Summary
- Konami had iconic series like Castlevania, Contra, and Metal Gear Solid, but many titles have sadly been forgotten.
- Konami rereleased more of its catalog in recent years, making these series available to a new audience of gamers.
- From Bomberman to Yu-Gi-Oh to Metal Gear, Konami produced diverse and memorable games across various genres.
Beginning in 1969, Konami started off humbly enough as a jukebox repair company before the late ’70s onward, where it became known as a big player in the video game and tabletop industry. From the ’80s to the 2000s, Konami was one of the best developers on the planet, with many of its titles being some of the best on their respective platforms.
Konami had stellar series like Castlevania, Contra, Metal Gear Solid, and many others that have sadly been forgotten. Thankfully, Konami has been rereleasing more of its incredible catalog in recent years to make these series available to an entirely new audience.
8
Bomberman
The Perfect Series To Play With Friends
Back in the ’80s and ’90s, systems like the SNES and PS1 required a Multitap to play with four or more people. The best games to use that Multitap were the Bomberman titles. Set in a large playfield with four to ten people, these games were pure chaos on screen. You had to watch out for so many different factors, but you also needed some strategy to beat the other players.
Konami acquired the IP when it absorbed Hudson Soft and has done a pretty good job at keeping the white bomber alive. Super Bomberman R and R 2 have been released on modern platforms, and Bomberman even appeared in his own game mode in the Xbox release of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
7
Contra
2D Side-Scrolling Action At Its Best
There are certain games you might not be very good at, but you still have a ton of fun playing. Those are the best types of hard games, and Contra is a perfect example. An intense 2D side-scrolling shooter with so many obstacles coming at you, it was a blast at all skill levels, and the gameplay often mixed things up with top-down view and tunnel stages.
Starting in the arcades, before becoming a staple 2D action series in the 8 and 16-bit eras, Contra also had plenty of stellar titles on later consoles. Contra: Shattered Soldier and the criminally underrated Neo Contra launched on the PS2, and one of the best games in the series, Contra 4, launched on the Nintendo DS. The series is still going strong with the 2024 remake of the original Contra, Operation Galuga.
6
Suikoden
Some Of The Best RPGs On The PS1 And PS2
It’s safe to say that the greatest console ever in regards to JRPGs is the PS1. There are so many incredible titles, but sadly, a lot of them have dramatically risen in price without any version available on modern platforms. Thankfully, Konami saved the day.
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Some of the best RPGs on the first two PlayStation consoles were the Suikoden games, a series that’s largely been an underground favorite due to how ludicrously expensive a few titles are. After numerous delays, 2025 finally saw the launch of Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster, and it was worth the wait. An incredible and faithful remaster, a whole new generation of JRPG fans can experience these masterpieces.
5
Goemon
The Most Underrated Video Game Ninja
One Konami series that’s definitely a cult favorite is Goemon, also known as Mystical Ninja in the US. Most of the games weren’t even released outside of Japan, and this was back in the ’80s and ’90s, so no multi-language support here. Despite this, a few games launched in the US and Europe, and they were fantastic.
The SNES Legend of the Mystical Ninja is a great 2D side-scroller, but the N64 brought the best Goemon game. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon has to be one of the best 3D platformers on the system, and it’s a crying shame that titles like the Gex trilogy and Glover have been ported to modern consoles, but not Goemon. The series definitely needs a remastered collection, as it has so many hidden gems.
4
Castlevania
Another Great 2D Action Series That Birthed An Entire Genre
Like Contra, Castlevania was a staple action series in the 8 and 16-bit generations, with nearly all the games being stellar. Castlevania 1, 3, 4, Bloodlines, and Rondo of Blood are some of the best 2D action games ever made, but the series topped itself with the legendary PS1 title Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. This game birthed an entire genre known as Metroidvania.
Unlike other ground-breaking titles, it’s still one of the best Metroidvanias ever made. The level design and pacing are that good. Castlevania continued its Metroidvania path on handheld consoles, which were solid, and the first Lords of Shadow was a criminally underrated 3D action title that doesn’t see enough love. Thankfully, most of the classic games are available through collections on modern platforms.
3
Yu-Gi-Oh!
The Heart Of The Cards Guides This Series
Yes, Yu-Gi-Oh isn’t a traditional series, but it’s still a series akin to the many Naruto and Dragon Ball games. Konami has made Yu-Gi-Oh video games since the late ’90s, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, given it makes the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG and OCG, with most games containing cards inside.
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The Yu-Gi-Oh games were always a lot of fun to play, whether it was the more retro games like Forbidden Memories or the best digitized TCG ever in Master Duel. They’re a time capsule, if you think about it, as each entry contains the rules and format of the time. If you want to witness how truly broken Royal Oppression was back when it was legal, boot up Decade Duels and see for yourself.
2
Silent Hill
A World Of Someone’s Nightmarish Delusions Come To Life
Still, to this day, many of the best horror games of all time are the original Silent Hill titles. The series that popularized psychological horror and influenced countless other games to follow, Silent Hill showed that atmosphere and stellar sound design will trump any cheap jump scare thrown at you.
Silent Hills 1 through 4 remain incredible to this day, not only as truly scary video games, but they also offer challenging plots that’ll be debated forever. Sadly, after SH4, the series went off the rails, but with the fantastic remake of Silent Hill 2, the future of the series looks bright.
A Masterclass In Both Story And Gameplay
Despite the Metal Gear series starting in 1987, 1998’s Metal Gear Solid changed everything, leading to the best Konami series of all time. Yes, Metal Gear is known for its long cutscenes, but Hideo Kojima is right when he says, “At the core, games are what I create.” You can play Metal Gear casually and enjoy the story for what it is.
However, once you start playing at a high level, it completely transforms the experience. Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 on Extreme difficulty is like an entirely different game that not only heightens the depth of the stealth mechanics but the action sequences, too. Many story-driven titles falter in the gameplay department, but MGS has phenomenal gameplay and a great story.
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