Looking for the best Xbox 360 anime games can prove to be a challenge. Unlike its former rival the PlayStation 3, the platform hasn’t enjoyed a wealth of anime titles. Shockingly enough, a slew of anime titles were released exclusively in Japan, making it tough for anime fans to get their hands on the full anime package the Xbox 360 has to offer.
Despite the noticeable lack of anime games on the platform, we’re still staying true to the main objective: To deliver a list of games based either on the manga or anime of the game. Alternatively, titles that have had an anime adaptation shortly after the game’s release are also eligible to appear on this list. However, this time around we’ve slipped a couple of anime-oriented titles that aren’t based on any manga or anime property.
Whether you’re into Shonen anime or Seinen, there’s something for everyone here. So without further ado, let’s jump into the best anime games the Xbox 360 has to offer.
Blue Dragon™2006 |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date December 07, 2006 | |
Developer Mistwalker | |
Publisher Xbox Game Studios | |
Genre JRPG | |
Graphics 3D | |
Perspective Third-Person | |
Interaction Turn-Based | |
Concept Anime | |
Players Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2006-12-07 | |
2007-05-22 | |
2007-08-24 | |
2007-08-28 | |
2007-08-30 |
Blue Dragon marks one of Microsoft’s initial steps into the anime fandom. The game was a pretty big deal at the time as it was a collaboration between three renowned names; Final Fantasy creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi, composter Nobuo Uematsu and artist Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball.
The game’s plot follows the epic adventures of a group of friends (Kluke, Zola, Shu, Jiro, and Marumaro) to stop Nene, the evil ruler of the Grand Kingdom from destroying their world. The gameplay in Blue Dragon is pretty reminiscent of traditional JRPGs like Dragon Quest with a solid emphasis on teamwork and strategy.
However, unlike traditional JRPGs, your main weapon in the game is your shadow. Each character has their own shadow with a distinct look which helps them to confront enemies throughout the entire game. With each enemy defeated, you and your shadow’s stats level up as well, granting players new skills that can be used in combat later on.
Naruto™ Rise of A Ninja2007 |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date October 30, 2007 | |
Developer Ubisoft Montreal | |
Publisher Ubisoft | |
Franchise Naruto | |
Genre Action Adventure | |
Concept Anime | |
Players Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Canada |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2007-10-30 | |
2007-11-01 | |
2007-11-02 |
Naruto: Rise of Ninja does things differently than CyberConnect2’s Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Saga. When previous instalments focused their efforts on delivering an entertaining fighting experience, Rise of Ninja brought its own spin to the table.
Roam the Konoha village as Naruto Uzumaki as you converse with NPCs, jump from one place to another, and accomplish various ninja missions. Everything about the game feels fresh. From the cel-shading art style and the highly addictive one-on-one fighting combat ala style of Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution to the fun 3D platforming elements.
Fans of the Naruto series will have a blast with Rise of Ninja, especially with the slew of missions the game has to offer.
Afro Samurai2009 |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date January 27, 2009 | |
Developer Surge | |
Publisher Bandai Namco | |
Genre Hack & Slash | |
Graphics 3D | |
Perspective Third-Person | |
Concept Anime | |
Players Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin United States |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2009-01-27 | |
2009-03-27 |
Afro Samurai is a solid hack-and-slash based on the manga of the same name by artist Takashi Okazaki, and an honest attempt to faithfully emulate the vibes of the source material.
The plot puts you in the sandals of a Black Afro Samurai seeking vengeance on the man who ended his father’s life. It’s a tale of revenge, badassery, humour and (*gasp*) lots of naughty stuff.
As Afro Samurai, players go on a killing spree slicing and dicing waves of goons coming from every corner. With a few deadly moves under his belt, Afro is ready to smash ‘nd slash. What makes the game memorable is its hip-hop music and the unique vibes surrounding the entire game. With each katana swing, players sync to catchy music that plays a pivotal role in immersing the player. Granted, you’ll have a hard time not humming with the music.
Catherine2011 キャサリン (Kyasarin) |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date February 17, 2011 | |
Developer Atlus | |
Publisher Atlus | |
Genre Puzzle | |
Concept Anime | |
Players Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2011-02-17 | |
2011-07-26 | |
2012-02-10 | |
2012-02-23 |
Catherine is an engaging puzzle game from the minds behind the critically acclaimed Shin Megami Tensei franchise. Although it’s a break from the traditional JRPGs Atlus is known for, Catherine retains a handful of elements from Atlus’ previous works.
The game’s plot sees Vincent, a young man who’s haunted by surreal nightmares after being involved with a woman named Catherine. Consequently, he’s pushed into a world laden with nightmares from which he has to break free from through the solving of a multitude of puzzles.
The game’s gameplay is cut into two segments: daytime and night. During the daytime, players roam around as Vincent, conversing with NPCs and building relationships. During the nighttime, he’s haunted by nightmares embodied as a series of puzzles; climbing on top of a series of blocks before Vincent falls to his doom. It may sound easy on the surface, but some puzzles in Catherine will give your brain a workout.
Bakugan™ Defenders of the Core2010 |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date October 26, 2010 | |
Developer Now Production | |
Publisher Activision | |
Genre Action Adventure | |
Concept Anime | |
Players 1v1, Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2010-10-26 | |
2010-10-27 | |
2010-10-29 |
Bakugan: Defenders of the Core is a hidden gem that anyone rarely talks about, probably because of its low Metacritic score. However, with low scores aside, this game will definitely appeal to fans of the Bakugan anime.
As members of the resistance, players must protect planet earth from a furious danger known as Vexos that’s threatening to destroy the world and get his hands on the Perfect Core.
Like most anime games out there, the game provides a chunk of great entertainment. Players roam the world in search of Core Fragments while battling other foes ala style of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi. Combat feels solid at all times, and the graphics are pretty nice for a low-budget game such as this one, but fans may find that the story mode can feel pretty repetitive and boring.
Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage2010 北斗無双 (Hokuto Musō) |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date March 25, 2010 | |
Developer Koei Tecmo | |
Publisher Koei Tecmo | |
Genre Beat 'Em Up | |
Players Multiplayer, Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2010-03-25 | |
2010-11-02 | |
2010-11-05 |
The Fist of the North Star (Aka Hokuto no Ken in Japan) has enjoyed its fair dose of video game adaptations. From retro side-scrolling brawlers and fighting games to full-blown 3D titles, there exists one particular game that has probably flown under your radar: Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage by Koei Tecmo. This particular is a Musou beat’em up game based on the Hokuto no Ken manga by writer Buronson and illustrator, Tetsuo Hara.
Following the events of the Hokuto no Ken manga, the game’s plot is based on the Raoh arc. Shortly after the game’s initial cutscenes, Players quickly spring into action as they fight wave after wave of enemies using various martial art techniques. The game boasts up to 10 playable characters to pick up from, each with its own techniques and abilities.
Piercing your fist through oodles feels incredibly satisfying, more so when performing a series of combos makes your enemies shatter on-screen. Any Musou fan should give this game a shot, and for fans of the anime or the manga, it will definitely pique their interest.
Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 22010 ドラゴンボール レイジングブラスト2 (Doragon Bōru Reijingu Burasuto Tsū) |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date November 02, 2010 | |
Developer Spike | |
Publisher Bandai Namco | |
Franchise Dragon Ball | |
Genre 3D Fighting | |
Players 1v1, Multiplayer | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2010-11-02 | |
2010-11-05 | |
2010-11-11 |
Dragon Ball: Raging Blast builds upon the success of its predecessors to deliver yet another great Dragon Ball Z fighting game. And the results aren’t too disappointing; the game is visually beautiful with solid combat mechanics and a thoroughly enjoyable playthrough.
Raging Blast 2 is a full-blown one-on-one 3D fighting game developed by Spike and published by Bandai in 2010. The game boasts over 100 characters to choose from, with various original picks which aren’t present in previous instalments of the series.
Deathsmiles2007 |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date October 19, 2007 | |
Developer CAVE | |
Publisher Aksys Games | |
Genre Shoot 'Em Up | |
Concept Anime | |
Players Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2009-04-23 | |
2010-06-29 | |
2011-02-18 | |
2011-03-10 |
Deathsmiles is a fun-to-play shmup originally released in the arcade and then later ported to consoles. Brought to you by Cave, Deathsmiles is one of the best horizontal bullet-hell shmups and the best part of the game is that It’s casual-friendly. (meaning that it isn’t too difficult to finish)
Boasting up to 5 players to pick from, players go through 8 beautifully-made levels as they blast their way through an array of enemies. Visually, the game looks fantastic with some great effects splashing all over the screen with every foe you vanquish on-screen. Fans of shmups should definitely grab Deathsmiles whenever they can, it’s worth every second, and hey, (*whispers*) it has a lot of replay value.
Naruto™ Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 22010 NARUTO ナルト 疾風伝 ナルティメットストーム2 (Naruto Shippuden: Narutimate Storm 2) |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date October 14, 2010 | |
Developer CyberConnect2 | |
Publisher Bandai Namco | |
Franchise Naruto | |
Genre 3D Fighting | |
Graphics 3D | |
Perspective Third-Person | |
Concept Anime | |
Players 1v1, Online PvP, Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2010-10-14 | |
2010-10-15 | |
2010-10-19 | |
2010-10-21 |
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is the sequel to the previously PS3 exclusive Naruto Storm, and an improvement in various ways. Developed by Cyberconnect2, Naruto Storm 2 manages to faithfully capture the events of the Akatsuki arc up to Naruto’s showdown against Pain. Once you’re finished with the second game, you’ll be immediately craving the 3rd game.
There’s a huge roster of renowned characters to pick up from here if you decide to go on a 1vs1 against your friends. With devastating attacks like Rasengan or Shidori, you are going to cause them some pain one way or another. Add to that the comely-made cel-shading style along with the well-done voice acting and you got yourself one of the best Naruto games ever made.
Naruto Storm 2 is an excellent example of how you make an anime-based game.
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 32010 ガンダム無双3 (Gundam Musou 3) |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date December 16, 2010 | |
Developer Omega Force | |
Publisher Bandai Namco | |
Franchise Dynasty Warriors | |
Genre Musou | |
Concepts Anime, Mecha, Sci-Fi, Space | |
Players Single Player, Split-Screen Co-Op | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2010-12-16 | |
2011-06-28 | |
2011-07-01 | |
2011-07-14 |
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 is yet another Musou by Omega Force, and part of the Warriors Gundam trilogy. This is arguably one of the least talked about games by Omega Force, and that’s a shame.
While the game retains the same ingredients of its Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi brethren, Gundam 3 introduces a couple of ideas worthy of praise. Its cel-shading art style is an attempt to emulate the source material. Every detail in the game brims with personality: from the visuals and the design of the mechs to the charming aesthetics when slashing and shooting enemies.
Hacking and slashing in Gundam 3 feels incredibly satisfying, especially when performing a powerful special attack that sends every threat flying back to their leader.
Strike Witches: Hakugin no Tsubasa2010 |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date July 29, 2010 | |
Developer CyberFront™ | |
Publisher CyberFront™ | |
Genre Shoot 'Em Up | |
Concept Anime | |
Players Co-Op, Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2010-07-29 |
Strike Witches: Hakugin no Tsubasa is an obscure shmup that never left Japan, and that’s a shame because the game will appeal to fans of the genre. However, being a Japan-exclusive makes Strike Witches: Hakugin no Tsubasa difficult to obtain nowadays.
Based on the Strike Witches manga, this is another horizontal side-scrolling bullet-hell that sees players going through various levels and blasting anything that moves. Unlike Deathsmiles, which is casual-friendly, Strike Witches will sometimes put your skills to the test.
Asura's Wrath2012 アスラズ ラース (Asurazu Rāsu) |
About | |
---|---|
Release Date February 21, 2012 | |
Developer CyberConnect2 | |
Publisher Capcom | |
Genre Beat 'Em Up | |
Players Single Player | |
Monetization Buy to Play | |
Country of Origin Japan |
Xbox 360 Releases | |
---|---|
2012-02-21 | |
2012-02-23 | |
2012-03-09 | |
2012-03-10 |
Asura’s Wrath takes the title of the best game made by CyberConnect 2 so far. Many may argue that Asura’s Wrath is inherently not an anime game because it isn’t based on any manga or anime, and the lacking anime-oriented visuals. Luckily enough, the game possesses certain ingredients that make it a worthy mention on the list; the game’s protagonist is a beast to conquer, a convoluted story of revenge with tons of non-stop action, and the seemingly Shonen vibes surrounding the game.
Asura’s Wrath is an excellent beat’em up born from a collaboration between Capcom and CyberConnect2. Take control of Asura as you take on anything that moves; whether it’s a mere human, a giant mythical creature, a God or even a freaking Buddha tenfold the size of planet earth. It doesn’t matter because Asura will kick its butt.
Events quickly turn to chaos as soon as the action starts, as Asura will make sure to wreak havoc all over the place. Arguably this is one of the best beat’em ups ever created, and seeing that there’s no remaster on the horizon is tragic. Luckily, fans can still get their hands on a copy of Asura’s Wrath while it’s still possibly cheap to get.
Thank you for reading, that’s it for the list!
|
FreeckyCake
I'm just your average gamer who enjoys hunting hidden gems and underrated games. My love for Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is like a truck and I recommend that you play it.
|
Leave a Reply