated mechs it would be a must-see sports event.

1

Gungi

Hunter X Hunter

Anyone that has seen shogi or goh will find gungi instantly recognizable. That’s due to the shape of its board, two-player format, and simple-looking game pieces. Additionally, it has a number of distinctive rules that distinguish it from other traditional board games.

To start, players are able to arrange their pieces however they want at the start of a match. In addition to ditching the pre-arranged board state of other games, gungi allows pieces to be stacked up to three times! Royal Guard Shaiapouf explains that it promotes three-dimensional thinking, but the board game goes even further than that. Its rules and multitude of strategems lend it a level of personalization absent from most board games.